Latest news with #PersonalCareProductsCouncil
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
4 Bath and Beauty Items To Stock Up on Now in Case of Tariff-Induced Product Shortages
It's no secret the U.S. introduced new tariffs on imports from China, the European Union and many other countries. While rates have fluctuated, ranging from a baseline of 10% to as high as 145% on certain Chinese goods earlier this year, per Reuters, it's clear that global supply chains are under pressure. According to the Personal Care Products Council, trade policies that raise costs on imported materials could impact the affordability and availability of everyday essentials like toothpaste, shampoo and moisturizer. Be Aware: Try This: If there are bath and beauty products you use daily, now might be a good time to grab an extra bottle or two. Here are four categories that could be most impacted by trade disruptions and rising costs. Many skincare products rely on ingredients that are sourced globally. For example, Volza trade data shows the U.S. imports most of its hyaluronic acid from China, India and France. Products that rely on imported ingredients could become more expensive or harder to restock if global sourcing or shipping delays persist. In an interview with Glamour, Kent Smetters, professor at the Wharton School of Business, said consumers could pay up to 20% more for beauty and skincare products on average due to tariffs. Check Out: Toothpaste and mouthwash are part of a global supply chain. According to Volza, the U.S. imported over 57,000 shipments of toothpaste between late 2022 and late 2023, primarily from Mexico, India and China. While import dependence alone doesn't guarantee disruption, it leaves these products more exposed to rising shipping costs or changing trade policy. In January 2025, Reuters reported Colgate-Palmolive (one of the largest oral care brands in the U.S.) is already taking steps to adjust its sourcing and reduce the potential impact of new tariffs on toothpaste imported from Mexico. While the extent of future price or supply changes remains unclear, keeping an extra tube or brush head on hand might help avoid last-minute shortages or cost spikes. Haircare items like shampoo, conditioner and treatments often rely on global supply chains for both ingredients and packaging. 'It'll affect makeup, hair care, skin care, anything sold in a bottle,' said Perry Romanowski, a cosmetic chemist, in an interview with Allure. He explained that products made with ingredients like coconut oil and palm oil derivatives are more likely to see price spikes. If you have a go-to shampoo, deep conditioner or styling product, grabbing an extra bottle could help you avoid potential price hikes or stock issues later on. According to Volza, the U.S. imported over 130,000 shipments of bath and body products from countries like China, India and Mexico in the past year. While importing data alone doesn't confirm price hikes, the Personal Care Products Council has warned that tariffs on imported materials may impact both affordability and availability across the personal care sector. If you have go-to body care products, like moisturizing body washes or natural deodorants, it may be worth grabbing an extra bottle in case future costs rise or supply becomes more limited. Having an extra bottle or backup item for your daily-use products can save money and stress later. Focus on long shelf-life items, and always check expiration dates before buying in bulk. Prioritize the products you know you'll use, especially if they contain imported ingredients or come in plastic packaging that could be hit by tariffs. More From GOBankingRates 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks This article originally appeared on 4 Bath and Beauty Items To Stock Up on Now in Case of Tariff-Induced Product Shortages Sign in to access your portfolio
WIRED
08-07-2025
- Business
- WIRED
How to Spot Counterfeit Beauty Products on Amazon
Welcome to the Wild West of online beauty shopping. Here's how not to get scammed. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. You'd expect your pimple patches to heal blemishes, not cause them. But when you're buying beauty products on Amazon, there's a risk you're getting more than you bargained for. And you wouldn't be alone. According to a 2023 study from Michigan State University, nearly seven in 10 consumers were fooled into purchasing counterfeit items online. That same year, Amazon reported blocking more than 700,000 attempts by 'bad actors' trying to open new storefronts and seizing more than 7 million counterfeit products worldwide. While knockoff sneakers might pose minimal safety risks, fake skin care and makeup are a whole different story. These products come into contact with your skin and can cause irritation, allergic reactions, chemical burns, or more serious health issues. According to the Personal Care Products Council, counterfeit cosmetics can come laced with carcinogens like arsenic, beryllium, and cadmium, as well as dangerous levels of aluminum, mercury, and bacteria. So, how do you protect yourself without giving up online shopping altogether? Here's how to spot fake beauty products on Amazon (ideally) before they touch your face. For more smart shopping advice, check out Here's What the FDA Label on Your Personal Care Products Means. Start With the Source On Amazon, the same product might be sold by more than one vendor. Your safest bet is sticking to products sold by the brand's official storefront. Sometimes the product is shipped and sold by While not foolproof, it's the second-best option, considering Amazon takes responsibility for the inventory it fulfills. Amazon allows independent vendors to list and sell products on its platform, and while many are legit, counterfeiters love this loophole. Click on the third-party seller and look at its storefront. If it's empty, oddly named, or redirects to nowhere on Google, move along. Vet the Seller Like It's a First Date You'd Google a Bumble match before meeting up; apply that same energy here. Run a quick search. If a third-party seller has no presence outside Amazon or is filled with one-star complaints, that's your cue to swipe left. Look for a legitimate website, positive reviews across various platforms, and clear contact information or customer service details. In this economy, we might love a mysterious man with no socials, but a mysterious seller is giving catfish. Read Between the Reviews Beware of fake reviews. Reviewer Simon Hill put together a complete guide to help you spot them, but here are a few red flags to look for: A very high percentage of five-star reviews. Lack of detail in reviews and vague praise. Generic review titles like 'Nice product' or simply 'Awesome.' Mentions of competing products. Wording similar to other reviews. Poor grammar and spelling mistakes. Multiple reviews on specific dates (especially if there are long gaps between them). The 'Customers also bought' section contains unrelated products. Glowing reviews with one small negative that isn't a deal-breaker. Explaining away cons. Inspect Before You Apply Counterfeit packaging can be scarily accurate, but there are still tells: off-color logos, misspelled ingredient lists, weird textures or smells, and broken safety seals. If you've purchased the product before from a reputable source (like Sephora or directly from the brand), compare it to an old tube. When in doubt, toss it out. Check the lot code, which is a sequence of numbers and letters printed on the product's bottom, side, or crimp. Manufacturers use these to track inventory and flag counterfeits. You can often compare your code with one from an authentic product or plug it into a checker tool on the brand's website. If the code is missing or different from what you'd expect, it's a hard pass. If You've Been Duped, Report It If you suspect a product is counterfeit or unsafe, report it directly to Amazon. The online retailer should start an investigation and issue a refund, and may take the product down. You can also leave a detailed review to warn other shoppers, and consider filing a complaint with the brand directly. Final Tips and Advice Stick to Amazon's curated storefronts, like Premium Beauty and Professional Skincare, where sellers are vetted and products are often sourced straight from the brand. You'll also see badges like 'Amazon's Choice' or 'Best Seller,' which indicate trusted picks, though again, those aren't guaranteed. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. But with a little vigilance, you can enjoy the convenience of Amazon without the counterfeit drama. Power up with unlimited access to WIRED . Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.
Boston Globe
07-05-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
How everyday beauty products could pose a toxic health threat
The study monitored 70 Black and Latina women as they used over 1,100 personal care products, averaging 17 products a day. According to the research, approximately 53 percent of the participants used products with preservatives that release formaldehyde. Advertisement Some women used multiple products containing the preservatives, while others used products such as lotions and hand soaps multiple times a day. And more than 70 percent of the formaldehyde-releasing products were used at least twice over the study period. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Robin Dodson, the associate director of research operations at the Silent Spring Institute and the study's lead author, said that while a lot of necessary attention has been paid to products that are used occasionally, there needs to be a greater focus on everyday products. 'I'm really concerned that we have a carcinogen that is basically intentionally being released into these products,' Dodson said. 'These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies. Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.' Advertisement Tesia Williams, a spokesperson for the Personal Care Products Council, a national trade association representing cosmetics and personal care products companies, said that formaldehyde-releasing agents are not equivalent to formaldehyde and do not present the concerns associated with breathing formaldehyde. She added that the agents have been used for decades and 'are widely considered safe and effective in protecting consumer personal care products against a broad spectrum of microbial contamination.' Researchers found formaldehyde-releasing preservatives in dozens of everyday items, including 20 body lotions, six body soaps, and three shampoos. The preservatives were found in hair products such as gels, edge controls, oils, and curl creams that are routinely used by Black women, as well as in eyeliners and eyelash glues. One eyelash glue specifically listed formaldehyde as an ingredient. Dodson's study is the latest entry in a growing body of research on hair straightening chemicals and other personal care products marketed to women of color. Many of these products contain hazardous chemicals that are linked to a range of serious health issues, including breast cancer, ovarian and uterine cancers, fibroids, and other reproductive harms. In 2022, a groundbreaking study showed a link between the use of hair relaxers and the increased risk of developing uterine cancer among Black women. David Andrews, the acting chief science officer at the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization, said that 'formaldehyde and chemicals that release formaldehyde both pose significant health concerns' and have been 'linked to higher rates of skin allergies and sensitivities.' The European Union banned the use of formaldehyde in cosmetics in 2009, though formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are permitted with restrictions and labeling requirements. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration proposed banning the use of formaldehyde as an ingredient in hair relaxers, but failed to meet an April 2024 deadline. Advertisement The FDA did not respond to a request for comment. In the absence of federal regulations, some states have moved to ban formaldehyde in cosmetic products. California's ban went into effect Jan. 1, and Washington state has proposed restrictions that could be adopted this year. Researchers say that the study points to critical gaps in how personal care products are regulated in the United States and their disproportionate health impacts on women of color. Kizzy Charles-Guzman, the chief executive of Center for Environmental Health, an advocacy group, said that without stronger protections, the health and well-being of women of color will continue to be compromised. 'Women, and particularly women of color, are impacted not just by what's on the shelves, but by how these products are marketed to us - and by the glaring lack of federal regulation that allows toxic ingredients to be used without meaningful oversight or clear labeling,' Charles-Guzman said. Dodson said warning labels could help steer people away from personal items containing formaldehyde. She also encouraged consumers to look at the ingredients label, but acknowledged that many formaldehyde-releasing preservatives have obscure names that could be challenging for shoppers to avoid. 'We need some regulatory steps to really make sure that we can protect ourselves, because we should not be putting the burden on consumers to figure out these long, complicated names whenever they're standing in the aisle of a store,' Dodson said.
New York Times
18-02-2025
- Health
- New York Times
California Bill Seeks Age Minimum on Anti-Aging Skin Care Products
In February of last year, as videos of tweens racing to Sephora for beautifully packaged creams and serums that contained anti-aging chemicals flooded TikTok, a legislator in California tried to end that trend by introducing a bill that would stop stores from selling those products to them. It failed. Now, even though the chatter around tweens using these products has quieted down, the same legislator has reintroduced the bill, with a few tweaks. The assembly bill, which will receive a formal name on Tuesday, would make it illegal for companies to sell over-the-counter anti-aging products to shoppers under 18 years old. It would cover products with ingredients like vitamin A and its derivatives, including retinoids and retinol. It would also cover cosmetic products that have alpha hydroxy acids, including glycolic acid, ascorbic acid and citric acid. Toral Vaidya, a dermatologist in New York City, said she regularly sees young patients seeking 'products that are geared toward anti-aging or exfoliating,' many of which contain ingredients listed in the bill. 'These are products that can be great for a different age range,' Dr. Vaidya said. 'But for younger kids, they actually can wreak havoc on their skin.' She said the products, when used on juvenile skin, could cause redness, itching and irritation. If passed, the law in California would require stores to verify the buyer's age and identity through methods such as checking a driver's license or state-issued ID. The bill could have national implications because California is a major consumer market — it has the fifth-largest economy in the world — and companies that do business in California often have their operations influenced by the state's standards. The legislator introducing the revamped bill is Assemblyman Alex Lee, a Democrat who represents a district that covers Alameda and Santa Clara Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. The new legislation comes with some adjustments to last year's bill — A.B. 2491 — which would have applied to children under 13. The Personal Care Products Council, a cosmetics industry group, opposed that bill, saying that while it was 'well-intentioned,' it fell short on addressing the problem. Instead, the lobbying group said the bill created 'restrictions so complicated that compliance or enforcement would be largely impossible.' The group also said the issue was complicated because the off-limits ingredients were included in basic products like sunscreens and moisturizers. Mr. Lee said in an interview that many of those criticisms were 'specious and not genuine.' In the new version of the bill, Mr. Lee said he addressed one criticism he felt was valid: The complication of how to determine a child's age, because younger tweens and teens do not often carry ID. To account for that, he raised the minimum age to 18. 'We already verify age at movie theaters and M-rated games,' Mr. Lee said. 'The industry can self-police, but they don't want to self-police either. So I'm like, 'Well, I'll give you a model right here.'' Sephora and Ulta have said that they train their staff on how to educate young shoppers about the appropriate products they need. Mr. Lee said that the training amounted to 'soft education' and that he believed manufacturers and retailers in the beauty industry needed to do more, especially given that a sizable percentage of the industry's sales came from children. Skin care spending by Gen Alpha — the cohort just behind Gen Z — doubled compared to the average buyer from 2022 to 2023, according to a study conducted by NIQ. 'They're very reluctant to do anything to harm their sales,' Mr. Lee said of the beauty industry. Dr. Vaidya, the dermatologist, said she still regularly interacts with tweens and teens clamoring for anti-aging products. 'Even though it's out of the headlines, it's definitely something that's still relevant to my practice and also for my family members,' she said, adding that her nieces had begun to ask her about products containing active ingredients. She was skeptical a ban could fully keep these products away from children, but hoped increased education about them would help. When it comes to enforcement, there are other ways that children could get these products, including parents purchasing them for their child. Since Mr. Lee's previous bill failed last spring, other states have sought to address the phenomenon of young children purchasing skin care aimed at adults. In November, the office of Connecticut's attorney general sent a letter to Sephora about its marketing toward young children and cautioned parents about the harm that anti-aging skin care products could have on children. It's not yet clear what, if any, traction a bill like this could have on a national level. But Mr. Lee is hopeful. 'If it is to pass, I really think it would change the business practice for the whole country,' he said, 'as has happened many times, when we have a unsafe chemical bans of products.'
