Lawmakers Want FDA To Help Make Chemical-Laden Beauty Products Safer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Chemicals are in many popular beauty products and experts say there's very little oversight into what goes into these products we're putting on our skin and hair.
But that could be changing. Americans spend more than $50 billion every year on beauty and skin care products.
Many contain all kinds of chemicals that some say are dangerous; formaldehyde is used in products from nail polish to some chemical hair straighteners and is known to cause cancer.
Propylparaben is a commonly used cosmetic preservative and lead acetate is often used in hair dye.
Now a bipartisan group of lawmakers are proposing legislation to change that and industry leaders are on board.
Senator Dianne Feinstein is leading the effort to give the FDA more power to ensure skin and beauty products are safe.
Under the proposed law, the FDA would test whether those chemicals are being used at safe levels. If not, they can force a recall.