New California act bans 24 ingredients
The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act has been signed into law, which will outlaw a total of 24 ingredients by January 2025, in the United State’s most populated state.
Also known as Assembly Bill 2762, the law “prohibit[s] a person or entity from manufacturing, selling, delivering, holding, or offering for sale, in commerce any cosmetic product that contains any of several specified intentionally added ingredients” from any kind of beauty or personal care product.
The list of 24 ingredients outlined in the bill includes dibutyl phthalate, diethylhexyl phthalate, formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, methylene glycol, quaternium-15, mercury, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, m-Phenylenediamine and its salts, o-Phenylenediamine and its salts, and several per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their salts.
Signed by California governor Gavin Newsom, the new law further expands California’s regulation of cosmetic and personal care chemicals, the bill does not specify any safe minimums for the outlawed ingredients but does allow for ‘unavoidable trace quantities stemming from impurities of natural or synthetic ingredients, as well as occurring during storage or as a result of migration from the packaging.
The California authorities have given cosmetic and personal care businesses more than four years advance notice about the enforcement of the law as a means of giving existing brands ample time to reformulate.
Concurrently, the state also passed the SB 312 Cosmetic and Flavor Ingredient Right to Know Act of 2020. From January 2022 this means that manufacturers selling cosmetic products in California need to report hazardous fragrance and flavour ingredients the Department of Public Health’s Safe Cosmetics Program.
The thinking behind SB 312 is to create and increment to reformulate because enforcers of Proposition 65 (The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act) and personal injury plaintiffs can be alerted to litigation targets.
Sederma launches menopausal skincare ingredient
Sederma has launched a new skin firming ingredient specifically targeting skin ageing that is thought to be accentuated by the menopause.
Called Feminage, the new active id dedicated to women who are experiencing a loss of skin elasticity or firmness once the menopause has set in.
This skin sagging is said to be caused by glycation and oxidation events, while also being related to oestrogenic decline.
The ingredient has been developed using an extract derived from Engelhardia, a species of plant from the Juglandaceae family that grows all over the Asia Pacific region, but particularly in Southeast Asia.
Sederma has ethically sourced its Engelhardia using a full verification from the Union of Ethical Biotrade, to ensure it is both eco-friendly and ethical, while the ingredient is also Cosmos certified and complies with IECIC standard.
Sederma says that its clinical evaluations have shown the ingredient to be particularly effective on both Caucasian and Chines women’s skin, serving to improve firmness and smooth out wrinkles.
Biosynthetic Technologies and Univar make distribution deal
The two companies have signed the distribution partnership to extend the reach of the Biosynthetic Technologies’ technologies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The deal means that the company is now able to extend its reach of the domestic US market to meet the demand for biobased personal care ingredients with its BioEstolides offering.
The two companies have already signed a distribution agreement for the ingredient in the USA earlier this year.
Under the terms of the new agreement, Univar will market, sell, warehouse and support the full BioEstolide portfolio in the new market from this month.
BioEstolides are a stable bio-derived based oils and a natural non-GMO source that can be used to deliver performance benefits as an emollient with enhanced stability, while being REACH, Kosher, Vegan and Halal certified.
“As an organization, Univar Solutions is very much aligned with Biosynthetic Technologies’ goals and values,” Biosynthetic Technologies President Jakob Bredsguard said.
“We look forward to providing customers in the EU with our high-quality BioEstolide product line leveraging the excellent reputation of our new partner, Univar Solutions.”
Lancôme expands active ingredients with farm acquisition
French fragrance maker Lancôme has acquired a four-acre estate growing aromatic plants in Grasse, France, as a means of supplying its own fragrance ingredients.
Domain’s de la Rose is a four-acre organic farm that includes ancient terraces, as well as a distillery that will be used to extract fragrance ingredients from a wide range of plants, mainly roses.
This is the first time the company has ventured into the area of farming, to produce its own raw materials for natural ingredients.
The move is part of a growing trend for luxury brands to acquire entire production chains to ensure a reliable supply of natural-based ingredients, as well as providing both a sustainable edge and ensuring quality.
The domain specialises in Centifolia rose for fragrances, but it also grows olive, plum and fig trees, as well as a number of native plants, including jasmine, lavender and bitter orange.
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