FDA

Are you confused about all the recent hair straightening drama? Well, things aren't really going to be crystal clear yet after this latest news. Another US federal agency just officially weighed in. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted air testing in salons that use the Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution and Brasil Cacau Cadiveu, and found "hazardous levels" of formaldehyde, according to WWD. This comes a month after the FDA wrote a threatening letter to the Brazilian Blowout company that if they don't reduce the amount of formaldehyde in the products and label the packaging more clearly, that the product would be seized.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Oct 7, 2011

The FDA made history yesterday by announcing some new rules for regulating sunscreen labeling. The FDA has been evaluating sunscreen labeling since 1978, without ever doing much about it. Now, at the urging of environmental groups and Congress, the agency announced that the industry is in for a lot of change. Sunscreens can be confusing, from the ingredients in the product to the claims made on the packaging. The FDA’s biggest concern was regarding UVA/UVB protection, also called “broad spectrum.” While both types of UV rays contribute to sunburn, UVA rays are the biggest culprits in skin cancer and premature aging. Not all products protect against both types of UV rays. The new guidelines should make everything a bit clearer for consumers. Companies have a year to revise their labels; smaller companies have two years. A quickie summary of the changes:

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Jun 15, 2011