The cosmetics and personal care industry is huge. And it’s easy to see why — the industry includes everything from shampoo, to lotion, to soap, to lipstick, to hair coloring products and so much more. Given the size and scope of the industry, which is built around products that that we apply directly to our bodies, you might think there would be stringent safety measures in place to protect us. But that’s not the case. The Food and Drug Administration has taken a largely hands off approach when it comes to regulating personal care items, leading to significant chemical exposure among consumers, particularly among women of color.

Terra Verde host and Earth Island Journal Managing Editor Zoe Loftus-Farren discusses the major regulatory gaps surrounding the cosmetics industry and efforts to close those gaps with Melanie Benesh, legislative attorney with the Environmental Working Group, Ami Zota, an associate professor at the George Washington University Milken School of Public Health, and Janet Nudelman, director of program and policy with the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners’ Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

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