HR 4436119th CongressIntroduced

Cosmetic Safety for Communities of Color and Professional Salon Workers Act of 2025

Introduced: Jul 16, 2025

HealthcareLabor & Employment

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, the Cosmetic Safety for Communities of Color and Professional Salon Workers Act of 2025, would expand federal work on cosmetic safety with a strong focus on communities of color and those who work in beauty and personal-care salons. It would fund and direct research into health disparities linked to cosmetics and exposure to cosmetic chemicals, promote safer alternatives, and create national resources to support communities, workers, and educators. It also adds requirements for safety information (translated safety data sheets) and would direct FDA regulation of synthetic braids, including labeling and safety standards. The overarching goals are to reduce harmful chemical exposures from cosmetics, improve access to safety information, and build capacity within communities most affected. The bill would authorize several new research and grant programs (with specific funding levels), create two national resource centers (Beauty Justice and Salon Worker Health and Safety), require multilingual safety data sheets, and grant FDA authority to regulate synthetic braids with labeling standards. It would also preserve state-level flexibility in cosmetics regulation and set reporting requirements to track progress. The funding is substantial but time-limited, with appropriations through 2030 for most programs.

Key Points

1Research on health disparities related to cosmetics affecting communities of color
2- The Secretary must fund research (including community-based participatory research) on chemicals commonly found in cosmetics marketed to women and girls of color, exposure across lifespans, health effects, and interventions; results must be disseminated to help communities identify and reduce unsafe exposures.
3- A comprehensive 5-year public report is required after the first grant, detailing marketing, demographics, and recommended information strategies.
4- Eligible grant recipients include accredited colleges, community-based organizations, and NGOs with expertise serving communities of color.
5- Appropriations: $7.5 million (for the initial research section), over multiple fiscal years.
6Research on health concerns affecting professional salon workers
7- The Secretary must fund research on chemicals in cosmetics used by salon workers, availability of safer alternatives, health effects, and interventions; results must be shared with workers to reduce exposures.
8- Eligible grant recipients are similar to above, with emphasis on groups experienced in communities of color or immigrant populations.
9- A public report is due within 5 years of first grant, with findings and occupational health strategies.
10- Definitions: “salon worker” includes licensed or unlicensed cosmetologists, nail techs, barbers, estheticians.
11- Appropriations: $7.5 million.
12Support for creating safer alternatives
13- Grants to support design of cosmetic chemicals with no inherent toxicity or health risk.
14- Priority to replace hazardous chemicals in professional salon products and those marketed to women/girls of color; and to assist minority-owned cosmetic companies developing safer formulations.
15- Definition of “salon worker” remains as above.
16- Appropriations: $10 million.
17National Resource Center on Beauty Justice
18- A grant to establish a center focused on addressing unsafe cosmetic exposures for diverse communities (women and men of color, immigrants, language minorities, LGBTQIA, and other underserved groups).
19- Center responsibilities include outreach, education, partnerships, curricula for youth and higher education, and public education campaigns.
20- Annual reporting to Congress and the public via the Office of Minority Health website.
21- Authorized funding: $2 million per year (2026–2030).
22Translation of and access to safety data sheets (SDS)
23- By 18 months after enactment, OSHA-based standards would require: manufacturers/importers to create multilingual SDS for professional-use cosmetics with hazard info; provide SDS on their websites in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and other languages on request; distributors to provide SDS similarly; employers to keep SDS on-site and provide translations to employees as needed.
24- SDS must include hazard information and state that translations are available via contact.
25- Contents must align with OSHA hazard communication standards.
26- Definitions cover ingredients, manufacturers, and “professional” use.
27National Resource Center on Salon Worker Health and Safety
28- A grant to establish a center focused on safe exposures for salon workers (same vulnerable groups as above).
29- Activities include educational resources (e.g., guides, training videos), culturally and linguistically tailored outreach, partnerships to build capacity, and education for health care professionals and industry stakeholders.
30- Annual reports and public posting on FDA site.
31- Authorized funding: $2 million per year (2026–2030).
32FDA regulation of synthetic braids
33- Synthetic braids would be included in the definition of a cosmetic for regulatory purposes.
34- Misbranding provisions would require a warning label for synthetic braids that do not meet safety standards, or a warning posted on the manufacturer’s website.
35- State-specific restrictions or higher transparency requirements would not be preempted unless expressly stated; states can maintain stricter rules if they exist.
36- The Secretary/FDA would issue regulations to implement these changes within 1 year of enactment.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Communities of color (including women and girls of color, immigrant populations, language minorities, and LGBTQIA individuals) who use cosmetics marketed to them.- Professional salon workers (licensed or unlicensed) who handle cosmetics and salon products in workplaces.Secondary group/area affected- Cosmetic manufacturers, distributors, and employers (salons, spas) who would need to provide multilingual SDS, meet new labeling standards for synthetic braids, and adapt to safer alternatives.- Health care professionals, educators, and community organizations involved in disseminating safety information and implementing training.- Minority-owned cosmetic companies and other small businesses focusing on products for communities of color.Additional impacts- Increased federal investment in public health research and outreach related to cosmetics.- Creation of two national resource centers that focus on justice and workforce health, potentially improving community empowerment and access to safer products.- Better multilingual safety information and translation access, improving comprehension among workers and consumers with limited English proficiency.- A regulatory framework for synthetic braids aiming to improve safety signals and labeling, with potential industry compliance costs and consumer protection benefits.- States retain some regulatory flexibility (non-preemption), allowing continued or enhanced state-level cosmetic safety actions where they exist.Community-based participatory research: a research approach that actively involves community members in designing, conducting, and applying research to ensure relevance and benefit to those communities.Safety Data Sheets (SDS): documents that describe hazardous properties of chemicals and safety precautions; translation into multiple languages helps non-English speakers understand risks.“Salon worker”: includes both licensed and unlicensed professionals who apply or administer cosmetics in salons, including cosmetologists, nail technicians, barbers, and estheticians.

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