We all use different personal care products throughout the day, whether to get ready in the morning or before bed at night. However, some of the products we use daily contain chemicals that are unhealthy for our bodies, causing many health issues.

The FDA needs to enforce their authority in order to recall these products, just as they do with food and medicine. According to The Hill, “when a drug company develops a new medicine, consumers can be confident that it has undergone a rigorous review process by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure its safety.” This goes the same way when the FDA has the authority to “remove dangerous products from store shelves.”

So, why can’t they do the same for the makeup, sunscreen, shampoo, deodorant, and skin lotions we use? If we continue to use products with harmful ingredients without knowing, it can cause problems for our health. For example, “most hair smoothing or straightening products release formaldehyde gas, a known carcinogen. Formaldehyde exposure can cause short and long-term problems, including eye irritation and problems with the nervous system and respiratory tract”. This is only one example out of many other chemicals found in products.

In an interview with students on campus, I asked them how many products they use in the morning to get ready for school and what they are. Their answers ranged from 3-7 products: sunscreen, mascara, moisturizer, primer, concealer, mascara, highlighter, dry shampoo, and hair texturizer.

According to The Hill, “it has been more than 80 years since Congress passed a law to strengthen the FDA’s ability to protect consumers from dangerous personal care products”. Though some states have enforced safety laws on these products, some have taken no action, leaving Americans at risk of being exposed to these dangerous chemicals. Placing a law on this issue will protect everyone’s safety in the US.