Sponsors (18)
The bill trades faster, clearer protections and information to reduce formaldehyde exposure for consumers and salon workers against real costs and market disruption for small manufacturers, retailers, and salons plus potential delays and limited immediate support for affected workers.
Consumers and salon workers will face reduced exposure to formaldehyde because products containing formaldehyde will be classified as adulterated and removed from interstate commerce and FDA will issue recommendations/warnings.
Salon workers (many of whom are women and immigrants) will gain clearer evidence about cancer, respiratory, and endocrine risks from formaldehyde-containing smoothing products, which can inform workplace protections and safety practices.
Retailers, distributors, and regulators will have clearer safety standards and guidance, reducing legal uncertainty for sellers and giving Congress and public health agencies timely information to guide policy and enforcement.
Small manufacturers, importers, and salon small-business owners will incur compliance costs and potential lost sales from having to reformulate, withdraw, or replace smoothing products and implement new controls.
Consumers who rely on keratin and smoothing treatments may lose access to preferred products or face higher prices if manufacturers reformulate, exit the market, or pass on costs.
Salon workers may not receive immediate new protections because the bill prioritizes study and reporting (initial ~1 year, final ~2 years), delaying regulatory action for those currently exposed.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Classifies hair straightening/smoothing cosmetics containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasers as adulterated and mandates an FDA/NIOSH study with reporting to Congress.
Official title: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to specify that hair straightening or smoothing products containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasing substances will be considered adulterated, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 25, 2026 by Shontel M. Brown · Last progress February 25, 2026
Classifies any hair straightening or smoothing cosmetic that contains formaldehyde or a formaldehyde-releasing substance as adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, effectively banning such products from interstate commerce after 180 days of enactment. Requires the FDA Commissioner, in consultation with NIOSH, to study short- and long-term health effects of exposure to these products—focusing on salon workers and links to cancer, respiratory disease, and endocrine disruption—and to deliver an initial congressional report within 1 year and a final report within 26 months with recommendations for regulation, enforcement, and further research.