Safer Ingredients Make Strides in the Beauty Industry, but Challenges Remain
New report quantifies the use of safer chemistry in consumer products, moving beyond “bad lists” to set a new standard for accountability
Washington, DC, October 22, 2024 – Today, the Safer Chemistry Impact Fund and ChemFORWARD released the first "Beauty & Personal Care Ingredient Intelligence Report.” The report, which analyzed 8,500 products, showcases the groundbreaking collaboration among major beauty retailers, brands, and ingredient suppliers, including Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Credo, Beautycounter, The Honest Company, Inolex, and Dow, to define a standard for safer chemistry and measure progress.
Coming together as the Know Better, Do Better (KBDB) Collaborative, these leaders are addressing the lack of transparency regarding the human and environmental impacts of ingredients used in everyday products. The new report highlights the progress made over the last year to utilize comprehensive chemical hazard assessments and data analytics to identify chemicals of concern, prioritize data gaps for investment, and quantify the use of safer chemistry.
“This report is the first in a series of publications that the Safer Chemistry Impact Fund will sponsor to provide industry sectors with the science and data they need to continuously improve products to be healthier for people and the planet.,” said Bill Walsh, Director, Safer Chemistry Impact Fund. “Moreover, in this report, the beauty sector has provided a leadership template for research, data sharing, and collaboration that could be applied across industries.”
The report models an approach that could be adopted throughout the industry: conducting baseline ingredient audits, investing in chemical hazard assessments to close data gaps, and phasing out high-hazard chemicals as the pathway to transition to safer chemistry. There is also significant emphasis on the flaws with the current practice of restricting specific chemicals without clear guidance on safer substitutes, leading to regrettable substitutions where one harmful chemical is replaced with another, potentially perpetuating the problem.
Key insights of the report include:
Chemical Hazards are Knowable: The report establishes that 70% of the ingredients in the analyzed dataset are well-characterized, meaning their potential hazards are understood. This serves as a baseline metric for the industry.
The Number of Ingredients is Manageable: Despite analyzing over 8,500 products with nearly 318,000 ingredients, the report found only 2,279 unique ingredients in use. This insight allows for a more focused approach to understanding and managing product compositions.
High-Hazards Persist Despite Safer Alternatives: The report calls out 10 high-frequency chemicals with known high hazards that should be prioritized for elimination. It also provides evidence of safer functional alternatives.
Full Characterization of Ingredients Is an Urgent Imperative: The report reveals that 30% of ingredients are “in the gray” and stresses the need for complete characterization of all ingredients through chemical hazard assessments to fully understand their human and environmental impacts.
Collaboration is an Accelerator: The report demonstrates the power of collaboration in driving the transition to safer chemistry. Shared data and resources have enabled the filling of critical data gaps, reduced costs, and increased consistency of information, showcasing the tangible benefits of collective action.
Christina Ross, Director of Science and Policy at Credo Beauty provided context, ”Using safer ingredients isn’t just about doing the right thing—it’s a must for the cosmetics industry. Real change starts with getting the science right—and rigorous hazard assessments and ingredient transparency are essential baseline scientific practices to drive our industry forward. By prioritizing safer ingredients and committing to higher standards, we can collectively drive innovation, build trust, and set a new norm.”
The Collaborative aims to publish annual progress reports. All stakeholders are welcomed and encouraged to join this effort.
The report was published with support from the Safer Chemistry Impact Fund.
About ChemFORWARD
ChemFORWARD is a science-based, non-profit organization dedicated to creating broad access to chemical hazard data and illuminating safer alternatives. Through its innovative shared data platform, ChemFORWARD collaborates with brands, suppliers, and scientists to create transparent, actionable information that helps industries move toward safe and sustainable products. Backed by rigorous scientific analysis, ChemFORWARD empowers industries like beauty, electronics, and packaging to make informed decisions that prioritize human and environmental health.
About Know Better, Do Better Collaborative
The Know Better, Do Better (KBDB) Collaborative, established in 2023 and managed by ChemFORWARD, brings together beauty industry leaders to improve ingredient safety across the value chain. This science-based, data-driven commitment to hazard transparency boosts confidence in the use of safer chemistry in beauty and personal care products by utilizing a shared data set and collaborating to fill critical data gaps. The initiative focuses on sharing science-backed information to drive safer decisions for humans and the environment throughout the beauty value chain.