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On October 8, 2023, California's governor signed off on Assembly Bill No. 496 (AB496), to ban the production and sale of cosmetics containing the following 26 chemicals within the state.1
No. | Ingredient Name | CAS No. |
1 | Lily aldehyde | 80-54-6 |
2 | Acetaldehyde | 75-07-0 |
3 | Cyclohexylamine | 108-91-8 |
4 | Cyclotetrasiloxane | 556-67-2 |
5 | Phytonadione | 84-80-0 |
6 | Sodium perborate | 15120-21-5 |
7 | Styrene | 100-42-5 |
8 | Trichloroacetic acid | 76-03-9 |
9 | Tricresyl phosphate | 1330-78-5 |
10 | Vinyl acetate | 108-05-4 |
11 | 2-Chloracetamide | 79-07-2 |
12 | Allyl isothiocyanate | 57-06-7 |
13 | Anthraquinone | 84-65-1 |
14 | Malachite green | 569-64-2 |
15 | Oil from the seeds of Laurus nobilis L. | 84603-73-6 |
16 | Pyrogallol | 87-66-1 |
17 | C.I. disperse blue 1 | 2475-45-8 |
18 | Trisodium nitrilotriacetate | 5064-31-3 |
19 | The following boron substances: (A) Perboric acids: (i) Sodium salt (CAS no. 11138-47-9). (ii) Sodium salt, monohydrate (CAS no. 12040-72-1). (iii) Sodium perborate monohydrate (CAS no. 10332-33-9). (B) Boric acid (CAS nos. 10043-35-3 and 11113-50-1). (C) Borates, tetraborates, octaborates, and boric acid salts and esters, including all of the following: (i) Disodium octaborate anhydrous (CAS no. 12008-41-2). (ii) Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (CAS no. 12280-03-4). (iii) 2-Aminoethanol, monoester with boric acid (CAS no. 10377-81-8). (iv) 2-Hydroxypropyl ammonium dihydrogen orthoborate (CAS no. 68003-13-4). (v) Potassium borate, boric acid potassium salt (CAS no. 12712-38-8). (vi) Trioctyldodecyl borate. (vii) Zinc borate (CAS no. 1332-07-6). (viii) Sodium borate, disodium tetraborate anhydrous; boric acid, sodium salt (CAS no. 1330-43-4). (ix) Tetraboron disodium heptaoxide, hydrate (CAS no. 12267-73-1). (x) Orthoboric acid, sodium salt (CAS no. 13840-56-7). (xi) Disodium tetraborate decahydrate; borax decahydrate (CAS no. 1303-96-4). (xii) Disodium tetraborate pentahydrate; borax pentahydrate (CAS no. 12179-04-3). | / |
20 | C.I. disperse blue 3 | 2475-46-9 |
21 | Basic green 1 | 633-03-4 |
22 | Basic blue 7 | 2390-60-5 |
23 | 3(or5)-((4-(benzylmethylamino)phenyl)azo)-1,2-(or1,4)-dimethyl-1H-1,2,4-triazolium and its salts | 89959-98-8; 12221-69-1 |
24 | Basic violet 4 | 2390-59-2 |
25 | Basic blue 3 | 33203-82-6 |
26 | Basic blue 9 | 61-73-4 |
Notes: If a cosmetic product made through manufacturing processes contains a technically unavoidable trace quantity of an ingredient listed above, and that trace quantity stems from impurities of natural or synthetic ingredients, the manufacturing process, storage, or migration from packaging, that trace quantity shall not cause the cosmetic product to be in violation of this prohibition. | ||
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), these chemicals are linked to health issues such as an elevated risk of cancer, genetic defects, harm to the developing fetus, impaired fertility, severe skin burns, and organ or eye damage. Besides, they may cause high persistent toxicity to aquatic life. They have been prohibited in cosmetics and personal care items sold in the European Union but are still allowed in personal care products on the U.S. market.2
This regulatory development builds upon California's Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act introduced in 2020, which initially banned 24 harmful chemicals, including mercury and formaldehyde, in cosmetics. The 2020 Act is set to be enforced starting on January 1, 2025, while the additional 26 chemicals outlined in AB496 will only face prohibition from January 1, 2027. This will bring the total number of banned chemicals to 50, reinforcing California's commitment to safeguarding consumer health in the realm of cosmetic products.
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