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2023 Spring Bulletin
From cosmetics reform to clean Black beauty businesses and growing statewide prevention plan work – here are the wins you might have missed, plus exciting opportunities and recent news.
Federal Cosmetics Victory

VICTORY News: The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022

For two decades, BCPP’s Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has led the movement for safer beauty for all, educating and engaging millions of consumers and hundreds of clean beauty companies in demand for stricter FDA oversight and regulation of the $100 billion cosmetics industry. And in December 2022, Congress passed The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA), a sweeping, new federal law, representing the most significant reform of the cosmetic safety legal framework since 1938!

Our advocacy efforts helped secure major cosmetic safety protections, including FDA registration of cosmetic facilities, products, and ingredients so regulators can better track the manufacturers of, and ingredients in, the beauty and personal care products we use daily; FDA authority to recall harmful cosmetic products; fragrance allergen disclosure on cosmetic product labels; fragrance and flavor ingredient reporting to the FDA; disclosure of the ingredients in professional salon products on product labels; safety testing standards for asbestos contamination in personal care and makeup containing talc; serious adverse health event reporting. But, unfortunately, MoCRA also included sweeping federal preemption of states’ ability to legislate on cosmetic safety, a weak safety standard, and a misguided directive to the FDA to “study” the health consequences of PFAS in cosmetics.

This year, BCPP will work closely with the FDA, House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Senate HELP Committee to make sure MoCRA is being implemented in a consumer-facing way to ensure the health-effective implementation of this important new law. Read our full analysis

Highlighting Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Bolstering Paths to Prevention Breast Cancer Work

We’ve highlighted our groundbreaking statewide breast cancer primary prevention plan, Paths to Prevention (P2P), and hinted at the pivotal California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) funded multi-year project to make Paths to Prevention a reality. Through Charting Paths to Prevention for Breast Cancer (Charting P2P), we will develop cross-stakeholder partnerships to implement and evaluate high-impact, population-based primary prevention interventions focused on California’s culturally, ethnically, and racially diverse and medically underserved communities.

Now, we’d like to elevate an amazing opportunity funded by Gilead Sciences to further and strengthen Charting P2P, expand our educational efforts about breast cancer risk factors, and nurture the development of California cross-stakeholder research teams for breast cancer intervention projects. Gilead’s support will increase BCPP’s ability to reach and engage a wider, broader, and even more diverse audiencegrowing BCPP’s capacity and ability to travel to and engage a broader audience of California stakeholders, our production of educational breast cancer risk factor collateral, and the translation of key P2P and Charting P2P messages into multiple languages.

NEW: Ask A Scientist Series

The environmental links to breast cancer are complex, but the everyday consumer shouldn’t need to be a scientist to understand the risks they face. So, to address common concerns and questions from our base, in the new year, we launched a new series, “Ask a Scientist,” where BCPP’s science team explores the facts, Q&As, top tips, key terms, and more. To date, we’ve covered PFAS (what they are and their health effects), indoor air pollution (outdoor vs. indoor, how to reduce home indoor air pollution), and plastics with a special focus on the Ohio PVC spill disaster. Next, we plan to cover climate change, fragrance & phthalates, social determinants of health, and more.

CSC's Nontoxic Black Beauty

Elevating CEOs Leading the Clean Black Beauty Movement

During Black History Month, we highlighted many incredible and inspiring women actively addressing the injustice of Black beauty. We dove into the story and inspiration behind eight founders and CEOs of top clean Black-owned beauty brands: The Mustafa Sisters of Sabreen Cosmetics; Amber Makupson of Meraki; Tracey Hicks-Kearse of AcARRE; Sylvia Walker of NAIWBE; Barbara Jacques of JACQ’S Skincare; Candera Thompson of Bask & Bloom; Angela Fields of Curly Coily Tresses; and Mariam “Mar” Mouna Guessous of I See You Wellness.  All of these non-toxic Black businesses raise the bar for ingredient safety and lead the movement to address the injustice of Black beauty by selling products free of our Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ “Do Not Use” Red List Chemicals of Concern in Cosmetics. This means their products are vetted and verified by us to be free of harmful chemicals linked to cancer, diabetes, early puberty, endometriosis, infertility, maternal health, pregnancy complications, and uterine fibroids! By uplifting leading, non-toxic Black-owned beauty brands and connecting Black women with products they can trust, we aim to combat toxic health disparities to help prevent breast cancer and other diseases. Check out our Black Beauty video montage spotlight!

Hikes for Prevention

Ridge Hike for Prevention

Thank you to all the hikers, walkers, sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and the Town of Danville, California, for making the fourth annual Ridge Hike for Prevention on April 30th a huge success! Two hundred participants hit the local trails and raised over $160,000 to advance BCPP’s work and mission. Events like Ridge Hike serve as a time to remember and honor those affected by breast cancer and to stand united in doing everything possible to reduce the risk for us and our loved ones. This generous community cares about making a difference! Click here to enjoy photos.

Coming Up: Hike for Prevention Ambassador Program

Science tells us that regular exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer and help people undergoing cancer treatment. So BCPP continues to climb, trek, and hike in the name of breast cancer prevention. Join our new Hike for Prevention Ambassador program, where you can bring our signature Peak Hike event to your state. Together, we can hike to raise money for a lifesaving cause and honor those affected by breast cancer.

BCPP in the News

Check out some of our top media features from the last quarter: Prevention Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, The Daily Mail, Environmental Health News, Best Life, Los Angeles Business Journal, Inc., Colombia University Irving Medical Center, Washington Examiner, Tasting Table, Glam Magazine, CNET, The Guardian, Epoch Times.

Donor Highlight

As a wife, sister, mother, advocate, avid runner, and a courageous breast cancer survivor, Dana Friedman understands the fear and uncertainty that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis. While she remains profoundly grateful for her own survival, she recognizes that there is still much to do to ensure that others don’t have to go through what she did. Read more about Dana’s inspiring journey as a face of prevention, tirelessly striving towards a healthier and safer world for us and our loved ones.

By aligning with Dana and BCPP’s longstanding 10-year partner, Beautycounter, you can have the opportunity to double the impact of your generous contribution. Every dollar you donate will be matched to support this vital work.

2x Match by our partners at Beautcounter!

Your generous giving makes all this work possible. Thank you so much for your support to move prevention forward.

Erika Wilhelm Director at BCPP

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