I create handblended bath items and always list the ingredients, never fudging anything. Many of us are honest and legitimate, however, there are a vast number that are not. These ones have no idea of what they're doing and sell off recipe copies made in the bathtub of other illegitimates, causing potential harm to the buyer. Because of them, the rest of us--the experienced--have also received a bad name. Some regulation is necessary, but the rigidity and paranoia is not since many of us rely on our businesses as a livlihood.

Can you imagine how long and convoluted ingredient labels will become. An innocent and beneficial ingredient like Lavender Essential Oil becomes Linalol, linalyl acetate, lavandulol, lavandulyl acetate, terpineol, limonene, caryophyllene.... The ingredient "water" will have in excess of 30 trace ingredients that must be present on the label. The FDA currently is unable to verify where most prescription drugs sold in the US are manufactured. What gives us confidence in this type of regulation?

Its not true that the cosmetics industry is not regulated. The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics is spreading lies and using scare tactics. The Cosmetics industry is among the safest industries there is and there is no evidence that anyone has been harmed by cosmetics other than a few allergic reactions and harm done by NOT using preservatives (like parabens).
This bill would do to small cosmetics companies what the CPSC did to the small toy industry; no one can stay afloat if everything needs lead testing. Practically all oils/butters will have a low level of lead in them and this bill proposes no level no matter how small of any toxin. Lead is allowed in our food and water at trace amounts; why should cosmetics regulation be more strict than that?
Natural ingredients would be severely restricted if allowed at all, only the highly synthetic, purified chemicals could pass testing.
http://sagescript.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-safe-cosmetics-bill-will-affect.html

What a hot topic Marta :) I believe as Jana that it's a long past due step in the right direction. Like everything else the government oversee's, we'll still have plenty to worry about here even with the passing of this Act. I understand too Sarah's concerns of how this might impact small manufacturer's, but on a broad scale, it only makes sense that the cosmetic industry is regulated and held accountable to some extent.

This act will shut down thousands of small businesses - including myself. It encompasses every single cosmetic product out there - if you buy handmade soap, lip balm, lotion, makeup, bath salts - you won't be able to if this Act passes. As an independent cosmetic maker I do believe in accountability and transparency so people can know what is in their products - but the testing of finished products costs around $25k - each. I have over 100 eyeshadow colors, and I can't even imagine to think of the costs. So while I agree with a lot of the Act, the testing part scares me to death, because my business supports both my husband and I. If they require testing, we will no longer have a livelihood that we absolutely love.