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A blog dedicated to promoting the healing power of essential oils and aromatherapy

Discover essential oil profiles, aromatherapy practice, essential oil safety, aromatherapy training,essential oil uses, aromatherapy talk and many more aromatherapy notes - all from a unique UK/USA perspective....

Thursday, August 26, 2010

The Safe Cosmetics Act (2010): What is the Impact for the Business of Aromatherapy Products?

There's been a lot of talk recently in the United States about the introduction of the Safe Cosmetics Act 2010 (H.R. 5786) into the U.S. House of Representatives on July 20, 2010.  What exactly will be the impact for small aromatherapy businesses who make their own products?

I am sort of "caught in the middle" of all the talk about it because I don't make my own aromatherapy products from scratch (as in bases, I buy those in) but I do add in essential oils to my products.  All ingredients are fully disclosed on my web sites (to the best of my knowledge) and on product labels - but if the Safe Cosmetics Act is implemented how will this affect my aromatherapy business?  Aromatherapy products are not the only part of my aromatherapy business but it is a part of it.

I am fully aware that large companies have been using "unnatural" ingredients in many familiar cosmetic products for years and it is argued that this is why the Safe Cosmetics Act is being proposed - to make cosmetics "safer" for the public.

However, those of us who have small aromatherapy businesses are probably more aware of what goes into our products than the large cosmetic companies.  I am always writing about "adulterated" essential oils, for example! In addition, aromatherapy is, by and large, an "unregulated" business in the United States, leading to further confusion, and sometimes "mistrust," of the industry by consumers, because of the "underhand" practices of some larger "aromatherapy" companies.

This is a hotly disputed debate which has lead to heated discussions on both sides of the fence.  Where do you stand on the Safe Cosmetics Acts 2010?  And what would it mean to you?

You can read more about the campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the implications for small businesses here.

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