ABSTRACT

Before 1938, cosmetics were not regulated as drugs, and cosmetology could often be considered as a way to sell dreams rather than objective efcacy; safety for consumers was also sometimes precarious. Subsequently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), through the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, regulated cosmetics that were required to be safe for the consumer. With industrialization, many new ingredients from several industries (oleochemical and petrochemical, food, etc.) were used in preparation of cosmetics, offering a list of new functions and forms. For better control of these ingredients, US laws required ingredient classication and product labeling since 1966.