June 1, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:

Tesia Williams (202) 297-1232 [email protected]

Team [email protected]

Broad Coalition Voices Opposition to the New York Beauty Justice Act

Washington, D.C. — A coalition of small business owners, cosmetic chemists, retailers, and cosmetic and personal care product brands in New York is coming out strongly against the “Beauty Justice Act” (S2057B / A2054B). The coalition warned that, as written, the bill would force thousands of essential personal care products out of New York department stores, pharmacies, local bodegas, salons, boutiques, and beauty destinations, with the highest impact on minority- and women-owned businesses.

Experts also warn the bill, which runs counter to the recommendations of scientists and health experts, could spell economic disaster for an industry that provides over $23 billion in revenue to New York annually and employs about 273,000 people statewide. Effects include potential layoffs, business closures or relocations out of state, and a surge in unregulated black-market products.

The “Beauty Justice Act” imposes new restrictions on trace substances in cosmetics and personal care products. These substances do not pose a safety issue based on overall exposure, according to U.S. and international safety experts and health authorities.

The coalition is also strongly opposed to a provision of the bill granting the Department of Environmental Conservation sweeping authority to set unreasonable and unsubstantiated lead limits in cosmetics and personal care products. The limits target added contaminants and trace substances that naturally occur in raw materials like clays, mineral pigments, and the water used to make essential hygiene and personal care products.

The Senate passed the Beauty Justice Act on April 21. The Assembly version was referred to Ways and Means on April 22, with the legislative session scheduled to conclude in early June.

“IBA supports the goal of safe and effective beauty products; however, the Beauty Justice Act as written creates opportunity for unintended consequences and significant uncertainty around compliance, testing, and ingredient scope that many small and mid-sized beauty businesses are not equipped to navigate,” said Dr. Akemi Ooka, CEO of the Independent Beauty Association. ”Many of these are independent, women-owned and minority-owned companies that make up an important part of New York’s beauty economy, and we welcome continued stakeholder engagement to help advance practical and achievable implementation pathways.”

“Effective policymaking in the cosmetics space must be informed by scientific expertise,” said Anushka Nadkarni, Chair of the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists. “Cosmetic chemists understand the complexity of ingredient safety, formulation, and product performance, and that perspective is essential in shaping practical, science-based regulations. Alignment with global standards is also critical to support innovation and ensure consumers continue to have access to safe and high-quality products.”

“The Beauty Justice Act is a solution in search of a problem. It would create a tougher standard for cosmetics than food, supplements, and drinking water, while shifting cosmetics product oversight to an agency without deep toxicology expertise. This is trading effective regulation for added bureaucracy, pure and simple,” said Tom Myers, President & CEO, Personal Care Products Council. “Legislation that threatens thousands of jobs across the state’s cosmetics and personal care industry should not be taken lightly. Ultimately, consumers, small business owners, and their employees will pay the price.”

“New York’s beauty and personal care sector is not only a cornerstone of consumer access but a major economic engine, contributing more than $23 billion annually to the state’s GDP,” said Ken Polkalsy, Vice President of the Business Council of New York State, Inc. “Policies that significantly raise compliance costs risk triggering layoffs across the supply chain, from manufacturing to retail, at a time when New York is already facing serious budget pressures. Beyond the direct job losses, overly burdensome regulations can fuel a thriving black market for unregulated products, undermining both consumer safety and legitimate businesses. The result is a lose-lose scenario: fewer jobs, reduced tax revenue, and substantial economic losses for an industry that helps sustain hundreds of thousands of New York workers.”

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