Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) has recently introduced new legislation aimed at making personal care products safer for women.
Endorsed by the Endocrine Society and American Medical Women’s Association, the “Health & Endocrine Research on Personal Care Products for Women Act,” otherwise known as the HER Act, focuses on making a federal grant program for research, investigation and raising awareness on feminine products containing carcinogens.
The grants would be supported by the Department of Health and Human Services and would target products such as lotions, hair products, and makeup during the research process. Within five years, the department would have to report to Congress on their findings, with the information eventually being made public. The report would target endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as parabens and phthalates.
The latest act builds on Brown’s work calling for a ban on hair relaxers and straighteners containing formaldehyde as well as better detection for uterine fibroids.
“There is a clear nexus between unsafe products that are disproportionately used by Black and Hispanic women and the higher incidence of reproductive health issues that we experience. Too many people in Washington do not realize or do not care that most women use dozens of personal care products a day – and that these products come with very little oversight or consumer protection,” said Brown per a statement. “The HER Act jumpstarts research and public awareness efforts that are sorely needed and I will continue to make sure that Black, Hispanic, and all women are heard from.”
Hair products. Lotions. Makeup. Many contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals linked to fibroids, infertility and more.
— Rep. Shontel Brown (@RepShontelBrown) June 6, 2025
That’s why I introduced the HER Act — to fund federal research, raise awareness, and push for safer standards.
All women deserve to use safe products. pic.twitter.com/NwmGiuiZJY
The latest act comes as increased research highlights the impact of hygienic products on cases of breast, uterine andovarian cancer amongst Black and Hispanic women.
Per the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, Black women are more likely to use personal care products with high hazard rates, leading to higher rates of cancer.
According to the report, they were nearly twice as likely to use hair products that could disrupt hormonal functions and impact reproductive health when compared to white women. As part of the study, researchers found that Black women who use darker shades of hair dye tend to have a higher risk of breast cancer.
Overall, nearly 80% of all beauty products marketed toward Black women contain at least one type of carcinogen.
“These findings highlight a major gap in consumer safety. Many personal care products—especially those marketed to Black women—contain chemicals linked to hormone disruption and reproductive health risks,” said scientist at E.W.G., Alexa Friedman, Ph.D., per the report. “Studies show that repeated exposure to mixtures of chemicals can pose far greater health risks than exposure to a single ingredient. People are exposed to complex mixtures of ingredients that can disrupt hormones, interfere with fertility and increase the risk of cancers and other serious issues.”
To make safer choices, researchers advise consumers to use ingredient-checking apps or label-checking databases, such as Skin Deep, to make informed decisions about which daily products to use.
