In early 2004, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent letters to hundreds of cosmetics companies that sold their products in the United States, urging them not to use toxic chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects. In response, some of the world's largest cosmetics companies, including Revlon and L'Oreal, agreed to globally reformulate their products to meet European Union safety standards, which ban many of the most toxic chemicals from personal care products.

Since 2004:

• More than 1,000 cosmetics companies have signed our Compact for Safe Cosmetics, a pledge to make safer products that goes beyond the EU cosmetics directive by asking companies to substitute other chemicals of concern with safer alternatives.

• Three leading nail polish companies, OPI, Orly and Sally Hansen, removed three of the most toxic chemicals from nail polish – formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate – due to pressure from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

• Based on 2008 product tests, it appears that some leading beauty companies have removed most types of toxic phthalates from their products. This positive step for consumer health is due to activist pressure from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and to policy changes in the EU and the U.S.

However, many major cosmetics and personal care companies have yet to agree to make safer products available to their customers. We continue to call on all cosmetics and personal care companies to put the health of their customers first by signing the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and by doing so pledge to remove toxic chemicals and replace them with safer alternatives in every market they serve.

We're also keeping the pressure on major cosmetics companies to clean up their products. You can help by taking action right now.

You can also visit our Victories page for more information about the changing cosmetics marketplace, or see our History page to learn more about the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.