The two largest markets for cosmetics and personal care products
are the US and the European Union (EU). And while there are
similarities, safety regulations differ greatly between the two.
Cosmetics manufactured under the EU Directive are held to higher
standards than those from the US, which are loosely regulated by
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Discrepancies are most
apparent in the areas of ingredient safety, testing guidelines
and labeling. Though it is commonly assumed that FDA regulates
cosmetics the same as it does food and drugs, "FDA's legal
authority over cosmetics is different from other products
regulated by the agency .... Cosmetic products and ingredients
are not subject to FDA premarket approval authority, with the
exception of color additives." – taken from the FDA website.
Harmful Ingredients Banned or Restricted for Use |X =
ingredients banned from region| Ingredients are probably the
first thing a conscientious consumer looks at in a cosmetic
product. In the US ingredient safety