Have you ever wondered what would happen if nobody regulated cosmetics products...? Here's our thoughts...

In our modern society, there are regulatory bodies in several countries that provide frameworks for cosmetic products. They exist for one main objective – to safeguard the safety of these products so that consumers could use them at ease. For example, the HSA in Singapore and the EU are regulatory bodies designed with this purpose in mind.

With regulations to ensure that cosmetic products are labeled and restrictions are placed on certain substances, consumers can have a better understanding on what are in these products. Thus, without the regulatory bodies, consumers would then be easily overwhelmed by the numerous ranges of cosmetics and yet be oblivious to the potential dangers in them.

In a world without cosmetic regulations and where cosmetic companies are allowed to engage in self-regulation, it is highly likely that safety standards will be compromised. Given that companies are profit-driven, profits would be prioritized over safety of the customer. Small companies, hoping to garner a share of the pie, may flood the market with goods that have not undergone rigorous testing to prove their safety and results.

To give an example, cosmetic companies may sell eye shadows with lead content so long as there is a demand in the market. Self-regulation can also mean no regulation. In such cases, cosmetic companies may not see it as their ethical responsibility to answer to the safety of their customers. On the other hand, they may give misleading information to their customers through false advertising claims.

Figure 1: Unsubstantiated product claims to mislead consumers

Currently, there are websites that sell traditional kohl products such as eyeliners. They claim that their products are free of lead (KohlQueen, 2006). However, Health Canada has issued a public advisory in September 2005 informing consumers about the potential exposure to lead through traditional kohl (Chang, 2005). Therefore, without regulatory bodies, consumers would be misled by the claims of such sellers.

Figure 2: Aswad Kohl Powder, a mascara which has been blacklisted by Health Canada, is advertised as being lead-free at KohlQueen.com.

Generally, the lack of formal regulations, such as laws, does more harm than good. Without them, cosmetic companies are free to manipulate ingredients in products without concerns about health. They are also not required to state them. Ultimately, consumers suffer from allergies and various health problems that would bring about rising health costs.

Figure 3: Allergies brought about by cosmetics

To illustrate, we shall provide the example of coal tar. Coal tar is currently a restricted substance but is used in common cosmetic products.

Figure 4: Coal Tar Soap

Many coal tar derivatives are carcinogenic and contain certain toxic substances like naphthalene. They can be found in many hair products like shampoo and hair dyes. They can also be made into coal tar soaps, medicated shampoos to kill off and repel head lice, treatment shampoos for dandruff. (Wikipedia, 2006).

Coal tar can also be found in hair dyes. Studies have linked women who use permanent hair dyes over a long period of time to bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma. For this, if there are no laws governing the use of coal tar in these hair products, consumers would be at higher risk of getting these diseases (Connealy, 2006).

Furthermore, if the manufacturer allows the use of coal tar in eyelash dyes, consumers would be at risk of getting eye injuries, which include blindness and in serious cases, and even death (Connealy, 2006). Consumers may also suffer from potentially severe allergic reactions, asthma attacks, headache, nausea, fatigue, nervousness and a lack of concentration.

Therefore, with no regulations, it is obvious that consumers’ lives are at peril. They may end up suffering without compensation because manufacturers cannot be held liable for the problems that their products generate. All these can bring about incredible health costs to the economy due to the overwhelming presence of cosmetic products in our everyday lives.

We have also done comparisons on the ingredients found in two different brands of shampoos to see if they comply with the EU and HSA regulations...
Here are our findings...

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Name of shampoo: L’ORÉAL PARIS ELSÈVE Care Shampoo Color-Vive


Everything complies with both authorities.



Name of Shampoo: Sunsilk, previously known as Organics



Almost everything complies with both authorities except those with (N) which represents non-compliance.

PART V

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References to part IV and V :

1 “Comparison of US FDA and EU Cosmetic Regulations” Procter &Gamble Beauty: The Science of Beauty(UK, 2005) - [cited 28 March 2006]; available from http://www.pgbeautyscience.com/en_UK/programs/cosmetic_regulation_similarities_en.html

2 “Minutes of CTFAS Q&A Session No.1” CTFAS: The Cosmetics, Toiletries and Fragrance Association of Singapore (Singapore, 2005) - [cited 15 March 2006]; available from http://www.ctfas.org.sg/ctfas_forms/QnA_Jan04.htm

3 “Guidance for Industry and Applicants” HSA: Health Science Authority (Singapore, 2001) - [cited 12 March 2006]; available from http://www.hsa.gov.sg/html/business/cda_gmp_std.html

PART IV

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PART III

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And here are the references for the past 3 entries :)

1 Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products. In: European Union Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC, 7^th Amendment. pp. 3-14

2 HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE. Guidelines on control of cosmetic products. pp. 1-4.

3 HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE, 2001. Introduction to the regulation of health products in Singapore. Available from: http://www.hsa.gov.sg/html/business/cda_cosmetics_overview.html. [3 Oct 2005]

4 Dr Jan Vernon and Tobe A. Nwapgu, August 2004. Comparative Study on Cosmetics Legislation in the EU and Other Principal Markets with Special Attention to so-called Borderline Products. pp. 22, 46, 48,104

5 EUROPA, 2005. Activities of the European Union – Summaries of legislation. Cosmetic products: composition, labeling, animal experiments. Available from: http://www.europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l21191.htm [17 November 2005]

6 ASEAN, 2005. ASEAN Cosmetic Documents. Appendix II – ASEAN Cosmetic Labeling Requirements Guidelines. pp. 1-3

PART II
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How well do you know the cosmetic regulations of Singapore and European Union?
Here we show you the comparison with key features of their regulations....

PART I

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So why is there a difference you may ask? Here's our reasons!

Comparing and contrasting both days....

Between the three members, scents observed in Day 1 were apparently less than those in Day 2. This is because in Day 1, no conscious effort is made to record the scents and odours encountered. Therefore, the sense of smell in Day 1 is not as acute and sensitive. Furthermore, we were to recall the scents and odours and we would therefore, tend to only remember scents that are stronger and familiar to us.

In Day 2 where a conscious effort is made to record the scents, more observations were made. This could be attributed to the fact that we were told to consciously record the scents and odours around us. Thus, we were able to pick up scents more readily.

We also observed that for both days, more pleasant smells were noted than unpleasant smells. This could be due to the fact that pleasant smells stir up more pleasurable, memories rather of unpleasant smells. Scents that members found neutral tend to be scents that we are accustomed to and do not really evoke any sort of emotions or feelings within us.

However, the difference in the number of observations between group members tells us that smell sensitivity also varies between individuals.

Besides this, the differences in the number of observations between Day 1 and 2 tells us that most of us pay less attention to the smells around us because we rely mainly upon our sense of sight and hearing to navigate ourselves in our environment. As such, we would only notice them when they are particularly pleasant or unpleasant, and enough to override our already visually and audibly-laden environment.

This exercise in comparing and contrast has led us to realize there are actually a vast number of smells that surround us every day, just that we fail to take notice of them unless special attention has been given. Smells that are often ignored tend to be those which we consider “neutral”. These are also likely to be smells which we consider familiar; hence we tend to take them for granted without much notice.

Here are the individual scent diaries that we've collected.. PART 3

YingLing's Unconscious Efforts... DAY 1

Scents / Odours	Sources	Description	Pleasant/Unpleasant
1. Facial Cleanser	Botherm AquaSource Facial Cleanser	Fragrant, sweet and familiar to me	Pleasant
2. Toothpaste	Tube of toothpaste in bathroom	Minty scent.	Pleasant
3. Shampoo	Bottle of shampoo in the bathroom.	Floral scent.	Pleasant
4. Whitening Lotion	Biotherm White Detox	Light and refreshing	Pleasant
5. Spicy fragrance	Alien EDT by Thierry Muller	Spicy and mysterious	Pleasant
6. Mixture of dust and smoke	Renovation works at Eunos and Buona Vista MRT Station	Very smoky; smells like something burning	Unpleasant
7. Pleasant smell of freshly cooked food	School conference at science faculty	Delicious smell of food	Pleasant

YingLing's Conscious Efforts... DAY 2

Scents / Odours	Sources	Description	Pleasant/Unpleasant
1. Facial Cleanser	Botherm AquaSource Facial Cleanser	Fragrant, sweet and familiar to me	Pleasant
2. Toothpaste	Tube of toothpaste in bathroom	Minty scent.	Pleasant
3. Shampoo	Bottle of shampoo in the bathroom.	Floral scent.	Pleasant
4. Whitening Lotion	Biotherm White Detox	Light and refreshing	Pleasant
5. Exhaust gas	Vehicles along the road	Smoky	Unpleasant
6. Rain	Just outside my window	Smells like rain	Neutral
7. Coffee	Cup of coffee for breakfast	Fragrant	Pleasant
8. Sweet fragrance	A passerby’s perfume; Think is Ralph by Ralhp Lauren	Sweet, floral; a scent that I like	Pleasant
9. Mixtures of many different fragrances	Blotters passed around during PR2202 lecture	Different types of fragrances: floral, woody, musky	Neutral
10. Sweet, floral fragrance	Schoolmate’s fragrance	Floral and nice	Pleasant
11. Woody fragrance	Another schoolmate’s fragrance; Think it is Romance Silver by Ralph Lauren	Woody	Pleasant
12. Floral and refreshing fragrance	Friend’s fragranced moisturizer	Floral	Pleasant

Here are the individual scent diaries that we've collected.. PART 2

Jilleen's Unconscious efforts ...DAY 1

Scents / Odours	Sources	Description	Pleasant/Unpleasant
1. Morning Mist	Fragrant Sachet in my cupboard	Refreshing, sweet, soapy with touch of baby powder	Pleasant
2. White tea	GINVERA White Tea SPA Shampoo NOURISH	Something that is familiar, refreshing, warm, smells of exotic extracts from tea	Pleasant
3. Blend of mandarin, blackcurrant with magnolia, peony, vanilla & ambergris	My Fragrance: Escada Sentiment	Sweet fruity floral scent, sensual, gives the feeling of sexiness, uplifting	Pleasant
4. Bleaching agent: Chlorine, scent of stale air	Stale air from lift shaft, chlorine from detergent	Pungent. Strong smell of chlorine.	Unpleasant
5. Mixture of human odours and perfumes and from the air that is filtered in thru the air con system	People, fragrances and aircon machinery	Smells of filtered air – a little musty, mixture of different fragrances resulting in something that smells pretty neutral	Neutral
6. Smell of exhaust fumes	Exhaust fumes from buses at the interchange	Choking, Smoky with slight hint of diesel/petrol	Unpleasant
7. Mixture of citric fruits and stale air of the toilet	Air freshener in the toilet, air	Predominantly citrus	Pleasant
8. a guy fresh from the shower after a rigorous exercise	Shower gel, man’s sweat and natural scent	Refreshing smell of the shower gel, masculine smell that comes from the guy	Pleasant
9. Mixture of pine and milky lotion	Dettol Shower Foam Pine	Refreshing, stimulating, milky smell	Pleasant
10. Combination of royal jelly extracts and acidic compounds	My Biore Facial cleansing foam (aqua balance)	Has a odor similar to mild acids found in chemistry laboratories, sweet honey smell from the royal jelly extracts	Neutral
11. Mixture of my natural body scent, white tea extracts, pine	My pillow with the scents from various sources listed above	Familiar smell, blend of all the above smells mentioned above from the various sources	Pleasant

Jilleen's Conscious Efforts... DAY 2

Scents / Odours	Sources	Description	Pleasant/Unpleasant
1. My mug of coffee	Coffee	Strong coffee aroma, feels just like when a person steps into Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves Café	Pleasant
2. Mixture of filtered air through the aircon system and lavender air freshener	My room together with lavender air freshener and the aircon	Predominantly lavender scent giving soothing, relaxing feeling	Pleasant
3. My freshly washed clothes on my body	Detergent for washing clothes	Floral fresh scent, refreshing	Pleasant
4. Morning Mist	Fragrant Sachet in my cupboard	Refreshing, sweet, soapy with touch of baby powder	Pleasant
5. Mixture of mint and fluoride	My colgate	Mint, refreshing	Pleasant
6. Mixture of pine and milky lotion	Dettol Shower Foam Pine	Refreshing, stimulating, milky smell	Pleasant
7. White tea	GINVERA White Tea SPA Shampoo NOURISH	Something that is familiar, refreshing, warm, smells of exotic extracts from tea	Pleasant
8. Unique blend of vanilla orchid, amber and musk	My perfume: BOSS Intense for Women	Warm, sensual, sweet, musky , feminine	Pleasant
9. Bleaching agent: Chlorine, scent of stale air	Stale air from lift shaft, chlorine from detergent	Pungent. Strong smell of chlorine	Unpleasant
10 Mixture of stale food and garbage	Garbage dump area at HDB Level 1	Stale, smells of rotten food, rancid and rancid	Unpleasant
11. Mixture of cigarette smoke from cigarette butts and garbage	Dustbin at the bus stop	Stale, smoky and choking (from cigarette)	Unpleasant
12. Smell of exhaust fumes	exhaust fumes from buses at the interchange	Choking, Smoky with slight hint of diesel/petrol	Unpleasant
13. Essences of peach, apricot, marigold & blackcurrant	My best friend’s fragrance: Burberry Classic for Women (eau de parfum)	Spring/summer scent, sensual, refreshing, mouth-watering	Pleasant
14. Mixture of human odours and perfumes and from the air that is filtered in thru the air con system	people, fragrances and aircon machinery	Smells of filtered air – a little musty, mixture of different fragrances resulting in something that smells pretty neutral	Neutral
15. Mixture of citric fruits and stale air of the toilet	Air freshener in the toilet, air	Predominantly citrus	Neutral
16. Cup of hot green tea	Green tea leaves	Green, fresh, warm feeling	Pleasant
17. Fragrant food	Bowl of yoshinoya beef bowl	Rice smells fragrant, beef has a strong smell of the seasoning and sauce used. Combination of both makes one’s mouth water	Pleasant
18. Scent of freshly cut tulips	Bouquet of tulip flowers	Fresh, summer scent, makes someone feels romantic	Pleasant
19. Chamomile scent	Organics Shampoo	Sweet smelling, relaxing, comfortable, has this effect of making one feel like sleeping	Pleasant
20. Smell of a newly born baby who just bathed	Johnson’s Baby Shampoo	Clean, fresh, cool	Pleasant
21. Scent of worksheets	Worksheets from KUMON Learning Centre	Papery scent, woody	Neutral
22. Mixture of sweaty smells of feet	Shoes on the shoe rack	“fishy” smell	Unpleasant
23. Mixture of smell of air filtered through the air con, leather seats, human odors, rubber car mats	My dad’s taxi	Leathery, rubbery, musty	Neutral
24. Mixture of herbs, lamb, spices and seasoning	Lamp chop	Mint smell, fragrant, smoked smell of the lamp, makes one’s mouth water	Pleasant