Health at Risk? ‘HER’ Act Promotes Research on Beauty Product Chemicals

A congresswoman from Ohio is making substantial strides in the intersection of personal-care products and reproductive health issues impacting Black and Latino women. Rep. Shontel Brown, a Democrat, recently unveiled the Health & Endocrine Research on Personal Care Products for Women (HER Act), designed to allocate funds for research aimed at enhancing product safety. “Every woman deserves access to safe products—period,” Brown stated on June 5 while announcing this pivotal initiative. The HER Act focuses on examining “endocrine-disrupting” chemicals prevalent in beauty and hygiene products tailored to women of color.Beyond championing consumer safety, the bill also aims to advance public health measures and address critical racial disparities impacting numerous Black and Latina women. Given substantial research revealing the hazardous ingredients often found in products marketed to Black women, the HER Act proposes establishing a federal grant program dedicated to studying these alarming substances. Experts like Laura Vandenberg and Dr. Eileen Barrett support this bill for its potential to enhance women’s health and awareness of safe product options.