Brazilian Blowout: Breaking News
1/30/12: California Attorney General settles lawsuit against Brazilian Blowout. The company must cease deceptive advertising practices and put caution stickers on their products advising users that the product releases formaldehyde gas. Advocates call on the FDA to remove keratin hair straighteners from the market. Read more.
12/15/11: OSHA launches new webpages dedicated to formaldehyde in hair straighteners.
12/8/11: OSHA issues press release stating that in 2011, 23 salon owners received citations with up to $17,500 in fines for formaldehyde overexposure to their workers.
9/23/11: The National Healthy Nail and Beauty Salon Alliance and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent a letter to the FDA thanking them for warning Brazilian Blowout, and requesting the agency make Brazilian Blowout’s response public. If the company does not respond, we urged the FDA to recall Brazilian Blowout products.
9/22/11: OSHA issued an updated hazard alert on formaldehyde in hair straighteners and refuted Brazilian Blowout’s false assertion that OSHA air tests showed formaldehyde at safe levels.
WVE Calls for Action from FDA on Hidden Toxin
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Ask the FDA to recall toxic hair straightening products! |
What Happened
On Sept. 29, 2010, Oregon Health and Science University released lab results finding that the popular hair straightening treatment product Brazilian Blowout Solution contained 10% formaldehdye, a cancer-causing chemical, although the product was labeled “formaldehyde-free”. The Acai Professional Smoothing Solution, by the company Brazilian Blowout, contained 4.85% formaldehyde.
The samples were taken in for testing after staff at a Portland salon reported difficulty breathing, nose bleeds and eye irritation when using the product as directed.
More Information
Testing Results
What did Oregon OSHA find?
The Blowup on Blowouts
Fact sheet for consumers
Actions on Brazilian Blowout
Find out what WVE and others are doing about Brazilian Blowout and how you can take action!
Response to Brazilian Blowout Safety Claims
WVE’s Director of Science and Research explains the hazards of Brazilian Blowout.
Response to claim that methylene glycol doesn’t form formaldehyde.
Information for Stylists
What you need to know if you’re working with hair straighteners, including the OSHA hazard alert and opportunity to share your story with the FDA.
Media
Get the latest on the Brazilian Blowout blowup.
WVE is a co-founder and co-convener of the National Healthy Nail and Beauty Salon Alliance, which works to protect the health of the nation’s salon workers.
