Scott Gottlieb, the F. D. A.’s outgoing commissioner, said the agency must “modernize” its “outdated” approach to cosmetics safety, especially when dealing with talc and asbestos.
The Food and Drug Administration warned on Tuesday that it had found asbestos in cosmetics sold by Claire’s, a retailer that markets jewelry and makeup to teenagers, and urged consumers not to use the products.
Consumer claims of asbestos, a known carcinogen, in some Claire’s cosmetics were reported in 2017. The company withdrew products from store shelves but did not recall them.
The F. D. A., which received its test results in February, said Claire’s refused to recall the products. The agency issued a safety alert urging consumers not to use certain eye shadows, compact powders and contour palettes.
The regulator’s test results “show significant errors,” Claire’s said in a statement, adding that the items identified by the F. D. A. had been “extensively tested by multiple independent accredited laboratories” in early 2018 and were found to follow safety regulations.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have removed the three products identified by the F. D. A. from our stores, and are also removing any remaining talc-based cosmetic products,” said Melanie Berry, a spokeswoman for the company.
