Cosmetics Industry Group Gives Itself a Makeover

"What has been known for more than three decades as the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association now has a new name, the Personal Care Products Council, and with a new persona comes a fact-laden product safety Web site designed to win consumer trust," reports Women's Wear Daily. The changes come after cosmetics safety studies and pressure campaigns by public health and environmental groups. As the Center for Media and Democracy reported last year, the recently-renamed industry group commissioned focus groups about cosmetics safety issues. One focus group participant told CMD that they "were asked to fill out worksheets describing a website with information on cosmetics ingredients, to be launched in 2007." Procter & Gamble's Marc Pritchard, who also chairs the industry group, said of the new website, "What we want to do involves a simple objective -- become the consumer's best resource." And, presumably, counteract the damning information on the "Skin Deep" website, launched in 2005 by the Environmental Working Group and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.