Tag: Hair

Real Hair Truth – Michael Gordon Playing it Cool.

~ Joseph Kellner

The Beautiful Lies

Up until the 2006 sale of the B&B brand (the salons, the products, et al) to Estee Lauder (most people don’t realize that it also owns Clinique, MAC, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Origins, Jo Malone, Smashbox, Aveda, and Darphin), from time to time you could catch a site of Mr. Gordon on the premises.  His mannerism always struck me as a peculiar combination of a relaxed composure (grapevine has it that he is into Buddhist spirituality) and a blatant assholiness toward some employees.

But, as I always say, you don’t get to be a successful entrepreneur by being warm and fuzzy.  To survive in business you need to be tough.  Some of us can be tough and decent at the same time.  Unfortunately, that’s very rare.  Well, since I didn’t need to deal with him personally, I was able to abstract  into what he was as a small-business owner: someone, who started from nothing and grew his brand to international recognition.  I admired him for his courage, drive, and strategic savvy.

Also, one cannot dismiss the fact that for Mr. Gordon it wasn’t just about branding, growth, and money.  He was truly a hair-man, devoted to the idea of creating high-quality products that satisfied a wide spectrum of needs.  Unlike the vast majority of other famous salon owners (Sally Hershberger is one example), who are engaged in “private label” merchandising (i.e. buying generic, mass-produced,  “juice” and pouring it into containers with their names), Michael Gordon actually developed unique mixtures, which are used to great effects in many salons and homes.

It was his quality standards and unrelenting drive to succeed that fascinated me.  Imagine my surprise, when I read in New York Times that this remarkable and shrewd businessman was arrested for tax evasion.  And it wasn’t even for something cleverly devised (not that I would approve that) – no, it was plainly stupid: he didn’t declare on his tax return the $30 million capital gain generated by that famous sale of B&B.

The charges (both criminal and that of stupidity) against him are mounting: when he was questioned by IRS about this omission, he claimed ignorance of the fact.   And that’s lying to a federal agent, because apparently there is evidence of his active attempts to hide this money.

What is the point of lying like that anyway?  Didn’t he sign his tax return back in 2007?  He never heard of capital gains? Weren’t there a horde of lawyers and accountants involved in the closing the deal?  Nobody mentioned the tax liability?  Hard to believe.

NYT didn’t make it a secret that IRS has acted on a tip received from a “confidential informer.”  Of course, they did.  Truth be told, IRS doesn’t have sufficient resources to look for specific violations of the tax code.  The best they can do is to react to the red flags selected by their algorithms.  Your employer reported your earnings, but you didn’t include them on your tax return – an inquiry will commence.  Itemized deductions  exceed certain levels, even if by $100 – the flag will be raised.  Meanwhile, corporate executives receive multi-million dollar perks and call them “business expenses”; private shareholders transfer stocks and property between related parties and don’t recognize capital gains; owners make equity withdrawals and show them as loans – and none of it ever get noticed.

However, the situation changes if someone makes a call, sends a letter, or an electronic message to IRS, detailing a case of the tax evasion.  If this someone provides sufficient information and the violation is big enough to prick up agents’ ears, they will be on the case right away.  Especially if it involves a notable figure that can get media interest (hey, you cannot blame IRS agents for wanting some attention).

Even though IRS has, what they call, a whistleblower reward program, it’s not easy to get paid for reporting tax violations.  Obviously, in most cases, the informants are not motivated by money.  Typically, they have some sort of a relationship with the evader and it resulted in two outcomes: an incredible animosity that goes way beyond a simple grudge and the knowledge that the government is being shortchanged.  The IRS becomes a mere weapon of revenge.

This is why Leona Helmsley went to jail in 1992.  The Queen of Mean dragged behind herself a trail of disgruntled contractors, corporate employees, and household help, who really hated her.  Some of them possessed hard evidence proving that millions of dollars spent on personal properties were billed to Helmsley’s real estate business.

And that’s why Michael Gordon got arrested.  In his brazen manner, he must’ve rubbed the wrong way someone with the first-hand knowledge of the $30 million unreported gain.  That hurt someone dropped a note to IRS.

Do I have to state the obvious?  Don’t steal big bucks from government – it’s dangerous.  But if you make a conscious decision to dodge some taxes, make sure that no one knows about it but you.  And I mean NO ONE.  If that’s impossible, make sure that you are super nice to those who are onto you – they have your freedom in their hands.

Scum of my Beauty Industry!

~ Joseph Kellner

 

Professional hair care companies as well as professional hair dressers try to spread fear amongst hair consumers by warning them about hair care products. Fear is a powerful emotion which can motivate in a variety of ways. Why do professional hairdressers hate hair product diversion? Quite simply if hair consumers buy from CVS, Walgreens or Amazon.com, they’re not buying from their salon professionals. From the beginning of time, professional hair product companies would promise professional hairdressers that they would only sell to them so that there would be no competition for any other marketplaces.

As a result, when a professional product line such as Aveda winds up in Amazon.com, professional hairdressers rise up in arms to try and stop the sale of the professional products by anyone but professional hair stylists and salons. The basic bottom line is that professional hairdressers just want to protect their sales territories.
Ask yourself how professional hair products make it to CVS or other large grocery chains? Contrary to what the professional hair companies might want you to believe, they aren’t delivered in SUVs by individual professional hairdressers who are selling out the back door of their salon. No! If a CVS sized retail outlet is buying professional products, and they are, it’s because the professional hair care company is either secretly selling directly to CVS or is looking the other way when it happens. Bottom line. Professional hair product manufacturers talk out of both sides of their mouths. The professional hair care companies have brainwashed hair consumers. In fact, in the Summer of 2008 “Good Morning America” had a segment that was focused on what has become known as Professional Hair Product Diversion. The segment spread the same fear based untruths that are often spread to hair consumers.

According to the professional hair care industry professional hair care products are only to be delivered and sold through professional salons, distributors or hairdressers. Anyone else selling professional hair care products such as Amazon.com or CVS or Target is officially selling “diverted products.” Yet why would large corporations like that take the risk to divert?
To try and minimize diversion, the professional companies will put out the fear based rumors that hair consumers who buy their professional hair care products from Amazon.com, Target or CVS are buying potentially contaminated products. Seriously, do you think that a major company like CVS and Target would risk consumer lawsuits over contaminated products? Think about that one.

The other rumors are that diverted products may be counterfeit. While I’m sure this is much more of a possibility, it is very unlikely. Yes, there have been some isolated cases but they are very rare. While major hair product manufacturers like Aveda might say they fight product diversion, if they had a hint that their products were being counterfeited they would swarm down on the store in question and seize the products in question. Why? Neither the manufacter or the retailer, like CVS, wants any legal problems from counterfeited products.

Besides falling under monitoring by the FDA, hair care products are chock full of preservatives to extend the shelf life of the products. Most hair care products have a shelf life of 3-4 years. Those very preservatives protect against the growth of any type of fungus or bacteria. If not, the products would be bulging at the seems and have a frightful odor. Just like rancid food products.

The hair care industry also hints at fungal and bacterial infestation. Is this a real danger? Again, unlikely. It is simply a scare tactic to keep hair consumers away from professional products sold over the counter.
It should be noted that many of the professional hair products found on the shelves of CVS are the latest packaging and the latest ingredients. How do I know? I have stopped to look at them in great detail. I have even taken labels from professional products purchased through professional outlets and have compared them. And yes I have interviewed buyers of companys.
Cost factors is the other diversion bugaboo. Is it true that diverted products cost more in non-authorized companies than authorized professional beauty outlets? In some cases yes but in other cases maybe not.
1. Competition in the professional hair product arena continues to explode. If a professional hair product company can sell trailor truckloads of their products to a CVS or Target and look the other way, why not? I’m not saying ALL professional companies do it, but I’m saying it happens. Probably more than you think.

Guess what, professional hairdressers know the truth. Most of them do anyway. I talked to so many hairdressers over the years who all call Hair Product Diversion the industry’s “dirty little secret.”

2. Good Business Plans. Hair consumers are cutting back on any hair related luxuries. Why would professional hair care companies promote the myth of professional diversion when it could cost them a strong growing sales base and a competitive edge with their competitors? Have they thought about that? I wonder.

3. Professional Hair Product Diversion Does Not Exist In The Rest Of The World. Hair product diversion only exists as an issue in the United States. In Europe and the rest of the world there is no Professional Hair Product Diversion issues. Hair consumers buy products from their professional hairdressers and salons but because they trust their hairdresser with the proper product recommendation and because of timing. The same should be true in the United States. Why isn’t it?

4. Professional Hair Publications Give Lip Service To Diversion Topics. Why? If a professional hair magazine or online newsletter is receiving advertising from a major professional hair care production company like an Aveda, they are definitely going to drink and share the Kool-aide. Money talks and advertising talks even louder.

Ultimately all hair consumers must think for themselves and not just believe what the hair product companies want us to believe. Before drinking the Kool-Aide of product diversion think about the realities of the situation.

Is the product in question fully stocked on the shelves? Is the entire line of products options available from shampoo to styling products? Are the products restocked on a regular basis? Do the products like brand new? They probably are.

Best Regards
Joseph Kellner

Unilever’s Suave Product is still under Investigation!

~ Joseph Kellner
 
Profile Picture
 
Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30 Day Smoothing Kit Unilever Trumbull. CT 06611. Actual Kit UPC 7940019562 Modular Display Unit Description and Case UPC : Suave SA Keratin Smoothing Kit 8PC PDQ 10079400228786 Suave Mixed Keratin 17 PC PDQ 10079400233025 Suave Keratin Kit 12PC Wing 10079400240221 SV SH CD Kit Keratin 12PC 15 Inch PDQ 10079400241372 Suave SH/CD/SA Keratin 258PC Bin 10079400244359 SV MB Naturals/Keratin 670 PC Pallet 10079400245790 Standard Case: SV Smoothing Kit (ATG) 12 1ct 10079700195620. Recall # F-1332-2012
CODE
All lots
RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER
Recalling Firm: Unilever United States, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, by letters dated May 8, 2012.
Manufacturer: Les Emballages Knowlton Inc., Knowlton, Canada. Firm initiated recall is ongoing.
REASON: Unilever has received numerous consumer complaints related to undesired hair treatment outcomes and potential consumer misunderstanding for Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30 Day Smoothing Kit.
VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE
381,288 Kits
DISTRIBUTION
Nationwide
 
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods. Unilever markets the product under its wholly owned Suave brand name as a Keratin-based hair straightening product that is “an affordable at-home alternative” to professional salon treatments that’s “formaldehyde free.” However, Unilever may not be able to substantiate its claims. In addition, Unilever may have failed to inform consumers that the Product contains a chemical known as “Tetrasodium EDTA,” which is mainly synthesized from formaldehyde. Unilever also may have failed to inform consumers that the Product contains a chemical preservative known as “DMDM Hydantoin,” which is an antimicrobial formaldehyde releaser with the trade name Glydant. Formaldehyde has been classified as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

So when do we stop thinking of ourselves and start thinking and helping others. Where did simple kind compassion go in a world of give-me. Where did listening and  understanding one another’s problems leave our day-to-day life. When we know the truth and not say the truth that is the most common sin of all. .  Do you really care anymore.

 
I just used this product a few days ago and my hair is also fried. And when I went to the store to try to find a deep renewing conditioner the product was still on the shelf! I don’t know what to do with my hair at this point. I’ve been trying to nurse it back to life with coconut oil and mayonnaise but it still isn’t enough. Help?!
Sent from my iPhone
 
I too used this product and fried my hair…4 haircuts later still having issues with dry hair and itchy scalp. Any ideas on what I need to do to promote good hair health?
Thanks
 
Hello Mr. Kellner,
Help it has been 4 months for my hair and it continues to break off and is fried.  It seems like it is getting worse not better.  I have spent over $2000 and yet I am still struggling.  No one is responding to my letters Unilever, Suave or Kroeger. I tried to join a class action lawsuit with Wasserman, Comden, Casselman & Esensten but they have not contacted me back yet either.  The $12 is not sufficient and my current professional stylist believes it will be at least another year before my hair is back to normal if ever.  I can not afford this!!  
 Is there any hope we will get some resolve from the company.  Please someone help!! This is truly a nightmare and not only has it ruined my hair but my personal life, my professional life and my personal well-being have all been severely compromised.
Any information that you might have regarding where I might go next would be greatly appreciated.
Suzanne M. Light, Pharm.D.
 
I used this kit twice the first time my tightly curled hair was soft shiny the second time at first I didnt see any change in my then a couple of weeks after my hair started coming out by the handfuls it took me three years to get the growth I had now all Ivan do is cut it all off and do intensive conditioning treatments .something should be done to suave for the damage it has done to my hair.thank you
Sent from my iPhone
 
Hello Joseph,
My name is Dawn Rettew, a hairdresser/make-up artist, three-time salon owner.
I would like to thank you for your courage in addressing the issues of our profession.
Having been a “brainwashed sheep” myself, I understand most of what you are saying.
I would like to break into private labels and have attempted this in the past with no success. Mostly, I’m not able to know which companies to trust anymore and the up front cost is too high.
There are no products left that are not diverted. I especially like the way the product companies are not including “online discount drug stores” as diversion. To me, online sales are diversion. I’ve signed contracts with companies promising to do my part and now I can walk into any Target, TJ Max, most online outlets and purchase the very same products
At this point, I don’t even trust having my own private label for fear of losing even more credibility with clientele. They lie about the ingredients. etc. I’ve been made to be a liar one too many times. If you have any private label insight that you would be willing to share with me, I would greatly appreciate it. I’m just looking for a product line that is non-diverted, the best available ingredients at the best available prices without the deceptive practices that go along with them.
I appreciate you honesty,
Dawn Rettew
 
I bought the treatment on 3/23/12 from Wal-Mart and I used it a week later.  I have previously used Sally’s brand about 8 months prior so I knew what I was doing and I read the directions correctly.  Not even a week after I used the Suave brand, my hair got considerably lighter, which has never happened and my hair started to fall out.  Even now, every time I was my hair, more of it breaks and I am losing it by the handfuls.  I only use the treatments because after I had my daughter, my hair got wavy and thicker only in the back and I wanted an easier way to maintain my hair.  The treatment I used before worked wonders and seeing as Suave’s was a whole lot cheaper, I took a chance.  I know it is not supposed to make it straight, but it is supposed to make it easier to straighten, and this did not do as it was supposed to.  I saw the recall at my local CVS and wanted to know what I am supposed to do from here?  Thanks for your time.
Ashley Mier
 
 

Toxic: A hairstylist’s story of formaldehyde poisoning!

~ Joseph Kellner

When I started my first official apprentice job I knew that I would not stay there more than a year.  Bad education, drama, a dog running around and client services averaging 5 hours with lackluster results turned me off.  I always figured that my leaving would be based on witnessing one too many foil bleeds for my liking.  My plan was to leave once I was certain my resume was solid, and nothing could stand in the way of my next apprentice job. Everything was set.  Yet I found myself  sitting here in a daze, having just quit my job, without a clue as to what my next move will be.

The first time I ever heard of the Brazilian Blowout I had been working part-time at a salon while I was in cosmetology school. The concept sounded so amazing – reduce your frizz and tame your curls for months after one treatment! The price was exorbitant but as a curly, frizzy haired girl myself, I understood the high demand. I stared at the huge banner advertisement,  intrigued, when the apprentice next to me whispered, “They say it causes cancer …  stylists had babies with birth defects … I won’t do it if they make me.”

I soon forgot all about the Brazilian Blowout while I concentrated on my studies. Months after graduating, a former classmate of mine mentioned she was doing the blowouts for the salon she worked at and consequently was making good tips.  I found myself starting at the same salon that January as an assistant every Saturday. Excited about my first apprenticeship, I dove in with drive and determination. Anything that was asked of me, I did without a second thought.

A few weeks into my start there, I noticed how my eyes would burn terribly when the stylists would start taking a blow dryer to clients’ hair after the Brazilian Blowout formula was applied. My eyes would burn so bad that I had to step away into the stockroom. By the time the stylist moved on to the flatiron step, the clouds of fumes from the product were overwhelming. For those unfamiliar with the Brazilian Blowout procedure, the formula is applied to damp hair that has been shampooed with specific shampoo. From there the hair is dried, with the formula still on the hair, then flat ironed at 450 degrees before being rinsed out of the hair.

Around this point, the salon was getting ready for an anticipated influx of clients from a Groupon that had been run earlier, offering Brazilian Blowouts for nearly half price.  Seeing as the service averages around three hundred dollars, sometimes more, this deal attracted droves of consumers.

Instead of being known for a salon that focuses on hair color, we became known as the salon that does Brazilian Blowouts. The majority of clients booked every day were there for that service alone.  Clouds of fumes would linger in the loft-style salon above our heads, and no amount of open windows would quickly dissipate the vapors. The heat from the dryers and flatirons was altering the state of the formaldehyde so that we were inhaling the chemical in excessive quantities.

Once the month of March rolled around, I had been moved up to full time hours. I was the only apprentice and my shifts were long and grueling. I was ecstatic, though, because I had waited so long for this moment.  My frustration, however, was mounting because I had been feeling frequently ill. By the 21st of the same month I had to call out sick. I felt horribly guilty and disappointed in myself for not being able to go to work.

My feeling sick became frequent and worse each month. It came to the point where twice in one month I would be out sick for several days at a time.  I could barely get out of bed.  I had constant, extreme and inexplicable nausea. I would become dizzy, coughing often and enduring sinus congestion unlike any sinus infection I had ever experienced.  I felt so miserable and frustrated.

Visiting the doctor was never ideal. In my circle of peers we often start out with incredibly low wages and no insurance in this industry. We use resources like walk-in clinics should we have the misfortune to need medical attention. So I would walk over a mile to my regular doctor at the nearest clinic, wait for hours to be seen and leave with antibiotics for what we initially thought was a persistent, off the charts sinus infection. It seemed plausible to me, as I have a history of severe sinus infections, but no one had a good answer for my current and constant nausea.  It became so severe that I would stuff plastic bags in my purse in case I should need to vomit in public, and had several close calls on the PATH train into work every day.

As time progressed, my boss would have me finish the Brazilian Blowouts she started on clients for her. I would grasp the hair with the flatiron as I inhaled clouds of fumes. The hair would smoke, emitting the toxic vapors right under my nose, into my eyes and lungs. Clients would often tip incredibly generously for this service and I was amazed that one tip from a Brazilian Blowout would be more than I made in a single day from my flat rate salary. I understand the financial reasons many stylists give for wanting to continue offering this service.

The last day of May I became incredibly ill. I was consumed with sickness and called out from work. I went to my doctor at the clinic and he saw how irritated my throat was. I could barely swallow. He mentioned that something in my environment was irritating me, causing what appeared to be a sinus infection by clogging my sinuses on a regular basis. I took my script for antibiotics and walked by home in deep thought.

Since the moment I started my apprenticeship I purposely avoided every single article, every single research attempt, regarding the effects of the Brazilian Blowout. All of the studies I knew were surfacing, all of the controversies in the news, I ignored because I was too scared to admit the reality of the situation.  Nearly every day for months I was surrounded by Brazilian Blowouts and now I was terrified.  Several days later I went back to work, only to become sicker than I had ever been since I started there. I left work on a Saturday night in June and collapsed into bed.  I could barely breathe, wheezing out struggled gasps of breath as I clutched my pillow in fear. The next morning I went online and finally did the research I had been so afraid to do.

I went back to my doctor and told him what I suspected. He looked completely horrified and did an examination. I discovered that I have formaldehyde poisoning, as I have been over-exposed to excessive amounts of formaldehyde without proper ventilation.  In addition, I have now developed asthma and have to use an inhaler on a regular basis.  My doctor explained to me the horrors of formaldehyde.  He mentioned that for a while I may have difficulty around basic household chemicals, as my body is in a reaction stage from the formaldehyde and I am now overly sensitive.

Then my doctor told me the next time I am around the Brazilian Blowouts it will only make me sicker. “I know this is your apprenticeship and you are working for your future, but this is formaldehyde. You shouldn’t be around it anymore,” he said. I knew he was right, and I cried the entire walk home.

My throat is raw and sore, my sinuses are clogged, I cough constantly and have difficulty breathing. I cough up strange forms of phlegm and my voice is strained. I am overcome with nausea and often feel dizzy and fuzzy.  I have a hard time being around hair color and nail polish these days. In time, I hope that passes. I worry for my health, including long term affects, as formaldehyde is a human carcinogen.

But mostly, I am angry.  My health has been compromised all so that the owner of the salon I worked at could make some extra money. She refused to spend money on a ventilation system. To this day, the Brazilian Blowout company denies that their product contains formaldehyde, just as my former boss denies the reasons I am sick. OSHA has done studies proving that the Brazilian Blowout product does, in fact, contain formaldehyde at levels unsafe for humans.

The FDA is aware of the situation, but is bound by certain laws and restrictions. Therefore, stylists affected from this, such as myself, are encouraged to report these specifics to the FDA Medwatch. The more information presented, the more they are able to build an effective case against the Brazilian Blowout company. 

The main reason I created this blog entry is for other stylists who have been affected from over-exposure to Brazilian Blowouts. I have found, in all my research, frustration that there was no place to go and hear from other stylists in similar situations.  There are news articles, but not much beyond that.  I won’t speak for the other stylists at the salon I worked at, but I do know I am not the only person from there to experience symptoms as a result of this product. I strongly encourage fellow stylists to take care of themselves and reconsider performing this service.  It may be lucrative, yes, but I  can’t see it being worth the health risk. I know for myself that no amount of money can ever get me to go near this product again.

I have officially quit my job.  The road ahead is uncertain, because I don’t know when I will feel well enough to even start a new apprenticeship. Until then, I try to freelance to supplement my income, but it’s hard to find steady clients.  As for my health, my doctor explained that every body is different. It could take two weeks, or it could take two months before I start to feel better. This excludes long term affects that have yet to be seen.  In a few weeks I will go back to the doctor to see how I am progressing, and we will go from there.

I encourage comments and discussion, especially regarding other stylists and clients who have had adverse experiences. The timing may not be as I had planned, and neither are the circumstances, but I know I made the right decision to leave the salon. I sincerely hope that my efforts contribute to protecting the health of other consumers and stylists in this industry, so they are not affected by exposure to such a toxic and harmful chemical in the constant quest for perfect hair.

dmnyc79.blog.com

US Labor Department’s OSHA issues hazard Alert!

~ Joseph Kellner ~ Leave a comment

 

US Labor Department’s OSHA issues hazard alert to hair salon owners, workers
on smoothing and straightening products that could release formaldehyde!

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is issuing a hazard alert to hair salon owners and workers about potential formaldehyde exposure from working with some hair smoothing and straightening products.

The hazard alert, available on OSHA’s website at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/formaldehyde/hazard_alert.html, provides information about OSHA’s investigations, the health hazards of formaldehyde and how to protect people who are working with hair smoothing and straightening products.

Responding to complaints and referrals about possible exposure to formaldehyde, federal OSHA and many state occupational safety and health agencies are conducting investigations. Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Connecticut’s Department of Public Health, and agencies in several other states already have issued warnings.

Federal OSHA has found formaldehyde in the air when stylists used hair smoothing products, some of which do not have formaldehyde listed on their labels or in material safety data sheets as required by law. During one investigation, the agency’s air tests showed formaldehyde at levels greater than OSHA’s limits for a salon, even though the product tested was labeled as formaldehyde-free. California’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued violations to an importer and distributer of smoothing products labeled formaldehyde-free for failing to list formaldehyde as a hazardous ingredient on the company’s product labels and in the material safety data sheets.

Formaldehyde presents a health hazard if workers are exposed. It can irritate the eyes and nose; cause allergic reactions of the skin, eyes and lungs; and is linked to nose and lung cancer.

OSHA requires manufacturers, importers and distributors of products that contain formaldehyde as a gas or in solution, or that can release formaldehyde during use, to include information about formaldehyde and its hazards on product labels and in the material safety data sheets that are sent to employers.

“Workers have the right to know the risks associated with the chemicals with which they work, and how to protect themselves,” said federal OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. “Employers need to know these risks in order to ensure the safety and health of their employees.”

To eliminate potential worker exposure, OSHA recommends that salon owners use products that do not contain formaldehyde, methylene glycol, formalin, methylene oxide, paraform, formic aldehyde, methanal, oxomethane, oxymethylene or Chemical Abstract Service Number 50-00-0.

If a salon owner decides to continue using a formaldehyde-containing hair smoothing product, then he or she must follow OSHA’s formaldehyde standard. Important requirements of this standard include conducting air monitoring, installing ventilation where needed and training workers about formaldehyde, as well as providing protective equipment such as gloves, chemical splash goggles, face shields and chemical resistant aprons.

The material safety data sheet includes important information about what a product contains and how the ingredients can affect a worker’s health. Salon owners and other employers must have a material safety data sheet for any of the products they use that contain hazardous chemicals. They must also make the sheet available to stylists and other workers.

OSHA currently has a number of ongoing investigations at salons and of importers/distributors/manufacturers relating to hair smoothing and straightening products. Some citations have been issued.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/index.html.