On October 11, 2025, the Governor of California signed the C.U.R.L. Act (Combatting Unsafe Relaxers Law), which adds a new chapter to Part 3 of Division 104 of the California Health and Safety Code. The Act aims to prohibit the manufacture and sale within California of permanent hair straightening products that intentionally contain certain specified ingredients.
Hair relaxer product” means a cosmetic product, as defined in Section 108982, that is sold either as an individual component or as a kit with multiple components and is designed to permanently straighten curly, coiled, or tightly coiled hair by breaking the disulfide bonds found within a person’s hair.
The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), representing the People of the State of California, may publish on its official website the testing methods used to detect these ingredients and update the list of acceptable testing methods as appropriate. The department may also revise the list of intentionally added substances prohibited under the C.U.R.L. Act.
The C.U.R.L. Act will be implemented and enforced by the Department of Toxic Substances Control, with the regulation taking effect no later than January 1, 2030.
from SGS China
