The Warning Label We Almost Missed

The fluorescent lights of the department store hummed overhead as my young friend’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Can I get this perfume, Simone? All the girls at school have it.” Without hesitation, I added the BEAUTIFULLY YOU perfume to our basket, the sweet scent already familiar from my interaction with other young girls her age, and social media posts. We laughed, chatted about school, and carried on with our day, innocent consumers in a world of invisible dangers.

“Simone, look at this,”

Days later, the same bottle sat heavy in my hands. “Simone, look at this,” she had said, pointing to the back of the bottle where stark letters declared: “WARNING. Cancer and Reproductive Harm (www.P65Warnings.ca.gov).” My stomach tightened as I took the perfume from her, watching her confusion turn to concern. After she left for school, I sat alone with this small bottle that suddenly felt like a ticking time bomb.

How had this warning escaped my notice? I, who had recently spoken publicly about hair products marketed to Black women across Canada containing harmful chemicals. I had discussed how environmental justice demands we examine what we put on our bodies. When we reach for that familiar relaxer, or conditioner, few consider we might be applying formaldehyde, phthalates, or heavy metals directly to our scalps. Yet research consistently shows these substances lurk in products lining our beauty supply store shelves.

The website referenced, P65Warnings.ca.gov, connects to California’s Proposition 65, legislation that identifies chemicals known to cause cancer, or reproductive harm. Substances like benzophenone, beta-myrcene, methyleugenol, and phthalatesv (found in many fragranced products) have been classified as carcinogenic, or developmentally harmful by international authorities. Yet, here was this product, batch MG12-24, manufactured in December 2024, distributed from New York, and sitting on Canadian shelves with an expiration date of December 2027.

Canadian law mandates that cosmetics should not contain ingredients that could injure consumers when used as directed. Health Canada maintains a Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist for prohibited, or restricted substances. However, significant loopholes exist: manufacturers aren’t required to list specific fragrance ingredients due to “trade secret” protections, allowing hazardous compounds to slip through without robust enforcement.

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act hasn’t seen major updates since 1999, leaving fragrance disclosure inadequately regulated compared to California’s standards. The federal government has promised reforms, but meaningful changes (such as mandatory full ingredient disclosure) remain unimplemented.

“Together, we can ensure that what we put on our bodies doesn’t become what harms our bodies.”

If you use BEAUTIFULLY YOU perfume, or any fragrance marked with toxic chemical warnings, consider these steps: Stop using the product and contact the distributor for full ingredient information. Report concerns to Health Canada, which can remove hazardous cosmetics if sufficient safety evidence is presented. Raise awareness in your community about insufficient product labeling. Most importantly, contact your Member of Parliament and urge action to update CEPA and require full disclosure of hazardous chemicals.

As I looked at the perfume bottle that morning, I realized this was about the trust we place in regulatory systems meant to protect us. It’s about the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities who often have limited choices and face greater exposure to harmful products. It’s about the power of collective voice to demand change.

I want to thank my young friend for bringing this to my attention. Her curiosity and concern will help protect someone in the future. Together, we can ensure that what we put on our bodies doesn’t become what harms our bodies.