<P> Perfume has been used to mask body odor for many hundreds of years, but in the late 19th century the ability to reduce such odour was developed . The original active ingredient of antiperspirants was aluminium chloride but complaints of skin irritation led to the increased use of aluminium chlorohydrate as an alternative . Aluminium has been established as a neurotoxin and has been shown to adversely affect the blood--brain barrier, cause DNA damage, and have adverse epigenetic effects . Research has shown that the aluminum salts used in antiperspirants have detrimental effects to a number of species such as non-human primates, mice, dogs and others . An experiment with mice found that applying an aqueous solution of aluminum chloride to the skin resulted in "a significant increase in urine, serum, and whole brain aluminium ." Other experiments on pregnant mice showed transplacental passage of aluminum chloride . </P> <P> Legislation varies from country to country but most countries have some sort of formal legislation that either restrict or prohibit certain ingredients or products . There are two main sources for cosmetics safety: the EU Cosmetics Directive 76 / 768 / EEC and the Canadian Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist . Regulation in the United States by the FDA is particularly weak . </P> <P> A new version of the EU's Cosmetics Directive was adopted by the European Parliament, 24 March 2009 . It includes new rules concerning the use of nanoparticles in cosmetics and includes stricter rules on animal testing of cosmetics . </P> <P> Cosmetic colorants, with the exception of hair colorants in the United States, are highly regulated . Each country or group of countries has their own regulatory agency that controls what can go into cosmetics . In the United States, the regulating body is the Food and Drug Administration . Aside from color additives, cosmetic products and their ingredients are not subject to FDA regulation prior to their release into the market . It is only when a product is found to violate Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) after its release that the FDA may start taking action against this violation . The FDA may request a recall if the company refuses to remove an unsafe product from the market, work with the Department of Justice to remove contaminated or misbranded products, request a restraining order to prevent further shipments of contaminated or misbranded products, and take action against the company violating the law . A company may use any ingredient, other than color additives and those ingredients banned from use in cosmetics through regulation, as long the completed product and its ingredients is safe, is properly labeled, and isn't contaminated or misbranded under the FD&C Act and the FPLA . FDA can and does perform inspections . </P>

Ingredients used in new lakme natural range of products