Under pressure from consumer advocates and regulators, some leading beauty companies are using fewer toxic chemicals than they did a few years ago, according to new product tests released today by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

In testimony before the United States Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA) urged lawmakers to "thoughtfully consider whether it is necessary or wise to adopt a monolithic new regulatory regime for chemical regulation like the European Union's Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation."

Herbalife Ltd. announced the hiring of Edyta Kurek as vice president, East Central Europe which includes Poland, Hungary, the Czech and Slovak Republics, and the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. She will be based in Warsaw.

Dow Europe GmbH ("Dow") and Univar Products International NV ("Univar") have announced plans to market and distribute the Dow range of specialty surfactants to European customers.