After a consumer petition demanded change, global cosmetics giant Revlon announced in December it is removing long-chain parabens and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals from its beauty products.

The petition gathered more than 100,000 signatures and urged Revlon to remove the ingredients. Long-chain parabens can act as estrogens and have been linked to endocrine disruption. Formaldehyde is a potent allergen that has been classified as a carcinogen.

Revlon announced it had already removed isobutylparaben and isopropylparaben, and is in the process of reformulating a product that contains butylparaben. In addition, the company said it has already removed the formaldehyde releaser DMDM hydantoin from its products and will soon remove a similar ingredient, quaternium-15, as well.

"The move by Revlon confirms that companies can produce cosmetics products without these troubling ingredients," added White, whose organization started the petition.

White also praised Revlon for the company's commitment to meet the European Union's allergen-labeling requirements for all Revlon products, including those marketed and sold in the United States.

"Few major American cosmetic makers have gone as far as Revlon to give their consumers this basic information," White said. "We urge all companies to do the same and disclose the allergens contained in their products."

(Source: Time and Environmental Working Group)