Olaplex 💇‍♀️, infertility 🤰and the Regulations 👩‍⚖️

Article by Shaznee Seraj 

Olaplex, what’s that? 💇‍♀️

Olaplex is a technology that repairs the disulphide bonds in your hair that have been destroyed by the chemical treatment. The product and its technology allow you to recover the strength, structure, and quality of your hair if you’ve over-bleached or had your hair highlighted for years. In essence, it pretty much “resets” your hair back to its default setting. Due to its claims, Olaplex has been plastered all over social media apps and salons, particularly YouTube, with renowned celebrities such as Kim Kardashian singing praises about Olaplex and its products for its unique and “transformative behaviour.”

What’s the drama here? 📺

However, despite its popularity, the product, mainly Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector, has recently gained attention on social media and due to the internet’s discovery that the original formula of the No.3contained butylphenyl methylpropional, also known as ‘lilial‘, a fragrance compound that is set to be banned for cosmetic use in the EU from March 2022 due to its safety concerns.

Due to the “online ruckus” on all things Olaplex No.3 that has taken social media by storm (thanks to TikToker Hasini Ray), the woman of many hats, Lavinia Popescu, the Chief Scientist, VP, Research Development Executive and Regulatory of Olaplex, took to social media by recording a five-minute video to address all the questions and concerns from consumers. The Chief Scientist behind the brand also explained the company’s thought process behind the development of its products which can be found here, if you are an Olaplex user with doubts/questions or if you are simply interested to learn more about Olaplex!

Regulations 👩‍⚖️🍵

EU 🇪🇺

After the European Commission published a report on the “classification, labelling, and packaging of chemicals and combinations” in May 2020, the component ‘lilial’ is expected to be withdrawn from all cosmetic items in the EU on March 1, 2022. It identified butylphenyl methylpropional as a ‘Repr. 1B’ substance, which means it’s a substance that’s harmful for reproduction and could harm fertility.

Furthermore, a paper published by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety in 2019 concluded that the ingredient shouldn’t be considered safe. It also noted that while the levels of ‘lilial’ in a single product wouldn’t be harmful, because it’s used in so many other products, the levels could add up, so it’s best to be cautious.

The UK 🇬🇧

As the UK is concerned, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfume Association released a statement suggesting that an official ban would be implemented in the UK, albeit the rules would differ from those in the EU, sometime in February. It further stated that:

Following many requests for advice from both members and non-members of CTPA, as well as sister associations, retailers, and other stakeholders, CTPA is issuing this public statement to clarify the legal status of butylphenyl methylpropional (BMHCA), sometimes known by its trade name ‘Lilial’, in the market of Great Britain. The statement clarifies that the legal status of BMHCA/lilial in GB is different from that of the EU/NI, as different legislations are applicable in the two markets. CTPA expects a ban on BMHCA/lilial to come into force in GB in the near future.”

More information on lilial can be found here.

No fake news, please! ❌

Olaplex’s public relations (PR) team has since clarified that none of the items are being prohibited from the UK such as SpaceNK, CultBeauty or the EU retailers. Scientists have shown that the substance was previously tested on animals, with some of those animals developing reproductive issues. While this may be a problem in and of itself, there’s no evidence that humans have had similar problems while wearing lilial-containing cosmetics! Phew.

Outcome/what’s next? ⏭

Fear not, Olaplex has been in the process of reformulating its product without lilial to follow the EU guideline and since January 2022, it no longer sells products containing the ingredient in the UK or EU. However, that said, it will take some time to phase out the ‘lilial’ in No. 3 Hair Perfector globally. Be patient, people!

Following the Olaplex drama, it is vital that companies update their consumers if there are any changes to the ingredients and/or regulations to avoid any PR disaster. At the end of the day, if a consumer has to find out about a product through social media apps such as Tik Tok and not through the company itself, it surely sparks concerns about the credibility of the company and its products!Hence, companies must do better to avoid painting a negative corporate image.

⛔️ It is also crucial for readers and fellow TikTok/Reels scrollers to take a pause to inspect each and every statement, news and/or fact found online to ensure that they do not become a victim of fake news or sensationalism!

What Legal Route Is Best For You?

Article by NanaYaa Agyemang 

So you’ve decided to pursue a career as a lawyer. Well, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to becoming one. This article will help you understand what pathways are open to you and, hopefully, which route is ideal for you.

Traditionally, if you want to be a lawyer, you need to have high GCSEs and A levels in the areas you wanted to study in greater depth for two years. Universities then impose stringent admissions standards in order to get admission to their highly competitive law schools. To acquire their highly coveted first-year internship positions, elite law firms normally expect top A level grades from eligible candidates

After graduating with flying colours with a qualifying law degree, you must either take the bar course if you wish to be a barrister or the solicitors’ qualifying exam (SQE) If you wish to be a solicitor. Before becoming a qualified barrister or solicitor, you would obtain a pupillage or training contract from a law firm.

However, this is not the only path to becoming a lawyer.If you enjoy a subject other than law, such as economics or history, you can pursue a non-legal degree and then enrol in a law conversion course. This is essentially a year of learning the key pillars of the law you need to know to become a qualified lawyer. You can do this before undertaking the bar course, or either the LPC or SQE.

Alternatively, if you decide that university is not suitable for you but you still want to be a solicitor, you can enrol in a six-year solicitor apprenticeship training programme, during which you will study for a law degree while receiving hands-on on-the-job training, and then take the LPC or SQE. Becoming a lawyer does not mean that you must pursue the traditional route while it is still a fantastic alternative, it is not the only one available to aspiring legal professionals, and that is fine. The goal is to figure out what option appeals to you the most.