Nearly every small business feels the effects of the current political climate. The recent shift toward deregulation has gutted the power of federal agencies, putting millions of consumers at risk. In light of these policy changes, the Independent Beauty Association (IBA) addressed the evolving landscape of advertising law at its Cosmetics Convergence Spring 2025 Conference. In an effort to help guide indie beauty brands through these changes, the IBA hosted a virtual panel with Mary Engle, Executive Vice President of Policy at Better Business Bureau (BBB) National Programs and Jennifer Santos, attorney at BBB National Programs, National Advertising Division (NAD), to help indie beauty brands navigate the murky waters of advertising in an era of deregulation. Engle set the stage for the fireside chat by reminding attendees that just because they might see fewer regulatory initiatives coming out of the federal government doesn’t mean there’s going to be less enforcement. Andrew Ferguson, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) since January 2025, has said he's committed to enforcing the laws that Congress has passed.The federal government isn’t the only watchdog entity: consumer advocacy organizations and consumer class action lawsuits both play vital roles in protecting consumers and holding businesses accountable for harmful practices. Should federal oversight decrease, states might become more active in enforcing and creating their own regulations. “In a time of deregulation, you still want to be one of the good players, and this is when self-regulation comes into play,” said Santos.