Cosmetics Claims

Claim

noun [b]

a statement, as a fact, of something that may be called into question; assertion

Cosmetics claims are everywhere – you’ll find these hints and promises on product labels, sales websites, in physical stores, magazines, and even endorsements on social media. Why? To put it simply, cosmetic claims are powerful advertising tools. These cleverly crafted claims tell us how products should work, building up consumer expectations to drive sales. Such a powerful tool can help a product stand out from the competition and convince us to buy one product over another. When we optimistically invest our money and time in  yet another new cosmetic product, we put our trust in cosmetic companies. We trust that the product we buy will do what it says (e.g., hydrate skin) and will do it safely. But is our trust well founded?

Having spent a good amount of hope (and income) on the next best skincare product, I know from personal experience that this journey can be a dead-end street far from the promises and initial lures. Why is this?

The answer is in the lack of regulation. When you read that a product tightens the skin or that 99% of women saw their wrinkles appear significantly reduced, it may not be close to the truth. Let’s break down the reasons why this happens.

TL,DR: Cosmetic companies do not need to have their claims approved before advertising.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asks for cosmetic labelling to be truthful and not misleading. However, there is no system in place to test the validity of these claims before cosmetic companies put their products on the market.  The FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors will send warning letters to cosmetic companies that have clearly crossed a line by claiming that their cosmetic product acts as a drug. For example, the FDA might send this warning to a company selling a cream that claimed to “turn back time by altering your genes.”.

Another player is the National Advertising Division (NAD), which monitors and examines advertising claims. For example, NAD requires that cosmetic companies have competent and reliable scientific evidence to back up their claims. So, if a cosmetic company posts a false claim that is not supported by evidence, it will be taken down by NAD – right? Well, not exactly. First, someone needs to file a complaint to NAD. The fee for such a request ranges from $10,000 to $35,000, hardly within the budget of a disgruntled or curious consumer. Once the complaint has been made, NAD will conduct an examination and determine whether the claims are substantiated or not. If the cosmetic claim does not hold truth, they will suggest a remedy, such as modifying the advertisement claims. If the accused cosmetic company refuses to modify their advertising, then NAD can report them to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), who can decide to take the company to court.

How does this help me figure out if my new cream will actually help tighten my skin? It really doesn’t. The only option you and I have is to buy it, use it, and see what happens.

Where is the scientific evidence?

Often, cosmetic companies state (or imply) that they have scientific evidence to support their claims. However, this evidence is rarely (read: almost never) available to the public or even to industry peers. On many occasions, I have tried to look up the scientific studies that companies state they have done, only to find nothing. Zero. As a medical scientist, I find this frustrating and potentially misleading.

In science, we rely on peer review to ensure that our science is rigorous and truthful before publishing any findings. In cosmetics, it seems like we just need to take cosmetic companies at their word. This also means we must trust that their work is of the best possible quality and is free from any bias or errors.

With the lack of proper regulation, it is relatively easy for anyone to advertise falsities and mislead consumers. On the other hand, providing scientific evidence to support claims should be a remarkably simple thing. And it should be well within a budget for a cosmetic company.

Cosmetics Evidence reviews

Our team approaches cosmetics companies and asks them to share the evidence supporting their claims for specific cosmetic products. Then, our scientists review and rank the quality of the evidence using a science-based scoring system. We look at the results of the studies, but we also investigate the quality of the research to make sure it is clear of bias and errors.

I founded Cosmetics Evidence to help shed some light on the cosmetic world and bridge the gap between advertising and evidence. Our belief is that we as consumers have a right to know the truth about the products we spend our money on and use on our bodies.