Claims made about cosmetics
It is important that claims made about cosmetic products are not misleading to consumers.
This applies to claims made on the packaging but also to all advertising material such as TV or radio advertisements, promotional leaflets, posters, websites, and social media content.
Requirements
Six common criteria must be met for cosmetic product claims:
- Legal Compliance
Claims that suggest approval of a cosmetic product E.g. 'Approved for sale in Europe' or indicate a particular benefit when the proposed benefit is mere compliance with the Regulation are not allowed e.g.'Does not contain Lead' (Lead is prohibited for use in cosmetic products). - Fairness
Claims should be objective and not criticise competitor products e.g. 'Our product X has a superior formulation to leading product Y'. - Evidential Support
All cosmetic product claims whether stated or implied, must be supported by evidence. Claims may be substantiated through consumer and clinical studies. - Truthfulness
If the product claims to contain an ingredient, the ingredient must be present in the product. - Informed Decision Making
Claims should be clear and understandable for the average consumer. - Honesty
All claims must be honest. They should not go beyond the available supporting evidence and if the effect/action is linked to two or more products used together, this should be clearly stated. The RP must also give consideration as to how a consumer would interpret the claim.
Further Guidance
Full detail on the specific requirements for claims made about cosmetic products in can be found in Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013.
Further guidance is also provided in the associated European technical document on cosmetic claims.
It is not permitted to make or imply any claims of a medical nature in relation to a cosmetic product; more information is available in the Guide to definition of a human medicine.