One of the most frequently asked questions we get on the Beauty Brains (besides what the heck does Sarah Bellum do?) is: “If so many cosmetics claims are untrue how can beauty companies get away with lying to us?”
The answer, at least as far as today’s post is concerned, is that they don’t always get away with lying. Case in point:
Aloe Vera Angst
FDA raps aloe vera company for violating regulatory Act By Michelle Yeomans , 12-Jul-2012
The Set-N-Me-Free Aloe Vera company got their hand slapped by the FDA for making unsupported drug claims for their aloe vera-based line of products (including ‘Aloe Milk Moisturizing’, ‘Aloe Moisture Cream’, ‘Day-Night Emollients’, ‘Moisturizing Aloe Lotion’ and ‘Aloe Comfrey Gel’.)
What was the problem?
The company apparently claimed the following about their products…
- Moisturizing Aloe Lotion can help “renew skin flexibility by making regeneration of skin cells occur faster.”
- Day-Night Emollient contained “natural source of cancer fighting laetryl lipids.”
- and that their aloe ingredient is capable of “similar anti-inflammatory properties similar to that of a steroid.”
Since all these claims would involve affecting the physiology of the body, they are legally drug claims. The Left Brain insists that I inform you that this violation falls under section 201(g)(1)(B) and/or 201(g)(1)(C) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. (But I’m sure you knew that already.)
What’s the FDA going to do?
Since these are misbranded drugs (ie, products that make drug claims without following the proper drug labeling laws) the FDA has asked the company to change their claims (on websites, labels, and promotional materials) to ensure they do not violate the law. If the company does not enact appropriate changes, the FDA can bring “regulatory action.” Oooooh, I’m scared.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
You may not always realize it but there are penalties when cosmetic companies stretch the truth too much.
Reference: CosmeticsDesign
Image credit: http://www.public-domain-image.com/plants/flowers/slides/aloe-vera.jpg
What to YOU think? Are cosmetic companies held to an appropriate standard of honesty? Or do they get away with too much? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m always amazed by the claims made by the cosmetics industry. Hair conditioners that ‘nourish’ dead hair. Wrinkle creams that ‘decrease fine lines’. Okay, maybe if the cream attracts water the skin may plump up a bit, but I don’t believe it’s a cumulative effect, as in “When used for a month”. Nail treatments that ‘nourish’ the the nails. ???? These are claims that are made constantly.
There’s a similar problem with the supplement industry and alt-med in general. They all make ridiculous claims about their mostly ineffective products. But they can get away with it for 2 reasons. They make non-specific, vague claims (like supports the immune system, balances hormones and enhances wellness). The FDA can’t prosecute them as long as they don’t make specific health claims. But then they have an army of independent health bloggers that make all sorts of specific health claims about the products.
Second reason is that the FDA just doens’t have enough resources to go after each and every violation.
Probably something similar happens in the beauty industry?
The penalties seem to lack teeth.