Proactive Solution

Skin Care Articles



Guthy Renker Corporation


What Cosmetics Businesses Forget to Tell People About Hypoallergenic Products


The word hypoallergenic is a saying that probably most of us have heard before. Make-up, moisturizers, shampoos, and even jewelry put it on their labels and in advertisements. The majority of folks think it means a product that is hypoallergenic won't react with allergens. But what does the term really mean?

The term first appeared in the 60s from cosmetics advertisers. The saying originates from the Latin prefix hypo, which translates to below or less. Less allergens is the literal translation of the word. Since it's inception the word has been commonly accepted and used by advertisers, manufacturers, and marketers to sell products that claim to be softer on the skin than other products basically the same. But how true is this really?

The FDA tried again to govern the use of the word on June 6, 1975 by still requiring cosmetics producers to do scientific tests but the procedures for the experiments were altered to lower the cost to the manufacturers. Manufacturers who obviously didn't want any laws on the products they produced did not agree with this either. Cosmetic companies challenged the FDA choice in the U.S. Court of Appeals, which ruled that the guideline was not binding. The judges stated the definition of hypoallergenic the FDA gave was unfair because of such little evidence that consumers thought of the term in the way it is described by the organization. The end result? Companies can continue to advertise and label their products hypoallergenic with no regulation or laws set up by the government. People have no guarantee that a product that says hypoallergenic is any less allergic than any other products. Supposedly, a business could put out a product that is hypoallergenic that is loaded with poisons and allergens. The FDA tried to put regulations on products that claimed to be hypoallergenic in 1974. It said that a product could be proclaimed hypoallergenic only if tests were done on human patients and it proved to be a significantly lower reaction to allergens than products not making the claim. It then stated the companies had to do these tests on their own and (most importantly) at their own cost. This as usual caused major problems and companies without delay filed lawsuits opposing the choice, saying that the studies would pose an unjust financial burden on them. The two biggest opposition of this attempt at regulation were Clinique and Almay, two manufacturers of hypoallergenic products.

By definition the products described as hypoallergenic are required to produce fewer allergic reactions to the cosmetics than those that are not hypoallergenic. People with delicate skin, in addition to users with ordinary skin, may be led to believe that these products will be more gentle to their epidermis than non-hypoallergenic cosmetics. There are no Federal regulations or terms that govern the use of the saying hypoallergenic. A cosmetics producer can make the term mean anything they want it to. Manufacturers of beauty products that claim to be hypoallergenic are not required to submit substantiation of their hypoallergenicity claims to Food and Drug Administration. The word hypoallergenic may have substantial market value in boosting sales of cosmetic products to customers on a retail basis, but doctors say it has very little meaning.

The one tiny victory that the FDA seems to have had is that at least now manufacturers now have to put the ingredients on the labels of the products so that customers can avoid chemicals that they know they are allergic to or have had difficulties with in the past. As consumers, we must be aware of ingredients in the goods we consume because obviously the manufacturers who make them aren't very concerned about our well being over their money margins. There is no doubt that some products out there that claim to be hypoallergenic actually are, but if you are a smart consumer and concerned about you and your family's health, you will do the research yourself and not rely on these companies claims .



Guthy Renker Corporation


More Skin Care Articles:

What Cosmetics Businesses Are Forgetting to Tell the Customer About Hypoallergenic Products
What Cosmetics Producers Forget to Tell You About Hypoallergenic Skin Care Products
Things Cosmetics Businesses Are Not Telling You About Hypoallergenic Beauty Products
What Cosmetics Producers Are Not Informing the Consumer About Hypoallergenic Skin Care Products
Info Manufacturers Are Forgetting to Tell People About Hypoallergenic Skin Care Products
What Cosmetics Producers Are Not Informing the Customer About Hypoallergenic Products
What Manufacturers Do Not Tell People About Hypoallergenic Products
Info Companies Forget to Tell You About Hypoallergenic Products
What Businesses Do Not Tell the Consumer About Hypoallergenic Beauty Products
What Information the Consumer is Not Told about Hypoallergenic Beauty Products
Info Businesses Dont Tell People About Hypoallergenic Products

 


Proactive Solution  |  Proactive Acne Treatment   |  Proactive Acne Solution   |  Acne Medicine   |  Winsor Pilates   |  Core Secrets