Cosmetic health products are used to maintain the beauty of hair and skin. To be effective, they must contain natural ingredients without harming either, with mild and pleasant scents for maximum effectiveness.
Manufacturers, preservers, and packagers must operate under hygienic conditions when making, packaging, preserving and declaring these products to the government through product notification.
Cosmetics are beauty products or grooming aids
Cosmetics are substances designed to come into contact with external parts of a human body – skin, hair, nails and lips – for cleaning, perfuming, changing their appearance or protecting against body odours. According to the Public Health Code, these products must meet certain requirements: free from contamination; contain only non-hazardous chemicals when used normally and as directed; manufactured, prepared, preserved packed stored under clean conditions before being declared to government through notification.
Canada’s cosmetics industry encompasses beauty preparations such as makeup, perfume, skin cream and nail polish as well as grooming aids such as soap, shampoo and shaving cream. Products with therapeutic claims must comply with drug regulations; antidandruff shampoo may present challenges when classified between these categories – often falling under both sets of regulations simultaneously.
They are not a dietary supplement
Cosmetics are any substance applied topically or topically-applied that cleanses, perfumes or changes the appearance of skin, hair, lips, nails or external genitals through rubbing, pouring, sprinkled or spraying. Cosmetics may also be applied topically directly onto teeth or mucous membranes of oral cavities for cosmetic effects. Per the US Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act and French Public Health Code Article L5131-1 respectively, cosmetics do not constitute dietary supplements.
However, several cosmetic companies have been subjected to class action lawsuits by FTC and FDA regarding certain claims for beauty-from-within supplement products. Such statements constitute unapproved drug claims because they suggest an impactful or alterative effect of these products on structure or function of the body.
Manufacturers of beauty-from-within products must be cognizant of how even minor claims could quickly turn their product into a drug, such as lip balm marketed as natural sunscreen or essential oils marketed for aromatherapy use, or shampoos touted as antidandruff treatments.
They are not regulated by a government agency
Cosmetics do not fall under premarket approval like pharmaceuticals do, leading to litigation over them. Some legislators have therefore introduced legislation aimed at improving cosmetic quality and increasing consumer protection – such as the Cosmetics Safety Enhancement Act of 2019. Such laws would compel manufacturers to list all ingredients used in their products, report adverse events promptly, and allow FDA inspection of manufacturing facilities.
Notably, some personal care products may fall within both cosmetic and drug categories. This is often true of shampoos containing fluoride or antidandruff treatments like toothpastes that also have sun-protection claims or moisturizers with sunblock properties.
If a product is discovered as being adulterated or misbranded, its responsible person could face penalties from FDA including seizure of their goods by them and cessation of shipment of said cosmetic. They could also be held liable for the costs incurred during any subsequent investigations by them.
They are safe for use
Cosmetic health products are monitored globally by regulatory agencies to ensure they adhere to specific safety rules that protect consumers from exposure to chemicals or contaminants that could irritate their skin or eyes. They must also be manufactured, prepared, preserved, packed in an uncontaminated environment free from anything that might cause injury when used according to directions on the label.
Even with these regulations in place, many cosmetics contain potentially hazardous ingredients, leading to skin sensitization and endocrine disruption as a result of which cosmetic products should be reviewed more rigorously for safety analysis prioritization and customer education. Unfortunately, companies prioritize revenue margins over safety analysis due to cost concerns; only a fraction of products undergo rigorous pre-market carcinogenicity testing prior to market release due to this process.
