Hypo Allergenic Cosmetics

When shopping for cosmetics or skin care products, you'll frequently see products that are labeled hypoallergenic. This term implies that these products are less likely to cause allergic reactions than other products and that these products will be gentler or even safer for the skin than other products. Here is some information from EnviroCitizen.org to help you make a more informed decision when you shop for cosmetics that are gentler for delicate skin types.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that consumers should realize that no federal standards or regulations exist governing the use of the term hypoallergenic. This term may be applied without any demonstration or proof that the product causes fewer allergic reactions than others.

When labeling cosmetics as hypoallergenic first became popular, the FDA attempted to regulate the use of the term. In 1975, the FDA issued a regulation governing use of the term hypoallergenic, stating that a cosmetic product could be labeled hypoallergenic only if scientific studies on human subjects showed that it caused a significantly lower rate of adverse skin reactions than similar products that did not make such claims. The manufacturers of cosmetics claiming to be hypoallergenic were to be responsible for carrying out the required tests. However, this was later declared invalid by U.S. courts, leaving manufacturers free to apply the term as they wished; often as marketing.

The FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors Fact Sheet shows the same. Scientific studies demonstrating that certain products or classes of products cause fewer adverse reactions than others on the basis of being hypoallergenic are not reliable.

The bottom line is that the term hypoallergenic has very little meaning and is primarily used as a marketing tool. It is important to understand that there is no guarantee that a cosmetic or skin care product will not produce an allergic reaction.

EnviroCitizen.org suggests that you try to find naturally made cosmetics such as organic ones or non-toxic ones without petrochemicals and other substances. You can even make some yourself. By choosing these options, you are doing something much better for the environment and also for yourself. By reading labels carefully or making your own cosmetics, you will also certainly be much better off than simply choosing to believe unproven claims.