Plenty of beauty products are produced right here on American soil. However, some of our favorite products may be owned and manufactured by a foreign country. Many women have turned to the Wish App to purchase makeup that is shipped from China or another Asian country. Others simply go to a foreign website and purchase their favorite items to have delivered to their doorstep. When you go to your favorite makeup counter, Ulta, or Sephora stores, some of those items may have been imported in. So, what are the rules regarding safety in a beauty product? How do we know if the product we are buying will do what it promises and not harm us in any way? Today we are exploring the guidelines and how to make our choices by being as informed as possible. Before you slather on your favorite Parisian lotion, grab a cup of tea and let’s learn about the process a little bit better.
Research Is Everything
The beauty industry research is vital to the success of the product. The FDA has set guidelines but they do not have a process in place to approve any beauty product. It sounds a bit loosey-goosey, but the FDA can investigate a product line if there are significant complaints about a product. If that occurs, the FDA will perform its own testing, regardless of what the company has already provided to them, to ensure the safest product for the consumer. Most companies within the US do their own research and testing simply because it assists in their marketing goals. When a product comes overseas is when things get even more muddled.
No Universal Guidelines
Each country has its own laws and guidelines regarding the efficacy of a product. Some countries will be strict and others may be looser than the US is. Some countries may not require that a company do any efficacy testing or to release all the ingredients in the said product. Let’s say you want to purchase a skincare product from Singapore, can you read labels online to see what is in it? Are there any informational videos on how the product is made? Can you see lab results online or request them from the company? A good company would be transparent and help you research the product to ensure it will work for you and not cause skin problems later. Others may shock you when they just push to sell their product but avoid proving their claims.
Animal Testing and Claims Of Being Organic
Two things that have been booming for the cosmetics and beauty care lines are to be free of animal testing or claims of being organic. So how do you know? Most US-based companies that are cruelty-free or don’t test on animals are more than happy to share their testing process to anyone who asks. What may be shocking is that when the cruelty-free US company must test on animals in other countries before they can sell their products there. Unfortunately, some companies will opt to do that and try to avoid allowing the US consumer finding out. They simply want to make money in multiple markets and use any marketing ploy that will work for them. Other companies that take it seriously, typically won’t sell in markets where they are required to. Additionally, when you buy that product from overseas you could very well be supporting a company that does test on animals.
When it comes to being organic, the USDA is the agency to determine the organic labeling for all items coming into the US or based in the US. If you are buying a face mask from a Hong Kong website, that is labeled organic, it has not been endorsed by the USDA and could in fact still be dangerous or full of toxins from the plant.
Overall, being cautious and researching all your products before purchasing is the best way to buy safe products that work. If you don’t take the time to research it, you could end up harming yourself.
