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- Services and providers for Cosmetics in the U.S.
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Cosmetics
Also called: Makeup
Cosmetics are products you apply to your body to clean it, make it more attractive or change the way it looks. They include
- Hair dyes
- Makeup
- Perfumes
- Skin-care creams
Products such as dandruff shampoo, fluoride toothpaste and antiperspirant deodorant are both cosmetics and drugs. A good way to tell if you're buying a cosmetic that is also a drug is to see if the first ingredient listed is an "active ingredient." The active ingredient is the chemical that makes the product effective, and the manufacturer must have proof that it's safe for its intended use. To find out all the ingredients in a cosmetic you use, check the container. Manufacturers are required to list them. Labels such as "natural" and "hypoallergenic" have no official meaning. Companies can use them to mean whatever they want.
Food and Drug Administration
Start Here
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Cosmetics(Food and Drug Administration)
Also available in Spanish
- Frequently Asked Questions about Cosmetics and Your Health(National Women's Health Information Center) - Links to PDF
| Basics | Learn More | Multimedia & Cool Tools |
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| Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
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Overviews
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Household Products Database: Personal Care
(National Library of Medicine)
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Household Products Database: Personal Care
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Latest News
- Cosmeceuticals(11/01/2008, American Academy of Dermatology)
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Specific Conditions
- Color Additives and Cosmetics(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- Cosmetic Products and Ingredients(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
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Hair Dye and Hair Relaxers(Food and Drug Administration) - Links to PDF
Also available in Spanish
- Kohl, Kajal, Al-Kahl, or Surma: By Any Name, Beware of Lead Poisoning(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- Moisturizers 101: The Basics of Softer Skin(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Removing Hair Safely(Food and Drug Administration)
- Sunless Tanners and Bronzers(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- Tattoos and Permanent Makeup(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- Use Eye Cosmetics Safely(Food and Drug Administration)
- Using Nail Products(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
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Related Issues
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Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer(National Cancer Institute)
Also available in Spanish
- Cosmeceutical Facts and Your Skin(American Academy of Dermatology)
- FDA 101: How to Use the Consumer Complaint System and MedWatch(Food and Drug Administration)
- Genie in a Bottle: Making Sense of Cosmeceuticals(American Academy of Dermatology)
- Is It Really FDA Approved?(Food and Drug Administration)
- Science Meets Beauty: Using Medicine to Improve Appearances(Food and Drug Administration)
- Your Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA(Food and Drug Administration)
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Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer
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Health Check Tools
- How Smart Are You about Cosmetics?(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Skin moisturizers. Choosing one that works.
- Article: A day at the beach while on tropical vacation: sun...
- Article: Antioxidants used in skin care formulations.
- Cosmetics -- see more articles
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Organizations
- American Academy of Dermatology
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
- Food and Drug Administration
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Law and Policy
- Century of Ensuring Safe Foods and Cosmetics(Food and Drug Administration)
- Cosmetic Labeling: An Overview(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- FDA Authority Over Cosmetics(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- Imported Cosmetics(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- Ingredients Prohibited and Restricted by FDA Regulations(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
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Date last updated: 30 December 2008 Topic last reviewed: 02 December 2008 |