While cosmetic product marketing *is* regulated, it is a highly competitive industry with a lot of similar products. Marketing to consumer perceptions and demand is one of the main tools that helps a product stand out from competition. Cosmetics have historically been marketed as something fun and easy, even a bit magical. Consequently, newcomers to the industry may not realize the extent of science involved in the new product development process. Thus, intentionally or not, sometimes a few misconceptions slip into the marketing briefs.
These are the red flags I look for to make sure a brand has done their due diligence and is not misleading the consumer.
Best practices for cosmetic product marketing
Following the cosmetic regulations and marketing recommendations in your region is a must. Additionally, it is always a good idea to:
– not denigrate competition
– use before and after photos in a neutral tone with compassion
– focus on what’s IN the product not on what is avoided
– not promise miraculous outcomes
– highlight the cool science involved in the raw materials or formulation process
– use accurate references when talking about scientific research
– not use raw material supplier data instead of testing your finished formula.
If you need any help highlighting the science of your products – contact me!
Common red flags
Counterfeit products
Counterfeit products are the greatest danger to a consumer. This is because we have no way of knowing what is actually in these products and which health consequences they may bring.
These products are usually sold at odd locations for low prices. While certain products may be expensive, safe products exist at all price-points. A good practice is to check the exact packaging and official retailers from the brand’s website.
No cosmetic product is ever worth risking your health!
Incomplete ingredient list
Mistakes in an ingredient list is another sign of potential danger. Ingredient lists are a great clue to whether or not the company is aware of cosmetic labeling requirements or regulations altogether.
In both the European Union and the United States of America, INCI nomenclature gives all ingredients specific names. As an example, the INCI name for enthanolum 96 (96% purity ethanol) is alcohol. Similarly, most plant extracts are described by their Latin name.
Ingredients are listed in a decreasing order (until 1%), thus the first ingredient makes up the biggest portion of the product.
A common mistake is listing water or preservatives twice, as they are often used in multiple raw materials.
The EU CosIng database is a good resource for finding appropriate ingredient names and their functions.
Being “home-made”
Home-made beauty products are not illegal in most regions. However, companies must follow Good Manufacturing Practices similar to ISO 22716 standards. Every cosmetic company should know what is GMP and have standards in place.
Here, one may be tempted to think that home-made is better or somehow less industrial and thus better, but this is not the case. Like with most manufacturing, the more controlled the environment, the better. Especially that cosmetics have to be stable for months if not years at room temperature.
I would not trust formulas described in typical baking units such as teaspoons and cups, as they are highly dependent on density. Professional formulas are written in percentages per weight.
“Preservative-free”
This claim is problematic since it nudges the consumer to assume that preservatives are somehow non-essential or even dangerous. The scientific truth is that any product containing water (the source of life) needs a well-tested preservation system.
People expose cosmetic products to microorganisms in several ways. Consumers keep them at room temperature, open them to air, touch them with their fingers and sometimes even add water.
The preservation system makes sure these microorganisms do not multiply into potentially hazardous numbers.
It is often said that preservatives are toxic, and this is true. They have to be toxic to microorganisms to do their job. The key here is in the concentration, the most potent preservatives are effective at concentrations as low as 0.1%.
To know which combinations of preservatives to use at which concentrations, formulators carry out preservative efficacy testing, usually on a few different combinations.
Science misconceptions
Sometimes people take phrases from scientific research out of context and (perhaps unknowingly) give them a different meaning. For example, people think that because petrolatum is an occlusive ingredient, it does not let the skin ‘breathe’. There are two issues with this idea.
Firstly, no cosmetic product will form a perfect barrier on the skin. A dab of ointment is not the same as a plastic film. Secondly, skin does not ‘breathe’. Blood oxygenates the skin, obtaining the oxygen from our lungs.
Of course, some products might feel too ‘heavy’ for some people, but this is different for each individual.
Another common misconception is that ‘significant’ in scientific research means ‘significant to everyday life’, while it actually means ‘statistically significant’ (and thus not an accidental result).
Medicinal claims
Cosmetics are not medicine. Each region sets limits on what a cosmetic product can and cannot be designed to do. Generally, cosmetics are products used on our skin to clean, moisturize, and enhance its appearance.
A clear sign that a brand is ignoring this fundamental difference is claiming that a cosmetic product can achieve the same effect as an injectable medicine, like a neurotoxin or a filler.
Not only are medicinal claims illegal, they likely lead to consumers disappointed by underwhelming results.
Natural equals safe
The misconception that natural ingredients are automatically better for us is extremely common because our brains take shortcuts in critical thinking. However, just because natural sounds better, does not mean it is inherently safer.
In fact, everyone can probably think of a plant that is unpleasant to touch or ingest, some are even deadly. We have written a longer article on this topic on BeautySciComm website.
Claiming that natural is safer is usually a sign of either ignorance or an attempt to capitalize on the growing natural cosmetics trend.
There is nothing wrong with liking natural cosmetics, I just prefer when they are marketed by highlighting the distinctive functionality.
New ingredient revolution
As scientific marketing of cosmetic products is trending, a lot of raw material suppliers claim to have found *the* new star ingredient to replace a well-known ingredient.
Innovation is of course welcome! We should carefully evaluate the data provided and not just take claims at their face-value.
Oftentimes, phrases like ‘patented technology’ or ‘clinically tested’ are used as evidence of superiority. Patenting is a process that protects original intellectual property and does not evaluate efficiency. Patents are public information.
Clinical trials come in all shapes and sizes and should be carefully analyzed. Extraordinary claims need extraordinary evidence. A few supplier- or brand- run clinical trials are not fit to compete with decades of research.
Instability “normal”
All cosmetic products should be tested for stability before being put on sale. Brands should look at characteristics such as phase separation, change in smell/color/pH/… and make sure the product stays acceptably the same for the promised time.
Sometimes, newer brands may claim that phase separation in the product is alright and the consumer can just re-mix it. In my opinion, it is better to spend more effort in formulating so that the consumer can just enjoy their product.
Final thoughts
Of course, a few red flags do not mean that a product has no value. However, the modern consumer is well-informed and will not appreciate being mislead.
For consumers’ safety, it is extremely important that brands follow the local legislations. Consumers should be careful buying cosmetic products from unknown sources.
The current trendiness of scientific marketing gives the perfect opportunity to pivot to a more informative and scientific brand communication. For decades, we have been sold magic, and everyone is curious to take a peek behind the curtain.
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