Ambrosia Services

EU set to force beauty firms to show real face of cosmetics

Deutsche Presse AgenturPublished: Monday August 28, 2006

Brussels- The European Commission on Monday said it was obliging cosmetics companies to inform costumers on all undesirable effects and on the exact composition of their beauty products.

The new rules will apply to all cosmetics produced and sold in the 25-member European Union, a commission spokesman said.

Upon the request of consumers, cosmetics firms will have to unveil all undesirable effects of their products that have been reported to the company.

Such effects would include irritant and allergic reactions, cosmetic acne, phototoxic effects, photosensitivity, itching and anaphylactic shocks.

Anaphylaxis occurs when a person is exposed to a trigger substance, called an allergen, to which they have become sensitized.

The effectiveness of marketing claims such as "age-defying", however, do not fall under the scope of the regulation, the spokesman said.

EU member states will be in charge to ensure that the industry complies with the new obligations, he said, adding that Europe's cosmetics manufacturers had agreed to provide on-request information about their products.

However, the commission would take action if the industry refused to answer costumers' requests or if information provided turned out to be false or misleading, the spokesman stressed.

A deadline for companies to answer consumers' requests was not set, but they must react "in a reasonable time period", he said.

Under the new rules, companies are also obliged to disclose upon request the exact amount of cosmetics' ingredients which are qualified as dangerous.

According to the commission, these include explosive, oxidizing, easily flammable, toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant substances.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 5:29 PM