Thefatcsabout has published an article about ingredient apps which may contain misleading information. As consumers increasingly seek detailed information about everyday products—food, appliances, toys, cosmetics, or toiletries—various ranking and scoring systems have emerged to assist in accessing this data. Many of these include third-party apps that offer insights into the composition of specific products, aiming to help consumers make informed choices. While numerous apps and systems are available for cosmetics and personal care items, how can you be sure the information provided is accurate?
All cosmetic and personal care products must be safe
First, as a fundamental rule, all cosmetic products and their ingredients placed on the UK market must be legally safe. In the UK, the manufacture and supply of cosmetic products are governed by the UK Cosmetics Regulation (UKCR). Legislation covering the safety of cosmetic products in the UK and EU has been in place for over 40 years.
All ingredients within cosmetic products must be safe, and independent scientists regularly review ingredients to ensure that the latest scientific information is considered. If the panel of independent scientists doubts an ingredient’s safety when used in a cosmetic product, it will be banned. The UKCR contains extensive Annexes of banned and restricted substances.
Before it is made available for sale, each cosmetic product must undergo a safety assessment by a duly qualified and experienced safety assessor, whose qualifications are stated in the UKCR. The UKCR also guides how this safety assessment must be carried out. The safety assessment takes account of all the ingredients used in the cosmetic product, how the product will be used, by whom, where and how often. This is irrespective of the source of an ingredient – whether it is made in a laboratory or is extracted from a plant. They all have to be safe when used in a cosmetic product. A thorough safety assessment ensures that the cosmetic product is safe to use.
Consumer information apps can be misleading.
In light of this, apps that claim to inform consumers about harmful cosmetic products or ingredients can be misleading. As previously mentioned, the UK’s stringent cosmetics regulations ensure that all products and their ingredients are safe.
These apps often label certain ingredients as harmful to health without considering how they are actually used in the product or how consumers are exposed to them. They typically focus on the ‘hazardous’ properties of chemicals—how they may affect us at very high levels or if ingested rather than applied to the skin. Exposure is key: for instance, low oxygen levels are necessary for life, but breathing 100% can be fatal. Similarly, vitamin A (retinol) is crucial for vision, cell function, and immunity, but excessive intake can cause liver toxicity. In the same way, some chemicals used in cosmetics that are safe and effective at low concentrations could cause harm if ingested or applied at much higher levels.
Cosmetic products are designed to be applied to the skin or hair, where the body’s highly effective barrier—our skin—prevents most ingredients from entering the body. Despite this, rigorous cosmetic safety assessments carefully consider the potential for exposure. Some apps fail to make these distinctions, which can result in unnecessarily alarming and misleading information.
