Are “Hypoallergenic” Cosmetics Really Better?
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD When shopping for cosmetics or skin-care products, you’ll frequently see products that are labeled hypoallergenic. Implicit in this term is that these products are less likely to cause allergic reactions than other cosmetic products and that these products will be gentler or even safer for the skin than other products. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) counsels that consumers should realize that no federal standards or regulations exist governing the use of the term hypoallergenic. In other words, the decision as to whether or not a cosmetic may be labeled as hypoallergenic lies solely with the manufacturer. And this term may be applied without any demonstration or proof that the product causes fewer allergic reactions than others. When labeling of cosmetics as hypoallergenic first became popular, the FDA attempted to regulate use of the term. In 1975, the FDA issued a regulation governing u
