Providing information for consumers
Providing consumers with clear information about products is an essential part of what the cosmetics and personal care industry does. This includes information on what products contain, how they work, who they are for and how best to use them. It means that consumers can make informed choices about the products they buy and use.
Claims about products, and rules about advertising
As well as following strict rules on labelling, there are detailed rules and regulations governing the claims our industry can make about its products. At EU level, these are set out in the Cosmetic Products Regulation and the Common Criteria Regulation. Both of these specify that any claims about cosmetic products must be backed up by evidence. To help cosmetics manufacturers comply with their legal requirements, Cosmetics Europe has developed Claim Substantiation Guidelines.
Adverts about products are also carefully regulated. They must comply with the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) and the Misleading and Comparative Advertising Directive (MCAD). Adverts also have to adhere to international and national advertising codes. Environmental claims, in particular, are addressed under the UCPD as amended by the Directive on ‘Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition’.
Find out more in our publication Cosmetic product claims & advertising: Compendium of applicable legislation, self-regulation, guidance and best practice.
COSMILE Europe: cosmetic ingredients at your fingertips
In 2023, Cosmetics Europe launched COSMILE Europe, a European cosmetic ingredient database that provides reliable, verified and scientifically supported information on almost 30,000 ingredients used in cosmetics. The database is accessible on the COSMILE Europe website and available in 14 languages. It aims to help European citizens understand why certain ingredients are in their cosmetic products, which properties they have, and much more.
Cosmetics Europe also spearheaded the COSMILE Europe app, which provides another way of accessing the information in the database. The app includes additional ways to find information on cosmetic ingredients, such as the INCI list scanner. There is also an option to track ingredients that are of specific interest to consumers, for instance because they have an allergy to them.
Cosmetics play an important role in people’s everyday lives. Ingredients are the core of these products and naturally people want to know more about them. COSMILE Europe provides reliable ingredient information to European citizens in a simple and easily accessible way.
Visit cosmileeurope.eu to search the database and/or download the app.
COSMILE Europe was developed by Cosmetics Europe in partnership with the German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association (IKW), in collaboration with the French Federation for Beauty Companies (FEBEA) and with the technological development support of health&media GmbH. It benefits from the involvement of 18 Cosmetics Europe national association members. Their contributions include translation of the database and website content into their respective national language(s), and promotion of the initiative at the national level.
Promoting best practice in advertising and markting
Cosmetics Europe works proactively to promote best practice in cosmetics advertising and marketing. In 2012 the industry adopted the Charter and Guiding Principles on Responsible Advertising and Marketing Communications. This complements existing European legislation and helps to ensure that our industry upholds the highest standards in all aspects of its marketing and advertising. The Charter and Guiding Principles provide a framework for responsible communications that respect the human being, body image and human dignity.
The Charter has been endorsed by all Cosmetics Europe members and includes a series of commitments about their advertising and marketing communications:
- Complying with the relevant European and national legal and self-regulatory frameworks
- Being socially responsible
- Being responsible when promoting the environmental benefits of cosmetic products
In 2020 the Charter was reviewed, mainly to reflect new trends in digital communications.
