Types of Personal Care Products and Their Regulations
While it’s not easy to resist the tempting marketing strategies a lot of products adopt, it’s still important to make conscious decisions about personal care. Going the extra mile when choosing these products will help you make any purchase without compromising your or environmental health.
To make informed decisions, it’s essential to identify what items are categorized as products and how they are regulated.
How are Personal Care Products Regulated?
Most of the time, personal care products are miscategorized as pharmaceutical, while not all of them are regulated the same way. In fact, regulations on their intended use. Given that some of these items are used for treatments, others for cosmetic reasons, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) applies the same regulations as for drugs or cosmetic products.
The majority of these products, however, are still regulated as cosmetics. This makes better sense as most beauty (lipstick, nail polish, etc.) and skincare (cosmetic wipes, makeup removals, etc.) products overlap with the cosmetic ones.
However, if the products are used to protect your skin, treat acne or for any other therapeutic purposes, they need to meet the same regulations as drugs.
There may also be products that are used for both purposes at the same time. These products may include toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, moisturizer and others that, in addition to their cosmetic purposes, contain ingredients to treat certain conditions—caries, dandruff, acne, etc.
When choosing any personal care product, the first thing to do is identify its intended usage. This will help you check if the product meets all the requirements and is safe for you to use. If it’s categorized as a drug, it needs premarket approval.
While it’s easy with drugs, you need to be more cautious with personal care products that are regulated as cosmetics. These products are not subject to FDA approval before being placed on the shelves(with a few exceptions). There are, however, specific guidelines the manufacturers are recommended to follow. They mainly refer to the ingredients and labeling.
Certain poisonous or deleterious ingredients are forbidden as they can be harmful. As for labelling, it needs to include all the required and pertinent information about the product and should not be misleading consumers in any way.
In the case of cosmetic personal care products, manufacturers and individuals take legal responsibility for the safety of their products. Testing is also among the guidelines, though not required by any law, it’s highly recommended that brands make sure the products are safe.
Personal Care Wipes
It’s no secret that the global wet wipe market makes comfort a number one priority for its customers. No wonder there are a wealth of wet wipe types that are used for the same purposes as personal care products—beauty, hygiene and beyond. While they do not intend to replace these products altogether, wet wipes provide handier alternatives. Among them, you can find makeup removals, baby wipes, cleaning solutions for any part of your body and more.
While mainly regulated and perceived as cosmetic wipes in the market, you may want to spend some time reading the ingredients and paying closer attention to labelling while choosing the proper personal care wet wipe for you.
When buying any of these products, make sure you enhance your routine and opt for quality items. Spending extra five minutes might save you from harmful consequences. As a bonus, you will encourage quality brands and ensure their place in the market.
