Say What!!!! Say THAT and you could end up in big trouble….

The  ‘big brothers’ looking over the Australian cosmetic industry come in a few different  guises but generally it will be the TGA or ACCC (therapeutic goods association or Australian competition and consumer commission) that rain on your parade.   Now while they have never been ones to just pop you in the naughty corner for one minute for each year of your (brand) age it looks likely that the time for putting their foot down is NOW.  No more Mr nice guy!

There are many things that cosmetics can’t claim but here are some common things for you to think about:

• Talking down your competitors products/technologies in broad, sweeping, unsubstantiated text.  This includes saying things like ‘our brand is so much better because it contains plant based surfactants instead of SLES or equivalent
• Saying that your product can treat/cure/prevent a known skin disease such as eczema, skin cancer or the like.
• Claiming cellular repair (cosmetics should not be acting on a cellular level.
• Having an SPF if the SPF hasn’t been tested and therefore can’t be substantiated.
• Making wild therapeutic claims about ingredients that are contained within your formula in a way that leads the consumer to believe that these benefits will befall the product user.
• Not Labelling your ingredients properly-all of them and in the correct order.

So, if you want to stay out of trouble do be careful about what you write and remember that big brother is watching you!!!