Our beauty shelves and bathrooms are awash with products labelled with the phrase 'dermatologically tested,' which on some level puts our minds at ease and helps us file them away in the 'good for my skin' category. However, do we really know what this means and are we being mislead into believing anything with this statement is better for us? In an attempt to uncover what consumers really believed, Which? surveyed over 1,000 people about label claims on cosmetics and toiletries. Asked what they thought the term 'dermatologically tested' meant, only a quarter believed the product had been tested on human skin.
Nearly 75% of respondents thought that 'dermatologically tested' could also mean something else, or didn't know what it meant. 13% of people thought it meant the product is kind to skin, 22% thought the product would not cause allergies and 10% thought the product would be unlikely to cause skin allergies. While this is correct in a literal sense, the term doesn't tell us what the tests were designed to show, or whether the product even passed the tests undertaken.
When a brand claims a product is 'dermatologically tested' is simply means they have tested it on human skin prior to its launch. However, the same claim on one product can be completely different to that of another; there's simply no industry standard or way of monitoring what these claims mean. It could be that they tested their new cream on ten women at home, on fifty women in a lab, under strict conditions or under no conditions at all - in fact, it doesn't really mean much at all. Not only is this confusing for the consumer, but it's extremely misleading and infers qualities that may not be true or proven in any way.
Companies don't supply their customers with details of their tests or substantiate their claims, making them rather meaningless and just another confusing statement used to shift a few more face creams. It's become almost standard practice to add this phrase to makeup, skincare, body lotions and even hair products as a way to lure the consumer into a false sense of security. The next time you see something is 'dermatologically tested', make sure you look for other pointers that can prove its value and whether or not it's right for you.
What did you think 'Dermatogolically Tested' meant? Have you been persuaded to start buying products based on this claim?Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
Nearly 75% of respondents thought that 'dermatologically tested' could also mean something else, or didn't know what it meant. 13% of people thought it meant the product is kind to skin, 22% thought the product would not cause allergies and 10% thought the product would be unlikely to cause skin allergies. While this is correct in a literal sense, the term doesn't tell us what the tests were designed to show, or whether the product even passed the tests undertaken.
When a brand claims a product is 'dermatologically tested' is simply means they have tested it on human skin prior to its launch. However, the same claim on one product can be completely different to that of another; there's simply no industry standard or way of monitoring what these claims mean. It could be that they tested their new cream on ten women at home, on fifty women in a lab, under strict conditions or under no conditions at all - in fact, it doesn't really mean much at all. Not only is this confusing for the consumer, but it's extremely misleading and infers qualities that may not be true or proven in any way.
Companies don't supply their customers with details of their tests or substantiate their claims, making them rather meaningless and just another confusing statement used to shift a few more face creams. It's become almost standard practice to add this phrase to makeup, skincare, body lotions and even hair products as a way to lure the consumer into a false sense of security. The next time you see something is 'dermatologically tested', make sure you look for other pointers that can prove its value and whether or not it's right for you.
What did you think 'Dermatogolically Tested' meant? Have you been persuaded to start buying products based on this claim?Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
