How not to ruin your face - Cosmetic safety
Beauty should not be pain….
This week we launched the first proper Consumer Friend podcast from series two. The focus was cosmetic safety. NOT only did we get to record a podcast in an actual podcast studio! But some mega clever people from Tom and Friends animated it for us! There is now a cartoon ADAM and LOUISE! Legacy engraved in the cartoon world forever! (you can watch it at the top of this page)
Back to the more serious subject of cosmetic safety. This sounds rather regulation focussed. However, on the Podcast, we tried to focus on how not to get burnt, scalped, itchy or red from buying fake unsafe cosmetics. When we say cosmetics we mean, anything you put on the outside of your body to clean it, moisturise it, change it’s appearance or to make it smell (hopefully nice) or condition it or to correct an odour.
The beauty market is a complex one and the marketing is fierce and targeted to make you feel like you need to buy a certain product. Words like pure, replenish, safe, natural, new and improved, fast acting, transforming, I could go on! Are all meant to get us to buy into perfection, the people in the adverts are always full of confidence and usually beautiful and flawless. This all adds, to the want to buy that cosmetic.
The internet is over flowing with fake and unsafe cosmetics. (hopefully It will now be overflowing with cartoon ADAM and LOUISE telling you why you shouldn’t buy them😂)
Legitimate or non fake cosmetics are tested for safety and for what they are supposed to be used for. Criminals will not care about testing. Arsenic and human wee are two of a really long list of things found in unsafe and/or fake cosmetics! It’s really important you do some checks before you buy!
Firstly only buy from a reputable website, if you’re not sure check out the website on check a website. Check a website is an easy-to-use online tool which helps you to determine whether a website is likely to be legitimate or a scam. Simply type in the address of the website you want to check, and your results will appear within seconds.
Price is key! If something is cheap, or cheaper than you expect it to be! Why is that? Is it fake? The old adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is, is key when shopping for deals. We are all looking for a deal right now, more so now than ever, but as parents say (you buy cheap you buy twice!)
Check the reviews, what are other people saying! If lots of people are saying bad things about a cosmetic product, listen to them and possibly don’t buy it.
If you do happen to buy something. When it arrives Look at the instructions and labelling, does it list the ingredients? Does it have a batch number? Can you compare it to a branded item? Does it look the same? If it doesn’t it might be unsafe or fake. If you use it and it irritates your skin in anyway stop using it! And report it to Citizens Advice.
We started this blog with beauty should not be pain….. it really shouldn’t. Think about what you buy, if you’re looking to change a wrinkle, eye shadow colour, or correct an odour. Do it safely. Think REVIEWS, INSTRUCTIONS, PRICE.