The information provided for these
products is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute
medical or professional advice and is not intended for diagnosis,
treatment, prevention or cure of diseases.
Cosmeceuticals represent a marriage between cosmetics and
pharmaceuticals. Like cosmetics, cosmeceuticals are topically applied,
but they contain ingredients that influence the biological function of
the skin. Cosmeceuticals improve appearance, but they do so by
delivering nutrients necessary for healthy skin. Cosmeceuticals are the
fastest-growing segment of the natural personal care industry. Consumers
are always interested in maintaining a youthful appearance, and as the
global population's median age increases, this market is increasingly
expanding.
Cosmeceuticals are not subject to review by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), and the term cosmeceutical is not recognized by
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Although cosmetics and
cosmeceuticals are tested for safety, testing to determine whether
beneficial ingredients actually live up to a manufacturer's claims is
not mandatory. In general, vitamins, herbs, various oils, and botanical
extracts may be used in cosmeceuticals, but the manufacturer may not
claim that these products penetrate beyond the skin's surface layers or
that they have druglike or therapeutic effects. For cosmetic labels, no
division between active ingredients and other ingredients is required;
they are all listed together.
The most important botanicals pertaining to dermatologic uses, such
as cosmeceuticals, include green & black teas, soy, pomegranate,
date, grape seed, pycnogenol, horse chestnut, German chamomile,
curcumin, comfrey, allantoin, aloe and many more.
