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Anti-oxidants and anti-ageing cosmetic products

1st December 2008

There have been reports based on some recent experimental work on nematode worms at the Institute of Healthy Ageing suggesting that anti-oxidants in anti-ageing cosmetic products may not be effective. Although this work is interesting, the idea that oxidative stress is linked to ageing has withstood scientific scrutiny for fifty years and the scientific community will have to judge whether this new research is sufficient to lead to a revision of that theory.

Consumers should remember that claims made for cosmetic products are subject to strict advertising controls overseen in the UK by the Advertising Standards Authority and by Clearcast, which pre-clears all television advertising in the UK, as well as legal requirements under the European Cosmetics Directive. Cosmetic companies carry out extensive research and rigorous scientific studies to ensure claims are supported by robust evidence in order to satisfy these requirements.

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"Since 2005 the number of people that have seen media reports about alleged harmful effects of cosmetics and toiletries has more than doubled, from 14 per cent in 2005 to 34 per cent today."

Dr Chris Flower
CTPA