Summary

Cosmetics, according to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in America, improve appearance whereas a drug diagnoses, relieves, or cures a disease. In the late 90s, cosmetic companies came up with the term "cosmeceuticals" for cosmetics that have drug-like benefits. Although these hybrid products now line store shelves, the FDA still does not recognize the term and has largely neglected to control what has turned out to be a multibillion-dollar category. As the race to find new ingredients for cosmetics continues, might manufacturers be marketing potential cancer-causing products for your wrinkles? At last report there were only two people assigned to this lucrative industry, and cosmetic and fragrance companies are now required to tell the FDA whether an ingredient is safe or not.

In this updated seventh edition of A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, you'll learn about what has changed in the cosmetics industry in the last four years. With more than 800 new cosmetics added, as well as frank discussions of current industry trends, this new edition lets consumers make educated-and potentially life-changing-choices in their cosmetics use.