TAKE THE CHALLENGE AND START THE 3R’s (Handbook)

LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND
PROTECTION OF CONSUMER RIGHTS

The idea of 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) is promoted in beauty industry while producing products and providing beauty services. “Green” marketing and development of customer’s approach occupy a crucial role here. In recent times the growing digital advertising (influencers, visual advertising, native advertising and etc.) empowers the consumer to develop advertising and promote customers’ trust in product. However, advertisements often do not reflect reality and mislead consumer. This encourages awareness and interest in ingredients of cosmetic products as well as detailed examination of labelling among consumers. In general, some of the products commonly referred to as “personal care products” or „beauty products“ are cosmetics. The assessment of whether a product is a cosmetic is presented in the Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 On Cosmetic Products. The definition of cosmetics is „cosmetic product’ means any substance or mixture intended to be placed in contact with the external parts of the human body (epidermis, hair system, nails, lips and external genital organs) or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance, protecting them, keeping them in good condition or correcting body odors“. This definition is integrated to all EU countries legislation, for example, in Lithuania it is settled in Lithuanian Hygiene Norm HN 117: 2007 “Health Safety Requirements for Beauty Services”. However, this legal act does not present the definition of ecological cosmetic product and how it should be labelled. Ecological or natural cosmetic product is not clearly legally defined not only in the EU, but also in the USA and Canada. Legal acts of this field are different in these continents; however, they are
more similar than different and these acts serve more as recommendations not as regulations.

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