The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Cosmetics to carry ingredient labels

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Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Cosmetics to carry ingredient labels

‘Kumkum’ is exempted as it is a natural derivative

HYDERABAD: Cosmetics of all sorts from lipstick to toilet soap will soon come with a label displaying the ingredients that went into making it.

Seeking to provide consumers better information about the products they are using, an amendment to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act is on the way.

Once in place, this requirement will make it mandatory for all manufacturers to provide a label with details of all ingredients that comprise 1 per cent or more in the cosmetic products.

Whether it be a toilet soap, hair oil, cold cream, baby oil, cleansing agent or vanishing creams, the cosmetics will have to inform the consumer its composition.

Also, where required it will be mandatory for creams to come up with a caution for users on the likelihood of the product giving allergies.

“Take the example of coconut hair oil. Apart from the coconut oil, most of these products contain certain mineral oils and liquid paraffin which the consumers are not aware of,” says R. Ranga Rao, Director, Drug Control Authority.

All colours except ‘Kumkum’ too fall in the cosmetic category. “Traditional ‘Kumkum’ is exempted as it is a natural derivative,” Mr. Rao informs.

The Drugs and Cosmetics Act define a cosmetic as ‘any article intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled or spread on or introduced into or otherwise applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance’.

The amendment process has been set into motion almost a year back and Drugs Technical Advisory Board, the statutory body under the Act has made recommendations to this effect and a legislation is expected in coming days.

Requirements

Provisions to prosecute and even cancel licence of manufacturers failing to follow the labelling requirements could be part of the legislation, he says.

Presently, labelling is more of advisory in nature giving little teeth to the authorities on insisting the implementation.

“Once the statutory conditions are set in, we will be able to initiate action against those not following the procedure.

The amendment will give consumers a better understanding about the products they use for cosmetic purposes,” Mr. Rao adds.

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