You & Your Products

Benefits of cosmetics

While some people believe that cosmetic and personal care products are a recent invention, discoveries of their use and widespread benefits go back thousands of years.  Today, Europe’s 500 million consumers use them to protect their health, enhance wellbeing and boost their self-esteem.

Functional benefits

Cosmetics contribute to wellbeing and healthy lifestyles. Our hands carry pathogens from contaminated sources; so simple tasks such as washing hands with soap can help prevent serious illness. Indeed, multiple studies have shown that the leading causes of child mortality in developing countries, diarrhoea and respiratory infections, can be prevented by hand washing with soap. The use of toothpaste, particularly when containing fluoride, reduces the prevalence of dental caries. Toothpaste reduces plaque and tartar, which can lead to tooth damage and gum disease. Beyond health, there are economic advantages to dental care: there is strong evidence that the benefits of preventing tooth decay far exceed the costs of treatment. Indeed, if we assume that, without toothpaste, total expenditure on oral health would be 5% higher, the total benefits of using toothpaste (in terms of avoided costs) would be approximately €26.5 billion by 2020.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the only established exogenous causal factor for melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can spread to other organs of the body. Consistent and optimal use of sunscreen may prevent the incidence of melanoma. A study carried out between 1992 and 2006 and reported in ‘Reduced melanoma after regular sunscreen use: randomised trial follow up’ in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (2011) examined the cancer rates of two groups of adults aged between 25 and 75 years old. One used sunscreen daily and the other did so at their discretional frequency. It was found that invasive melanoma was reduced by 75% for approximately 15 years after trial cessation in the group that applied sunscreen daily.

Emotional benefits

Beyond physical health, cosmetics can help to improve our mood, enhance our appearance and boost our self-esteem. They can also help to exhibit personal style and, as such, are an important means of social expression. In a study by FEBEA, over 60% of respondents claimed that cosmetics have a positive impact on well-being, image, self-confidence and mood, with a large proportion (+40%) also identifying benefits in terms of social life, love life, family life, professional life and health.

A study published by IKW, the German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association, assessing the self-perception of adolescents and young adults, found that 73% believe body and beauty care is very important in their lives. Moreover, 85% feel safer when they use cosmetics products, and 63% feel more attractive when they do so.

A study by the Renfrew Centre Foundation found that women wear make-up because they like the way it makes them look (48% of respondents), and because cosmetic use makes them feel good (32%). Indeed, multiple studies have found that wearing cosmetics can improve people’s self-confidence and self-image.

The Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) charity isdedicated to improving the self-esteem, confidence and well-being of women and teenagers undergoing cancer treatment. The charity is supported by over 50 leading companies and brands from the cosmetics industry. LGFB helps to improve self-image and appearance through free group and self-help skincare and make-up workshops. The service is available in 26 countries worldwide and over 1.87 million people have been supported to date. A major research project by LGFB highlighted that 97% of respondents felt more confident after attending a LGFB workshop and that the effects of this are enduring, with 96% of respondents still feeling more confident three months later (out of 2,000 beneficiaries contacted).

Maintaining and extending benefits of cosmetics

All cosmetic products and their ingredients are governed by the comprehensive and stringent European Cosmetics Regulation to ensure they are safe for use. The Regulation dictates the colours, UV filters and preservatives that are allowed for use in cosmetics, which ingredients are restricted for certain types of use or by percentage, and which may not be used at all. Every cosmetic product must also be assessed for safety by a qualified professional safety assessor and this takes into account how the product is made, how it will be used and by whom.

Furthermore, all cosmetics made available in the EU must display a complete list of ingredients and have the same name in all countries: this helps consumers identify products with ingredients to which they know they are sensitive. The ingredients must comply with European requirements and use the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, known as INCI. Read about understanding the label for further detail.

Innovation in our industry is never static. Constantly evolving consumer expectations with regards to product attributes and safety means new products or iterations are always in development, increasingly geared towards personalised solutions for individual skin and hair types, for instance.

Innovation to shelf: The story of cosmetic product development

See the Cosmetics & personal care in your country section if you are a consumer and have any specific questions regarding cosmetics and are looking for relevant local resources and services.

Cosmetics are used to enhance your appearance. Makeup has been around for many centuries. The first known people who used cosmetics to enhance their beauty were the Egyptians. Makeup those days was just simple eye coloring or some material for the body. Now-a-days makeup plays an important role for both men and women. That's right, even men have become more beauty conscious and are concerned about their looks. Cosmetics can be produced in the organic and hypoallergenic form to meet the demands of users. Makeup is used as a beauty aid to help build up the self esteem and confidence of an individual. The importance of cosmetics has increased as many people want to stay young and attractive. Cosmetics are readily available today in the form of creams, lipstick, perfumes, eye shadows, nail polishes, hair sprays etc. Other cosmetics like face powder give glow to the skin after applying the base cream. Then we have lipsticks, which are applied by many women of all ages. They are made from wax and cocoa butter in the desired amount. Cosmetics like creams, gels, and colognes are used on a daily basis by both women and men. Creams act as a cleanser for the face in many circumstances. More recently anti ageing creams have been manufactured which can retain younger looking skin for many years. The best cleansing agents are cleansing cream, soap and water. Cosmetic creams serve as a skin food for hard, dry and chapped skin. It mainly lubricates, softens and removes unwanted dirt from the skin. Some popular fat creams that are used include Vaseline and Lanolin. Dry creams are used in the manufacture of soap and gelatin which is used as a base for the skin. Hair care has become one of the fastest developing markets in the beauty industry. Many young men turn to oils and gels to maintain and style their hair. Products like hair gels, oils, and lotions have been introduced in the market to help protect hair fall and dandruff. Some professions, like the show business industry, focus on the importance of the outer appearance. Many personalities and artists have utilized makeup to beat the harsh lights and the glare of camera flashes. They very well know the importance of their looks and maintain them by using a variety of cosmetics. Their appearance is their most valuable asset and they take every endeavor to appear as the fans want them to appear. Recent research has shown that makeup helps in protection from harmful rays of the sun. Many beauty products manufacturers have utilized the needs of people to protect themselves and their skin from the rays of the sun. This is a great achievement because earlier make up and sun protection could not blend together. The Importance of Cosmetics Today Cosmetics help to enhance our appearance and make us feel more confident. With more cosmetics on the market today than ever before, it becomes obvious to us that they play a great role in our everyday life.

Source: thebeautybite.com/the-importance-of-cosmetics-today.html