Also called: Makeup
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Cosmetics
Cosmetics are products you apply to your body to clean it, make it more attractive, or change the way it looks. They include:
- Hair dyes
- Makeup
- Perfumes
- Skin-care creams
Cosmetics that treat or prevent diseases are also drugs. Products such as dandruff shampoo, fluoride toothpaste, and antiperspirant deodorant are both cosmetics and drugs. A good way to tell if you're buying a cosmetic that is also a drug is to see if the first ingredient listed is an "active ingredient." The active ingredient is the chemical that makes the product effective. The manufacturer must have proof that it's safe for its intended use.
Cosmetics can cause allergic reactions. The first sign is often red and irritated skin. Fragrances and preservatives are the most common causes of skin problems.
To find out all the ingredients in a cosmetic you use, check the container. Manufacturers are required to list them. Labels such as "natural" and "hypoallergenic" have no official meaning. Companies can use them to mean whatever they want.
Food and Drug Administration
It sits within Skin, Hair and Nails.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Cosmetics
399 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Video Feedback-Supported Rehabilitation After Bilateral Femoral LengtheningIstanbul Aydın University
- Post-market Cosmetic Evaluation of Ariessence™ Pure PDGF+ Following Ablative LaserLynch Regenerative Medicine
- Single-dose Preoperative Partial Breast Irradiation in Low-risk Breast Cancer PatientsAmsterdam UMC, location VUmc
- Preoperative Partial Breast Reirradiation and Repeat Breast-conserving Surgery in Patients With Recurrent Breast Cancer: the REPEAT TrialAmsterdam UMC, location VUmc
- Schroth and Pilates for Adolescent Idiopathic ScoliosisAnkara Yildirim Beyazıt University
- Evaluation of the Effect of Combined Use of Cosmetic Products for Dry and Itchy Skin.Lacer S.A.
Research already completed
- Functional Effects of Postoperative Physiotherapy After Cosmetic Femoral Lengthening (LON-PT)FATMA ÇAVDARCI
- Scalp Care Efficacy Evaluation for Premium Revitalizing ElixirHungkuang University
- Anti-aging Efficacy Study on One Cosmetic Product Containing MitopureAmazentis SA
- Neurophysiological and Sleep-Related Effects of a Cosmetic Shampoo and Conditioner in Adults With Scalp DiscomfortZentrela Inc.
- Clinical Evaluation of Two Cosmetic Contact LensesJohnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
- Oral Sialic Acid Product Beauty Efficacy TestWuhan CASOV Green Biotech Co., Ltd
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Cosmetics and Your HealthNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (or Is It Soap?)Food and Drug Administration
Related Issues
- Choosing the Best Skin Care ProductsAmerican Society for Dermatologic Surgery
- Colored and Decorative Contact Lenses: A Prescription Is a MustFood and Drug Administration
- Cosmetics Safety Q&A: Shelf LifeFood and Drug Administration
- Eye Cosmetic SafetyFood and Drug Administration
- Hair Dyes, Other Hair Products, and Cancer RiskNational Cancer Institute
- Is It Really FDA Approved?Food and Drug Administration
- Probing Personal Care Products: Look Out for Harmful IngredientsNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Cosmetics. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Cosmetics, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.