While reading the news yesterday I spotted a story about safety fears over nanocosmetics. For those who don’t know, nanocosmetics make use of nanotechnology – where atoms and molecules are manipulated – in order to make skincare products, such as moisturisers and anti-ageing products, easier to apply.

However, Which? has concerns about this process. It wants more checks on the safety of ‘nano particles’ and tighter regulation on their use.

Doctors, and dermatologists in particular, have long complained about claims made by the cosmetics industry. Companies make bold statements about the efficacy of their products, using scientific-sounding words that woo consumers into thinking they will smooth out wrinkles or banish cellulite, without being required to publish the results of any research or clinical trials. Such practices are impossible with medicines, and rightly so.

The ‘pseudoscience’ of the cosmetic industry is one of the things that bothers Dr Ben Goldacre, author of the Guardian‘s Bad Science column and his own website of the same name. He has devoted many column inches to discussing the claims these companies make, in particular the advertisements or statements that attempt to blind consumers with science.

There are also safety concerns to consider. A Channel 4 Dispatches documentary on anti-ageing creams earlier this year found that there is now a dizzying array of products claiming very powerful effects (more so than the average face cream), some of which contain potent ingredients. Unlike medicines, these products are not required to carry health warnings.

It seems to me that there is a very strong case for more regulation of the cosmetic industry and that companies should be required to publish data from the trials that they conduct.

Even if they do, I’m not sure it would make too much difference to profits. People today seem so desperate to look as young as possible for as long as possible, or have the shiniest hair, or dimple-free legs that they will probably be prepared to try anything – even if there is only a slim chance of success. Some already pay huge sums of money for products that common sense tells them are unlikely to work – after all, how can a cream help you lose weight off your thighs?

As further evidence: on a recent holiday my husband, who was reading the book version of Bad Science, quoted the following passage to me:
‘…all creams will hydrate your skin and make you look good [...] And most cosmetics research, since you ask, comes down to conserving the moisturising properties of Vaseline, but avoiding the greasiness. Diprobase, at less than £10 for a half-litre tub, represents a pretty good stab at solving this problem.’

‘Aha,’ said my husband. ‘Perhaps you don’t need to spend so much on all those things cluttering up the bathroom.’ Of course, I ignored him.