Cosmetics And Personal Care Products: Categorization On The Basis Of Intended Use

Personal care products are indeed cosmetics and hence have to acquire a cosmetic product registration for manufactured products or a cosmetic import license for those being imported.

As the society leaps forward and becomes more progressive, t. The importance of physical appearance has become an unwavering matter of importance to many. While the importance of good aesthetics was majorly limited to women’s perspectives. Men have also started enjoying an equable sense of comfort and necessity in using cosmetics.

Many cosmetics fall under the category of FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) products on the market. While some cosmetics are intended purely for personal hygiene and instant beautification. Others are used to treat certain ailments and conditions

While cosmetics have been clearly defined by law, p. Personal care products bear no such official definition to be legally classified from a cosmetic. However, one thing is but very clear that a personal care product definitely falls under the category of cosmetics. 

Examples of some commonly used personal care products include: lipsticks, lip balm, eye liners, moisturizing creams, shampoos, body wash, shaving cream, razors, perfumes, etc.

Largely speaking, there’s a very thin but clear line between a cosmetic and a drug. According to CDSCO(Central Drugs Standards Control Organization), the government body responsible for regulation the manufacture and sale of cosmetics in India. A cosmetic is defined as follows: 

As per Section 3(aaa) of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 “Cosmetic” means “any article intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled or sprayed on, or introduced into, or otherwise applied to, the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance and includes any article intended for use as a component of cosmetic.”

While Generally speaking, some personal care products are clearly intended to be an external applicant. Others can be used for medicative or long/short term resolution of certain conditions.

For example, lipstick is a simple cosmetic applied externally to enhance the facial features and overall beauty of an individual. Whereas skin whitening or a scar removal creams are used to clean up complexion and treat skin problems clear up scars and even out skin tone. Hence, lipstick can be considered a simple cosmetic, but a scar removal cream will fall under both the category oies of a drug as per the intended use and product detail as well as a cosmetic. 

The registration of drugs and cosmetics is undertaken and regulated by CDSCO. However, the process of registration of a cosmetic is different from that of a drug. But to further ease the process, C. CDSCO has classified cosmetics into 11 categories roughly 80 diverse categories, which includes medicative products like conditioners, toothpaste, depilatories and other products with appropriate applications.

The Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945, Schedule M-II classifies cosmetics into 11 broad products categories, namely:

• Powders
• Creams, lotions, cleansing, milk, shampoos, pomade, shaving creams, hair oils etc.
• Nail polishes and Nail lacquers
• Lipsticks and Lipgloss
• Depilatories
• Preparations used for eyes
• Aerosol
• Alcoholic Fragrance Solutions
• Hair Dyes
• Tooth powder and toothpaste
• Toilet soaps