Council of Better Business Bureaus Division review Unilever claims for Suave Essentials on challenge by L Brands, which argued “as beautiful as” is linked to a specific product attribute – fragrance – and expressly compares Unilever's products to Bath & Body Works products. L Brands contended “as beautiful as” is equivalent to claim “as appealing as,” which NAD concluded was unsubstantiated in 2016.

National Advertising Division advises firms marketing supplements with claims to protect skin from sun rays to discontinue statements similar to claims made by four supplement firms FDA warned in May. Novahue and Dermatology Industry both disagreed with NAD but would comply with its recommendations.

According to industry, available scientific evidence regarding oxybenzone’s and octinoxate’s effects on coral does not support their removal from the OTC sunscreen drug monograph’s list of permitted UV filters, and FDA is fully compliant with federal environmental laws, contrary to the Center for Biological Diversity’s suggestions. FDA says the petition raises complex issues requiring extensive review.

With Democrats in control of the House and New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone in line for chair of the Energy & Commerce Committee, cosmetics regulatory reform legislation could receive even more attention in the 116^th Congress than in the current session. The new climate could test how serious big business is about embracing large-scale changes as well as lawmakers’ openness to federal preemption. 

Henkel’s Sexy Hair Concepts and Ulta will settle with plaintiffs over alleged “sulfate-free” deception, to the tune of $2.3m; Unilever’s Dermalogica is suing Target for unauthorized selling of diverted products. More cosmetics news in brief.

Former Avon employees claim they faced discrimination, even harassment, and ultimately were terminated due to their pregnancies and requests for accommodation. Both Avon Products, Inc. and its carved-out North American business, New Avon, are named as defendants in the putative class action, which seeks injunctive relief and damages for alleged economic, emotional and reputational injuries.

Keystone Labs agrees to cease manufacturing OTC drugs following a 2013 FDA warning letter and repeated GMP violations noted during inspections, including failure to investigate sources of contamination. Firm suggests it will continue making cosmetic hair- and skin-care formulas while outsourcing OTC product manufacturing.

GSK further narrows consumer health focus with sale to Crown Labs of North American distribution rights for PanOxyl acne wash, Sarna anti-itch lotion, Zeasorb anti-fungal product, Desenex athlete’s foot treatment and Mineral Ice pain-relieving gel. Deals also helps UK pharma pay for its $5.1bn acquisition of oncology drug firm Tesaro.

The consumer goods giant’s patronage of the Environmental Working Group’s ‘EWG Verified’ program could be a case of “If you can’t beat them, join them.” P&G says the mark will serve to reassure consumers that the Herbal Essences products meet the clean beauty standards of “very tough critics.”

“Understanding that inclusivity goes far beyond shade ranges, Full Spectrum was developed with the unique shade AND skin needs of multicultural women in mind,” according to a Coty/CoverGirl rep. The line is available now at Ulta.com, with a wider rollout planned for February 2019.

The Los Angeles-area startup is taking heat for its name, messaging and apparent target audience, consisting of kids as young as four or five, particularly those with an Instagram following. The brand’s critics acknowledge that child influencers are an undeniable reality, and as Petite ‘N Pretty attests, they’re both highly effective and affordable.

Despite positive impacts from its Hydro 5 Sense and Intuition f.a.b. razor launches, Edgewell’s global Wet Shave business declined in the fourth quarter and full fiscal 2018. The firm remains focused on slashing costs, an effort that wasn’t helped by a Q4 charge related to REACH ingredient substitution.

Revlon responds to continued net losses with a cost-cutting plan, which will include headcount reductions; Coty is optimistic that CoverGirl momentum, including the launch of a flagship store in Times Square, will help buoy its struggling Consumer Beauty business. Meanwhile, L’Oreal/La Roche-Posay introduces a wearable UV sensor, and IFF-LMR promotes its vegan-certified natural extracts.

The firm is confident that prestige beauty demand in China will remain a constant, translating to double-digit growth over the long term, but it’s taking a prudent approach to guidance in light of possible tariff impacts, among other unknowns. Lauder’s first-quarter sales totaled $3.52bn, up 11% in organic terms.

“Understanding that inclusivity goes far beyond shade ranges, Full Spectrum was developed with the unique shade AND skin needs of multicultural women in mind,” according to a Coty/CoverGirl rep. The line is available now at Ulta.com, with a wider rollout planned for February 2019.

Revlon responds to continued net losses with a cost-cutting plan, which will include headcount reductions; Coty is optimistic that CoverGirl momentum, including the launch of a flagship store in Times Square, will help buoy its struggling Consumer Beauty business. Meanwhile, L’Oreal/La Roche-Posay introduces a wearable UV sensor, and IFF-LMR promotes its vegan-certified natural extracts.

Of 32 OTC drug products intended for topical uses but marketed in spray or powder forms – mostly sunscreens and antiperspirants – the powder formulas overall contained larger percentages of particles in the sub-5 µm range capable of penetrating deep into the lungs. The researchers say the study does not reflect agency views or policies but could be useful to FDA in its public health mission.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review’s efforts to finalize an Aerosols resource document show the program’s public interchange at work. At its Dec. 3-4 meeting, the CIR Expert Panel was divided on whether the document properly characterizes the importance of particle size in assessing the inhalation risks of ingredients in aerosol cosmetics, a point raised by NGO Women’s Voices for the Earth.