The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (December 2016) |
Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products with bioactive ingredients purported to have medical benefits. In the US, there are no legal requirements to prove that these products live up to their claims. The name is a portmanteau of "cosmetics" and "pharmaceuticals". Nutricosmetics are related dietary supplement or food or beverage products with additives that are marketed as having medical benefits that affect appearance.[1]
Quasi-drug (labelled 医薬部外品 or 薬用) is a Japanese term that refer to many of the same products with functional claims, albeit regulation is stronger as pre-market approval from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is required.[2][3]
quasi-drugs are the only products that can openly be marketed as effective for "whitening" and "hair growth" in Japan.