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I need some basic information on how to choose cosmetics. What should one look for at the time of purchase? Today, a wide r4ange of cosmetics are available in the market, including ayurvedic and herbal preparations. Eventually you have to make the choice on the basis of your needs and the amount of money you are willing to spend. My only advice is: do not get swayed by the tall claims of manufacturers and choose wisely, those cosmetics that suit your skin. I must also mention that some expensive cosmetics are available in bottles that give a false impression of the content within. So always remember to check the net weight or the volume mentioned on the package. This will also help you compare prices. It is equally important to check the 'best before date' so that you do not end up with old stock or cosmetics that are well part their shelf life. As per sub-rule (1), Rule 148 of the Drugs and Cosmetics rules it is mandatory for all cosmetics manufacturers to specify the 'use before- month and year'. Similarly, sub rule (7) says that that "The list of ingredients, present in concentration of more than one per cent shall be listed in the descending order of weight or volume at the time they are added, followed by those in concentration of less than or equal to one per cent, in any order, and preceded by the words 'INGREDIENTS'" However, such printing of ingredients are exempted for packs of less than 60 ml of liquids and 30 gm of solid and semi-solids. These amendments were introduced through a notification on January 22, 2009. You must also remember that natural ingredients available at home or some of the traditional preparations for hair and skin care are often better than the expensive, chemical alternatives available in the market. For example, I find a number of consumers these days moving from harsh, chemical shampoos to good old, natural, shikakai powder. Prepared from the dried and ground fruit pods, leaves and bark of the tree Acacia Concinna, this was what was once used for cleansing hair. This was also sometimes mixed with amla and ritha. So these are all things to be considered while buying beauty and personal hygiene products. I am told that now cosmetics and toiletries manufacturers have to say on the package whether they are vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Is this correct? How does one make this out? On June 16 this year, the Union Ministry Of Consumer Affairs notified an amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules. It says that : " Every package containing soap, shampoos, toothpastes and other cosmetics and toiletries shall bear at the top of its principal display panel, a red or, as the case may be, brown dot for products of non-vegetarian origin and a green dot for products of vegetarian origin." Today, a number of ingredients used in the preparation of personal care products could be from animal sources. However, from the list of ingredients on the packages, it is not possible to ascertain their origin. So animal rights activists and consumer groups have for long been asking for such markings that will help identify whether the cosmetics contain ingredients of animal origin. This amendment was to be enforced from July 1 this year, but the manufacturers (Indian Soaps and Toiletries Makers Association have challenged the notification in the Bombay High Court, which has, through an interim order, stayed its implementation. That's the situation as of now-at the time of writing. One has to see how the case goes and what would be the decision of the courts and later, the government. I must also mention here that this year, in response to intense lobbying by animal protection groups, the government brought in two amendments to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules. While the first one, notified on May 21 this year, prohibits testing of cosmetics on animals, the other one, notified on October 13, bans the import of cosmetics that are tested on animals. The notification issued by the department of consumer affairs asking for vegetarian and non-vegetarian labels, is seen as a continuation of this effort to prevent exploitation of animals in the cosmetic and personal care product industry.
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