How to Spot Untested Skin Care Products

A skin care routine can change your life and give you a whole new perspective. You've put it together based on your skin type, reviews from trusted sources, and your personal preferences, but there's always room for development.

Adding in new skin care products can be exciting. But as you add new pieces to your routine, you may come across untested skin care products that can cause issues. Spotting these untested products can save you time, money, and keep your skin looking its best.

Reviews and website copy can be misleading when it comes to skin care products, so keep a few things in mind as you set out to expand your beauty regimen.

Back Alley Vendors

You might be tempted to stop in a shop or get in contact with a vendor who's offering a cheaper option of a product you want. They may reach out to you via Facebook about a new anti-acne natural treatment or a more effective skin care product for acne, and the price is almost unbelievable.

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Back alley vendors who sell an off-brand version of a product or skin care routine are often peddling untested skin care products.

Without the need to pay for licensing and testing, these back alley vendors can afford to offer you a cheaper product that they claim works just as well or even better than the big brands. Skipping the creation period's testing portion can leave developers room to add in chemicals and other ingredients that can strip or damage your skin.

Read the Labels

All skin care products that have been tested and approved, are required to  must have a list of ingredients available for anyone to read. By simply taking a moment to read through the ingredient list, you can quickly spot a set of untested skin care products.

Some ingredients aren't supposed to be included in any skin care product. The inclusion of these ingredients or the absence of an ingredient list is a sure sign of untested products.

Ingredients you want to avoid when searching for new skin care products are:

• Butylated hydroxyanisole 
• Formaldehyde
• Formaldehyde releasers like bronopol, DMDM hydantoin

The inclusion of ingredients that aren't good for your skin is a good sign of untested skin care products. The absence of a list of ingredients is a virtual guarantee the product is untested and potentially harmful. Always take a moment to look for the ingredient list and what ingredients are included in the product.

Outrageous Claims

Every product is going to make some claims  like “this is the best skin care product for acne-prone skin” or “it will reverse all signs of aging overnight”. But untested skin care products often make wildly outrageous and untestable claims.

Claiming that the product is a good skin care routine for oily, acne-prone skin is one thing. Telling potential customers that a new product will give you perfect skin after only one use is impossible and untestable.

The first test for these claims is if they seem impossible. The time frame and the results are two ways that untested skin care products can try to make a dent in the industry. These claims can't be backed up or often debunked as they haven't been tested in a regulated facility.

The second test for these claims is that they are often untestable. When an untested product hits the market and makes outrageous claims, not only are those statements hard to prove, but they also often set up a scenario where no test can be done at all. Avoid these products at all costs.

Regulatory Approval

Any authorizations by government or healthcare authorities relating to any human subject research are considered regulatory approvals for the purposes of clinical trials. If the study involves the use of an FDA-regulated product, further approval will be required.

The majority of clinical trials are governed by national and international Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules and human subject protection laws. FDA approval letters for externally sponsored research should be included in the initial submissions to IRB, SRC, and RMG. Prior to IRB review and approval, PI-initiated studies may require FDA filings.

There are certain skin care products that are country-specific FDA approved. In the case of BSKIN, FDA approval are from the Philippines, Indonesia, and the ministry of health for Malaysia.

Yes. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C) regulate cosmetics (FDA). Cosmetics must not be adulterated or misbranded under the FD&C Act. They must also be safe for consumers under intended or customary usage conditions, as well as properly labeled. Any color additives they contain must comply with FDA regulations

No Reviews or Poorly Written Reviews

As everything moves online, website reviews and social media comments are going to help you spot untested skin care products. Take the time to do your research and find reviews around the web.

If a product has no reviews at all, this can be a sign of untested skin care products. Anyone using the product and getting good results is likely to share that information online. Making big claims with no reviews usually means the product is untested in the market.

While there are some products that do great work, they'll rarely have a perfect score in all the online reviews. As you read through the reviews, check for obvious misleading information, poorly written or spelled content, backing up those outrageous claims.

Spotting untested skin care products can be difficult. In a rapidly changing industry, new products hit the market every day. Most of these products have gone through a rigorous testing process to ensure they're safe and effective for all users.

A few products are untested and unproven. Being able to spot these untested products early can keep your skin safe and allow you to build out a routine that works.

Skin care products should include safe ingredients, live up to their claims, and have good reviews that come from real buyers, as well as a stamp of approval from the FDA or other governing body. Keep an eye out and protect your skin.