"Cosmeceutical"

February 24, 2000

While the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) does not recognize the term "cosmeceutical," the cosmetic industry uses this word to refer to cosmetic products that have medicinal or drug-like benefits.

The FD&C Act defines drugs as those products that cure, treat, mitigate or prevent disease or that affect the structure or function of the human body. While drugs are subject to a review and approval process by FDA, cosmetics are not approved by FDA prior to sale. If a product has drug properties, it must be approved as a drug.

See also: Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (or Is It Soap?) and Warning Letters Address Drug Claims Made for Products Marketed as Cosmetics.