Angel Dusting

A common occurrence in the cosmetics world is so called ‘angel dusting”‘. This means that a minimum amount of active ingredients is added to a product. The active ingredient can be placed on the ingredients list even though there is no possibility that it can have any effect. The manufacturer can thereby also use the ingredient in respect of advertising purposes.

Last week I explained why many cosmetics manufacturers are very enthusiastic about ‘angel dusting’.

A fine example

In the book by Yarosh (The New Science of Perfect Skin) a fine example of angel dusting  is given. In this case it concerns the ingredient CoQ10 (an anti-oxidant).

The company QPharma has the patent for the anti-oxidant CoQ10. QPharma discovered that a product from” the Andrew Jergens company” also used this ingredient, with the claim: “now contains the natural power of Q10, (which) helps to reveal healthier skin”

Jergens was not authorized to add this ingredient to his product and was sued. The reply from Jergens was that there was only 0.00005 % CoQ10 contained in his product. Seeing that CoQ10 is not effective in this concentration there was no unlawful use of the ingredient!

Naturally it is very sad that many consumers were of the assumption that they had purchased a good product with the active CoQ10.

Just imagine, 0.00005 percent! You can read the whole story here.

Regards Jetske.

[email protected]: If you have any questions, feel free to send me an e-mail

(Dr. Jetske Ultee-Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)

You can read more about cosmeceuticals,
anti-oxidants in a cream and the article
‘Research Has Revealed That…‘.