Cosmetic giant L’Oréal recently settled a lawsuit with the FTC after being accused of making false and unsubstantiated claims about two anti-wrinkle products. Specifically, the FTC said the brand made claims that their Youth Code from L’Oréal Paris and Génifique from the Lancôme line provided anti-aging benefits to consumers by targeting and stimulating genes.
Allegedly, L’Oréal produced advertisements that said the products used ‘gene science’ to activate the production of youth proteins and in the case of Génifique products (normally priced at about $132 per container), create younger looking skin in as little as 7 days. Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s consumer protection bureau, said that L’Oréal could not come up with scientific evidence to prove that their products could actually alter a person’s genes.
Under the agreement, L’Oréal must refrain from making claims that products from these two brands can stimulate gene activity to create younger looking skin unless they are able to provide sufficient and reliable scientific evidence to back those claims. The agreement does not involve any monetary penalties and the company did not admit to any improper advertising.
The cosmetic company said that advertisements containing these claims were stopped some time ago. Back in 2012, they were warned to tone down the assertions in their ads and told that sales could be halted if the company did not comply. After looking into claims, the FDA concluded that the Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate and Renergie Microlift Eye R.A.R.E. Intense Repositioning Eye Lifter were being marketed as drugs that could affect the function of the human body.
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