With summer approaching, mosquito-repellent products enter a consumption peak. Some merchants deliberately blur the boundary between cosmetics and mosquito-repellent products, illegally claiming mosquito-repellent efficacy, misleading consumers, and endangering their health. Here, we remind consumers of the following points:
1. Mosquito-repellent products are not cosmetics. According to the Cosmetics Supervision and Administration Regulation, cosmetics are daily chemical industrial products applied to the skin, hair, nails, lips, and other human surfaces by rubbing, spraying, or similar methods, for the purpose of cleansing, protection, beautification, and modification. Mosquito repellency is not within the scope of cosmetic efficacy. Consumers should carefully distinguish to avoid misuse.
2. Cosmetics are prohibited from false efficacy claims. According to the Cosmetics Classification Rules and Classification Catalogue, cosmetics cannot explicitly or implicitly claim mosquito-repellent effects. Products with mosquito-repellent efficacy must comply with relevant pesticide management regulations.
3. Correctly select and use related products. Mosquito-repellent products and cosmetics differ in safety standards and scope of use. Consumers are advised to check the qualifications of enterprises and products when purchasing and using related products, and to correctly distinguish between mosquito-repellent products and cosmetics. For cosmetics, check whether the label includes a special cosmetic registration number or ordinary cosmetic filing number, as well as the production license number of the manufacturer. For mosquito-repellent products, check whether the label includes a pesticide registration number and the pesticide production license number of the manufacturer. Be wary of absolute or false claims such as ‘pure plant’ or ‘pure natural’.