Regulated Beauty

In this season finale, the team unpacks how cosmetics are regulated by the FDA, a category that has historically fallen into a gray area compared to drugs and dietary supplements. They begin with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938, which granted the FDA authority over cosmetics. From there, the hosts break down the biggest change in cosmetics law in nearly a century: the Modernizatio...

In Episode 6, the team dives into how the FTC and FDA work together to regulate beauty, wellness, and dietary supplement products, especially when claims cross the line into disease‑treatment territory. While the FTC focuses on truth in advertising, the FDA focuses on product safety, efficacy, and labeling, and together they determine how a product is classified: cosmetic, drug, or dietary supplem...

In Episode 5, the team shifts from what companies claim to how those claims are advertised, diving into the FTC’s endorsement and testimonial rules. They break down how influencer marketing, gifted products, paid partnerships, employee reviews, and even free trips trigger disclosure obligations, and why the FTC views transparency as essential to preventing deception. The hosts explain the FTC’s up...

In Episode 4, the team breaks down a foundational concept in FTC oversight: what actually counts as a “claim.” They explain how both express statements (like “clinically proven”) and implied messages (like before‑and‑after photos or carefully crafted visuals) can create claims that must be backed by real evidence. The hosts walk through the FTC’s substantiation standard, what kind of scientific pr...

In this episode, our hosts focus on the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), breaking down how and why the FTC began aggressively policing health‑related companies, especially those not covered by HIPAA. This episode covers the first‑ever enforcement of the Health Breach Notification Rule, what triggered it, and how misleading privacy claims, hidden data‑sharing practices, and post‑Dobbs concerns pus...

In this episode, our hosts outline what HIPAA really covers, and why so many beauty and wellness businesses aren’t actually regulated by it. The team explains the difference between medical vs. health information, who counts as a “covered entity,” and why cash‑pay practices like most med spas fall outside HIPAA’s scope. We also touch on how smartphones and digital health apps created a huge gap in...

In this inaugural episode of Regulated Beauty , we introduce our hosts and provide an overview of what this attorney-led podcast will discuss. The beauty and wellness landscape lies at the crossroads of creativity, science, and consumer protection. Our speakers aim to demystify the complexities of this ever-evolving industry; each episode of season one will address the most common legal issues aff...