--- title: Cosmetic Ads: Only 1 in 5 Claims True, Study Finds description: Only 18% of all claims made by cosmetics in a new study are considered acceptable, according to new research released Monday. canonical: https://time.com/3973031/cosmetic-ads/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-27T14:42:26.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:24.527Z article:section: Health og:title: That Makeup Ad Is Probably Lying to You og:description: New study reveals how many ads for cosmetics are inaccurate or false og:url: https://time.com/3973031/cosmetic-ads/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8c03223ecff78a36/69885c8e0a4a227dcc9c5508/lipstick.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5315 og:image:height: 2990 og:image:alt: 176740205 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: That Makeup Ad Is Probably Lying to You twitter:description: New study reveals how many ads for cosmetics are inaccurate or false twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8c03223ecff78a36/69885c8e0a4a227dcc9c5508/lipstick.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # That Makeup Ad Is Probably Lying to You > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=8779b18e-b678-4e2a-82f4-aa67d159aaf3&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Know Right Now: Research Finds Most Sunscreens Ineffective [Watch (HLS stream): Know Right Now: Research Finds Most Sunscreens Ineffective](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/DPTj9QpV.m3u8) (1:05)  _Published 2015-05-19. Researchers have found that 80% of sunscreens either don't work effectively or contain harmful ingredients. Find out more by watching today's Know Right Now._ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Jul 27, 2015 2:42 PM UTC  Overhead view of lipsticks Overhead view of lipsticks Getty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Jul 27, 2015 2:42 PM UTC Only 18% of all claims made in commercials for cosmetics are generally trustworthy, according to new research released Monday. Cosmetics firms often use advertising verbiage like “clinically proven” or “inspired by groundbreaking DNA research.” But researchers combed through these claims and found that the majority were vague and many are outright lies, according to a new study [published](http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20932685.2015.1032319#.VbXrvPlVhHw) in the _Journal of Global Fashion Marketing._ The researchers assessed 289 cosmetic ads, including ads for products like make-up, skincare and fragrance, featured in magazines like _Vogue_ and _Marie Claire_. They then separated the various claims into different categories, including environmental claims, endorsement claims and scientific claims. The researchers rated them as “acceptable,” “vague,” “omission” or “outright lie.” The study authors conclude that claims of “well-being and happiness” are usually not substantiated. “Those who back the claims with scientific evidence and consumer testing often use questionable methodologies for their substantiation,” the authors wrote. ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3973031/cosmetic-ads/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3973031/cosmetic-ads/"},"headline":"That Makeup Ad Is Probably Lying to You","datePublished":"2015-07-27T14:42:26.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:58:24.527Z","description":"New study reveals how many ads for cosmetics are inaccurate or false","url":"https://time.com/3973031/cosmetic-ads/","keywords":["Research","Ads","Cosmetics","advertisements"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8c03223ecff78a36/69885c8e0a4a227dcc9c5508/lipstick.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8c03223ecff78a36/69885c8e0a4a227dcc9c5508/lipstick.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"176740205","caption":"176740205","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/research/","name":"Research"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3973031/cosmetic-ads/","name":"That Makeup Ad Is Probably Lying to You"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Know Right Now: Research Finds Most Sunscreens Ineffective","description":"Researchers have found that 80% of sunscreens either don't work effectively or contain harmful ingredients. 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