Previously published by Legal Times on Friday April 20
2012.
It is often said that beauty is only skin deep, but since time
immemorial, women, and less publicly, men, have sought to enhance
their physical appearance. Cleopatra is even said to have bathed in
milk. A more robust substance has been applied in this part of
Africa, namely crocodile oil, the product involved in an
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) dispute concerning the
company Repsidil.
The desire to look our very youthful best sustains a
multibillion-dollar industry. Large amounts are spent on the
research and development of products in cutting-edge facilities.
However, it is the marketing of cosmetics that must convince
consumers that they will achieve the edge. The first prize seems to
go to products that will make wrinkles disappear or, at the very
least, minimise their visual impact. To demonstrate the beneficial
qualities of their products, companies will often use "before
and after"
