Advert Banned Over Misleading Age-Reduction Claim
An advertisement for a £49 face serum has been prohibited due to misleading assertions that it can make users appear up to five years younger.
The billboard promoted the Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler Epigenetic Serum as "clinically proven" based on a study involving 160 participants who used the product for four weeks and were then asked to estimate how much younger they looked.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) expressed concerns regarding the study's methodology, noting that the self-reporting nature of the results rendered them subjective.
Beiersdorf, the company behind the product, stated during the investigation that the claim was presented as "up to" five years younger to indicate a genuine maximum effect rather than an average outcome. The company also told the BBC that its products are "supported by scientific research."
The billboard, which appeared at London's Balham tube station, prompted a complaint to the ASA in November 2025.
The ASA report highlighted:
"We had concerns about the study's methodology, including that there was no control group, nor was there information about how participants were recruited."
Concerns Over Evidence and Testing Conditions
The ASA further noted that the serum was tested in a climate different from that of the UK, which could affect its efficacy under local conditions.
Additionally, three other pieces of evidence submitted by Beiersdorf to support the claim were unpublished research studies, each raising concerns for the ASA.
The final piece of evidence was a peer-reviewed study focusing on the active ingredient, but this study did not include the serum itself.
As a result, the advert was deemed misleading and is prohibited from appearing in its current form again.
Beiersdorf confirmed that the billboard is no longer displayed in the UK and added:
"All of the studies we cite are carried out in line with industry standards."
Expert View on Misleading Beauty Claims
Aesthetics marketing expert Lianne Sykes, who advises companies on ethical advertising, commented on the cosmetics industry's tendency to make misleading claims.
She emphasized the importance of conducting proper skin analysis over time to substantiate claims made by volunteer groups or in advertisements.
Sykes advised consumers to critically evaluate claims by asking questions such as:
"How are they assessing skin quality? Is it tested on all age groups? How was success measured?"
She also noted that individual skin biology varies and that achieving good skin often results from a combination of healthy habits rather than reliance on a single product.
