Three cosmetic filler ads banned over misleading claims
Three ads for cosmetic fillers have been banned for misleading consumers and suggesting celebrities had used the treatments.
An Instagram post for beauty salon Beauty Boutique Aesthetics advertising Botox treatments, seen in December, included a photo of Kim Kardashian and the text: “Many beauty technicians may be more than qualified, but always ask yourself, can they administer emergency drugs if the client has an adverse effect? The answer is no.”
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) challenged whether the post was misleading and breached rules by advertising Botox, a prescription only medicine.
The watchdog said it had received no evidence that Beauty Boutique Aesthetics had the trained staff or resources to deal with any adverse reactions to procedures they administered.
Beauty Boutique Aesthetics did not respond to the ASA’s inquiries.
Two other Instagram posts, one by beauty salon Queen of Aesthetics advertising the “Kylie Jenner Package” consisting of lip, cheek and jawline fillers, and another for Faces by AKJ Aesthetics, also for fillers and including an image of Jenner, were banned.
The ASA challenged whether the ads misleadingly suggested the package would give customers lips, cheeks and a jawline that closely resembled those of Jenner and advertised a prescription-only medicine.
Queen of Aesthetics said they had not posted any ad that told their customers they could make them resemble Kylie Jenner, adding that it would be “almost impossible” for a customer to look like anyone other than themselves after a non-surgical cosmetic procedure.
Faces by AKJ Aesthetics said it used Jenner’s picture because she was recognisable to their target audience and showed the areas that could be treated, rather than to imply that their treatment could make consumers look like her.
Banning both ads, the ASA told Queen of Aesthetics not to suggest celebrities had used their products if they had not, and warned Faces by AKJ Aesthetics not to trivialise non-cosmetic procedures, not to advertise Botox again and not to suggest celebrities had used their products if this was not true.
