April 24, 2017

The TV ad, for Rimmel’s Scandaleyes Reloaded mascara, showed Cara Delevingne applying the product. The commercial promised “dangerously bold lashes” with “extreme volume … extreme wear”.

The ASA investigated a complaint that the ad misleadingly exaggerated the product’s effect and learnt from Coty UK, the owner of Rimmel, that individual lash inserts had been applied to fill in gaps and that in post-production, some lashes were redrawn.

The ASA found that the after photos showed Delevingne with more evenly displayed eyelashes on the upper and lower eyelids, which made them appear to have more volume. While it was not clear whether this was due to the lash inserts or the redrawing of some lashes, or both, the ASA considered that the overall effect was longer lashes with more volume.

Because the ad conveyed a volumising, lengthening and thickening effect of the product, the ASA considered that the use of lash inserts and the post-production technique were likely to exaggerate the effect beyond what could be achieved by the product among consumers. To read ASA Ruling on Coty UK Ltd (19 April 2017) in full, click here.