Cosmeceuticals represent a marriage between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Like cosmetics, cosmeceuticals are topically applied, but they contain ingredients that influence the biological function of the skin. Cosmeceuticals improve appearance, but they do so by delivering nutrients necessary for healthy skin. Cosmeceuticals are the fastest-growing segment of the natural personal care industry. Consumers are always interested in maintaining a youthful appearance, and as the global population's median age increases, this market is increasingly expanding.

Cosmeceuticals are not subject to review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the term cosmeceutical is not recognized by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Although cosmetics and cosmeceuticals are tested for safety, testing to determine whether beneficial ingredients actually live up to a manufacturer's claims is not mandatory. In general, vitamins, herbs, various oils, and botanical extracts may be used in cosmeceuticals, but the manufacturer may not claim that these products penetrate beyond the skin's surface layers or that they have druglike or therapeutic effects. For cosmetic labels, no division between active ingredients and other ingredients is required; they are all listed together.