Terms &
Conditions

01 / AGREEMENT AND AUTHORITY

Agreement and Authority

These Terms & Conditions form an agreement between you and The Skincare Bureau^® (the “Bureau,” “TSB,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By using this website, submitting an application or records, requesting review, or purchasing a license, you agree to these Terms. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information and application records.

If you act for an organization, you represent that you can bind it. “You” includes that organization. “Applicant” means the person or organization submitting a product and its authorized representative.

If you do not agree, do not use the website, submit materials, purchase a license, or use restricted program materials.

02 / DEFINED TERMS

Key Program Terms

Application

The product information, ingredient disclosure (INCI), claims, labels, photographs, supporting documents, and related communications submitted for review.

Eligible Claim

A specific ingredient or marketing claim within TSB’s published review scope and documentation requirements.

Verification Outcome

TSB’s written determination of the support and scope for an identified claim in a submitted product.

TSB Verified™

TSB’s verification program and proprietary mark. The mark identifies a licensed product with specific eligible claims that met the applicable review requirements.

Public Verification Record

The product-specific record identifying the product, verified claims, approved scope, and license status.

License

A separate, limited, revocable, nonexclusive, nontransferable authorization to use the TSB Verified™ mark for a specified product, approved claims, and term.

03 / PROGRAM SCOPE

Scope of Review

TSB independently reviews the documentation behind eligible skincare ingredient and marketing claims. Review considers the claim, supporting records, ingredient disclosure, label, packaging, website, retailer listings, and other applicable consumer-facing materials.

Verification applies only to the claims and scope identified in the product’s current Public Verification Record. It does not extend to the whole product, the brand, another formulation, or an unlisted claim.

TSB does not formulate, manufacture, or test finished products; determine safety or clinical performance; rate products or ingredients; prescribe formulations; or issue regulatory approval. TSB Verified™ is not a safety seal, product certification, endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee of quality, performance, legal compliance, or suitability.

04 / ELIGIBILITY AND DISCRETION

Submission Does Not Guarantee Verification

TSB may establish, interpret, update, or retire eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, review procedures, and program policies. We may decline, pause, or close an application if a product or claim is outside scope; records are incomplete, inconsistent, unreliable, or unverifiable; fees are unpaid; or a conflict of interest, legal concern, or program-integrity issue prevents review.

Accepting an application or payment, or identifying a potential claim, does not guarantee verification or licensing.

05 / APPLICANT OBLIGATIONS

Disclose What Consumers See

The Applicant represents, warrants, and agrees that:

• Submitted information is current, accurate, complete, and not misleading.
• The Applicant has permission to submit the product information, images, labels, certificates, supplier records, and other materials.
• The ingredient disclosure is complete and matches the submitted product and formulation.
• All claims used to market the product are disclosed so TSB can identify and review every eligible claim, including claims on labels, packaging, websites, retailer listings, social media, and other applicable marketing.
• Supporting records are authentic, current, lawfully obtained, and applicable to the named ingredient, product, or certification. No information that could affect eligibility, scope, or outcome has been omitted.
• The Applicant will respond reasonably and promptly to clarification requests and report relevant changes as described in Section 11.

An Applicant cannot select one eligible claim for review while leaving other eligible claims outside the review.

The Applicant remains responsible for its products, claims, legal compliance, labeling, advertising, safety, quality, recalls, reporting duties, and contractual obligations.

06 / AI-ASSISTED IDENTIFICATION

Identification Is Preliminary

Website tools may use automated or AI-assisted processing to identify potential claims and organize documentation requests. Results may be incomplete or incorrect. They are not verification, approval, regulatory advice, or a substitute for complete disclosure by the Applicant.

No verification outcome is issued solely through automated processing. Eligibility, supporting documentation, scope, outcomes, and public-record content remain subject to human review. Applicants must disclose relevant claims even when a tool does not detect them.

07 / REVIEW AND DOCUMENTATION

Documentation Requirements

TSB reviews whether records are relevant, current, consistent, traceable to the identified ingredient or product, and sufficient under the applicable standards.

Depending on the claim, records may include supplier specifications, certificates of analysis, sourcing and processing records, traceability records, attestations, current third-party certifications, labels, and applicable fragrance or IFRA documentation.

TSB may confirm records with their issuer and request originals, translations, updates, or clarification. Not requesting a record does not waive Applicant obligations or approve an unreviewed claim.

Additional Information and Incomplete Applications

When TSB requests additional information, the request will give a response deadline, normally 30 calendar days from the request. Please respond through your account or contact TSB before that deadline to request an extension. An extension is effective only when TSB confirms the revised deadline in writing.

For unanswered requests, TSB plans reminders after 7 and 21 calendar days. If no response is received by the deadline, the application is placed on hold while awaiting information. Review timelines pause while required information is outstanding. Reminder delivery is not guaranteed; the deadline stated in the request still applies.

At 60 calendar days from the original request—or 30 calendar days after an approved extended deadline—TSB will review the file for possible administrative closure. Closure is manual: TSB checks correspondence, extensions, and delivery issues before deciding whether to close the application as incomplete. A closed-incomplete status is not a finding that the claims failed verification. TSB will notify the Applicant of closure.

Closing a file does not automatically delete submitted documents. Records are handled under our Privacy Policy and applicable retention requirements. Contact TSB about resuming an incomplete application; updated documentation or a new review may be required, and any applicable fee will be explained before proceeding. This response policy is separate from the licensing activation window after approval.

Review reflects the submitted materials and applicable standards at the time of the decision. It is not an audit of every batch, supplier, facility, business practice, or statement.

08 / FEES, PAYMENT, AND REFUNDS

Review and Licensing Fees

Verification Review

The standard review fee is $799 per product and formulation, covering every eligible claim, submitted product and marketing materials, supporting documents, normal clarifications, and applicable current third-party certifications. There are no additional per-claim fees.

The review fee is nonrefundable once review begins, except where required by law or agreed in writing. Payment covers the review itself and does not guarantee a verified outcome. Withdrawal after review begins does not change this rule.

Annual Product License

The standard license fee is $499 per verified product per year, payable after the product qualifies under Section 9. It covers mark use, the public record, Directory listing, record administration, review of applicable reported changes, and annual renewal review.

Payment Authorization

Fees are in U.S. dollars. Any different price, applicable taxes, or transaction charges must be disclosed before payment. Additional formulations, materially different variants, or work outside the standard review require a separate written scope and fee accepted before that work begins.

Conditional licensing requires express authorization to retain your payment method and charge the disclosed license fee after qualification. The authorization must state the amount, timing, annual frequency, services, and cancellation process. Accepting these Terms alone does not authorize recurring charges.

Payment disputes do not cancel amounts properly due and may pause participation. Nothing in these Terms removes payment-dispute or refund rights provided by law. See Pricing for the current fee summary.

09 / VERIFICATION OUTCOMES

Claim Outcomes

• Supported: The submitted documentation meets TSB’s requirements for the claim and defined scope.
• Clarification Requested: Additional records, clearer language, or changes to submitted materials are needed.
• Not Verified: The submitted support does not meet the applicable review requirements.

Claims outside TSB’s scope are not eligible for verification. A product may proceed to licensing only after every eligible claim is supported or removed from its consumer-facing materials.

Only a written Verification Outcome establishes the approved scope. Scanner results, preliminary findings, correspondence, payment, or the passage of time do not constitute approval. A favorable outcome permits issuance of a permanent Verification Record Number; mark use and active public listing require an active, paid License.

TSB may correct errors or reconsider an outcome when new supporting documentation, inaccurate submissions, product or certification changes, revised standards, legal developments, or program-integrity concerns reasonably require it.

10 / LICENSING AND MARK USE

License and Mark Use

Use of the TSB Verified™ mark requires written approval, successful licensing payment, an active product-specific License, and compliance with the TSB Verified™ Licensing & Mark Use Guidelines and any separately signed licensing agreement.

A failed, disputed, or incomplete licensing payment does not activate the License, mark-use permission, or Directory publication.

Unless TSB agrees otherwise in writing, the License is limited to the product, formulation, identity, approved claims, markets, and term stated in the licensing record. It cannot be transferred, assigned, sublicensed, or extended to another product or variant, a whole brand or company, or an unverified claim.

Use only official artwork and approved claim language. Do not alter the mark, combine it with another symbol, register it or a confusingly similar term, use it in a product or company name, or imply that TSB endorses or certifies the entire product. The Guidelines govern artwork, placement, attribution, digital links, and corrections.

11 / PRODUCT CHANGES AND RENEWAL

Changes, Renewal, and Cancellation

Notify TSB before making changes that could affect an approved claim, its support, or its public record. Report changes to:

• Formula, ingredients, suppliers, sourcing, processing, or manufacturing;
• Certifications or their status, scope, or validity;
• Claims, product identity, labels, packaging, websites, retailer listings, or other applicable marketing; or
• Brand ownership, responsible parties, or private-label relationships.

Changes may require a record update, further documentation or review, a new application, or suspension of mark use.

Annual Review

Renewal requires confirmation of changes, continued eligibility, completed annual review, and payment. TSB may charge the payment method on file only if automatic renewal was expressly authorized.

Cancellation or Nonrenewal

To cancel, decline renewal, or withdraw authorization for future licensing charges, email info@theskincarebureau.com with your product or Verification Record Number. You may also use any cancellation method disclosed at authorization. Mark-use permission ends when the License ends.

Lapse and Reinstatement

Incomplete annual review or payment at expiration causes licensing and mark-use permission to lapse; the Directory record may be marked inactive. Within 60 days, you may request reinstatement by completing review, supplying updates, and paying the license fee. After 60 days, a new application, review fee, and approval are required. Material changes may require new verification sooner.

12 / PUBLIC VERIFICATION RECORDS

Public Verification Records

For a verified, actively licensed product, the Applicant authorizes publication of the brand and product name, product image and URL, record number, approved claims and scope, verification dates, license status, and other information designated for the public record.

Supporting documentation is confidential and is not published in Public Verification Records or the Verified Directory. TSB may correct or update public records to reflect product or license changes, clarify scope, protect program integrity, or comply with law.

A permanent record number does not guarantee uninterrupted or permanent public availability or search-engine indexing. A brand profile or product listing does not verify other products, unlisted claims, or the brand as a whole.

13 / THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATIONS

Third-Party Certifications

Submitted certifications must be genuine, current, applicable, and used under their issuer’s rules. TSB may confirm the issuer, dates, status, number, and scope.

TSB does not issue, renew, expand, or replace another program’s certification or authorize use of its mark. Reference to a certification does not imply sponsorship, partnership, or endorsement unless expressly stated.

14 / OWNERSHIP AND SUBMITTED MATERIALS

Ownership and Permitted Use

Applicants retain ownership of materials they lawfully own. Submission grants TSB a nonexclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, copy, organize, analyze, review, and use those materials as reasonably necessary to administer the program, maintain records, enforce these Terms, comply with law, and protect program integrity.

For authorized public-record materials, that license also permits TSB to publish, display, resize, format, and reproduce the approved brand and product information during the applicable record and archival period. This does not authorize publication of confidential supporting documentation.

TSB owns or licenses its website, standards, criteria, taxonomies, forms, review methods, reports, databases, text, designs, software, logos, and marks. No rights to TSB intellectual property are granted except through an applicable License or other written permission.

15 / CONFIDENTIALITY AND RECORD HANDLING

Confidentiality

TSB treats nonpublic application materials, including supporting documents, supplier records, formulation details, label files, internal review notes, and correspondence, as confidential under these Terms and the Privacy Policy.

Access is restricted to authorized personnel, reviewers, advisers, and service providers who need the information to review claims, administer the verification program, protect records, or meet legal obligations. Anyone given access must protect its confidentiality and use it only for those purposes.

If disclosure is required by law or valid legal process, TSB limits the disclosure to what is legally required. Information already lawfully public, independently developed without using confidential materials, or lawfully received from another source without a confidentiality restriction is not confidential under these Terms.

16 / PROHIBITED CONDUCT

Prohibited Conduct

You may not:

• Submit false, fabricated, altered, misleading, unauthorized, infringing, or unlawfully obtained materials;
• Impersonate others or misrepresent authority, product identity, certification, or application status;
• Present scanner output, draft findings, correspondence, or application receipts as verification;
• Use the TSB Verified™ mark without an active License or outside its approved scope;
• Scrape, harvest, reverse engineer, probe, disrupt, overload, bypass, or interfere with the website, Directory, application, or security controls;
• Upload malware, unrequested regulated personal information, or unlawful content; or
• Use TSB content, records, or marks to train a model, build a competing verification dataset, or create a misleading derivative service without written permission.

17 / SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION

Suspension and Termination

TSB may pause review, revise or withhold an outcome, suspend or terminate a License, update or remove a public record, or require mark use to stop for a breach of these Terms or another applicable agreement, nonpayment, inaccurate submissions, material changes, expired or withdrawn certification, mark misuse, refusal to provide reasonable follow-up, or legal, safety, reputational, or program-integrity concerns.

TSB may provide notice and an opportunity to respond when practicable. Immediate action may be needed to prevent consumer confusion, unauthorized use, legal exposure, security risks, or harm to program integrity.

On expiration, suspension, revocation, or termination, stop creating, printing, publishing, or distributing new materials bearing the mark. Remove controllable digital uses within five business days, or sooner if TSB directs. Continued sale or distribution of existing marked inventory requires prior written transition approval, as explained in the Licensing & Mark Use Guidelines.

18 / DISCLAIMERS

Disclaimers

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the website, scanner, Directory, application process, and program services are provided “as is” and “as available.” TSB disclaims implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, noninfringement, uninterrupted or error-free operation, and warranties arising from course of dealing or usage of trade.

TSB does not warrant that a product, ingredient, claim, certificate, supplier record, or Applicant representation is safe, lawful, effective, accurate in every respect, or suitable for a particular consumer. Applicants and consumers remain responsible for their decisions and for obtaining appropriate professional advice.

The website and application process do not provide legal, regulatory, medical, toxicological, formulation, or business advice.

19 / LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY

Liability and Indemnity

Limitation. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Bureau and its officers, directors, employees, reviewers, contractors, licensors, and service providers will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive, or consequential damages; lost profits, revenue, goodwill, data, business opportunity, or anticipated savings; product recall or relabeling costs; or third-party claims arising from use of the website or participation in the program.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the aggregate liability of the Bureau for claims arising from an affected product, application, review, or License will not exceed the greater of one hundred U.S. dollars or the fees actually paid to the Bureau for that affected product during the twelve months preceding the event giving rise to the claim. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

Indemnity. The Applicant will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Bureau and its officers, directors, employees, reviewers, contractors, licensors, and service providers from third-party claims, losses, liabilities, penalties, judgments, damages, and reasonable legal expenses arising from or relating to the Applicant’s product; formulation; manufacture; sale; distribution; labeling; marketing; claims; submitted materials; breach of these Terms; violation of law or third-party rights; or unauthorized or misleading use of the TSB Verified™ mark. The Bureau will provide reasonable notice and may participate in or control the defense where its interests are affected.

20 / DISPUTES AND GENERAL TERMS

Disputes and General Terms

Informal Resolution

Before filing a legal action, a party must send written notice describing the dispute and requested resolution and allow at least thirty days for good-faith discussion, unless immediate relief is reasonably necessary to protect intellectual property, confidential information, security, consumer clarity, or prevent unauthorized mark use.

Governing Law and Venue

Unless a separate signed agreement states otherwise, these Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in California, and exclusive venue lies in the state or federal courts serving the county in which the Bureau maintains its principal place of business, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

General Provisions

Neither party is liable for delay caused by events beyond its reasonable control, except for payment obligations. The Applicant may not assign these Terms or a program right without written consent; the Bureau may assign them in connection with a reorganization, financing, sale, or transfer of the program. Failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. If a provision is unenforceable, it will be modified to the minimum extent necessary and the remainder will continue.

These Terms, the applicable published standards, the Verification Outcome, the Licensing & Mark Use Guidelines, and any separate signed application, confidentiality, or licensing agreement govern the applicable service. A separately signed agreement controls in the event of a conflict. Otherwise, the Verification Outcome controls approved claim scope; these Terms control general program participation; and the Guidelines control detailed mark use. The Privacy Policy governs personal-information practices.

We may update these Terms prospectively. The version accepted at application submission governs that application unless the parties agree otherwise, while continued website use and future applications or renewals are governed by the version then presented. Material changes will be identified by an updated date and additional notice where required.

21 / CONTACT

Questions About These Terms

Questions, formal notices, and disputes concerning these Terms may be directed to:

Do not include confidential product documentation in an initial inquiry. We will provide secure submission instructions when necessary.