Rimmel criticised for Kate Moss mascara ads

LONDON (Reuters) - Rimmel adverts featuring the supermodel Kate Moss, which claimed a mascara brush lifted eyelashes, broke advertising rules, the industry watchdog said on Wednesday.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the company had failed to provide evidence that confirmed Moss was not wearing false eyelashes in TV and magazine adverts promoting its "magnif'eyes mascara" brush.

It also said Rimmel needed to include a disclaimer in future adverts making it clear when post-production techniques had been used to increase the effects of a product.

It is the third time in three months that the ASA has chastised cosmetics companies for their mascara adverts.

In July, L'Oreal was censured for its Telescopic mascara commercial featuring actress Penelope Cruz that "exaggerated" its effects and misled consumers by failing to make it clear that Cruz was wearing some fake individual lashes.

Then last month, Avon received a lashing for its Bright Eye Duo mascara and eyeshadow advert which featured a model wearing false eyelashes without a disclaimer.

ASA director of communications Claire Forbes said its message was getting through to cosmetics companies, but there would be a time delay because some adverts may already have been placed.

Rimmel had submitted a report in which it said it had tested the claim of 70 percent more lash lift on 10 female panellists. It provided a table showing comparative measurements taken using digital imagery that recorded the difference in eyelash height before and after the product was applied.

They said the results showed the average recorded increase in lash lift from root to tip was 75 percent.