The distributor of Nivea in Canada has been fined nearly 400,000 Loonies for marketing the “My Silhouette” skin cream as making you slimmer. As opposed to the usually vague nonsense talk surrounding skin and beauty product pitches, this one claimed users could expect a “reduction of up to three centimetres on targeted body parts, such as thighs, hips, waist and stomach.”

CBC reports the distributor, Beiersdorf, was forced to recall the products from Canadian shelves, post a correction on its website, and offer free refunds to any Canadian buyers.

“Beiersdorf misled consumers by claiming a person could slim down by simply applying a skin cream,” Canada’s Competition Commissioner Melanie Aitken told CBC. “Unfortunately, consumers who purchased My Silhouette learned the hard way that there was no such easy fix.”

I checked out Beiersdorf’s website and was not able to find either the product listed or the corrective notice. A site-specific search on Google (site:en.nivea.ca “My Silhouette”) brought up a list of 6 results. Each of the results lead to page errors, indicating they had since been removed. Clicking “cached” showed that the product had previously been grouped with other related products, like creams that claimed to remove cellulite or firm skin to give it a younger appearance.

Previously, the page said to say, “My Silhouette Gel contains a highly effective natural Bio-Slim Complex for a slimmer looking and more defined silhouette.”

And if you believe that, I’ve got a sexy bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

Nivea fined for slimming cream claims [CBC] (Thanks to Rhonda!)

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