Before-and-after collateral for beauty and wellness: what ASCI actually allows

Fibvo editorial · 18 February 2025 · 4 min read

Before-and-after content is one of the most persuasive formats in beauty and wellness marketing, and also one of the most regulated. ASCI's code, along with the CCPA's 2022 guidelines on misleading advertisements, restrict claims that cannot be substantiated — and this applies to captions and framing, not just the image itself.

What is generally defensible

• Documented, informed consent from the client for the specific use (marketing, social media) intended.
• Showing the result without a specific numeric claim ('improved appearance' rather than '80% reduction').
• Consistent lighting and angle between before and after, since misleading staging is a separate, additional risk.

Where claims cross a line

Weight-loss claims tied to a specific product or remedy can fall under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act's restrictions, independent of ASCI's code. Any claim implying a medical outcome, rather than a cosmetic one, needs particular caution and, in many cases, should be avoided entirely without appropriate medical backing.

The image is rarely the compliance problem — the specific claim attached to it usually is.

Practical collateral guidelines

Keep a simple internal checklist before any before-and-after content goes out: consent on file, no specific numeric claim, no medical outcome implied. This small habit avoids most of the actual risk in this format.

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Written by Fibvo — Bengaluru and Erode, India — working with clients in other time zones. Questions, or think we have it wrong? Tell us.