Imvely’s products are safe but advertising questioned

Imvely products were found by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to be free of microbial contamination, but some of the tested products were found to have been improperly advertised.

The ministry on Monday announced that 13 Imvely cosmetics products passed the quality tests. The products included essence, body lotion and cleansing water, all made with mugwort.

The tests were conducted after the ministry received a petition from the public that requested an examination into the quality of Imvely products. Some users of the products said they spotted a foreign matter inside the products, and they argued it could be mold.

Of the 110 petitions registered from March through May, the Imvely petition received the most signatures.

Nine of the 13 items tested were found to have used deceptive before and after advertising, the ministry arguing that it is difficult to subjectively determine the effectiveness of a product via a picture.

Imvely, which has expanded to cosmetics and food, triggered consumer anger earlier this year by offering weak responses to complaints about product quality.

Imvely, operated by Bugun FNC, became the center of criticism in early April when pumpkin juice sold on the website was reported by a consumer to be moldy. The company’s first response was to exchange the product in question rather than offer a refund.

The problem grew as some consumers who questioned the quality of products on the Imvely Instagram account were blocked. Angered by the company’s response, an anti-Imvely account was created, accusing the company of all manners of sin, including alleged imitations of designs from luxury brands.

BY JIN MIN-JI [jin.minji@joongang.co.kr]