For someone with sensitive skin, hypoallergenic products can mean the difference between clean skin and a horrible rash. But just what makes a product hypoallergenic, and how is it so different from non-hypoallergenic?

According to this article, the term hypoallergenic might be nothing more than a clever marketing ploy. Currently, the FDA has no regulation as to what properties an item has to have to be considered hypoallergenic. Furthermore, nothing is truly hypoallergenic, since anything can have an adverse effect on someone with an extreme sensitivity. And since the use of many harsh chemicals have been discontinues in cosmetics, non-hypoallergenic products might be just as gentle as hypoallergenic.

What do you think -- is it a marketing gimmick, or do you swear by your hypoallergenic cosmetics?