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Do you know what is in your cream, shampoo or lip balm? To choose the right cosmetics that are right for us, you need to be able to “read” the labels. Specialists helped us to clarify difficult points.
It is an axiom: cosmetic products must be effective and safe for health. Modern cosmetics are becoming so complex, and the requirements for it are so high, that it is easy to get confused in labels and designations that are actually intended for us, consumers. How do you know if it contains alcohol, natural or chemical ingredients, potential allergens, preservatives and flavorings? Our advice: read this article with the package in hand to understand everything in detail.
Components
The list of ingredients must be available for reading – according to this rule, the list of substances that make up the cosmetic product must be placed on the package under the inscription Ingredients or “Composition”. All components are indicated there in accordance with the international INCI nomenclature: extracts of natural origin are indicated in Latin, other components – in English or Russian. For example, rhodiola rosea (Rhodiola rosea) or rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary).
The more Latin names, the more natural extracts in this remedy.
The list items are arranged in descending order.
At the beginning, those that are contained in the product in the largest quantity are listed. As a rule, the first three substances cover 80% of the composition and represent the basis of the product.
With the exception of makeup products, the first item on the list is almost always water (aqua or water), which accounts for approximately 60% of the composition. In most traditional cosmetics, “moisturizers” (glycerin, sorbitol, propylene glycol) and fat-like substances (triglycerides) are added to it, creating a feeling of comfort on the skin surface. Then there are mineral oils obtained from petroleum (petrolatum, liquid paraffin), which give approximately the same effect as “moisturizers” – slightly soften the skin. They are harmless and have excellent tolerance, because the skin simply does not absorb them. Then silicone oils and waxes follow; their names often end in “he” (dimethicone, cyclomethicone, phenyl trimethicone, stearyl dimethicone), “an” (cyclohexasiloxane), or “polymer” (acrylate copolymer). These synthetic substances create a feeling of ease of application, instant absorption of the product into the skin. They are harmless, but tend to somewhat inhibit the respiration of the skin and hair roots.
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Degree of trust
Can we be sure that all the information on the packaging is correct? To a certain extent, the icon of the three letters “PCT” can serve as a guarantee of this. This is the abbreviation of Rostest, an institution that exercises state control and issues certificates of conformity for all products that can be bought in stores. To obtain a certificate, the organoleptic properties of the product are checked
(its smell, color, consistency), biochemical and microbiological parameters. The certificate of conformity confirms the composition, method of application and expiration date of the product. The address of the manufacturer must be indicated on the package, and the name of the distributor company involved in the distribution of this product in Russia is indicated in the annotation. It is to these addresses that you can contact if you suddenly have complaints about the quality of the funds.
What’s in the asset?
Next on the list are the actual active ingredients and additives, then preservatives, antioxidants, dyes and components of the perfume composition. These are the components that you should pay special attention to people with sensitive skin. For example, fragrances are considered one of the sources of skin reactions. Pay attention to the words parfum or fragrance – if the word is at the end of the list, then the product is weakly scented, if in the middle – then it is strongly scented. When it comes to antioxidants, the more, the better. They protect the skin from aging, and the product itself from damage. These can be derivatives of vitamins E (tocopherol, alpha-tocopherol, tocopherol acetate) and C (ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucoside), tea extracts (camelia sinensis), enzymes whose names always end in “aza” (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase). Dyes are identified by a code beginning with “CI” (color index) followed by five digits. Alas, these components do not bring any benefit to the skin.
Preservatives are another component of cosmetics that is almost impossible to avoid. Usually these are the so-called parabens (methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben), they are effective and well tolerated by the skin. The main thing is to make sure that they are at the end of the list.
Tests and trials
“Clinically proven efficacy”, “in vitro tests” or “in vivo” – what does it all really mean and how can we benefit from it? Most self-respecting cosmetic brands strive to confirm the effectiveness of their products – they order clinical studies in scientific laboratories specially licensed for their conduct. Therefore, the phrase “the effectiveness of the drug is clinically proven” is a definite plus. On the other hand, the results of clinical trials are classified commercial information. To publish them in whole or in part is up to the cosmetic company itself, here we can only trust its reputation.
With regard to the phrase “in vitro tests”, it refers to any tests or studies carried out in an artificial environment, on cell culture. Each component, and then the cosmetic as a whole, undergo such laboratory tests. If positive results are obtained, in vivo tests will follow – on living organisms, as a rule, in clinical settings, on volunteers, under the supervision of doctors.
If the product is “non-comedogenic”, it means that it does not contain components that can clog pores – it can be used for acne-prone skin. These products are often labeled “oil-free”, which means they do not include mineral oils, but they may contain vegetable or artificial oils.
Like in a pharmacy
Many are accustomed to believing that cosmetics bought at a pharmacy are safer and more reliable than others. Is this how it really works?
A few facts to note.
- In Russia, pharmacy cosmetics are registered and certified as ordinary perfumery and cosmetic products. Conducting clinical trials on the territory of the Russian Federation is not a necessary requirement. Nevertheless, some manufacturing companies conduct such tests to increase customer confidence (information about this is usually in the annotation to the tool).
- The phrase “approved by dermatologists” means that the product has been tested on volunteers under the supervision of dermatologists and the absence of unwanted dermatological reactions has been certified by doctors. However, these studies are ordered and produced at the expense of the manufacturing company, and not by independent experts.
- If the product is “hypoallergenic”, then the risk of an allergic reaction is reduced to a minimum. Zero risk does not exist, since contact dermatitis is possible with the use of the most innocuous substances.
Shelf life
You can usually find the expiration date on the bottom of the package, for example: Expo 04/2008 means “use by April 2008”. The shelf life of decorative cosmetics is up to five years. For skin care products, it is much shorter and, as a rule, does not exceed thirty months. For such funds, a special icon is used: an image of a jar with an open lid, on which the number and the letter “M” are indicated. This marking indicates the expiration date after opening the package. For example, “12M” means that the product retains its properties for twelve months after opening the package. To avoid confusion, you can write down the day you started using the tool next to the icon. All products can be stored under normal conditions at room temperature, although it is advisable not to expose cosmetics to direct sunlight.
Environmentally friendly
Recently, the requirements for the environmental friendliness of the product have become increasingly stringent. Many products contain the label “not tested on animals”, this applies to each component of the raw materials and to the final product as a whole. As a rule, toxicological tests are carried out on animals – mainly for medicines. The phrase “not tested on animals” is simply a sign that the cosmetics brand upholds modern ethical values. Just as the icon with two opposite arrows indicates that the company pays a tax on packaging recycling, there is no other practical benefit to the consumer in this.
There is a special kind of cosmetics – eco-cosmetics. For example, all products certified by Ecocert contain at least 95% substances of natural origin. However, the use of many synthetic substances, as well as substances of animal origin, is not allowed, with the exception of honey, milk and beeswax. The extraction of the components should be done using natural solvents and the processing steps should be as few as possible.
The BDIH label, established in 2001 in Germany, uses the concept of “natural cosmetics” and is based on a list containing 690 allowed ingredients out of about 20 in existence. Among the most famous brands represented in Russia are Wala, Weleda, Dr. Hauschka.