Ignore the Front
Don't waste your time reading whatever is on the front of the product. The front of a bottle is nothing more than a marketing tactic. Since manufacturers know people like natural ingredients, some are throwing a bit of aloe into the formula, then posting "aloe" all over the front of the product so you think it's all natual. Always turn the product over and read the label on the back.
The Order
The first 4-5 ingredients make up the majority of your formula. Labeling laws require manufacturers to list first the ingredients that constitute the highest percentage of the product. If water is the first ingredient in an expensive skin cream, think twice about buying it. If the most effective ingredient is hanging out at the bottom of the list, that means there is hardly any of it in the product, and you might want to re-evaluate the effectiveness of the product. Focus most of your attention on the first five ingredients and that will give you the basic story on what's in it.
Natural Oils
Natural Oils
Look for ingredients like natural essential oils or natural plant oils. Some great moisturizers include jojoba, coconut, sesame, almond, apricot, soybean, olive, and macadamia seed. Other oils like chamomile and aloe are soothing and healing.
Free
Look for this word on your products. Manufacturers may say “fragrance-free”, “sulfate-free", or "paraben-free." While this is a good start, there may still be a lot of other potentially harmful ingredients. Make sure you read the ingredient label on the back.
Organic
This means the product contains ingredients derived from living matter. A label stating "organic" is a legitimate claim monitored by the USDA. If it says "USDA organic" that means it was made with 95 percent or more organic materials.
Can you Pronounce it?
A chemical ingredient list contains mostly things you can’t pronounce. Not all chemicals are potentially harmful, but try to find formulas that contain more natural ingredients, such as aloes, plant oils, honey, shea butter, etc.
Expiration Dates
Ever see the symbol for the floating lid jar with a number and an 'M' on it? It refers to how long the product is good after opening (6 months, 12 months, etc).
Hypoallergenic
Manufacturers claim that products that bear this claim produce fewer allergic reactions than other products. There are, though, no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term or ensure that these products are less irritating to sensitive skin than others.
Manufacturers claim that products that bear this claim produce fewer allergic reactions than other products. There are, though, no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term or ensure that these products are less irritating to sensitive skin than others.
Dermatologist Recommended
This is the most common marketing claim on cosmetics. It lets the buyer know that the product has received an MD's stamp of approval AND their recommendation. The reality? This means they got someone who calls themselves a dermotologist (they don't even have to be board certified) to recommend their product. What's even worse is usually the "dermotologist" receives some sort of reimbursement for this.
This is the most common marketing claim on cosmetics. It lets the buyer know that the product has received an MD's stamp of approval AND their recommendation. The reality? This means they got someone who calls themselves a dermotologist (they don't even have to be board certified) to recommend their product. What's even worse is usually the "dermotologist" receives some sort of reimbursement for this.
