Reading a Natural Skincare Label
The claims on the front are unregulated. The list on the back follows rules. Learn the back.
Order and the 1% line
Ingredients are listed by concentration down to roughly 1%, after which order is at the manufacturer's discretion. The first five entries are effectively the product.
Latin names are not evidence
Botanicals appear under their INCI botanical names, which look impressive and tell you nothing about quantity. A hero ingredient sitting below the preservatives is present in trace amounts.
Certifications that mean something
Organic certification schemes have auditable requirements. "Clean", "green", and "non-toxic" have none. If a claim has no certifying body behind it, treat it as decoration.
Preservatives are not the enemy
Any product containing water needs a preservative system. Preservative-free water-based products are a microbiology problem, not a purity achievement.