Decipher the composition of its beauty products without being a chemist, it is possible! The proof with these few lights that will allow you to understand the labels on the back of your favorite cosmetics.
Created in 1973 in the United States and compulsory in Europe since 1999, the Inci list Or International nomenclature of cosmetic ingredients corresponds to the precise composition of a product. Thus, you have your eye on all the ingredients contained in your favorite cosmetics. But you still have to learn to decipher them.
1. dissociate the ingredients indicated in Latin and English
The INCI list must be clear and visible on the packaging. Everything is written in Latin and English. So difficult to navigate. To start, know all the same that terms in Latin correspond to natural substances while The ingredients indicated in English correspond to summary substances. It is therefore important to make the difference between the two to have a first overview of what the product contains.
2. Look at the first ingredients on the list
The 3 or 4 first ingredients are the most important to remember. These are components that have the highest concentration in the product. The more you advance in the list, the more the ingredients are in lower concentration. On the other hand, the manufacturer can put the concentrated ingredients less than 5 % in the finished product. So pay attention to the different misleading mentions: “Aloe vera” “in jojoba oil”... Check that this component is well at the top of the list and not at the end.
3. Be demanding with products that do not rinse
Be particularly vigilant with the products that you do not rinse cream, deodorant which will thus be able to penetrate the skin. Avoid for example alcohol which can be very drying, phenoxyethanol, aluminum, tricolsan … so track the controversial components that can be irritating,, allergenic Or dangerous for health. To help you, you can use some mobile sites or applications that may be more or less reliable. Among the most serious, the cosmetics observatory or the truth about cosmetics. If in doubt about one of the ingredients, you can easily check what exactly it is
4. Watch out for “organic” and “natural” products
Not all organic products are created equal. Do you trust labels Who can give a good indication concerning the reliability of the product and find out about the various reference labels. Some products are also said to be natural While they are not, or not completely. Remember, natural does not mean without risk.