How to read the markings, symbols, and ingredients on packaging
Kaire Miiter
‘In my opinion, knowing what the products in our beauty arsenal contain is extremely important. I wish that everyone would make a conscious choice about the substances that they put on their skin,’ says Kaire Miiter, Brand Manager of Magrada.
I am happy to admit that people are increasingly interested in the ingredients in beauty products and their effect on the body, skin, or hair. Regardless, ingredients have sometimes been listed on packaging in such a manner that understanding them is complicated. In this post, we are going to explain the art of decoding ingredient lists.
The list of ingredients (INCI)
The lists of ingredients for beauty, hair, and skin care products are compiled based on the same principle that applies to food products – the list begins with the component that the product contains the most (in the highest concentration) and ends with the ingredient that the product contains the least.
Writing down the ‘recipe’ is important for understanding the substances that a product contains and determining whether it contains any components to which you are sensitive or allergic.
When in doubt about a product being suitable for you, apply a tiny amount on your inner arm before using it for the first time. Then wait for 12–24 hours to see whether your skin becomes irritated or has another reaction.
Internationally, ingredient lists use Latin names. Often, their names in English are added in parentheses to make it easier to understand which components you are dealing with.
Let’s take a look at the ingredients of Magrada’s Birch Sap Soap: Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Betula Alba Juice, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil. The first component that is listed is Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, i.e. olive oil, which means that its concentration in the soap is the highest. The second component by weight is birch sap (Betula Alba Juice). The component that this soap contains the least of is sesame seed oil (Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil).
Symbols
Often, there are also various symbols on packages. A jar with the marking 6M, 12M, or 24M means the number of months that the product stays fresh after opening. Another common symbol is the one for recycling. Three arrows forming a triangle are called the Möbius loop. It is used to let the consumer know that the packaging is reusable. The number next to it usually stands for the type of plastic, cardboard, or paper.
Love,
Your Magrada team
