How to Read a Cosmetic Ingredient List
An ingredient list looks like a wall of unfamiliar words, but a few rules explain how it is put together. This guide uses the FDA, US federal regulations and the AAD, and links to each one.
This guide is general information from public sources, not medical advice. Vanity Aisle is a retailer, not a medical provider. Every claim below links to the organization that made it, so you can read the original. Where sources disagree, we show both.
How the list is ordered
- Ingredients are listed from the most to the least abundant (descending order of predominance). (FDA Cosmetics Labeling Guide)
- Ingredients at 1 percent or less may be listed in any order after the ones above 1 percent. (21 CFR 701.3, via Cornell Law School)
- Color additives go after the other ingredients and may be listed in any order. Products sold in many shades may add “may contain” for colors not in every shade. (FDA labeling guide)
- Where a cosmetic is also an over-the-counter drug, the active ingredients are listed first under “Active Ingredients”, followed by the cosmetic ingredients. (FDA labeling guide)
“Fragrance” and “flavor”
A product may list fragrance or flavor simply as “fragrance” or “flavor” without naming the individual components. The FDA notes that some allergenic fragrance ingredients may therefore not appear on the label. (FDA: Allergens in Cosmetics) The FDA can also exempt an ingredient’s identity as a trade secret, and only after it accepts the exemption may a label say “and other ingredients”. (FDA labeling guide)
What label claims do and do not mean
| Claim | What the FDA says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| “Hypoallergenic” | There is no federal standard or definition. Companies can use the term as they choose, and the FDA says no cosmetic can be guaranteed never to cause an allergic reaction. | FDA: Hypoallergenic cosmetics |
| “Non-comedogenic” | We did not find an FDA definition on the FDA labeling pages we reviewed, so treat it as a company’s own term. | FDA labeling claims |
| FDA approved? | Most cosmetics and their ingredients do not need FDA approval before sale (color additives are the exception), but they are regulated. The FDA does not approve cosmetic claims in advance, and claims must be truthful. | FDA: how cosmetics are regulated |
The 2022 law change (MoCRA)
The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act was signed on December 29, 2022. Under it, serious adverse events must be reported to the FDA within 15 business days, and facilities must register and list their products with ingredients. The law also directs the FDA to write rules on fragrance allergen labeling; the FDA pages we read do not say those rules are in force, so check the FDA page for updates. (FDA: MoCRA, FDA Voices)
If you have allergies or sensitive skin
- The FDA advises knowing your sensitivities, checking the ingredient panel, and contacting the maker with questions. (FDA: Allergens in Cosmetics)
- The AAD suggests patch testing a new product for 7 to 10 days on the inner arm, and choosing “fragrance free” if fragrance is your trigger. (AAD: How to test skin care products)
- If you cannot tell which ingredient caused a reaction, the AAD says a dermatologist may recommend patch testing.
Reading labels before you buy applies to every aisle, from fragrance to hair care and makeup. Each product page on our site lists its details so you can compare.
Sources
- FDA: Cosmetics Labeling Guide (fda.gov)
- 21 CFR 701.3 Designation of ingredients (Cornell Law School) (law.cornell.edu)
- FDA: Allergens in Cosmetics (fda.gov)
- FDA: “Hypoallergenic” Cosmetics (fda.gov)
- FDA: Cosmetics Labeling Claims (fda.gov)
- FDA: How cosmetics are regulated (fda.gov)
- FDA: MoCRA (fda.gov)
- FDA Voices: Implementing landmark cosmetics legislation (fda.gov)
- AAD: How to test skin care products (aad.org)
