10 guides
Cosmetic ingredient safety
Ingredient lists are long and written in INCI, the international naming system for cosmetic ingredients. These guides explain the ingredients people ask about most, what regulators say about them and how to check your own products.
How to read a cosmetic ingredient list (INCI)
INCI names, the 1% rule, aqua, parfum and CI numbers: a plain guide to reading the ingredient list on any cosmetic or skincare product.Read guideAre parabens safe? What the science and regulators say
Methylparaben, propylparaben and "paraben-free": what the hormone and cancer concerns are based on and what the FDA and EU actually say.Read guideEndocrine disruptors in cosmetics: what they are and how to spot them
Parabens, UV filters, triclosan, BHA: what "hormone disruptor" really means, what regulators say and how to spot these ingredients on a label.Read guideSulfates in shampoo: are SLS and SLES bad for you?
SLS, SLES and sulfate-free shampoo explained: what sulfates do, when they irritate, and which hair and scalp types do better without them.Read guideFragrance allergens in cosmetics: what "parfum" can hide
What "parfum" means on a label, which fragrance allergens must be named, and how to tell fragrance-free from unscented.Read guideSilicones in skincare and hair care: good, bad or overhyped?
Dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane and silicone-free shampoo: what silicones really do to hair and skin, and why the EU restricts some of them.Read guideMineral vs chemical sunscreen: which UV filters to choose
Zinc oxide or avobenzone? How mineral and chemical UV filters compare, what regulators say about oxybenzone and what "reef safe" really means.Read guideAluminum in deodorant: is it safe, and what are the alternatives?
Deodorant vs antiperspirant, what cancer organizations say about aluminum and breast cancer, and how to switch to aluminum-free deodorant.Read guideBaby skincare: which ingredients to look for and which to avoid
Which ingredients belong in baby wash, lotion, diaper cream and sunscreen, and which to skip, from fragrance to talcum powder.Read guidePreservatives in cosmetics: phenoxyethanol, MIT and formaldehyde releasers
Why cosmetics need preservatives, which ones cause allergies, what formaldehyde releasers are and the trade-offs of preservative-free skincare.Read guideKnow more. Choose better.
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