Understanding Symbols On Your Cosmetics

Most make up made for the British market is under the governing European Laws on Cosmetics. These to begin with are the symbols that must be on the packaging. Just beyond the name, past the details of what miracles it will perform are these vitals pieces of information.

To begin with labelling requirements must include this information

List of ingredient - This has to be in order of highest quantity unless it is less than 1% then they can be in any order at the end. Everything is on here with the exception of perfume compositions are named parfum.

Name or address of the manufacturer or supplier - This is so contact can be made if further information is required and should be on the item itself and any extra packaging.

Country of origin - this is if it is produced outside of the European Union and has to be the last place a substantial change was made to the item this includes the mixing of the ingredient not where it was put into its final container.

Date of minimum durability (Best Before Date) or a period after opening (POA) - this is the important bit to us when it comes to make up. 

Just so you know this is from a sample of Charity Pot by Lush its empty but I reuse the pots for travelling, this is an example of how the best before date really should be on all cosmetics and the period after opening before the item should be stopped being used. Fair enough Lush is not cheap but it's because of the fresh ingredient they use but at least they are being clear when labelling what we need to know and I can applaud them for that.

This is on almost all items and is required to show the best before date based on the number of months it is good for after it had been opened. So the 24M is 24 months use from opening. 

Batch number or lot code - The information above is useful but if you don't know when it was originally made how can the information be relevant. This is where the batch code comes in useful. It is usually a 4 character code as companies don't want it easily readable to put you off purchasing it. But if you go to http://checkcosmetic.net/ they have a list of companies that follow similar coding to each other and when you enter the code it tells you how long you've got. The other function is if something is wrong with the product that batch can be recalled.

I checked this out with a recent purchase from a few weeks ago of Benefits Porefessional. The first photo has the 4 character code 2V02 when I put this in it tells me that it was made August 2012 and lasts 36 months from month it was made. So I have 25 months left on it and from opening I am to use it in 12 months. This is useful to know as I could theoretically still keep it sealed for another 13 months before opening it and still have full best before date to use it by. It also means I can use this to check other items I have that are older to see if I should still be using them.

Warning statements and precautionary information - this is usually the "this is not edible" label on the Cherry Body Butters , kind of obvious but it all has to be covered and I'm sure somebody got sued before this was on everything that smells good. It dose of course have the serious use to give information on chemical,preservatives and UV filters.

Product function where needed - What the product or item is used for , that's all folks!

The weight or measurements of the item must be declared - have we ever wondered what the 'e' means after the weight well its to show us is the guarantee that the net content is correct to what is specified on the item. So you get what you paid for! 

As its on the photo above the pretty ying yang style arrows are usually assumed to mean recycling which literally complete rubbish and to UK customers is redundant. It's just a hallmark in relation to waste management of the product under European legislation.

This is the actual recycling symbol

As for all lettering on the packaging it must be visible, indelible and easily legible. I'm all for this but indelible means that which cannot be removed,washed away or erased. So can somebody explain this to me please...

Can you tell me a "youtuber" that doesn't have trouble remembering the name of the cocealer because all theirs looks like this as well. The other is a clear mascara with the same issue.