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how to read a cosmetic label
Have you ever bought a cosmetic that you thought was natural, only to get it home, read the label and wonder what on earth those long tongue-twisting ingredients were?
Ingredients are listed in descending order, starting with the greatest amount in the product. A typical cosmetic ingredient label can be broken up into three parts. The top third of a cosmetic label usually makes up 90-95% of the products ingredients. The second third makes up 5-8% and the last third 1-3%.
Any ingredient present below a 1% concentration may be listed in any order, as long as it is listed after all the other ingredients present at or above 1%. The only problem: there is no guideline to disclose where the 1% cutoff exists on the label! And some ingredients should be present below 1%, for safety reasons.
If you’re shopping for a natural product, look at the top third of the label for ingredients like plant oils – almond, avocado, shea, hemp, etc. – natural minerals or herbal extracts. The last 2/3 of the label should contain ingredients that help the product work, like vegetable glycerin or stearic acid which is derived from palm trees. It should also list the preservatives in the product. Look for natural preservatives like vitamin A or C, grapefruit seed extract or essential oils. | 
