How to Be Informed About Ingredient Safety: A Guide to Understanding Skincare Labels

Navigating skincare ingredient labels can be daunting, but it’s a crucial step in making informed decisions about what you put on your skin. With many unfamiliar terms and complex chemical names, understanding ingredient safety can help you find products that align with your personal preferences and values. Here’s a guide to reviewing ingredient labels and how you can use tools like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Credo Beauty to make well-informed choices.

1. Start by Understanding the Ingredient List

Example ingredient list. Photo Source: https://www.sophim.com/en/inci/.

Ingredients are listed in descending order by concentration, so those at the top are present in higher amounts. Focus on the first five ingredients to get a sense of a product’s primary components. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Active Ingredients: These are often at the top and include powerhouse ingredients like Vitamin C, niacinamide, or hyaluronic acid. Active ingredients are typically included for specific benefits, such as hydration or brightening.
• Avoid Potential Irritants: If you have sensitive skin, watch for alcohols, synthetic fragrances, or sulfates, which can sometimes cause dryness or irritation.

2. Familiarize Yourself with Common Ingredients

While some ingredients, like water and glycerin, are safe and widely used, others might require a closer look:

• Parabens: These preservatives extend a product's shelf life but have raised concerns due to potential links to hormone disruption.
• Sulfates: Often found in cleansers, sulfates can be too drying for some skin types.
• Fragrances: The term "fragrance" can be vague, as it may include a mixture of various chemicals. If you’re sensitive, consider products labeled “fragrance-free” or “phthalate-free.”

3. Use Online Resources for Ingredient Safety

Screenshot from EWG Skin Deep website; a helpful resource for ingredient stafety.

A variety of online resources can help you understand ingredient safety and make better choices:

• EWG’s Skin Deep Database: This tool allows you to search for ingredients or products, rating them on a scale from 1 to 10 based on potential hazards. It provides detailed information on the research behind each rating. Visit EWG Skin Deep for more details.
• Think Dirty: This app lets you scan product barcodes and provides ratings on ingredient safety and overall impact on health. Think Dirty also offers easy-to-understand information on individual ingredients. 
• Credo Beauty’s Clean Standards: Credo has established a “Dirty List” of ingredients they won’t allow in any products they sell, and they maintain strict standards for transparency and ingredient safety. You can learn more about their standards at Credo Beauty.

4. Look for Certification Seals

Certifications are a quick way to identify products that meet specific safety or ethical standards:

• USDA Organic: Products with this label contain at least 95% organic ingredients.
• Leaping Bunny: This certification means a product is cruelty-free.
• EWG Verified: Products with this label meet EWG’s stringent standards for health and transparency.

5. Tano’s Ingredient Philosophy

At Tano, we believe in transparency and efficacy, using only ingredients that meet our rigorous standards. We prioritize natural, high-performance ingredients backed by science to ensure they deliver real results. Each component in our formulations is carefully chosen for its proven benefits and its safety profile. We steer clear of harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and other potentially harmful ingredients. By blending nature with innovation, Tano brings you skincare that’s as safe as it is effective.

Being informed is empowering. By understanding what’s in your products and choosing brands that prioritize ingredient safety, you can make choices that align with your values and support your skin’s health. Explore Tano’s thoughtfully formulated products to experience the benefits of our clean, science-backed approach. Browse our products here.