Understand all cosmetics logos in one minute

Are the cosmetics you buy really all imported? Or are they repackaged domestically? Can you really read all the labels on the back of the dazzling array of cosmetics? Spend a minute to help you understand the labels on the back of all cosmetics, identify the products by looking at the pictures, and never be afraid of being fooled by the merchants again!

[I. Identify the barcode]

The prefix code of the skin care product barcode is generally used to identify the country or region of production. The prefix 690-693 means that it is produced or repackaged in China. For example, a prefix of 30-37 means that the product is produced in France, a prefix of 45-49 means that it is produced in Japan, and a prefix of 880 means that it is produced in South Korea.

Some country/region codes for reference:

00-13 United States, Canada

30-37 France

400-440 Germany

45-49 Japan

50 United Kingdom

690-693 Mainland China

471 Taiwan

489 Hong Kong SAR

880 South Korea

885 Thailand

890 India

899 Indonesia

84 Spain

94 New Zealand

93 Australia

[2. Environmental protection logo]

The black arrow indicates that the product's packaging complies with green environmental protection requirements, indicating that the product complies with the requirements of ecological balance and environmental protection from production to use and final consumption and recycling.

[3. Organic certification mark]

Skin care products that have passed the EU organic certification must meet the following requirements: 100% of the production raw materials meet the relevant reference indicators of the EU and Ecocert, more than 95% of the plant ingredients in the total ingredients come from organic plants, and more than 10% of the total ingredients (including water) come from organic plants. The European Union, the United States, and Japan all recognize that everything from raw materials, laboratories to products complies with organic cultivation and manufacturing.

[IV. Shelf life after opening]

If the label says 12M, the shelf life after opening is 12 months. The shelf life indicated on the outer packaging refers to the storage time when the product is unopened. Skin care products have different ingredients and different shelf life after opening. Makeup removers and lotions have a shelf life of 6 months, creams and essences have a shelf life of 9 to 12 months, and products without preservatives, fragrances, etc. have an even shorter shelf life.

[5. Do not approach fire]

It means the storage environment should be kept dry and away from fire, heat sources or exposure to sunlight. For example, such logos can be found on the packaging of products such as perfume, mousse, and nail polish.

[Six. Recyclable symbol]

This arrow sign indicates that the product or its packaging is made of renewable materials, which is beneficial to the environment and protects the earth. Using more recyclable and reusable products can reduce the consumption of earth's resources. The logos of different countries may be different. Those produced in Japan and South Korea are mostly square, while those produced in Europe and the United States are mostly triangles, but they are all circular shapes with arrows.

[VII. Identification of license mark]

Imported cosmetics must be marked with the Ministry of Health’s “Wei Zhuang Jin Zi” or “Wei Zhuang Jin Bei Zi” document number. In addition, imported cosmetics must have "three certificates", namely "Import Goods Quarantine Certificate", "Import and Export Cosmetics Label Review Certificate" and "Cosmetics Inspection and Quarantine CIQ Mark".

Full ingredient labeling

Ethanol is a good penetration-enhancing ingredient, but people who are allergic to alcohol should use it with caution;

Salicylic acid is one of the ingredients that exfoliates and promotes metabolism. It is safe for the skin at the specified concentration, but people with sensitive skin should still use it with caution;

PABA is a para-aminobenzoic acid sunscreen ingredient. It should be used with caution on sensitive skin. It can be replaced with sunscreen containing titaniumdioxide (titanium dioxide) or zincoxide (zinc oxide).

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative ingredient, so pregnant women and infants should use it with caution.

AHA, BHA fruit acid/A acid are photosensitive, so you must take sun protection measures after use;

Oxybenzone-3 is a common ingredient in sunscreens. It is highly sensitizing and irritating, so pregnant women should use it with caution.

These are the signs you need to recognize:

SoapFree(does not contain soap base);

Frangrance Free(no fragrance);

AlcoholFree(Alcohol Free);

ParabensFree (paraben-free antibacterial agent)