App or decryption: how to understand your cosmetics?

Deciphering the composition of your cosmetic products isn't easy. Unless you have a degree in chemistry, knowing whether our cosmetics are harmful to our health can be a real headache. How can you identify harmful substances? We'll give you all our tips for success!
 

Why decipher the labels of your cosmetic products?

It is difficult to imagine that the use of beauty products can have repercussions on health such as cancers, infertility problems, precocious puberty, diabetes, etc. And yet, if certain components of cosmetic products are responsible for allergies, others are recognized or suspected of being endocrine disruptors or carcinogens . Applying your cream every day is a harmless and innocent gesture, but the consequences of these small gestures can reveal themselves late. In addition to the risks to your health, certain cosmetic products are also very bad for the environment .

Solutions to decipher them

Look at the packaging of your cosmetic product

When you read the product packaging , if you see the words "More than 95%" natural ingredients , this means that the product is considered natural. A good first point to easily check. Second step, identify the labels and certifications . A true guarantee of quality, only the presence of a label guarantees naturalness and/or that the cosmetic is indeed organic . There are different types of labels:

In this article on organic cosmetics, you will find details about the most common organic labels.

Decipher the list of ingredients

This is the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) list, which lists the ingredients used in each cosmetic product. Mandatory since 1999 , it is located on the cardboard packaging of the products, or on a label when the pack is too small. The list details, in descending order, all the elements of the formula . The names are in English or Latin , which complicates the task for consumers...
To make things easier for you, here is a (non-exhaustive) list of ingredients to avoid :

 

• Sulfates (Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate)

These are surfactants found mainly in foaming cosmetics for the shower and bath. They are irritating and aggressive to the skin and are suspected of being endocrine disruptors and carcinogens (breast cancer).

 

• Mineral oils (Paraffinum liquidum, Mineral Oil, Cera Microcrystalline, Petrolatum, etc.)

It's a purely synthetic ingredient derived from petrochemicals. These oils, which are found everywhere, are comedogenic, irritating to the skin, and highly polluting (since they are non-biodegradable).

 

• Alkylphenols (Nonylphenol, Nonoxynol, Octylphenol, Propylphenol, etc.)

These are emulsifying agents found in particular in hair dyes, styling products, shaving creams, etc. They are suspected of having an impact on fertility and the fetus and of being potentially carcinogenic.

 

• Parabens (Butylparaben, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, E214 to E219, Propyl parahydroxybenzoate, Methyl parahydroxybenzoate)

These preservatives are allergenic, irritant, and suspected endocrine disruptors, as well as carcinogenic (breast cancer). They are found in the vast majority of conventional cosmetics.

 

• BHA and BHT (E320)

BHA and BHT are synthetic antioxidants used to prevent oxidation and rancidity in vegetable oils and perfumes. They are therefore primarily used in moisturizers and lipsticks. They are endocrine disruptors that can also cause allergic reactions.

 

• Phenoxyethanol (phenoxyethanol, phenoxytol, EGPhE or 2-phenoxyethanol)

It's a synthetic preservative derived from the distillation of petroleum-derived compounds. It's found almost everywhere, from sunscreens to foundations, deodorants, and even some baby products. It's an endocrine disruptor, carcinogen, and allergen.

 

Scanning apps: the perfect solution?

The first solution to determine whether a product is harmful or not is to decipher each ingredient in its formula. This technique can be long and tedious , but it remains the best method . Otherwise, there are free mobile applications to help you analyze your products. With your smartphone's camera, you scan the product's barcode and the application provides you with an analysis of its formula. Overview of the most popular applications...

Yuka

Already known for helping its users eat better, it launched into the analysis of cosmetics and hygiene products in 2018. Its database is collaborative: users can add products that are not yet referenced to the application. This free application gives you a score out of 100 for each scanned product, as well as an overall rating (excellent, good, mediocre, bad). Each ingredient is detailed by a color code ranging from green to red for the most at-risk. When you scan a poorly rated product, the application suggests better alternatives.

 

Leonia's rating: “Excellent”

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INCI Beauty

INCI Beauty was launched in November 2017. This equally free app analyzes your product's ingredients to give it an overall score out of 20. Each ingredient is classified as "good, satisfactory, not great, and controversial/risky." You'll find information for each component: its function, origin, regulations, the category it falls into, etc. The app's strong point: if you no longer have your product's packaging, you can search for it manually in the search bar.

 

Leonia's rating: "17.5"
 

QuelCosmetic

Launched by UFC-Que Choisir in March 2018, this application deciphers the components of your hygiene and cosmetic products. The rating is done by letter based on risk, from A to D. Its unique feature is that it analyzes risks based on user categories. Thus, a product will not have the same rating if it is intended for babies, pregnant women, or adults. If a product is not in the database, the UFC invites its users to photograph and scan it so that it can be included in the following days.

 

Leonia's grade: "A"

The Limitations of Scanning Applications

Even though these applications can help us choose, it is important to remember that they are still algorithms . Some do not take into account the quantity of ingredients . An essential oil, for example, even if it is natural, can be dangerous if misused. The same goes for dermatological tolerance . For this, in addition to being organic and natural , look for products that are "dermatologically tested" . These products are tested and analyzed to best respect your skin.