We work with cosmetics ingredient lists every day and know what to look for. We have collected short rules in one table: how to choose care by skin and hair type, what to check before buying and what to do if a product doesn't suit you.
| Topic | What to do |
|---|---|
| Dry skin | Look for glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, oils (Shea Butter, Almond Oil) and ceramides in the ingredient list. Wash with warm, not hot, water and apply cream to slightly damp skin — it will retain more moisture. |
| Oily and combination skin | Oily skin needs moisture too: choose light gels and fluids with niacinamide, zinc and salicylic acid. Drying the skin out with alcohol makes it produce even more oil. The label “non-comedogenic” means the product is not designed to clog pores. |
| Sensitive skin | The shorter the ingredient list, the lower the chance of a reaction. Choose products without fragrance and alcohol, and introduce one new product at a time so it is clear what caused a reaction. |
| Ageing skin | The basics are daily sun protection and moisturising. Introduce active ingredients (retinol, vitamin C, peptides, acids) gradually, every other day, and use sunscreen in the daytime. Use retinol and acids at night. |
| Sun protection | SPF is needed all year round, not only at the seaside. Apply about two finger-lengths to the face and neck 15–20 minutes before going out and reapply every 2 hours in the sun. Choose a texture you like — otherwise you won't use it every day. |
| Order of care | From the lightest texture to the richest: cleansing → toner → serum → cream → sunscreen in the daytime. Don't mix many active products at once: one new active ingredient at a time. |
| Shelf life | The open-jar symbol with a number (for example, 12M) shows how many months you can use the product after opening. If the smell, colour or consistency changes, it is better to replace the product. |
| Hair | Shampoo is mainly for the scalp: wash the roots with it, and apply the mask and conditioner to the lengths, keeping away from the roots. For dry and damaged hair choose products with oils and proteins; for oily roots, light cleansing shampoos. |
| Children's skin | Choose products labelled “for children” with the age stated on the packaging. Ideally they should have no fragrance (Parfum/Fragrance) and no alcohol (Alcohol denat.) among the first ingredients. For infants the minimum is enough: gentle cleansing and an emollient. |
| Powders | For children under 3, do not use talc-based powders (Talc): since 2024 the IARC classifies talc as probably carcinogenic (group 2A). Choose powders based on corn or rice starch (Zea Mays Starch, Oryza Sativa Starch). |
| New product: sensitivity test | Apply a little of the product to the inner forearm twice a day for 2–3 days. No redness, itching or rash — the product can be used. There is a reaction — wash it off with warm water, stop using it and keep the packaging: an ingredient that repeats in the products that didn't suit you is most often the cause. Swelling, a rash outside the application area or severe itching — see a dermatologist; facial swelling or difficulty breathing — call an ambulance immediately. |
| Leave-on products | Cream, lotion and sunscreen stay in contact with the skin the longest. Choose them most carefully for daily use: a short, clear ingredient list, an independent certificate and no fragrance for sensitive skin. |
| How to read the ingredient list | Ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration: the first five make up the base of the product. The active ingredient from the advertising should be in the first half of the list. Ingredients below 1% concentration may be listed in any order, so Parfum in the middle of the list is only a rough guide. |
| Fragrances and allergens | The word Parfum (Fragrance) on the label means a mixture of aromatic substances. The EU requires the most common allergens within it to be listed separately — Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol and others, and from 31 July 2026 this list has been extended to about 80 substances (Regulation (EU) 2023/1545). For sensitive skin choose products labelled “fragrance-free”: “unscented” may mean that the smell is merely masked. |
| Microplastics | Microplastics are tiny particles of synthetic polymers. They do not break down and end up in water and the food chain; their effect on human health is still being studied. The EU is gradually banning them in cosmetics: in rinse-off products from 17.10.2027, in leave-on products from 17.10.2029 and in make-up from 17.10.2035 (Regulation (EU) 2023/2055). What to do: check the ingredients of scrubs and gels for Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Nylon-12, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Acrylates Copolymer and choose scrubs with natural particles — sugar, salt, rice or apricot particles. |
| Certificates | The words “natural”, “eco” and “bio” on packaging without a certificate are marketing. Trust the marks of independent bodies: COSMOS Organic / Natural — an international standard for natural and organic cosmetics; AIAB — the Italian Association for Organic Agriculture, certifies organic formulas; NATRUE — a natural cosmetics standard; VeganOK — free from ingredients of animal origin. Next to the mark on the packaging there should be the name of the body that certified the product. |
| Parabens | Look in the ingredient list for Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben. EU regulation and SCCS opinions limit their concentrations, and propyl- and butylparaben are banned in leave-on products for the nappy area of children under 3. For children's skin choose paraben-free products. |
The recommendations were prepared by the Beautymarket team on the basis of EU regulations and SCCS and IARC opinions. They do not replace a doctor's advice.
Want to see these rules in practice? Read our ingredient breakdown of two aloe vera gels.