Hey Beauty Addict, You Should Really Read Those Make-up Labels

It’s a well-known fact that most women are impulsive beauty product hoarders. Don’t believe me? Just saunter into Sephora and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

Even then, you WILL shop and your bill will be more than you spent on food.

My point being?

We should know where our money is going. You cannot be buying a face cream without anti-oxidants and vitamins if you’re over 30, just like you probably shouldn’t be buying mango infused body scrub if you’re sensitive to fragrances.

Here is a guide to five most used terms you’d find on a beauty label – and what they actually mean.

Fragrance Free

If done correctly and not for promotional purposes, fragrance free means a product has no more than 0.1 per cent of any added perfume/oil to it. However, this does not eliminate the natural fragrance or odour of the products used.

For example, a scrub made of Dead Sea Salt will taste a bit off and you cannot ignore the floral scent of lavender when buying a hand cream with this purple flower’s extracts.

I’d suggest it’s a good idea to try it on your skin before paying full price.

Dermatologically Tested

This usually means that a doctor or a team of doctors was involved from research to development of the final product (shampoo, cream etc.), and that the brand has tested it on volunteers in their desired demographics (for example, women between 20-35 with dry skin).

Most brands rarely give out numbers or data collected by them – but, you have the option of asking the manufacturer for the above info!

Oil-Free

You may have a lot of saleswomen come up to you this summer and try to tell you to buy something that’s oil free. That’s the time to turn the bottle and check the label for waxes, vegetable oil or silicone. While the manufacturer may not have added any oil, other ingredients could be a substitute. So try to not skip the oil – oils are hydrators, mood relaxers and good when organic.

Hypoallergenic

So the term is being widely overused by almost every beauty brand (not good for us). When used seriously, this roughly translates to “you won’t get any allergies when using this product.”

Reputed brands chose to invest in studies and clinical trials, over different skin and hair types, sometimes in different countries to ensure that there are no adverse effects/problems caused by their products. My best bet would be to consult a dermatologist as well as go by the brand image – especially when investing in the most used products (shampoos, face washes and creams).

Paraben-free

Now, most of us know that parabens are preservatives that help stabilise the formula of a soap, cream or a deodorant. Remember, these are not naturals and are actually derived compounds that sustained this cosmetic industry for so long.

Of late, certain kinds of parabens (propyl and butyl parabens) maaaaay just cause long-term damage. A lot of brands, especially start-ups are claiming not to include parabens, thus obvious SHORTENING their life span (just like my home-made coffee scrubs).

The best bet is to avoid parabens in products you can ingest (read: eat up): lip balms and lip colours.

(Manavi Siddhanti is a beauty and lifestyle blogger and runs a blog, beforbeauty.com. You can contact her on [e-mail].)