How to Read Ingredient Labels: Best Tips for Safer Skincare

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by product labels?  Trust me, I’ve been right there with you. Years ago, I’d buy things labeled green, wholesome, or clean, thinking I was choosing the safest products.  At that time, I did not know how to read ingredient labels like a pro!

Honestly, I just didn’t know any better. That is, until a precancerous illness linked to environmental toxins turned everything upside down. It was a wake-up call I’ll never forget. 

My eyes were opened to how misleading those greenwashed claims were. I learned those buzzwords aren’t regulated by the FDA or any other governing body in the US.  And they definitely don’t guarantee that a product’s safe. 

I had to learn to look past the front of the bottle and start to read ingredient labels myself. 

Truthfully, it wasn’t easy at first.  But with a little practice, I was able to take back control. 

And that’s what I want for you too—not just a list of “safe” swaps (though I’ll share some favorites!), but the know-how to read ingredient labels and make informed choices.  I want to help you learn how to read a skincare product label-or any label- and know whether the ingredients are safe.

Let’s go through some of the basics together—it’s simpler than it seems, I promise!

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Don’t Trust the Label—Trust the Ingredients

Words like natural, organic, or even dermatologist-tested sound so reassuring, right?  The problem is, they don’t always tell the whole story.  A product can have these labels and still have harmful or dangerous ingredients.

So, here’s what I do now: I skip the empty promises on the front and flip right to the ingredient list. Let’s face it, that’s where you’ll find the truth. 

When I first started to read ingredient labels, I was shocked to find that even some “clean” products can contain harmful ingredients-like fragrance.  And trust me, that one word can mask a whole mess of hidden chemicals, including carcinogens, hormone disruptors and allergens. 

Don’t worry, we’ll get into the specifics of how to read ingredient labels step by step, so hang with me.  We’re just getting started!

The Concentration Tells the Story

Here’s the first thing I learned on this journey: ingredient lists have a little secret.  They’re not thrown together randomly.  Ingredients are listed in descending order by their concentration (or quantity), from highest to lowest.  

If “water” (or “aqua”) is first, you know that water is the most prevalent ingredient. 

The farther down the list something is, the less of it you’re getting.  I can’t tell you how much this helped me!  It’s such a small tip, but it makes it so much easier to decide ingredient labels with confidence.

Read Ingredient Labels: Key Ingredients to Watch For

There are some ingredients I’ve learned to watch out for—things I wish I’d known about sooner. Here are some that keep popping up, and trust me, they’re worth a second look:

• Fragrance/Parfum: Sounds harmless, right? But it can hide a slew of chemicals that don’t even have to be listed!  (Think hormone disruptors, allergens, even carcinogens.)
  
  
• Parabens: These preservatives can act like estrogen in your body and throw your hormones off balance.
  
  
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): A harsh cleaner that can strip your skin and leave it irritated.
  
  
• Phthalates: Often hiding in “fragrance” or plastics, these can quietly disrupt your hormone balance.
  
  
• Methylchloroisothiazolinone & Methylisothiazolinone: These are tough to pronounce, and even tougher on your skin. They’re linked to irritation and potential neurotoxicity.
  
  
• Propylene Glycol: Can cause skin irritation and help other chemicals sink deeper into your skin.
  
  

I’ve got a full rundown of 15 harmful ingredients to avoid in skincare products-check it out for the whole list.

Focus on Skincare and Air

Here’s a little shift that made a big difference for me: when you’re ready to start swapping out products, start with what stays on your skin or lingers in the air. 

These are the ones that can have the biggest impact on your health, so they deserve extra attention.

For your skin: Think moisturizers, sunscreens, and serums—these stay on you all day, soaking into your body bit by bit.

For your air: Cleaning products, candles, air fresheners—these send chemicals floating through your home, touching everything you breathe and live in.

Truth is, I went a little wild at first—tossing everything with fragrance! But I don’t suggest that tactic (hello, nervous system overload!).  

Instead, I recommend starting here, with products that stay on your skin or in the air.  It’s a much more manageable (and sane!) way to make a real difference.

Use Tools Like EWG Wisely

Here’s a tool that saved me when I was just learning how to read ingredient labels: the Environmental Working Group, or EWG. 

Their Skin Deep Database and Healthy Living App work a little like a cheat sheet.  They rate products on a number scale from 1 (low risk) to 10 (high risk) so you can easily spot possibly concerning products. 

There’s also an “EWG Verified” label.  It’s kind of like a little gold star for safety and transparency of ingredients. I leaned on it a lot in the beginning!

But here’s what I’ve learned along the way:

• Those overall ratings are a good start, but digging into the individual ingredient scores on their site tells you so much more.
  
  
• Some things—like cinnamon essential oil—might look scary with a high score because they can irritate, but when diluted in a product, they might be perfectly fine.
  
  

As you gain confidence in how to read ingredient labels, you’ll go beyond ratings and learn to assess ingredients for yourself.

Here’s the best part: the more you use EWG and check out the ingredient scorecards, the better you’ll get at seeing why a product got its rating.  And that will help you decide whether it’s really a dealbreaker for you. 

A high score doesn’t necessarily always mean “toss it.”  It’s worth a closer look—sometimes it’s not as bad as it seems! Conversely, a low score doesn’t always mean “keep it”, but these scores can be very helpful when you’re first starting out.

Know When to Ditch It

If a product has just one iffy ingredient, and you’re not ready to toss it–that’s okay!

I’ve been there—hanging onto something while figuring it out.  Take your time.  Use up that product and find a safer swap for when it’s gone. Progress, not perfection, is the goal here.

But here’s a little tough love:  when a product’s loaded with multiple concerning ingredients, it’s honestly better to let it go. Trust me–keeping it around can do more harm than good. Especially if it has fragrance–if you know me, then you know that’s a deal-breaker for me!

Small changes add up fast. Swap just one thing a month, and by year’s end, your home will feel so much healthier!

Read Ingredient Labels: Check Expiration Dates and Shelf Life

Here’s something I overlooked when I first started learning how to read ingredient labels: expiration dates and shelf life! They can be as important as the ingredients themselves.

Trust me, using a product past its expiration can irritate your skin or diminish the product’s effectiveness. This is especially true with cleaner skincare products because they don’t have heavy, harmful preservatives. (Hello, 1980s me–using old, expired products. Ugh!)

So let’s talk about how to check expiration dates and shelf life to ensure your routine stays safe and effective.

Start by looking for an expiration date—often a “best by” or “use by” date printed on the bottle or box. I might look like 06/2025. That’s straightforward enough, right?!

However, not all products will have expiration dates (and sometimes they’re really hard to find). Anything with sunscreen in it should have an epxiration date, and that can often be found on the crimp.

Expired sunscreen loses its protective power, leaving your skin vulnerable to UV damage, so always double-check those dates!

You also want to look for a Period After Opening (PAO) symbol. This is an icon of a small open jar with a number like “12M” on it. That means the product’s safe to use for 12 months after opening.

I suggest marking the date you opened the product on the container. It helps you not to lose track of when you started using something! (Ask me how I know.) Want more tips on avoiding skincare slip-ups like this? Check out my post on common skincare mistakes—it’s full of lessons I’ve learned along way!

Shelf life can vary too—natural products typically last 6-12 months once opened. Although some

Shelf life can vary too—natural products typically last 6-12 months once opened. Although some products may have additional preservatives, and might last longer.

Another tip is to use your senses as well. If a product smells off, looks unusual, or changes texture (like separating or becoming clumpy), don’t take the risk. Toss it.

I’ve learned from experience that an expired cleanser can do more harm than good, even if its ingredients were safe to begin with.

It’s a small step, but checking expiration dates as you read ingredient labels helps keep your skincare routine both safe and effective. Small changes like this add up—I promise!

Transparency Is Key

Something I’ve come to value is a truly clean brand that’s open about what’s in their products–and what’s not.

Look for companies that:

• Keep a robust “Banned List” of ingredients they’ll never use.
  
  
• List every ingredient clearly-no sneaky ‘fragrance’ or ‘proprietary blend’ terms! 
  
  
• Commit to safety and sustainability.
  
  

Crunchi and Beautycounter are my go-tos for clean beauty. They list all their ingredients–and don’t allow harmful ones.

For cleaning, I love Force of Nature. Water, salt, and vinegar—that’s it! Proof you don’t need harsh ingredients to get the job done. 

Want to try it?  Use my link and coupon code START40 to save and snag free shipping on any bundle. (The Glass Bundle’s my pick—it lasts a whole year!)

You can snag additional savings for a limited time by using the links below:

Why Decoding Ingredient Labels Matters for Your Wellness

In this post, I’ve shared ways to read ingredient labels like a pro, so you can take back control.  First, we talked about losing that blind trust in the front of the labels and reading the ingredients instead.  

Then we covered why ingredient concentration matters and key ingredients to watch out for. I shared tips for which products to consider swapping first, namely products that linger on your skin or in the air. 

We explored ways to use EWG wisely, knowing when to ditch junky products, checking expiration dates and shelf life, and why transparent brands are a must. 

It’s all about small steps! Learning how to read ingredient labels puts the power back in your hands, and your health is so worth it.

Which ingredient label are you reading today? I’d love to know, and I’m rooting for you!

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