Reading a shampoo label

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Ingredient order

The FDA says cosmetic ingredients must be declared in descending order of predominance. It says color additives and ingredients present at one percent or less may be declared without regard for predominance.

Names on the list

The FDA says ingredients must be identified by the names established or adopted by regulation, and that ingredients the FDA accepts as exempt from public disclosure may be stated as "and other ingredients."

Color additives

The FDA says certified colors generally have three-part names, and may also be identified by color and number alone. It says color additives must be approved by the FDA for their intended use, with the exception of coal-tar hair dyes. We do not name the colors any product uses.

Fragrance

The FDA says fragrance ingredients can be listed as "Fragrance," and that even some products labeled "unscented" may contain fragrance ingredients, added to mask the smell of other ingredients.

Known allergies

The FDA says "the best way to prevent an allergic reaction from a cosmetic product is to know what you are sensitive to and to know how to avoid it," and that one way is carefully reading the ingredient panel.

A caution statement

The FDA says coal-tar hair dyes carry a caution statement and patch-test directions on the label. If a label carries that statement, follow its patch-test directions.

Sources: FDA, Summary of Cosmetics Labeling Requirements; FDA, Color Additives and Cosmetics: Fact Sheet; FDA, Fragrances in Cosmetics; FDA, Allergens in Cosmetics; FDA, Hair Dyes.

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