Here's the definitive guide to every single symbol on your beauty products
Let's be honest, the beauty world isn't exactly easy to understand. From green-washing, to perplexing percentage claims of ingredients, to vague language ('clean beauty' and 'natural' are our personal favourites), it can be hard to find a single beauty formula that meets all your criteria and delivers the results you want.
And that's just the formula. Then there's the confusion behind the packaging and the manufacturing process. There are products that are recycled and ones that are recyclable (these two are not the same, by the way), there's Fair Trade claims and various other eco-signalling.
In beauty's defence, all of this informative is available on the label of your beauty products in the form of tiny, indecipherable symbols. You've probably seen them - the twisting arrow, the funny shaped 'e', the flying rabbit or the hourglass timer. It's easy to ignore them, but it's even easier to be mislead by them. Often they don't have any context, explanation or further information surrounding them, so unless you took the time to Google each one, you probably wouldn't have the faintest idea what they meant.
Whether you insist on buying vegan products, or are passionate about organic ingredients, you deserve to be able to determine which product is right for you without having to do any detective work, which is why we've decoded all of the symbols that are often stamped on the back of packaging so you know exactly what you're buying.
If you want to know more about how to safely recycle your beauty products, we've done a deep dive into different materials so you can be sure to dispose of your empties correctly. We've also broken down exactly how to check a brand's sustainability claims, so you can easily steer clear of green-washing.
Keep scrolling to find out exactly how to read beyond the labels... with our guide to product symbols meanings
Interlocking arrows
When you spy the green interlocking arrows symbol (which, just to complicate things, is not always green), it means that the manufacturers have made a financial contribution to recycling services in Europe. It doesn't mean the product itself is recyclable.
Mobius Loop
The three green arrows going in a triangle simply means that the material is capable of being recycled. Sometimes, the symbol will come with a percentage in the middle, signifying how much of it has been made from recycled materials.
The Leaping Bunny
Animal-friendly, cruelty-free products are identified by this cute symbol. It’s authorised by the Leaping Bunny Programme - a standard which certifies the manufacturer does not conduct, commission, or be a party to animal testing of any kind. Hear, hear!
The Hourglass
For products with a lifespan of under 30 months, a small hourglass will highlight the ‘best before end’ (BBE) or expiry date.
Eco-Cert
It's (almost) all organic! If over 95% of the plant-based ingredients come from organic farming, this sign will include the word ‘organic'. If you see ‘natural’, it means there are 50% or more organic, plant-based ingredients in your product.
UVA (in a circle)
This symbol confirms that a product has met the European standards of UVA protection against skin cancer. The key to this symbol is the circle. If you see the UVA stamp without the circle, it means the product offers some UVA protection but has not met the recommended standard of protection.
UVA rays penetrate deep into the dermis, and can lead to premature aging. Not to be confused with UVB – the rays interrupted by SPF (Sun Protection Factor).
Estimated Sign
In order to qualify for one of these marks, the average quantity of product in a batch cannot be less than the amount on the label. In short, means you get what you paid for, which you would hope all products would provide.
Leaflet
If you fancy finding out more about your product, this symbol shows there is a leaflet with extra information included in the packaging.
Period After Opening (PAO)
Shown on all products with a shelf life of over 30 months, this indicates how long your item will be good for after opening. The number written on the tub symbol correlates to how many months you can use your product once it's been opened. If, like us, you struggle to keep track of exact dates, and would rather not be using expired lipstick, a sharpie may come in handy when you do decide to open a new product.
Flammable
More widely recognised than some of its symbolic peers, this sign indicates that the product is flammable and should not be exposed to high heat or naked flames. Put down that candle and step away from the hairspray!
COSMOS
This symbol is the certification stamp from the Soil Association that proves a product has met COSMOS standards, which are widely recognised as the mainstream global standard for organic health and beauty. This symbols means that at least For leave on products, 95% of all physically processed ingredients are organic and at least 20% of the total ingredients are organic.
Vegan Trademark
This one is probably quite self-explanatory, but just to clear up any questions, this is the Vegan Trademark from The Vegan Society. It means that the product is totally free from animal ingredients.
