So everyone keeps saying to read our labels but umh, what are we even reading sometimes right?
Here are 3 tips on helping you understand what's in the products you're using.
1) Ingredients are usually labeled either in alphabetical order or most commonly, in order from greatest to least meaning the first ingredient is what the product has the most of and the last ingredient is what there is less of. For example, most lotions on the shelves list water is the first ingredient meaning water makes up a big chunk of what you're buying, yes, water.
2) One way in which some companies hide ingredients is by adding it to the fragrance portion of the ingredient list. Fragrances are proprietary and therefore the exact list of ingredients used in the scent don't have to be disclosed on the actual product label. This is one of the ways companies have hidden cancer causing ingredients like formaldehyde in their products. Think Johnson and Johnson.
3) Look out for the "Formulated Without" or "Free From" marketing trick. Lots of times companies will boldly display these statements and then list chemicals that we all know and hate but why are you so interested in telling me what's not in the product instead of what is in it? Just because it doesn't have some of the usual dirty ingredients doesn't make it a clean product.
When in doubt, pull that magical thing called google out and look it up.
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