Cosmetics glossary

Advising consumers

The language of labels

Basics:Cosmetics glossary

Green Dot

Logo indicating that the manufacturer of the product on which it is affixed contributes financially to the collection, sorting and recycling of its packaging.

IFRA

Founded in Geneva in 1973, IFRA is the International Fragrance Association, the official international body representing the fragrance industry. Its main goal is to ensure the safety of fragrance raw materials for health and the environment through a dedicated scientific program.

CMR

An acronym for substances that are Carcinogenic, Mutagenic (inducing permanent changes in the number and/or structure of the body’s genetic material) or toxic to Reproduction (e.g. by causing malformations of the sexual organs or impairing sperm quality).

Cosmetic Product

What is a cosmetic product? We all have the feeling that we know this… but we can also make mistakes sometimes! And the question is not insignificant, since the status of a product determines the regulations, and the obligations, that apply to it. In Europe, a cosmetic product is governed by Regulation 1223/2009, and it is in this text that its definition must be sought.

EthicAdvisor

This logo, awarded by the private company EthicAdvisor, aims to distinguish ethical products in three dimensions: the health, the social and the planet.

Monday, March 5, 2018

What if washing your hair with shampoo was not the ideal hair care method? Based on this principle, the co-wash technique favours the use of condition...

Monday, February 5, 2018

Displaying a flawless, radiant glow is no longer enough: complexion sculpting has become common practice in the makeup sphere. Makeup is the ideal all...

Monday, January 29, 2018

Baking follows the ‘hare-brained makeup trend’. Born on YouTube, this method consists in leaving makeup on your face for quite long to make it last ev...

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

The ‘veganism’ trend is increasingly more integrated to our lifestyles. Food, textile, and cosmetics are among the industries concerned, and more and ...

Monday, September 25, 2017

French label for ecological and organic cosmetics, controlled by the Professional Association of Ecological and Organic Cosmetics.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

The term ‘melanocyte’ is derived from the Greek words melas and kutos, which mean ‘black’ and ‘cell’, and refers to an element constituting the epider...

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

The term ‘liposome’ is derived from the Greek words ‘lipos’ and ‘soma’, which mean ‘fat’ and ‘body’, respectively. A liposome is a small bubble of fat...

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

NOAEL (No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level) is a safety value used by toxicology offices to guarantee the safety of products before they are placed on th...

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

A keratinocyte is a cell which constitutes the external layer of the skin (epidermis). It is essential to the body: in addition to protecting it from ...

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Cosmetics increasingly boast about having ‘isotonic’ formulas. This complex term is often misunderstood by the general public: it refers to a cosmetic...

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Stratum corneum

The term ‘stratum corneum’ refers to the corneal layer, the first layer on the surface of the skin. Although it is not very thick, it is actually esse...

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

The beauty industry is always resourceful when it comes to create new concepts. Non-touring, a neologism we owe to the imagination of makeup artists, ...