Dermatologist tested
Generally, ethical companies mean that the product was tested under the supervision of a dermatologist. If someone wants to report something wrong with the product, that doctor's signature will be on the product. If something were to happen he/she would be held accountable. This generally is something to trust, but not always.
Fragrance-Free & Unscented
These terms are commonly used synonymously but actually mean two separate things.
Fragrance- free - This means there is no fragrance added in the product. Many cosmetic manufacturers do not use fragrance to reduce the chance of an allergic reaction. This doesn’t mean the product won’t have a smell, it will just be the odor naturally from the ingredients used.
Unscented - this product doesn’t have a smell. However, this doesn’t mean that masking agents weren’t added to cover up the natural scent of the product.
In summary, fragrance free has no added fragrances, and unscented has no scent.
Hypoallergenic
There are no Federal standards or definitions for a product to be labeled as hypoallergenic. As a whole, in the cosmetic industry, hypoallergenic means that these products are less likely to have the result of an allergic reaction. However, hypoallergenic does not mean nonallergenic, no product can actually guarantee never to produce an allergic reaction.
Can some cosmetic products be less likely to produce adverse reactions? By and large, the basic ingredients in ‘hypoallergenic’ cosmetics are the same as used in most other cosmetics. Typically, you might see fragrance or essential oils eliminated as these are common skin irritants.
Non- Comedogenic
Noncomedogenic refers to products that are not pore clogging and do not have ingredients that are susceptible to developing comedonal acne. Fats and emollients are the main agents that can cause breakouts. Unfortunately, like ‘hypoallergenic’, this labeling claim is not regulated by the FDA. Some companies can make this claim freely without going through proper testing.
Oil Free
Depending on how this term is defined determines what is actually ‘free’ from the product. Oil free is often sought out for people afraid of getting pimples. Oil free does not mean it will or won’t cause acne. Oil should not be an ingredient feared by consumers. I have heard of clients using oil free moisturizers in fear of getting acne but in fact really need some oil based moisturizers for their dry skin.
Natural
Strictly speaking, ‘natural’ should mean that ingredients are sourced from nature, usually plant based, and have been purified to some extent. The term natural in cosmetics can be misleading since everything from nature is natural. This term poses some questions. How natural is ‘natural’? And how many times can an ingredient be purified or processed to deem it ‘unnatural’? There is no set amount of times a material can be purified and still be natural. What manufacturers can do is state what percentage of the product is natural. There are no regulatory guidelines for this term so products labeled ‘natural’ could vary drastically and you should examine this manufacturer's claim with skepticism. Also keep in mind that products with this label are not necessarily vegan products. Choosing natural products is more just a lifestyle choice and shouldn’t have anything to do with if it’s better for your skin or not.
Synthetic Ingredients
Synthetic ingredients are ingredients that have started in nature but have been purified or processed/altered a number of times and/or an ingredient that was made in a lab. Chemists can create an ingredient identical to its natural counterpart with less irritancy and implement more cost effective and sustainable strategies. Natural vs. synthetic, what’s better? When formulating, a natural ingredients actives can be inconsistent by change in rainfall, sun exposure, and other environmental factors. Using synthetic ingredients is a way to remove impurities or unnecessary chemical counterparts of the ingredient making it more concentrated, sustainable, quality controlled, and yielding more effective products.
Organic
Yay! A claim that actually has some regulations. For a cosmetic product to have the USDA Organic seal, 95% of its ingredients must be organic. The NOP standards can be labeled as “100% organic”, “organic”, or “made with organic ingredients”. Organic cosmetics are made with certified organically grown ingredients, no GMOs, select preservatives, no radioactive radiation for disinfection, and no synthetic dyes or fragrances. However, even these guidelines can be manipulated and misinterpreted by consumers. For example, the product may have 20% of vegetal material, and 80% of that may be organic. The label and advertising can be written that a consumer can interpret that 80% of the total product is organic, when in truth only 16% (80% of the 20%) of the total formulation is.
Cruelty Free
Cruelty-free means that there were no animals used in the testing of this product. This also includes third party testing or anybody individual ingredients. The most frequently used organizations are PETA and Leaping Bunny.
Preservative-Free
Primarily indicating that conventional methods of preservation like using methylparaben or imidazolidinyl urea have not been used. Alternatives to traditional preservatives are salicylic acid, fragrances and essential oils, alcohols, glycols, and some AHAs, can kill microorganisms. Is a product really preservative free? Yes and no. If it contains water, doubtful unless it’s stored in a fridge and has a few month shelf life. If it’s anhydrous (no water), yes, certain products can be developed with silicone technology and require no preservation system. The only benefit of a preservative free product is if a consumer is allergic to one of the main types of preservatives.
Chemical Free
No such thing. Periodt.
Alcohol Free
This claim refers to products that do not contain ethyl alcohol, specifically SD alcohol. Alcohol is a solvent that removes dirt and oil from skin and can change the water solubility of skin for a brief period thereby allowing more water- soluble ingredients to penetrate. Alcohol is feared by consumers because it can dry out the skin. This is not always the case and products formulated with some type of ethyl alcohol can help penetrate beneficial ingredients. Keep in mind there are other forms of alcohol used in formulations, like cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl alcohols. These are fatty alcohols and their effects on the skin are quite different from ethyl alcohol.