WHAT THE LABEL TELLS YOU

Read the jar,
not just the shade.

Every pot of makeup carries a small code.

UK cosmetics law says what must be printed on the tube, compact or box: a durability mark, an ingredients list in a set order, a batch number and who is responsible for the product. Once you know the code, the back of the box tells you a lot.

Decode a label Read the short answer

Lipsticks, a compact, a mascara tube and brushes laid out on a pale dressing table in soft morning light — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

01 Look for the open jar02 Note when you opened it03 Read the first few ingredientsSmall print, plainly read

THE SHORT ANSWER

Two kinds of date,
one list of ingredients.

UK law sets what goes on the pack.
Most of it hides in the small print.

DURABILITY

Best before, or after opening

Products that keep for 30 months or less must show a best-before date. Longer-lasting ones show an open-jar symbol with the months they are good for once opened.

Decode a label

INGREDIENTS

Biggest first

Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. Anything under 1% may follow in any order, and colours can come last.

Read the list

IN USE

Clean tools, closed lids

A UK study found most used makeup carried bacteria. The US FDA suggests clean applicators, no sharing and no adding water or saliva.

See the numbers

A QUICK LABEL CHECK

What is that mark
on the box?

Pick something you might see on a makeup label to find out what it means under UK cosmetics rules. The bar shows how much it tells you about when to use the product up.

Based on Article 19 of assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as published on legislation.gov.uk, and Trading Standards guidance on Business Companion. General information, not legal or medical advice.

Label check

Choose a markOpen jar with 12MHourglass or a dateHand and book+/- or 'may contain'(nano) after a name

Open jar with 12MMonths after opening

Used on products that keep for more than 30 months. The number is how long the product can be used safely once opened, in months or years.

Hourglass or a dateBest used before

Products that keep for 30 months or less must show a date, after the words 'best used before the end of' or the hourglass symbol.

Hand and bookRead the leaflet

Means some information, such as precautions or the ingredients, is on an attached leaflet, tag or card because it would not fit on the pack.

+/- or 'may contain'Shade range colours

For makeup sold in several shades, the list may name every colour used across the range, marked 'may contain' or +/-.

(nano) after a nameNanomaterial

Any ingredient present as a nanomaterial must be followed by the word 'nano' in brackets in the ingredients list.

Source: legislation.gov.uk, Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Article 19 (UK version), and Business Companion's Trading Standards guide to cosmetic products.

TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

Makeup in use
picks things up.

What researchers found in used makeup,
and how long mascara makers usually suggest.

USED MAKEUP · ASTON UNIVERSITY

Used products found with bacteria

79–90%

In a 2019 Aston University study of donated used lipsticks, lip glosses, eyeliners, mascaras and beauty blenders, 79–90% of products were contaminated with bacteria. 93% of the beauty blenders had not been cleaned.

MASCARA · US FDA

When makers usually suggest discarding mascara

2–4 months

The FDA says eye-area cosmetics tend to have shorter shelf lives, and manufacturers usually recommend discarding mascara two to four months after purchase.

The Aston researchers said manufacturers should make expiry dates prominent and that consumers should be able to recognise the symbols on packaging.

A makeup sponge and brushes drying on a clean towel beside a bathroom basin after washing — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

FOUR HABITS TO TRY

Make the label
work for you.

None of these costs anything. They come from the FDA's consumer tips and from what the label is legally required to show.

Note the opening dateA small sticker or a pen mark on the base turns the open-jar number into a real date.
Do not add water or salivaThe FDA says if mascara dries out, throw it away rather than moistening it, which introduces bacteria.
Keep tools cleanWash sponges and brushes regularly. In the Aston study, 64% of beauty blenders had been dropped on the floor and used again.
Keep it cool and closedThe FDA says heat, sunlight and air can break preservatives down, so avoid hot cars and close lids after use.

THE INGREDIENTS LIST

Biggest first,
colours last.

Under UK rules the list is headed 'Ingredients' and runs in descending order of weight at the time each ingredient was added. Ingredients under 1% may follow in any order, and colours other than hair dyes can be listed at the end, using Colour Index (CI) numbers.

Fragrance appears as 'parfum' or 'aroma'. Trading Standards guidance adds that names follow the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI), so the same ingredient carries the same name on every brand.

A hand holding a small cream jar with its lid open, the base of the jar tilted towards the light beside other makeup — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK

Frequently asked

What does the open-jar symbol with 12M mean?

It is the period after opening. Under UK rules, products that keep for more than 30 months show the open-jar symbol with the months or years the product can be used safely once opened.

Why do some products show a date instead?

Products whose minimum durability is 30 months or less must show a best-before date, after the words 'best used before the end of' or an hourglass symbol.

Why are ingredient names in Latin-looking words?

UK rules use common ingredient names from the INCI system, so the same substance has the same name on every product. Fragrance is listed as 'parfum' or 'aroma'.

How long does mascara last?

The US FDA says manufacturers usually recommend discarding mascara two to four months after purchase, because each use exposes it to bacteria and fungi.

Is it fine to share makeup or use shop testers?

The FDA advises against sharing makeup and says testers are even more likely to be contaminated. If you try one, it suggests a new, unused applicator such as a fresh cotton swab.

SOURCES

Where the facts come from

Each figure on this page comes from the sources below. Check them for the full detail and context.

Read the jar,not just the shade.

Two kinds of date,one list of ingredients.