Consumers can get important health and value information by checking the ingredient list. Before then, consumers could only guess what was in a cosmetic product or if the product contained what it claimed. That requirement is especially valuable today with the industry competition for new ingredients. FDA grants this status under very limited circumstances and after careful review of the manufacturer's data. The manufacturer must prove that the ingredient imparts some unique property to a product and that the ingredient is not well-known in the industry.
Consumers can also check value by comparing ingredient lists of similar products.
Ingredients are listed in descending order, starting with the greatest amount in the product. A lotion with a featured ingredient close to the beginning of the list, for example, would have more of that ingredient than any other ingredient. A featured ingredient listed close to the end suggests that not much of that ingredient is present. Anyone curious about an ingredient in a cosmetic can find answers in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary, published by the Cosmetic, Toiletries, and Fragrance Association. The dictionary provides a complete list of the most widely known cosmetic ingredients and their definitions and trade names.