Thanks to strict EU regulations, the cosmetic and skin care manufacturers of the various shaving and beard brands must meet all kinds of requirements with regard to shaving soaps, after shave products and skin care products. One of the legal requirements is that the correct information is stated on the packaging of the shaving cream jar or the after shave balm tube. One is obliged to properly inform the consumer or user about the contents of the product. How exactly should you interpret the label on the back of the item? In this blog we explain what this information means.
This concerns shaving products and beard care, such as pre shave oil or cream, shaving soap, shaving cream, after shave, after shave balm, cologne, moisturizer, mustache wax, beard oil, beard balm, shampoo, bath soap, deodorant and toothpaste.
The label of shaving products and beard care
All ingredients of care products must be listed on the label. The ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration if they have a concentration greater than 1%. The components that occur in the highest concentration are at the beginning of the list. Ingredients with a concentration of less than 1% are listed after the ingredients with a concentration of more than 1%.
In the case of shaving soap or shaving cream , water, stearic acid, potassium hydroxide and various (animal or vegetable) oils and fats always come first. For an alcoholic after shave or cologne, alcohol is at the top of the list. In a shaving soap or shaving cream, less than 1% fragrances are usually added - there are exceptions. That is why the various fragrance components are at the end of the list. Common fragrance oils include benzyl benzoate, eugenol, coumarin, limonene and citral. An after shave balm contains a lot of water, glycerine and various nourishing and soothing oils. A beard oil naturally contains various oils, such as sunflower oil, almond oil and argan oil. Oils, fats and beeswax are commonly found in beard balms .
Ingredients must be stated uniformly on the product. The official (English) INCI names (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredients) are used. This means you know exactly what's in it. Super handy. If you are allergic to a certain ingredient, you can see exactly whether it is included or not.
Some common INCI names in, for example, shaving soap and beard oil:
- aqua
- glycerin
- stearic acid
- coconut nucifera oil
- potassium hydroxide
- prunus amygdalus duclis oil
- simmondsia chinensis seed oil
- rosmarinus officinalis
- mentha piperita
- lavender angustifolia
- fragrance: linalool, geraniol, limonene
By law, skin care products must be labeled with:
- product name
- the function of the product (what does it do);
- name and address of the manufacturer/importer;
- contents in milliliters (ml) or grams (g);
- how to use it, any warnings and storage advice;
- country of origin if the product is manufactured outside the EU;
- batch or code number;
- date of minimum shelf life or indicate how long the product can still be used after opening;
- ingredients.
What is the shelf life?
In fact, most shaving and beard products have a very long shelf life. Of course, it cannot be kept indefinitely. If you use a shaving soap or shaving cream with a shaving brush and water, moisture will always remain in the jar. As a result, the shaving product may work slightly less well after frequent use. Or the smell of the beard oil becomes less strong after a number of years of use. An alcohol-based after shave or perfume will of course also last a long time. The smell may diminish slightly after a few years. You can imagine that an unused, creamy, soft shaving cream becomes slightly harder after a number of years. But this shaving cream will still produce an excellent shaving foam after years.
Manufacturers use the 'open jar' symbol to indicate how long the product can be kept after opening. Various lengthy and expensive laboratory tests are used to determine how long the quality of the product will remain optimal. If it says 12M or 30M, it means that the item has a shelf life of 12 months or 30 months after opening. Producers are required to use this symbol to indicate shelf life.
Below are some tips for optimal shelf life:
- Hygiene is of course very important when shaving or caring for your skin and beard;
- remove excess water from the shaving soap or shaving cream;
- foam shaving cream in a separate shaving bowl instead of in the shaving cream jar;
- clean your shaving brush thoroughly after use and hang the shaving brush in a holder;
- wash your hands before applying the after shave balm or beard oil;
- close the jar of cream well;
- store your cologne or perfume in a dark place.
