What to know

Your Guide To The Symbols On Beauty Products Packaging

Learn the meaning of symbols on beauty products packaging

It’s common to check the backside of beauty products before you buy them, but do you know what the symbols really mean?

Whether you’re buying shampoo or eyeliner, in a tube, box or bottle, all beauty products come with instructions, ingredients and symbols. While the first two are easy to decipher, the important meanings of the symbols can be harder to figure out.

How much can we really understand from a symbol unless the person who drew explains it? That’s why we did the research for you, and here it is:

The PAO Symbol

Short for “period after opening”, the PAO symbol tells you how long you can still use the product after opening it or breaking its seal. The “M” stands for months, and the number preceding it says you how many.

The Mobius Loop

Almost identical to the universal symbol for recycling, this triangular loop of arrows means that the packaging can be recycled. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the product/packaging has been made from recycled materials itself.

The Flame Symbol

This is probably the most straightforward and recognizable symbol there is. The flames mean that what’s inside is highly flammable and should be stored/used away from open fire or intense heat.

The Leaping Bunny Logo

You need to keep an extra eye out for this logo when buying beauty products, because it means that no animal testing was involved in the creation of the product inside. Testing new products on animals can be very harmful, and even lethal to them.

The Green Dot

This logo is also very confusing, because it hints towards recycling, but not the recycling of what. In reality, it says nothing about the product itself, but instead that the company that created the product follow a certain recycling program and follows waste regulations.

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