How to Actually Read a Skincare Ingredient Label

Ingredient lists are ordered by concentration, highest to lowest. The first five ingredients usually make up the bulk of the formula.

Look for the active ingredient your routine actually needs, and don't be swayed by trendy words with no regulated meaning, like 'clean' or 'natural'.

When in doubt, patch test. And remember: a product doesn't need twenty ingredients to work. Simplicity is often kinder to sensitive skin.