Mandatory symbols, such as the Period After Opening (PAO) jar or the “e” mark, provide essential regulatory information about product safety, shelf life, and net content. On the other hand, claim-related symbols, like cruelty-free logos or recycling symbols, highlight a product’s compliance with specific ethical or environmental standards.
Understanding these icons ensures consumers make informed decisions while navigating the world of beauty products.
In this article, we’ll explore the most common symbols found on cosmetic product labels and their meanings.
Symbol |
Name |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
The Period After Opening (PAO) symbol | This icon indicates how many months the product will be good after it’s opened. This is typically on products with a shelf life of 30 months or more. |
|
Best before date | For products with a lifespan of fewer than 30 months, an hourglass icon and a “best before end of,” or BBE date is displayed. |
|
“℮” mark | Indicates that the quantity of the product in a batch of packages is the same as what’s stated on the label. |
|
Refer to insert | When there’s required information such as ingredients and instructions to provide and there may not be enough room to do so. Therefore, this symbol lets consumers know there’s a leaflet, card, or other inserts to refer to inside the packaging. |
|
“Green Dot”
Responsibility for packaging |
The Green Dot trademark indicates the manufacturer financially contributes to a recycling organization to manage its packaging waste in an ecologically responsible manner. It is not a recycling symbol.
Requires permission and /or certification. |
|
Resin Identification Codes | “ASTM International Resin Identification Coding System”, often abbreviated as “RIC”, is a set of symbols that appear on plastic products and identify the plastic material the product is made of.
The related coding symbols should not be confused with the Möbius loop. |
|
“FSC”
Responsible forest management |
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) trademark indicates the paper the company uses come from responsible sources. The use of the logo requires authorization and a license code from the FSC.
Requires permission and/or certification. |
|
Tidy-man | It encourages consumers to throw away the packaging in the waste bin after use. Although the symbol is not related to the packaging being recyclable is only intended to raise awareness among consumers and guide them to dispose of the product in the most appropriate way. |
|
Mobius Loop | A general (and widespread) symbol that indicates that the packaging (or sometimes product itself) is recyclable. |
|
Mobius Loop with % | Indicates that the packaging is recyclable, but also the percentage that has been made from recycled material. |
|
Triman + sorting instructions | Indicates to consumers how to separate their waste. Regardless of whether they are recyclable, all packaging components that can be easily separated by hand during consumption must be marked.
Mandatory for all products placed on the market in France. |
 |
CONAI Environmental Label | According to the environmental labeling approach, it means facilitating the collection, reuse, recovery and recycling of packaging, and informing consumers about the final destination of the packaging.
Mandatory for all products placed on the market in Italy. |
|
Plastic in Product | Indicates that the product contains plastic within the scope of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU), which entered into force in June 2019.
For all relevant products placed on the EU market. (Cosmetics: Wet wipes, Sheet masks etc.) |
|
“Vegan”
V-Label |
Internationally recognised symbol indicating the products are vegan and/or vegetarian.
Requires permission and /or certification. |
|
“Vegan”
V-Mark |
Indicates that the certified products do not contain animal or animal by-products as well as products that have not been tested on animals.
Requires permission and /or certification. |
|
“Cruelty Free”
Leaping Bunny |
Internationally recognized symbol that guarantees consumers that no new animal tests were used in the development of the product displaying it.
Requires permission and /or certification. |
|
Compostable / Seedling | Proves that a product is certified industrially compostable according to the European standard EN 13432.
Requires permission and /or certification. |
To learn about the regulatory framework required to use these symbols and ensure your cosmetic product labels are compliant, check out our Cosmetic Label Review service!
