The ultimate guide to understanding those tiny logos on your beauty products

Have you ever looked at the beauty products you own and wondered what those tiny little symbols mean? We've got the answer for you! Beauty expert Chantel Guertin  breaks down all the logos so you can get the most out of your beauty products. 

"E" mark

This logo means the product has been packed according to European requirements. This details the weight of the product. This one is often confusing for Canadians since it’s European, but it's becoming more common with so many European beauty brands being popular here. Essentially it confirms that the product met the weight on the package at the time of packaging.

Flame

Any product with this symbol is flammable and should be kept away from both flames and high temperatures. This is often on aerosols, or products with alcohol, like nail polish remover. 

Refer to Insert 

This symbol looks like a hand pointing to a book. Sometimes beauty brands can’t fit all the usage information on a bottle. In this case, they include this symbol, to indicate that further information can be found in an enclosed leaflet. This is often the case if the bottle is difficult to read, the bottle comes in a box with a leaflet, or the bottle is small, like nail polish and it has the small tab at the bottom that you peel to reveal more info. 

Hourglass

The hourglass signifies that a product will only last for 30 months, whether it has been opened or not. The product may have active ingredients, or lose its efficacy after this time frame. 

Green Dot

The arrow symbol means that a company is part of a European-wide recycling program and has abided by packaging waste rules. If this is important to you and the product comes in a box, you want to make sure this symbol is on both the box and the bottle so you know which one to recycle. 

Recycle sign

This symbol means that the package can be recycled. A number in the middle of it represents the percentage of the packaging that has been made using recycled materials. 

Leaping Bunny

There are variations on the bunny symbol but the leaping bunny is the only internationally recognized logo that means no animal testing was used in the process of making the product. 

PAO (6m/12m)

PAO stands for Period After Opening – the M stands for months, so if you see a product that says 6M, it means it’ll last 6 months after you’ve opened the product. 

The following products were featured in this segment: 

Root Retoucher via Schwarzkopf | Burt’s Bees Hydrating Gel Cream, $20.99 via Shoppers Drug Mart | Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules, $106 via Hudson's Bay | Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel, $23.99 via Amazon | Vichy Double Glow Peel Mask, $34 via Vichy | Marcelle Eye Makeup Remover Pads, $10.95 via Marcelle | Live Clean Shampoo + Conditioner, $6.68 via Walmart | KISS Make Up Setting Spray, $8 via KISS USA