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Reading an ingredient list in sixty seconds

Ingredients are listed by weight, so the first five lines tell you almost everything.

1 min read

The first five are the product

Everything after that is usually under one percent — preservatives, pH adjusters, and the scent.

Water first is normal

Water being first is not a trick; it is how most liquid cleaners and washes work. What matters is what comes next.

Fragrance is one word for many things

If you are avoiding scent, look for products that contain no fragrance at all rather than a fragrance listed low down.

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