The translation index
A translation takes a phrase exactly as it appears on packs and in advertising, and sets out three things: what it is legally permitted to mean, what it does not mean however it reads, and what would have to be true for the strong reading to hold. Nothing on this page can be bought, influenced or removed by a sponsor.
31 phrases translated so far, across 30 articles. Each one links to the article where it is set out in full, with the rule that governs it.
“Developed by our team of scientists”
Translated in: Who actually formulates the skincare you buy
Formulation“20% vitamin C complex”
Translated in: How ingredient percentages are chosen, and why the number on the front rarely means what you think
Formulation“Preservative free”
Translated in: What happens in a stability test, and what it is really protecting
Formulation“Three years in development”
Translated in: How a brief becomes a formula: the development pipeline nobody shows you
Formulation“Free from parabens, sulphates and silicones”
Translated in: Preservation, and why the least glamorous decision in the formula is the most important one
Formulation“Our exclusive formula”
Translated in: What a brand owns and what a contract manufacturer owns
Manufacture“Unlike anything else on the market”
Translated in: Why so many skincare products are nearly identical
Manufacture“Sold out”
Translated in: What a minimum order quantity quietly decides about the product you buy
Manufacture“Made in a GMP certified facility”
Translated in: Inside a cosmetic factory: what good manufacturing practice actually means
Manufacture“Refillable”
Translated in: Packaging decides more than you think, and it is a formulation decision
Manufacture“Clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines”
Translated in: What clinically proven is allowed to mean, and what it is not
Claims“92% of users saw smoother skin”
Translated in: What clinically proven is allowed to mean, and what it is not
Claims“Dermatologist tested”
Translated in: Dermatologist recommended and dermatologist tested are not the same claim
Claims“100% natural”
Translated in: How natural, clean and free from claims work, legally
Claims“Formulated with a proven active”
Translated in: How a claim is substantiated before it is printed
Claims“Results may vary”
Translated in: What the ASA actually does when a skincare claim is challenged
Claims“Safety tested”
Translated in: What a Cosmetic Product Safety Report is, and who signs it
Regulation“Repairs the skin barrier”
Translated in: The line between a cosmetic and a medicine, and why brands crowd it
Regulation“Made in Britain”
Translated in: Who the responsible person is, and why that address on the pack matters
Regulation“Voluntary recall”
Translated in: What happens when a cosmetic is recalled, and who makes it happen
Regulation“Approved by regulators”
Translated in: What the UK Cosmetics Regulation actually requires, start to finish
Regulation“Enriched with”
Translated in: How to read a cosmetic label properly, in order
Label“High in the ingredient list”
Translated in: What INCI ordering does and does not tell you
Label“12M”
Translated in: Period after opening, batch codes and dates: the small print that matters
Label“Genuine product, sourced from an authorised distributor”
Translated in: The grey market, and why a discounted product may not be what it says
Label“Dermatologically approved”
Translated in: Front of pack versus back of pack: two documents, one box
Label“Salon quality at a fraction of the price”
Translated in: The economics of a moisturiser, from formulation to shelf
Money“We may earn a small commission”
Translated in: How affiliate commission shapes what you are shown
Money“Gifted”
Translated in: Sampling, seeding and the PR list: how products reach the people who talk about them
Money“New for spring”
Translated in: How launch calendars and shade ranges are decided
Money“Was £60, now £30”
Translated in: How discounting works, and what a sale price actually signals
MoneyThis article contains no commercial links. No affiliate links, no sponsored placements and no paid mentions appear anywhere on this site. No brand, manufacturer, retailer or agency is named in our editorial, and no company that pays us can appear in it. Published by Northbank Media.
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