• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Cruelty-Free Brand List
  • Cruelty-Free Shopping Guides
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Contact
Logical Harmony

Logical Harmony

Making cruelty-free beauty easy!

  • Cruelty-Free Brand List
    • Cruelty-Free Brand List
    • Brands That Are Not Cruelty-Free
    • Grey Area Brands
    • Pending Brands
    • Cruelty-Free Status Updates
  • Cruelty-Free Shopping Guides
    • All Cruelty-Free Shopping Guides
    • All Vegan Product Lists
    • Cruelty-Free Brands at Ulta
    • Cruelty-Free Brands at Sephora
    • Cruelty-Free Brands at Nordstrom
    • 50+ Cruelty-Free Black-Owned Brands
    • Cruelty-Free Brands at Cult Beauty
    • Cruelty-Free Brands at Beauty Bay
    • Cruelty-Free Shopping at the Drugstore
    • The Ultimate Guide to Cruelty-Free Cleaning Products
  • Browse by Product
    • Cruelty-Free Foundation
    • Mascara
    • False Lashes
    • Hair Removal
    • Self Tanning
    • General Makeup
    • General Skincare
    • Hair Products
  • Shop Cruelty-Free
    • Cruelty-Free Coupons & Discount Codes
    • Shop @LOGICALHARMONY on Instagram
    • Cruelty-Free Shopping at Ulta
    • Cruelty-Free Shopping at Sephora
    • Cruelty-Free Shopping at Cult Beauty
    • Cruelty-Free Shopping at the Drugstore

The Truth Behind May Contain Ingredient Lists

Posted on Saturday - July 14, 2018 by Tashina Combs & Last updated on Thursday - July 19, 2018 4 Comments

The Truth Behind May Contain Ingredient Lists

When it comes to may contain ingredient lists, there’s a lot of confusion out there. One of the most common questions that I get is asking what the may contain ingredient lists on products mean. I get at least a handful of emails each week from confused readers who don’t understand why a product that claims to be vegan has “may contain carmine” or “may contain beeswax” listed on the packaging. Does this mean the product isn’t vegan? Does it contain carmine, beeswax, or other ingredients?

This is something I have talked to many brands about. In this post, I share the three common reasons why brands put May Contain Ingredient Lists on their packaging.

This is the most recent update of a post originally published on August 19, 2015.

What do may contain ingredient lists mean?

Often times after a list of ingredients, you will see “may contain” followed by another list of various ingredients. This is very common on the packaging for cosmetics. Especially for products that contain a variety of shades. There are a few different things that may contain ingredient lists mean, and those will be explained in this post.

The Truth Behind May Contain Ingredient Lists

Sometimes instead of using the phrase “may contain”, a brand may use a “+/-” sign instead. This means the same as may contain.

The Truth Behind May Contain Ingredient Lists


1. The brand wants to use one ingredient list for all shades of a product, even if not all of the shades contain these ingredients.

This is the most common reasons for the “may contain” ingredient list to appear on products. Instead of printing new labels or new packaging for each individual shade, it is easier for many brands to list the ingredients that all the shades include and then under “may contain” list individual ingredients that only some shades include.

Examples of brands who do this are Makeup Geek, ColourPop, Charlotte Tilbury, and Anastasia Beverly Hills.


2. The product is made on (or could have been made on) shared equipment with other products that do contain these ingredients.

In these cases, brands are often being extra careful to avoid allergies that may occur. This is common with color additives and carmine.

Many brands share processing equipment with other products and sometimes other brands. Think of it as being the same as when you read “made on shared equipment with nuts or dairy” on food packaging. It doesn’t mean that those ingredients are used in the formulation but because the shared equipment is used, it’s possible that trace amounts of these ingredients may end up in the products.

Because of this, some brands may include these ingredients on the may contain lists. They also may be hesitant to name these products as vegan. For example, some brands often tell consumers products are not vegan because they are made on shared equipment as non-vegan products that do contain animal ingredients.

Examples of brands who do this are Charlotte Tilbury, Pixi Beauty, Paula’s Choice, Smashbox, and BECCA.


3. The brand is changing the formula of the product and wants to be prepared for mixed batches of the old and new formulas to be on the market.

This is pretty rare because a lot of brands don’t often reformulate their products on a regular basis. They are in the middle of reformulating a product and are sending out both batches into stores. Not all brands package product until it is being shipped out, so these labels are an easier way for them to make sure all potential ingredients that could be used in the products are listed.

Examples of brands who do this are Pixi Beauty, Paula’s Choice, and NYX.


In all of these cases, it’s always best to check with the brand about their practices. Many brands who use May Contain ingredient lists are very transparent if you ask about their policies regarding use when they are asked.

Hopefully, this will help to clear up some of the worries about May Contain Ingredient lists on products that are marketed as being vegan! If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I will do my best to answer it!

Last updated on Thursday - July 19, 2018 Filed Under: Beauty & Cosmetics, Hair Care, Nail Care, Skincare

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jessie says

    Thursday - July 19, 2018 at 9:57 pm

    Hello. I bought a liquid lipstick from physicians formula and it is a nude shade. On the ingredients list it said that it may contain carmine. When I emailed them, they told me that it is caused by cross contamination. Therefore should I consider this product carmine free or not? Thank you .

    Reply
    • Tashina Combs says

      Saturday - July 21, 2018 at 10:26 pm

      It sounds like it’s because it’s made on shared equipment and does not contain carmine. I would consider it carmine-free. That said, it’s completely up to you and how you feel about shared equipment.

      Reply
  2. Madison says

    Wednesday - March 14, 2018 at 10:10 am

    Do you consider products that say “may contain” still vegan? I would say yes because same with food a lot of certified vegan items even say “manufactured on shared equipment with milk,eggs, etc. would you personally use these may contain products?

    Reply
    • Tashina Combs says

      Friday - March 16, 2018 at 10:27 am

      It depends on why it says may contain. If it says that because it’s made on shared equipment, then I do consider them vegan. Or if a brand confirms that they are just using the same ingredient listing and there are vegan options, then I consider those vegan. But if it’s on there because sometimes those ingredients are included then I do not.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Logical Harmony!

Tashina Combs of Logical Harmony

Hi! I’m Tashina! I created Logical Harmony with the goal to make cruelty-free beauty easy. Here you’ll find all sorts of shopping guides, vegan product lists, reviews, tips, and tricks to make it simple for you to pick the best cruelty-free options out there.

E-mail Newsletter

Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Cruelty-Free Resources

Cruelty-Free Brands Available at Target

Current Top Posts

  • NYX Vegan Products List
  • Cruelty-Free Brands at Sephora (Updated for 2021!)
  • Estée Lauder to Acquire DECIEM (who owns The Ordinary)
  • Charlotte Tilbury Vegan Product List
  • Cruelty-Free Brands at Ulta (Updated For 2021!)
  • Too Faced Vegan Product List
  • Cruelty-Free Brands at Target
  • Tarte Vegan Products List (Updated for 2020!)
  • Pixi Beauty Vegan Products List
  • First Aid Beauty Vegan Products List

Footer

More about Logical Harmony

Since 2011, Logical Harmony has been one of the most trusted cruelty-free resources out there. The Cruelty-Free Brand List is one of the most commonly used and is updated often.

Tashina and Logical Harmony have been featured by Buzzfeed, Bustle, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, Elite Daily, VegNews, Popsugar, Byrdie, Refinery 29, Teen Vogue, People, Pairs Match, HuffPost, Beauty Matter, Elle Belgium, Breakfast Television Toronto, Harpers Bazaar Spain, HuffPost Canada, Live Kindly, Vegan Lifestyle Magazine, Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine, and more!

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy & Cookie Policy

Recent Posts

  • Estée Lauder to Acquire DECIEM (who owns The Ordinary)
  • Is AURIC Cruelty-Free?
  • Is Beauty Bakerie Cruelty-Free?
  • Lime Crime Vegan Product List
  • Pacifica Vegan Product List

Search

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright 2011-2020 Logical Harmony.