Short, plain-English definitions with an official source for each.
On a U.S. sunscreen label, “Broad Spectrum” means the product passed the FDA's critical-wavelength test, showing UVA protection in proportion to its UVB protection. Korea shows UVA protection with the PA rating instead.
Official source: fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscr... ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /sunscreen-filters/ · Related: SPF (sun protection factor), PA (PA+ to PA++++), FDA sunscreen monograph (M020)
A CAS number is a unique identifier that the Chemical Abstracts Service gives to a chemical substance — for example 7732-18-5 for water. It helps match the same ingredient across different names.
Official source: cas.org/cas-data/cas-registry ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /ingredients/ · Related: INCI
Some entries on the EU and Korean prohibited lists ban a substance only in certain cases — for example when used as a hair-dye substance, in nano form, above an impurity level, or unless purity conditions are met. KBeauty Verified™ shows these as “Prohibited only in certain forms or uses” with the condition, not as a general ban.
Official source: ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/ ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /rules-compared/ · Related: Restricted vs prohibited, EU cosmetics annexes
CosIng is the European Commission's database of cosmetic ingredients. It lists INCI names and functions, and the annexes of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009: Annex II prohibited substances, Annex III restricted substances, and Annexes IV, V and VI for allowed colorants, preservatives and UV filters.
Official source: ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/ ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /ingredients/ · Related: INCI, EU cosmetics annexes, Restricted vs prohibited
The EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 has annexes that list ingredients: Annex II prohibited substances, Annex III restricted substances, Annex IV allowed colorants, Annex V allowed preservatives and Annex VI allowed UV filters.
Official source: eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1223/oj ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /ingredients/ · Related: CosIng, Restricted vs prohibited
Safety Gate (formerly RAPEX) is the EU's rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products, including cosmetics. National authorities post an alert when they act against a product, for example by withdrawing it from sale.
Official source: ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts/ ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /recalls/ · Related: FDA import refusal
An FDA import refusal means a shipment was refused entry at the U.S. border — for example for labeling problems or because a product looked like an unapproved drug. It is not a recall of products already on sale.
Official source: accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ImportRefusals/ ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /recalls/ · Related: EU Safety Gate
M020 is the FDA's over-the-counter (OTC) monograph for sunscreen drug products. In the U.S., sunscreens are OTC drugs, and a sunscreen can be sold without its own drug approval only if its active ingredients are on this list, within the listed concentrations and labeling rules.
Official source: accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/omuf/index.cfm?event=Orde... ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /sunscreen-filters/ · Related: UV filter, SPF (sun protection factor), Broad Spectrum (U.S.)
The EU requires certain fragrance substances to be named in the ingredient list when they are present above 0.001% in leave-on or 0.01% in rinse-off products, so people with fragrance allergies can avoid them. Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 expanded the list from 26 to over 80 entries, including essential oils such as lavender, rose and citrus peel oils; it applies to new products from 31 July 2026 and to all products from 31 July 2028.
Official source: eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1545/oj ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /collections/fragrance-free · Related: EU cosmetics annexes, INCI
In Korea, a functional cosmetic (기능성화장품) is a cosmetic that claims a specific effect set by law — such as skin brightening, wrinkle improvement or UV protection, and since 2017 also hair-loss relief, acne-prone skin care and a few others. It must be reviewed by or reported to Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) before it is sold.
Official source: mfds.go.kr/eng/index.do ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /methodology · Related: MFDS (Korea), SPF (sun protection factor), PA (PA+ to PA++++)
INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) is the standard name of a cosmetic ingredient — for example Niacinamide or Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (avobenzone). Ingredient lists in the EU, the U.S., Korea and many other countries use these names, which is how we match a label to official rules.
Official source: ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/ ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /ingredients/ · Related: CosIng, CAS number
MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, 식품의약품안전처) is Korea's regulator for cosmetics, food and drugs. It sets which ingredients are prohibited or restricted in Korean cosmetics, reviews functional cosmetics such as sunscreens, and orders recalls.
Official source: mfds.go.kr/eng/index.do ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /methodology · Related: Functional cosmetic (Korea), Restricted vs prohibited
PA (Protection Grade of UVA) rates protection against UVA rays from PA+ to PA++++, based on a UVA protection factor (PFA) test: PA+ is PFA 2 to under 4, PA++ 4 to under 8, PA+++ 8 to under 16, and PA++++ 16 or more. Korea uses it on sunscreen labels; the U.S. uses “Broad Spectrum” instead.
Official source: mfds.go.kr/eng/index.do ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /sunscreen-filters/ · Related: SPF (sun protection factor), Broad Spectrum (U.S.), UV filter
PAO is the number of months a cosmetic can be used after it is first opened, shown as an open-jar symbol with a number such as “12M”. Under the EU Cosmetics Regulation it is required when a product keeps for more than 30 months.
Official source: eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1223/oj ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /products/ · Related: INCI
Prohibited means the ingredient may not be used in cosmetics under that jurisdiction's rules (for example EU Annex II or Korea's MFDS prohibited list). Restricted means it is allowed only within limits — a maximum concentration, certain product types or required label warnings (for example EU Annex III or Korea's MFDS restricted list). A restriction is not a ban.
Official source: eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1223/oj ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /methodology · Related: EU cosmetics annexes, CosIng, MFDS (Korea)
SPF measures how well a sunscreen protects against UVB, the rays that mainly cause sunburn, in a lab test using a set amount of product. It says little about UVA protection, which Korea shows with the PA rating and the U.S. with “Broad Spectrum”. Korea and the EU label the highest values as SPF 50+.
Official source: fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscr... ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /sunscreen-filters/ · Related: PA (PA+ to PA++++), Broad Spectrum (U.S.), FDA sunscreen monograph (M020)
A UV filter is the ingredient in a sunscreen that absorbs or reflects ultraviolet light — for example zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or Tinosorb S. Each jurisdiction keeps its own list of allowed filters with maximum amounts: Korea's MFDS list, EU Annex VI and the FDA's monograph M020.
Official source: ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/reference/anne... ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /sunscreen-filters/ · Related: FDA sunscreen monograph (M020), SPF (sun protection factor), PA (PA+ to PA++++)
“Reef safe” is not a regulated term. Hawaii bans the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate (since January 2021); Maui County and Hawaiʻi County allow only mineral sunscreens, and the U.S. Virgin Islands bans oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene. Sunscreen product pages here show how each rule applies.
Official source: capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2018/bills/SB2571_CD1_.htm ↗ · On KBeauty Verified™: /sunscreen-filters/ · Related: UV filter