Meet the Six: What Alcohol-Free, Fragrance-Free, Vegan and Other Skincare Labels Really Mean
"'Fragrance-free' that still smells of something. 'Alcohol-free' with cetyl alcohol in the ingredient list. 'Dermatologically-tested' that sounds like a medical guarantee. Skincare labels promise a lot and define very little. The KKUMIDA Six are our answer: six standards with written definitions, applied by reading the full ingredient list of every product we stock. Here is exactly what each one means at KKUMIDA, what it doesn't mean, and how to shop by them."
The short answer: six standards, one rule
Every product we sell is checked against six standards, and each standard it meets appears on its product page. A product doesn't need all six; you choose the ones that matter to your skin. The one rule behind all of them: we decide from the full INCI list, not from marketing, and when we can't confirm something, we don't apply the label.
1. Alcohol-Free
No drying, volatile alcohols such as alcohol denat. or ethanol. Fatty alcohols like cetyl or cetearyl alcohol are allowed: they soften rather than dry.
2. Fragrance-Free
No added parfum and no essential oils added for scent. A faint natural smell from the ingredients themselves can remain.
3. Pregnancy-Friendly
No retinoids, no leave-on salicylic acid and no hydroquinone. Conservative by design, and never a substitute for your doctor's advice.
4. Clean Ingredients
Free from a defined list we choose to avoid, including parabens, sulfates, phthalates, formaldehyde-releasers, cyclic silicones, PFAS and intentional microplastics.
5. Vegan
No animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, lanolin, carmine, snail mucin or animal collagen. Where an ingredient can be plant or animal, we confirm the origin with the brand.
6. Dermatologically-Tested
That exact formula has been tested on skin under dermatological supervision, usually for tolerance. It is a safety signal, not a guarantee and not a claim about results.
Shop every product by the standards you care about in The KKUMIDA Six, or go straight to Fragrance-Free, Pregnancy-Friendly or Vegan.
"It says alcohol-free, but I can see 'alcohol' on the ingredient list. Which is it?"
What Each KKUMIDA Standard Means, and What It Doesn't
Most confusion about skincare labels comes from what they leave out. This table is the full definition we work to, including the common misunderstandings each label invites.
| Standard | What it means at KKUMIDA | What it doesn't mean | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol-Free | No alcohol denat., ethanol, isopropyl alcohol or other drying alcohols | No ingredient with "alcohol" in its name; fatty alcohols are moisturizing and allowed | Alcohol-Free |
| Fragrance-Free | No added parfum and no essential oils added for scent | Odourless; and EU allergen names such as limonene can still appear when they occur naturally in plant extracts | Fragrance-Free |
| Pregnancy-Friendly | No retinoids (retinol, retinal, retinyl esters), no leave-on salicylic acid, no hydroquinone; low-level salicylic acid in rinse-off cleansers can qualify | Medical clearance; your doctor or midwife has the final word | Pregnancy-Friendly |
| Clean Ingredients | Free from our exclusion list, decided from the INCI, not from marketing claims | That excluded ingredients are unsafe; many are legal and considered safe at permitted levels. It is a precautionary preference | Clean Ingredients |
| Vegan | No animal-derived ingredients; mixed-origin ingredients such as squalane confirmed as plant-based | The same as cruelty-free, which concerns animal testing rather than ingredients | Vegan |
| Dermatologically-Tested | The specific formula was tested on skin under dermatological supervision | Hypoallergenic, suitable for everyone, or proof that it works; patch-testing still applies | Dermatologically-Tested |
In the EU, animal testing for cosmetics and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetic ingredients have been banned since 2013, which is why "vegan" is the more meaningful distinction on our shelves.
How we apply the standards to every product
A standard is only as good as the checking behind it. This is the process every product goes through before a label appears on its page.
Read the INCI
We read the complete ingredient list, not the front of the box, and check each ingredient against all six definitions.
Verify the unclear
Where an ingredient can be animal- or plant-derived, or a test claim is vague, we ask the brand before deciding.
Label conservatively
If we can't confirm it, the label stays off. A missing label means "not confirmed", not necessarily "fails".
Re-check reformulations
Brands change formulas. When a product is updated, we review the new ingredient list before keeping its labels.
"I don't need all six. Which ones actually matter for my skin?"
Which KKUMIDA Standards to Prioritise for Your Skin
| If you are... | Prioritise | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitive or redness-prone | Fragrance-Free + Alcohol-Free | Fragrance and drying alcohols are among the most common triggers for reactive skin |
| Pregnant or breastfeeding | Pregnancy-Friendly | Filters out retinoids and leave-on salicylic acid; confirm with your doctor |
| Prone to allergies | Fragrance-Free + Dermatologically-Tested | Fewer potential allergens, plus a formula tested for tolerance; still patch-test |
| Shopping by values | Vegan + Clean Ingredients | No animal-derived ingredients and a stricter ingredient exclusion list |
Each standard has its own deep dive: alcohol-free, fragrance-free, vegan, clean ingredients, pregnancy-friendly and dermatologically-tested.
Your Questions About the KKUMIDA Six, Answered
The questions we're asked most about labels and ingredient lists.
Why does an alcohol-free product list cetyl or cetearyl alcohol?
Because those are fatty alcohols, waxy ingredients that soften skin and help texture. They behave completely differently from drying alcohols such as alcohol denat. or ethanol, which is why our Alcohol-Free standard allows them.
Does fragrance-free mean the product has no smell?
No. It means no perfume or essential oils were added for scent. Plant extracts and other raw materials can have a faint smell of their own, and EU rules can require naturally occurring allergens such as limonene to be listed even when no fragrance was added.
Is dermatologically-tested the same as hypoallergenic?
No. Dermatologically-tested means the specific formula was tested on skin under dermatological supervision, usually for tolerance. Hypoallergenic is a separate claim that a formula is designed to minimise allergic reactions. Neither guarantees that every person will tolerate a product, so patch-testing is still worth doing.
Is vegan skincare the same as cruelty-free?
No. Vegan refers to ingredients: nothing animal-derived. Cruelty-free refers to animal testing. In the EU, animal testing for cosmetics has been banned since 2013, so the vegan label is the one that tells you something extra about a product's ingredients.
Is the Pregnancy-Friendly label medical advice?
No. It is a conservative ingredient screen that excludes retinoids, leave-on salicylic acid and hydroquinone. Pregnancy affects everyone differently, so please confirm your routine with your doctor or midwife. Our guide to gentle care for you and your baby explains the standard in detail.
Does a product need all six standards to be sold at KKUMIDA?
No. Each standard is a filter you can choose to apply, not a requirement for every product; an effective retinol serum, for example, will never be pregnancy-friendly. What every product does go through is the same ingredient review before it reaches our shelves.
Shop by the standards that matter to you
Every product is labelled against the KKUMIDA Six from its full ingredient list. 100% authentic, sourced through official brand channels and authorized distributors, delivered from our hubs in Switzerland and the EU to your door anywhere in Europe.
Explore The KKUMIDA Six
Leave a comment