+/- in MAC's ingredient list

[MsChained]

I was reading through the ingredient list of some of my MAC products, and saw the +/- that they've put in front of some of their ingredients.
What does this mean? And why do they do it?

 

[VickyT]

In the context of this review (taken from the Cosmetic Ingredients forum):

Octinoxate (3.5%), water, cyclopentasiloxane, butylene glycol, steareth-21, glyceryl stearate, dimethicone, isostearic acid, tromethamine, tocopheryl acetate, lecithin, cholesterol, ascorbyl palmitate, sodium hyaluronate, caffeine, aloe barbadensis leaf water, hydrogenated lecithin, sucrose, sorbitol, silica, trehalose, magnesium aluminum silicate, carbomer, steareth-2, cellulose gum, PVP, palmitoyl oligopeptide, glyceryl polymethacrylate, methyldihydroiasmonate, xantham gum, caprylyl glycol, stearic acid, sodium citrate, PEG-8, glycerin, disodium EDTA, hexylene glycol, BHT, phenoxyethanol, chlorphensin, chloroxylenol (+/- mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxides)

it means 'may or may not contain'. These are the pigment ingredients, and to get the right colour shades a blend of all or only some of these may be needed.

The reason why is so that they can generate one ingredient list per type of product, but not for each individual shade. I also wouldn't be surprised if it also protects the secrecy of the formula- while they have to list the ingredients used, they can avoid explaining just how much/the proportions of each.

 

[MsChained]

Okay, thank you so much! I feel like I am a bit less paranoid now XD