Sorette
1 min read

Sorette’s No-Go List™

The Ingredient Standard Behind the Sorette Seal of Approval

Sorette’s No-Go List™

The No-Go List™ — What It Is, How It Works, and What It Means for Your Product

Back to blog

What Is the No-Go List™?

The No-Go List™ is Sorette's proprietary list of prohibited and restricted ingredients. It is the foundation of our personal care and diapers & wipes product reviews, and the standard every product in these categories is screened against before earning the Sorette Seal of Approval.

When you submit a product for review, your formulation is evaluated against this list. A product containing any prohibited ingredient is ineligible for the Seal. Products containing restricted ingredients are evaluated against acceptable use thresholds. No exceptions.

The list is not static. It is maintained and updated as new research emerges and regulatory bodies update their guidance. If your product earns the Seal, you are committing to ongoing compliance — not just compliance at the point of submission.

WHAT TO KNOW

The No-Go List™ is built from two categories of sources — Hazard Lists, which identify ingredients with known or suspected health concerns, and Restricted Substances Lists, which reflect regulatory and industry standards for consumer products. Together, they form Sorette's internal ingredient standard for personal care and diapers & wipes. Infant formula is reviewed under a separate framework — Sorette's Infant Formula Transparency Review.

How We Built It

The No-Go List™ was developed in collaboration with Sorette's Scientific Advisory Board and the team at Habitable, drawing from a comprehensive set of global regulatory and scientific reference sources. Rather than relying on a single authority, we cross-reference multiple hazard and restriction frameworks, with particular consideration for ingredients that raise concerns around reproductive health, hormonal disruption, developmental toxicity, and infant and pediatric endpoints.

Our approach is precautionary by design. Where credible evidence of concern exists, even where regulatory consensus has not yet fully caught up, we err on the side of caution. This is especially true for ingredients appearing in products used during fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenting stages.

We also apply elevated scrutiny to fragrance and essential oil ingredients. Full disclosure of all components labeled as fragrance, parfum, or natural flavors (both above and below 100 ppm) is required. This allows us to screen for No-Go List™ ingredients even in trace amounts.

How It Applies to Your Product

The No-Go List™ applies to personal care and diapers & wipes submissions. Infant formula is reviewed under a separate framework — Sorette's Infant Formula Transparency Review. If you are submitting an infant formula product, you can learn more about that process here.

When you submit a personal care or diapers & wipes product for the Sorette Seal of Approval, your full formulation is screened against the No-Go List™. This means every ingredient — including fragrance components, processing aids, and incidental additives — is reviewed.

Products are evaluated in one of three ways. A product containing a prohibited ingredient is ineligible for the Seal. A product containing a restricted ingredient is assessed against acceptable concentration thresholds. A product containing neither is eligible to move forward in the review process.

Sorette may request additional documentation during review if clarification is needed on any ingredient. Incomplete or inconsistent disclosures will delay or disqualify a submission.

The Sources Behind the Standard

The No-Go List™ draws from two categories of reference sources.

Hazard Lists identify ingredients with known or suspected health concerns, with a focus on reproductive toxicity, developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, and breast cancer risk. Our hazard references include the EU Substances of Very High Concern List; EU GHS Annex 6 Table 3-1 classifications H360, H361, and H362 covering damage to fertility, the unborn child, and breast-fed children; California Proposition 65; U.S. EPA Priority Action Plans covering reproductive and developmental effects; U.S. NIH Reproductive & Developmental Monographs across clear, limited, and some evidence categories for both developmental and reproductive toxicity; ECHA Endocrine Disruptors; Danish EPA Endocrine Disruptor Lists; TEDX Potential Endocrine Disruptors; EU Priority Endocrine Disruptors; and the Silent Spring Institute Breast Cancer Chemicals list.

Restricted Substances Lists reflect regulatory and industry standards for what belongs in consumer products. Our restricted substances references include the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Red List of Chemicals of Concern; Oregon Health Authority High Priority Chemicals of Concern for Children's Health; Vermont Chemicals of High Concern to Children; Washington Department of Ecology Chemicals of High Concern to Children; Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist; U.S. FDA Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics; Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Final Priority List 2024; EU Cosmetics Regulation; Washington Department of Ecology Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act; California Safe Cosmetics Program Reportable Ingredient List; California Toxic-Free Cosmetic Act; and the Minnesota Department of Health Chemicals of High Concern and Priority Chemicals list.

What Happens When the List Is Updated

The No-Go List™ is a living document. As science evolves and regulatory bodies update their guidance, Sorette reviews and updates the list to reflect the latest evidence. Brands holding the Sorette Seal of Approval are required to submit annual attestations confirming that their formulations remain compliant. Any material change to a formulation, including ingredient substitutions, supplier changes, or concentration adjustments, must be disclosed to Sorette promptly and requires resubmission for review against the current list. Sorette may suspend or revoke the Seal if a product is found to be out of compliance. Earning the Seal is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing commitment to the standard.

Ready to Submit Your Product?

If you're ready to submit your product for review, or want to learn more about how the No-Go List™ applies to your formulation, you can get started by filling out our contact form Our team will guide you through the submission process and let you know what documentation is needed.

The Sorette Seal signals to a growing, discerning audience that your brand takes ingredient transparency seriously. That signal starts with the No-Go List™.

Divider Icon

Recommended Reading

Lanning's Third Pregnancy Favorites: What Our Founder Is Actually Using

The Sorette Approved Products Getting Our Founder Through Her Third Pregnancy 

Read More
March 30, 2026 Sorette
Coterie Is Sorette Approved in Diapers and Wipes

How Coterie Earned the Sorette Seal of Approval in Our Newest Categories

Read More
March 30, 2026 Baby Care
What Does "Sorette Approved" Mean for Diapers and Wipes?

Sorette Approved diapers and wipes means a brand has completed Sorette's Diaper and Wipes Transparency Review and met our internal...

Read More
March 30, 2026 Baby Care Sorette

Join us on our Mission

Honest guidance, expert insights, and curated picks — made to support your journey without overwhelm.