Have you ever read the ingredients list of your favorite beauty product – whether it’s a PM multivitamin + antioxidant serum or Maracuja mascara – and wondered what the names mean or how much of each ingredient is in it? When it comes to personal care products like makeup, skin care, and hair care, ingredient lists are pretty much a language of their own. The good news is that you can learn this language pretty quickly – we’ll show you how!
The fact that you are reading this is a testament to how beauty lovers have become more informed than ever when choosing the right product for their needs. Skincare and makeup shoppers still care about results, but perhaps even more so about exactly which ingredients they apply on a daily basis.
To understand the list of ingredients in your product, it all starts with understanding the INCI.
What is INCI?
The acronym INCI stands for “International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients”. This is the standard by which cosmetic ingredients are named and categorized in the United States. INCI names appear outside parentheses and can be scientific names, Latin names or English words.
Controlled by the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), INCI is the system of names given to cosmetic ingredients. This system helps provide a sense of clarity, standards and accuracy to the beauty industry – while also helping to inform consumers.
The bottom line: INCI ensures that all ingredients are listed by a specific name when they are listed in a product.
Why INCI matters
INCI is important to cosmetic professionals because it allows dermatologists and scientists to identify a product’s ingredients. Based on a standard description and name, they can successfully document the effects of a component in a way that community members can understand.
Chemists and formulators aren’t the only ones who need INCI. Consumers can also better understand a product after reading the INCI. Instead of relying on what a company tells you in their marketing messages, you can see for yourself if the product is worth it – just by reading the ingredient list. Your understanding of INCI will improve as you learn more about the most repeated ingredients.
That said, it’s important to note that just because something is named by INCI, it doesn’t guarantee an ingredient’s reputation or quality. INCI exists purely to create a standard language, without causing any confusion. It also helps beauty experts (like us) know exactly what they don’t want in their formulas.
INCI words and their meanings
Another thing to be aware of when reading a cosmetic ingredient list: you’re looking at two names for a single ingredient. For example, vitamin A and retinol are, for all intents and purposes, the same thing. However, “vitamin A” is considered the common name for this ingredient, while “retinol” is the INCI name.
Other examples of INCI and common names in an ingredient list include:
|
Common name |
INCI Name |
|
Vitamin E |
Tocopherol |
|
Cocoa bean |
Theobroma Cacao |
|
Vitamin C |
Ascorbic acid |
|
Green tea extract |
Camellia Sinensis leaf extract |
|
Sweet Almond Oil |
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis |
|
Grape seed |
Vitis Vinifera |
Active vs. inactive ingredients
Some personal care products, such as acne products and sunscreens, are considered over-the-counter medications. Therefore, the ingredients listed in these products will be categorized as either “active” or “inactive” ingredients.
This may sound confusing, at first: shouldn’t all ingredients be active in a product? Technically, yes, but in reality, some ingredients play a bigger role than others.
Titanium dioxide, for example, is always listed as an active ingredient in sunscreens like Yerba Mate Mist SPF 30 because it plays an important role in protecting your skin from the sun, which is the product’s central purpose. Likewise, an acne treatment may include salicylic acid as an active ingredient because its primary function is to eliminate acne.
Inactive ingredients, meanwhile, are ingredients that perform supportive functions, such as hydrating the skin or reducing the appearance of pores.
Understanding the Component Hierarchy
In the United States, the ingredient list is regulated by the FDA. Therefore, a certain order hierarchy follows: all ingredients that make up more than 1% of the product are listed first and in order from highest to lowest. This means that the most abundant ingredient in the product should always be listed first.
Meanwhile, any ingredients below 1% can be listed in any order, with any colorants or pigments listed at the end.
Buyer beware: any additional fragrance – even if there is more than one – can be listed under the unique title ‘fragrance’. For those with skin sensitivities or allergies, this is important to note!
The hierarchy in a component list is broken down as follows:
First third of ingredients: ~80% of the total formula
Second third of ingredients: ~15-19% of total formula
Final third of ingredients: ~1-5% of total formula
With this hierarchy in mind, you can begin to recognize the quality of certain products based solely on what is listed and in what order. For example, if a product claims to contain beneficial ingredients like tea tree and willow, you’ll want to check the ingredients list and make sure those herbal goodies are listed at the top.
Similarly, if a product advertises a special ingredient and it is listed last, you know it is too diluted. Especially one of the first ingredients is actually water, or a cheaper filler oil.
Water is often the second or third ingredient in products, indicating that it is one of the most abundant ingredients in the product. Generally, these products are of low quality and the benefits will not be as concentrated.
Use the ingredient list to verify buzzwords and claims
Cosmetic companies often try to get you to buy a product by using shiny generalities like “natural,” “hypoallergenic,” or “fragrance-free.” If you take a closer look at the ingredients list, the contents may suggest otherwise.
For beauty products, all that is regulated by the FDA are the ingredients and how they are listed. It can be easy for a company to make bold claims, even though those claims may not even be true. Drug/medicine claims are subject to much stricter regulations, but for beauty products, we’d recommend looking at the back of the bottle before believing any bold claims.
While the list of ingredients on the back of your skincare products may seem intimidating at first glance, understanding their meaning is simply a matter of research. That is, understanding certain ingredients and why they appear more often than others, and how to measure the amount used – and what it might mean for your skin or hair.
Instead of taking into account the claims of beauty companies – read the ingredient list and decide for yourself!
Frequently asked questions about ingredient lists
What does it mean if an ingredient is listed near the beginning of the ingredient list?
Product ingredients, particularly in the cosmetic and food industries, are listed in descending order of prevalence by weight. This means that the ingredients used in the largest quantities are listed first. So if an ingredient is listed near the beginning, it means it is one of the main ingredients in the product. This practice helps consumers understand the concentration of specific ingredients in a product, which may be important for efficacy, allergies or personal preferences.
How can I tell if a product is truly “fragrance free” or “hypoallergenic” from the ingredient list?
To determine if a product is truly “scent-free,” look for terms like “perfume,” “perfume,” or specific chemical names related to fragrances in the ingredients list. A genuine unscented product should not contain any of these. However, the absence of the word “fragrance” does not always guarantee that the product is free of fragrance-producing ingredients. Some natural oils and extracts also impart fragrance.
“Hypoallergenic” means that the product is less likely to cause allergic reactions, but is not a guarantee. There is no standard regulation for hypoallergenic products, so check the ingredient list carefully for known allergens or irritants. Products labeled hypoallergenic often avoid common allergens such as fragrances, parabens and some preservatives, but individual sensitivities vary widely.
Are ingredients with Latin or scientific names necessarily better or safer than those with common English names?
No, ingredients with Latin or scientific names are not necessarily better or safer than those with common English names. The use of Latin or scientific names, particularly in skin care and cosmetic products, follows the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) standards. This practice ensures consistency and accuracy in identifying ingredients across countries and languages. These names often refer to plants (using the botanical Latin name), chemicals and other compounds by their scientifically recognized terms. The safety and effectiveness of an ingredient depends on its nature and concentration in the product, not on the language used to describe it.
If a product claims to contain a beneficial ingredient like vitamin C or green tea, how can I verify how much of that ingredient is actually there?
Verifying the exact amount of a beneficial ingredient such as vitamin C or green tea in a product can be challenging for consumers, as manufacturers are not required to disclose the concentration of each ingredient on the label. However, the ingredient list can provide some clues:
- The closer an ingredient is to the beginning of the list, the higher its concentration in the formula.
- Some products may mark the percentage of a key ingredient on the package, especially if it is a point of sale (eg “contains 10% vitamin C”).
- For detailed information, you may need to contact the manufacturer directly or consult third-party testing, if available.
Why are some ingredients listed by their common names while others use the INCI names?
Ingredients are listed using INCI (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) names to provide a standardized, globally recognized system. This system uses scientific names for chemicals, botanical names for plants and other special terminology to accurately describe what is in the product. However, common names are sometimes used alongside or in place of INCI names for clarity or marketing purposes, especially when it comes to well-known ingredients that may be more easily recognized by consumers (eg “water” instead of “aqueous”). Using common names can make ingredient lists more accessible to the general public, although it can sometimes lead to confusion about the exact nature of the ingredients.
