Ingredient (INCI) list: How to read it like a PRO

If you're reading this post, chances are high that you care about what's in your skincare product. Great!

At the same time, we know that reading an ingredient list can be overwhelming.

Since we don't want you to give up ( 🙂 ) let's dive deeper into the topic to make you understand an ingredient list like a PRO...

What does INCI mean?

The so-called INCI name is used for each ingredient in the ingredient list. It is a list of the standardized and internationally accepted names that should be used in the declaration of ingredients on cosmetics.

INCI stands for: International Nomenclature of Cosmetics Ingredients.

The INCI name is the chemical name of an ingredient. Examples are: Glycerin or Ascorbic Acid.

Plant-based ingredients are named based on the plant source (Latin name) that they are isolated from, together with the extraction method (oil, powder, extract etc.). The English names of the plants in brackets are voluntary information provided by the manufacturer for better understanding.

Examples are: Camellia Sinensis (green tea) leaf extract or camellia sinensis (green tea) seed oil.

INCI stands for: International Nomenclature of Cosmetics Ingredients. It's the chemical name of an ingredient.

How to read an ingredient list (EU, US)?

The ingredient lists may differ from region to region. The following information applies to the most commonly used ingredient lists in the EU and US. Here's an example of how such an ingredient list looks like:

• Ingredients/INCI: AQUA (WATER) | NIACINAMIDE | PENTYLENE GLYCOL | ZINC PCA | DIMETHYL ISOSORBIDE |TAMARINDUS INDICA SEED GUM |XANTHAN GUM | ISOCETETH-20 | ETHOXYDIGLYCOL | PHENOXYETHANOL | CHLORPHENSIN

The ingredients are listed in decreasing concentration.

In other words: The more of an ingredient in a product, the higher it's listed on the ingredient list.

Just keep in mind that there are 2 exceptions (of course 🙄) :

• 1. Dyes
  Dyes are listed after all the ingredients that are not considered dyes. They may be listed in any order.

• 2. Ingredients present in a concentration of 1% or less
  Ingredients present in a concentration of 1% or less include fragrances, preservatives, or plant extracts.

If you're looking at the ingredient list and find one of these ingredient categories, you have likely reached the ingredients present in a low concentration.

And because the concentration of ingredients matters, there's a rule of thumb:

The first 5 ingredients of an ingredient list make up most of the product. These ingredients are usually responsible for visible skin changes. The remaining ingredients have barely any effect on the skin (but there are exceptions!).

Are there limitations when reading the ingredient list?

Yes, there are limitations to keep in mind when reading and checking the ingredient list:

• ❯ It doesn't tell you the exact concentration of the single ingredients (in most cases)
• ❯ It doesn't tell you anything about the source, quality, or extraction method of the ingredients (especially plant-based ingredients)
• ❯ It doesn't tell you anything about the product formulation (= how the product was 'cooked'), the function of a single ingredient (an ingredient can have multiple alternative functions depending on the product formulation), and how the ingredients work together (a single ingredient can act differently than a mix of ingredients - this also depends on the product formulation)
• ❯ You have to know how to read an ingredient list (ingredients are listed in decreasing concentration, except on ingredients that are present in a concentration of 1% and less)

What information can the ingredient list give me?

Despite the limitations, the ingredient list still can help you answer the following questions:

• ❯ Does the product contain ingredients that my skin (doesn't) like or even tolerate?
• ❯ Are my preferences met: Is the product alcohol-free, fragrance-free, oil-free, ... ? Only, because an ingredient is safe to use, doesn't mean that you want to use it. It's all about personal preferences.
• ❯ What ingredients are present in a product – how can they potentially affect and benefit my skin? Keep in mind that an ingredient's effects on the skin may vary (especially because we don't know anything about the quality or source). Still, if a product doesn't contain any beneficial ingredients for a specific concern (let's say anti-aging), it is unlikely that it can fight this particular concern.

And we think this information is quite helpful!

There're limitations to keep in mind when reading an ingredient list. However, despite the limitations, the ingredient list still can give you helpful information.

Are there tools that can help me read an ingredient list?

Tools such as the Glow Coach Ingredient Checker can help you decode the ingredient list.

Based on the ingredient list of a product, Glow Coach gives you all the information you need at a glance in an easy way.

Additionally, there are PRO tips that help you understand your skincare and ingredients better.

Glow Coach can help you decode your ingredient list.

To sum up...

Reading an ingredient list is not easy.

But the following rules of thumb can help:

• Rule 1
  The ingredients are listed in decreasing concentration.

• Rule 2
  The first 5 ingredients of an ingredient list make up most of the product. These ingredients are usually responsible for visible skin changes.

These rules keep things easier since you only need to focus on the first ingredients on the list.

...and if you need more help, use the Glow Coach Ingredient Checker 🙂