Glossary
The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, a standardized system for listing cosmetic ingredients on product labels. INCI names ensure that ingredient lists are consistent worldwide, regardless of brand or language, allowing consumers to identify exactly what is in their products.
INCI names follow specific conventions. Botanical ingredients use Latin names (Butyrospermum parkii for shea butter, Cocos nucifera for coconut oil), synthetic chemicals use standardized chemical names (methylparaben, phenoxyethanol), and some common ingredients have assigned INCI names (aqua for water, parfum for fragrance blends).
Ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration until they reach 1 percent of the formula, after which they can appear in any order. This means the first few ingredients make up the bulk of the product. If water (aqua) is first and a botanical extract is last, the product is mostly water with a trace of the natural ingredient.
Understanding INCI names helps consumers see through marketing claims. A product advertised as a shea butter moisturizer might list aqua first, followed by several synthetic emulsifiers and preservatives, with Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) appearing sixth or seventh, at perhaps 3 to 5 percent of the formula.
Compare that to a product that lists Cera alba (beeswax), Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), Theobroma cacao (cocoa butter), and Cocos nucifera (coconut oil). With four recognizable ingredients and no water, you know exactly what you are getting and that 100 percent of the product is actively moisturizing.
INCI standards require botanical ingredients to be listed by their Latin binomial name, followed by the common name in parentheses. This ensures consistency across languages and prevents confusion when the same plant has different common names in different countries.
Parfum (or fragrance) is a catch-all INCI term that can represent a blend of dozens of individual synthetic fragrance chemicals. Companies are not required to disclose the specific chemicals within their fragrance blends, which is why fragrance is a common source of allergic reactions.
Check the first ingredient. If it is aqua (water), the product is primarily water-based. The first three to five ingredients typically make up 70 to 80 percent of the formula. Natural, water-free products will list oils, butters, and waxes as their first ingredients.
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