How to read an ingredients list

The block of latin and chemistry on the back of a box is an INCI list — the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. It follows rules, and the rules make it readable.

It is ordered by quantity

Ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration, so the first few make up most of the formula. Water is first in most water-based products for that reason.

Except below one percent

Once ingredients fall below one percent of the formula, they may be listed in any order. This is the single most useful thing to know, because it means an exciting ingredient near the end of a long list may be present in a very small amount.

Preservatives and fragrance are usually in this tail.

Names are standardised, not marketing

INCI names are consistent across countries, which is why a product sold in Seoul and in Abu Dhabi lists the same ingredient the same way. The front of the box uses marketing language; the back uses INCI. When the two disagree, the back is the accurate one.

Some familiar things have unfamiliar INCI names — vitamin C is often listed as ascorbic acid or one of its derivatives, and vitamin B3 as niacinamide.

Fragrance and allergens

"Parfum" or "Fragrance" covers a mixture that is not itemised. Specific allergens are named separately where regulations require it. If you react to fragranced products, this is the part of the list to check.

What a list cannot tell you

An ingredients list tells you what is in a formula, not how well it is formulated. Concentration, pH, stability and how ingredients interact all affect the result, and none of them is on the box.

It is a useful tool for avoiding things you know you react to. It is a poor tool for predicting whether you will like a product.

A note

This article is general information about skincare practice, not medical advice, and it does not describe what any particular product will do for you. Cosmetics are not medicines. Patch-test anything new, follow the manufacturer's directions, and speak to a doctor or pharmacist if you have a skin condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or use prescription treatments.