INCI means "International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients." It's a standardized list of all ingredients in a beauty product. Established in 1973, it became mandatory on packaging in 1999. Today, every cosmetic must clearly display its full ingredient breakdown.
The INCI list reveals a product's exact composition, helping you identify allergens, avoid chemicals, and distinguish organic from conventional cosmetics. Ingredients use Latin for plant extracts and English for molecules and common names, following strict rules that can make it tricky for consumers to decipher.
Ingredients appear in descending order of concentration—the first is the most abundant. Exact percentages are omitted for trade secrets. Water often tops the list as the primary component. Typically, the top five or six ingredients make up over 70% of the formula. Below 1%, they're listed in any order the manufacturer chooses. Fragrances are grouped as 'perfume,' and dyes use five-digit codes.
Focus on the top ingredients: if synthetics or pollutants appear early, it's a red flag for quality. Pair the list with organic certifications for confidence. To choose a natural beauty product over irritating or toxic ones, learn key ingredients to watch.
For cleaner beauty, steer clear of these at NUOO. Sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, or ammonium lauryl sulfate irritate skin despite creating lather. Parabens (e.g., butyl paraben, propyl paraben, ethyl paraben) are suspected endocrine disruptors. Avoid BHA (E320) and BHT (E321) preservatives. PEG (polyethylene glycol) and PPG (propylene glycol) may cause allergies. Phthalates like dibutyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate in perfumes, hair products, and nail polishes risk early puberty. Silicones ending in -icone or -siloxane pollute and clog pores—ditching them benefits your skin and the planet.
