What INCI is
INCI = International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. It's a standardized list that cosmetic manufacturers must use on labels (required in EU, UK, most of Asia; loose in US).
Every ingredient has a single INCI name worldwide. So "glycerin" is always "Glycerin," whether it's in a French cream or a Korean essence.
Reading order
Ingredients are listed by weight, highest to lowest, until 1%. Below 1%, order can be arbitrary (and is where "fairy dust" usually lives).
Rule of thumb: the first 5 ingredients make up 70–90% of the formula.
Common INCI categories
Water and solvents
- Aqua / Water: usually #1
- Glycerin: humectant (pulls moisture in)
- Propylene Glycol: carrier, humectant
Cleansing surfactants
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): harsh
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): milder
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine: very mild
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate: gentle
Conditioning agents
- Fatty alcohol, conditioning. NOT drying.">Cetearyl Alcohol: fatty, conditioning (NOT drying alcohol)
- Behentrimonium Methosulfate: slip, detangle
- Stearyl Alcohol: thickener, conditioner
Emollients (softeners)
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)
- Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter
- Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil: argan oil
Silicones
- Dimethicone: non-soluble (can build up)
- Dimethicone Copolyol: water-soluble
- Cyclomethicone: volatile, evaporates
Proteins
- Hydrolyzed Keratin: protein repair
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein: lighter protein
- Silk Amino Acids: very small molecule
Humectants
- Glycerin: grabs moisture
- Propylene Glycol: similar role
- Panthenol (Provitamin B5): hydrating, soothing
Preservatives
- Phenoxyethanol: common, safe
- Benzyl Alcohol: preservative (NOT drying alcohol)
- Sodium Benzoate: gentle preservative
- DMDM Hydantoin: formaldehyde-releaser (avoid)
Fragrance and color
- Parfum / Fragrance: can be irritant (composite)
- Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol: fragrance components that can be allergenic
- CI 19140: color code (yellow)
Alcohols — good vs bad
Not all alcohols dry. Key distinction:
Fatty alcohols (good):
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Stearyl Alcohol
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Behenyl Alcohol
These are waxy, conditioning. Completely fine.
Drying alcohols (limit):
- Alcohol Denat.
- SD Alcohol 40
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Ethanol
Only problematic high in INCI. Small amounts (e.g., solvents in a hairspray) are fine.
The banned list (EU)
Ingredients banned or restricted in EU cosmetics:
- Lilial / Butylphenyl Methylpropional — banned 2022
- Lyral / Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde — banned
- MI / Methylisothiazolinone in leave-on — banned; limited in rinse-off
- Glyoxal in hair smoothing — banned
- Formaldehyde free — banned; releasers above threshold banned
US cosmetics may still contain these — check labels.
Free INCI databases
- INCIDecoder — ratings and explanations
- SkinSAFE — allergy and irritant focus
- EWG Skin Deep — holistic safety ratings (note: sometimes over-conservative)
Pro tip
Don't obsess over long lists. A well-formulated product with 30 ingredients may be much better than one with 10 mediocre ones. Complexity isn't inherently bad; just make sure the critical first 5 make sense for your hair.
Where Mutaly reads for you
Every product in the Mutaly database has been INCI-vetted with the rules in this article applied.