INCI ingredient list reader
Paste the ingredients from a pack or a shop page. Each one is matched to what it does in the formula, with fragrance allergens and common sensitisers pointed out plainly, without scare words.
Our own dictionary of about 480 common ingredients, with more than 700 names and spellings. A flag is information, not a verdict on the product. Not medical advice.
23 ingredients: 23 recognised.
No fragrance allergens or commonly reported sensitisers from our list.
Actives in this product: Niacinamide. Check how they pair with the rest of your routine.
The 1% line (an estimate). Ingredients above 1% must be listed in descending order; those at 1% or less may follow in any order. Phenoxyethanol is capped at 1% in EU products, so everything from it onwards is probably at 1% or less, if the product follows EU rules. (EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009; US 21 CFR 701.3)
Emollient 7Skin conditioning 6Humectant 3Emulsifier 3Thickener 3Soothing 2Solvent 1Active 1Film former 1Antioxidant 1
| # | Ingredient | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aqua (Water)= Aqua | Solvent | Water: the base that dissolves the other ingredients. |
| 2 | Glycerin | Humectant | |
| 3 | Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | Emollient | A light oil usually made from coconut or palm fatty acids. |
| 4 | Cetearyl Alcohol | EmulsifierThickenerEmollient | A fatty alcohol that thickens and softens; not a drying alcohol. |
| 5 | Niacinamide | Skin conditioningActive | |
| 6 | Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter= Butyrospermum Parkii Butter | Emollient | |
| 7 | Dimethicone | EmollientFilm former | A silicone that gives slip and a smooth finish. |
| 8 | Squalane | Emollient | |
| 9 | Glyceryl Stearate | EmulsifierEmollient | |
| 10 | PEG-100 Stearate | Emulsifier | |
| 11 | Panthenol | HumectantSoothing | |
| 12 | Ceramide NP | Skin conditioning | A skin barrier lipid. |
| 13 | Sodium Hyaluronate | Humectant | The salt form of hyaluronic acid. |
| 14 | Cholesterol | EmollientSkin conditioning | A skin barrier lipid. |
| 15 | Phytosphingosine | Skin conditioning | |
| 16 | Allantoin | SoothingSkin conditioning | |
| 17 | Tocopherol | Antioxidant | |
| 18 | Xanthan Gum | Thickener | |
| 19 | Carbomer | Thickener | |
| 20 | Sodium Hydroxide | pH adjuster | Used in small amounts to set the pH. |
| 21 | Disodium EDTA | Chelating agent | |
| Probably 1% or less from here | |||
| 22 | Phenoxyethanol | Preservative | EU limit 1%. A common preservative that Sukakul & Svedman (2025) count among the less allergenic ones. |
| 23 | Ethylhexylglycerin | Skin conditioning | Helps preservatives work. Sukakul & Svedman (2025) group it with preservatives that are not as allergenic as older ones. |
How to read an ingredient list
INCI names. Labels use International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients names, so water appears as Aqua and shea butter as Butyrospermum Parkii Butter. The functions shown here follow the European Commission's CosIng database.
Order. In the EU and the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least; those at 1% or less may follow in any order. Some ingredients have an EU maximum of 1% or less (phenoxyethanol is capped at 1%), so where one appears, the reader draws an estimated 1% line: everything after it is probably at 1% or less.
Example. In the moisturiser example, niacinamide sits fifth, well above the 1% line, while the ceramide and cholesterol come later in the list.
Flags. EU-labelled fragrance allergens are the scent ingredients EU labels must name above 0.001% in leave-on or 0.01% in rinse-off products; the 2026 list adds more, following the SCCS opinion. Known contact allergen marks ingredients reported to cause allergic reactions in some people. Neither means the product is unsafe: they matter if you already know you react to that ingredient.
Unknown ingredients are listed as unknown rather than guessed. Names that follow a clear pattern (CI colour numbers, PEG emulsifiers, plant extracts) are labelled inferred from the name.
Actives such as retinol, acids or niacinamide link straight to the pairing checker. Trying the product? Log a patch test first.
Sources
- AAD. Retinoid or retinol? aad.org
- US Food and Drug Administration. Alpha hydroxy acids (includes the Cosmetic Ingredient Review conclusion on glycolic and lactic acid). fda.gov
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, consolidated text: Article 19 (labelling, ingredient order), Annex II (prohibited), Annex III (restricted, incl. fragrance allergens) and Annex V (preservatives). eur-lex.europa.eu
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 on the labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products (applies to products placed on the market from 31 July 2026; existing stock may be sold until 31 July 2028). eur-lex.europa.eu
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1181 (labelling “releases formaldehyde” from 0.001%). eur-lex.europa.eu
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products, SCCS/1459/11, 2012 (Tables 7-1 and 7-5: established contact allergens in humans). ec.europa.eu
- Sukakul T, Svedman C. What is new in contact allergy to cosmetics for physicians, cosmetologists, and cosmetic users? Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2025;25(1):48. doi.org
- European Commission. CosIng, the cosmetic ingredient database (INCI names and functions). ec.europa.eu
- US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 701.3: designation of ingredients (descending order; 1% or less in any order). ecfr.gov
- British Association of Dermatologists (BAD). Contact dermatitis (patient information leaflet). bad.org.uk
Questions
Does a flagged ingredient mean the product is bad for me?
No. Fragrance allergens and other sensitisers only cause trouble for people who are allergic to them, and most people use them without problems. The flags help if you already know what you react to, or if a product keeps irritating your skin and you want to compare lists. A dermatologist can find the cause with patch testing.
Why are linalool and limonene listed separately from parfum?
EU rules require certain fragrance allergens to be named on the label when they pass 0.001% in leave-on or 0.01% in rinse-off products, even when they are part of the fragrance or come from an essential oil. Allergy to linalool and limonene is mostly to their oxidised forms, which build up as products age.
What changes on labels in 2026?
Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 extends the fragrance allergens that must be named on EU labels from the long-standing list to a much larger group based on the SCCS opinion, including camphor, menthol, vanillin and several essential oils. It applies to products placed on the EU market from 31 July 2026; older stock can be sold until 31 July 2028.
Is the 1% line exact?
No, it is an estimate. It relies on the product following EU limits and listing rules, and on the capped ingredient being used as a preservative. Products made for other markets may differ. It is still a handy way to see which ingredients are present in tiny amounts.
Is anything I paste sent to a server?
No. The dictionary is part of the page and the list is read in your browser. Nothing you paste is uploaded or stored.