--- title: "INCI Ingredient List Reader & Decoder | Dew Lilac" description: "Paste a cosmetic ingredient list to see what each INCI ingredient does, with EU fragrance allergens and common sensitisers marked neutrally." url: https://dewlilac.beauty/inci-list-reader/ --- # 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. ## 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](https://dewlilac.beauty/ingredient-pairing-checker/). Trying the product? Log a [patch test](https://dewlilac.beauty/patch-test-tracker/) first. ## Sources 1. AAD. *Retinoid or retinol?* [aad.org](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/anti-aging/retinoid-retinol) 2. US Food and Drug Administration. *Alpha hydroxy acids* (includes the Cosmetic Ingredient Review conclusion on glycolic and lactic acid). [fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/alpha-hydroxy-acids) 3. 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](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1223/oj) 4. 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](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1545/oj) 5. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1181 (labelling “releases formaldehyde” from 0.001%). [eur-lex.europa.eu](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/1181/oj) 6. 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](https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_102.pdf) 7. 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](https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-025-01226-5) 8. European Commission. *CosIng*, the cosmetic ingredient database (INCI names and functions). [ec.europa.eu](https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/) 9. US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 701.3: designation of ingredients (descending order; 1% or less in any order). [ecfr.gov](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-701/subpart-A/section-701.3) 10. British Association of Dermatologists (BAD). *Contact dermatitis* (patient information leaflet). [bad.org.uk](https://www.bad.org.uk/pils/contact-dermatitis) ## 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.