Every Hair & Beauty product has an ingredient list by law, usually printed in the smallest font possible (thanks, packaging folk). The intent of this blog is to inform on what an INCI is rather than how to decipher one.
What is INCI?
INCI names (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) are systematic names internationally recognised to identify cosmetic ingredients; in general, the names use either the chemical name, or for plants the Latin binomial name of the plant together with the part of plant used and whether it is an extract, oil, powder, or etc.
Why INCI?
There are many benefits to having a uniform system of labelling names for Hair & Beauty ingredients. I love that it is transparent for us as consumers and that internationally all ingredients are identified by a single labelling name regardless of the national origin of the product. For specialists (e.g. Dermatologists) it is essential information to help identify which ingredients could potentially cause adverse reactions. For the Hair & Beauty industry it helps to track the safety and regulatory status of ingredients, improving product safety and ensuring the products comply with national regulations.
What an INCI is not
Just because an ingredient has an INCI name does not mean that the ingredient has been approved for cosmetics. The assignment of an INCI name to an ingredient also does not imply that the ingredient is safe, or that its use in a cosmetic product complies with the national regulations. The safety and fitness of use for an ingredient, along with regulatory considerations, is carefully evaluated by the manufacturer as part of the development process before the product is marketed.
How its written
The ingredients are listed in descending order of weight, ingredients present in the largest quantities will appear first in the list. This rule ceases to apply for most ingredients present at levels of less than 1% of the total. That means once you hit anything below 1%, the order is meaningless. The exceptions are colourants (other than those intended to colour hair) which may be listed at the end of the ingredient list.
Is everything on the INCI?
Sadly no, you could imagine how small the font would have to be! Some ingredients escape being included in the list because they are either unavoidable impurities in the raw materials used; subsidiary technical materials used in the manufacturing processes but which are not present in the final product; or fragrance ingredients which can be listed by the blanket terms of ‘parfum’ or ‘aroma’.”
An ingredient list won’t tell you how an ingredient was produced, or what its origin is. Example a carrier oil – it might be unrefined which means that it hasn’t had any of its unsaponifiables (all the goodies in the oil) stripped out of it, but it might have been refined, deodorised and undergone chemical treatment to make sure it doesn’t have a strong scent or colour. The ingredients list won’t tell you any of this because both refined and unrefined oils have exactly the same INCI name. You also won’t find the exact concentrations of each ingredient making it difficult to work out if its presence is too high potentially causing an irritation or health risk (e.g. the original Brazilian/Keratin Straightening formulas had high formaldehyde concentrations that were later revised), just right or too low to be of any impact. Nor will you be able to work out the exact product formula, that would be like Coca Cola sharing it’s secret recipe.
Get to know your brands
The suitability for use of any ingredient as a component of a finished cosmetic product is solely the responsibility of the finished product manufacturer. INCI names do not:
- Imply standards or grades of purity.
- Indicate that the ingredients comply with the laws and regulations of any country.
- Approve, certify or endorse its use by any council, organisation or government.
- In contrast if an ingredient does not have an INCI name, it does not mean that the ingredient may not or should not be used in finished cosmetic and personal care products.
Even the manufactures and formulators can have issues when it comes to ingredients, they don’t know what they might be buying unless they fully trust and have checked out their suppliers. Yes! there is such a thing a fake ingredient.
Natural or Man-Made
You won’t be able to tell from your ingredients list if your ingredient is animal-derived, vegetable-derived or lab synthesised. Many natural ingredients often end up being synthesised in a lab; they have exactly the same chemical structure and function as their natural counterpart but it’s cheaper, more consistent in quality and supply to manufacture them in bulk in a lab. I liken this to vitamins; I would have to eat a lot of oranges to get the equivalent dosage of vitamin C I get in a single tablet.
Organic or Non-Organic
Don’t be fooled that organic is clearer. The labelling requirements are exactly the same for organic and synthetic formulations, which means that you don’t always know where the ingredient came from, what it consists of and how it’s been treated before it was added to your formulation.
So why should I care
If you are ingredient conscious the INCI can help you identify if a product could potentially contain an ingredient you want to avoid or have included. Tip; although there are always general rules of thumb when it comes to chemical names, it is best not to try to look for patterns. A good example is cetyl alcohol which is a fatty alcohol used in Hair & Beauty products as a thickener, emulsifier and emollient (and lovely). I have had intense conversations with clients that think this is the same as alcohol, which is a completely different chemical!
If you don’t speak the chemical lingo, you can still look them up, my go to source is for cosmetic ingredients is the CosIng database, managed by the European Commission. Or if you want to get your geek on you could treat yourself to Milady’s Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary for discovering more scientific information about ingredients.
My take on this, an INCI is a synopsis of what is in your product. I have been part of and have witnessed the extent reputable manufactures go through to ensure not only the labelling is correct but the ingredients are as stated. If you are in doubt and want more information about the product you are using you can contact the manufacturer directly, they will be transparent with you and if not then, I would question why.
Caroline
