What INCI means
INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. In plain language, it is the naming system used to identify cosmetic ingredients consistently across brands and markets. Olive oil becomes Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, shea butter becomes Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, and vitamin E is often Tocopherol or Tocopheryl Acetate depending on the exact material.
The UK and EU ingredient list is not meant to be a marketing recipe. It is a regulatory ingredient list. It should let a consumer, safety assessor, retailer or authority identify what is in the product without guessing which common name, supplier trade name or botanical nickname you meant.
- Use INCI or the required common ingredient name.
- Do not use supplier fragrance names as ingredients.
- Keep the list tied to the exact formula version.
Order ingredients by weight
For EU labels, ingredients are listed in descending order by weight at the time they are added to the cosmetic product. After all ingredients above 1%, ingredients below 1% may usually be listed in any order. This means the formula percentage sheet is the starting point, not the label artwork.
Water-based creams often start with Aqua, followed by oils, emulsifiers, humectants, thickeners, preservatives, fragrance and minor ingredients depending on the formula. Anhydrous balms usually start with the largest butter, oil or wax. If the ingredient order changes, the INCI list changes.
Soap and saponified ingredients
Handmade soap can be confusing because the oils and sodium hydroxide react during saponification. Many soap labels use the INCI names for the resulting soap salts, such as Sodium Olivate or Sodium Cocoate, along with other final ingredients. Some assessors may support a different format based on the formula and market.
The important point is consistency with the safety assessment and product file. Do not simply copy another maker's soap INCI list. A bar made with olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, fragrance and colourant will not have the same list as a palm-free, unscented, naturally coloured bar.
Fragrance, flavour and allergens
Fragrance mixtures are usually declared as Parfum. Flavour or aromatic compositions may be declared as Aroma when appropriate, such as in lip products. The supplier's scent name, such as Lavender Clouds or Vanilla Bean, is not the ingredient name.
Some fragrance allergens must be listed individually when their concentration in the finished cosmetic exceeds the applicable threshold. The EU has expanded fragrance allergen labelling beyond the older familiar list, with transition periods. For UK and EU sales, use current supplier allergen data and check the market-specific rules your safety assessor is applying.
- Leave-on products use a lower allergen declaration threshold than rinse-off products.
- Rinse-off products such as soap use the higher cosmetic threshold.
- Allergens belong in the ingredients list, not in a candle-style hazard line.
Colourants, botanicals and extracts
Colourants should use the correct cosmetic names, often Colour Index numbers such as CI 77491 or CI 77891 where applicable. Botanical extracts need the right plant part and preparation name, not only the pretty plant name from the sales page.
Composite ingredients can require more than one INCI name. For example, an extract may include a plant extract, solvent and preservative. A fragrance oil may include Parfum plus declarable allergens. Ask suppliers for cosmetic documentation, not only a short shop listing.
Build a repeatable INCI workflow
Keep a formula sheet with trade name, supplier, batch, percentage, INCI name, function and document source for every ingredient. When you update a supplier or replace a material, compare the INCI and allergen data before using old label artwork.
Before printing, read the INCI list against the formula from top to bottom. Check spelling, capitalization, fragrance allergens, colourants, nano declarations and any ingredients below 1%. This final pass catches many errors that are invisible when you only look at the label design.
Frequently asked questions
Can I write olive oil instead of Olea Europaea Fruit Oil?
For UK and EU cosmetic ingredient lists, use the required common cosmetic ingredient name, normally the INCI name, rather than the kitchen name.
Does handmade soap need an INCI list?
Yes if it is sold as a cosmetic for skin cleansing. The exact soap naming format should match the safety assessment and product file.
Where do fragrance allergens go?
They are added to the ingredients list when declaration thresholds are exceeded. They should not be written as a separate candle-style contains statement.
Do ingredients below 1% have to stay in exact order?
In the EU framework, ingredients below 1% may generally be listed in any order after the ingredients above 1%.
Can I use one INCI list for several scents?
Only if the formula and required allergen declarations are still correct for each scent. Different fragrances often change the final INCI list.