Reading an INCI list: how to understand the ingredients in your cosmetics
The INCI list is the small print on the back of every cream, shower gel and scrub – and usually the least read. Yet it reveals a lot: what the base of a product is, which plant oils are actually present in significant amounts, which fragrances are inside and how the product is preserved. In this guide you will learn step by step how to read an INCI list. Instead of made-up examples, we take apart the real lists of our VEGAN FOX products – including the points where it pays to look more closely.
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What is an INCI list?
INCI stands for "International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients". In the EU, the Cosmetics Regulation requires all ingredients of a cosmetic product to be listed on the packaging – with uniform names so you can recognise them in every country. In our shop you will also find the complete INCI list on every product page, so you can read it before you buy.
The names follow fixed rules: plant ingredients are listed with their Latin name, all other substances with their English or chemical name. Colourants carry a CI number. It sounds complicated, but with a few steps it is easy to see through.
Reading an INCI list in seven steps
Step 1: Look at the beginning – this is the base
Ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity. What comes first is present in the largest amount. In creams and shower gels this is almost always water (Aqua). The first three to five substances form the basis of the product.
Example VEGAN FOX foot cream: Aqua, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil (castor oil), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (a plant oil component), Glycerin. Castor oil is therefore one of the main components. In the ginger body scrub, on the other hand, Sodium Chloride – salt – comes first, because it forms the scrub grain.
Step 2: Find the 1% threshold
The order by quantity only applies to substances from 1%. Anything below that may be listed in any order. Exactly where this threshold lies is not stated on the pack. A common rule of thumb: the preservative phenoxyethanol is permitted in the EU at a maximum of 1%. If it appears in the middle of the list, the substances after it are very likely also at around 1% or below.
Step 3: Recognise plants by their Latin names
Plant ingredients consist of the botanical name, often with the common name in brackets, and the plant part used. Some examples from our products:
| INCI name | Common name | Found for example in |
|---|---|---|
| Butyrospermum Parkii Butter | Shea butter | Nourishing hand cream, body scrubs |
| Mangifera Indica Seed Butter | Mango butter | Hand cream mango butter & avocado oil |
| Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil | Sweet almond oil | Face cream |
| Persea Gratissima Oil | Avocado oil | Hand creams, face cream, ginger scrub |
| Ricinus Communis Seed Oil | Castor oil | Foot cream |
| Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil | Jojoba oil | Body scrubs |
| Chamomilla Recutita Extract | Chamomile extract | Face cream, hand cream, cleansing foam |
| Aloe Barbadensis Extract | Aloe vera | Shower gel, foot cream, face peel |
Step 4: Identify functional ingredients by their English names
Anything that does not come directly from a plant or has been chemically modified is listed with its English or chemical name in the INCI list. Common examples: Glycerin (retains moisture), Panthenol (provitamin B5), Niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3), Lactic Acid, Tocopherol (vitamin E, often as an antioxidant for the oils) or Ascorbyl Palmitate (a fat-soluble vitamin C derivative). Emulsifiers such as Glyceryl Stearate or Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate make water and oil combine.
By the way: "Stearyl Alcohol" or "Cetearyl Alcohol" are fatty alcohols that make a cream creamy – they have nothing to do with the "Alcohol" (ethanol) that is listed separately.
Step 5: Check perfume and fragrance allergens
"Parfum" stands for a fragrance blend whose components do not have to be named individually. The exception is fragrances considered potential allergens: they must be listed individually in the INCI list as soon as they exceed 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products. With EU Regulation 2023/1545 this list was significantly extended, with transition periods until 2026 and 2028.
Important: these substances come not only from synthetic fragrance blends but also from essential oils. The VEGAN FOX foot cream, for example, lists Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol and Citral – they come from the essential oils of tea tree, lavender, mint and bergamot. In the coffee body scrub, according to the product description, the scent comes from the ground coffee and an added fragrance composition; there, Parfum and Benzyl Benzoate appear in the list.
Step 6: Recognise the preservation
Every product containing water needs preserving, otherwise germs can multiply. Typical preservatives in our products are phenoxyethanol (usually together with ethylhexylglycerin), potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate. Water-free products such as the salt and oil-based body scrubs do without classic preservatives and use tocopherol as an antioxidant for the oils.
In the VEGAN FOX shower gels you will additionally find Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone. In the EU this combination is only permitted in rinse-off products and in very low concentrations. It can cause contact allergies in some people – anyone who has already reacted to it should check the INCI list carefully and, if in doubt, clarify with a doctor what to avoid.
Step 7: Interpret CI numbers and special symbols
Colourants appear as "CI" with a five-digit number, usually at the end of the list. The red grape shower gel, for example, contains CI 14720, CI 19140, CI 16255, CI 28440 and CI 42090 – hence its colour. You will come across two further markings mainly in make-up and sun protection: "(nano)" after an ingredient means it is used as a nanomaterial. And "+/-" before a group of CI numbers means "may contain" – common in colour ranges where not every shade contains all the pigments.
Example: an INCI list fully decoded
This is the INCI list of the VEGAN FOX hand cream with shea butter & macadamia, sorted by role in the formula:
| Group | INCI components | What they do in the cream |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Aqua, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin | Water, avocado oil, an oil component and a humectant form the main part |
| Emulsifiers and consistency | Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Lecithin | Combine water and oil, make the cream spreadable |
| Oils, esters and butter | Oleyl Erucate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil | An oil ester plus macadamia, crambe, babassu and sunflower oil and shea butter for the skin feel |
| Plant extract and vitamins | Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Panthenol | Aloe vera, vitamin C derivative, vitamin E, provitamin B5 |
| Fragrance and preservation | Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin | Keep the cream stable and provide the scent |
What you should notice when reading: the product name mentions shea butter and macadamia, but in the INCI list avocado oil is in second place, macadamia oil ninth and shea butter twelfth. That is not a contradiction – the name describes the character of the cream, the INCI list the proportions. Insights like this are exactly why it is worth reading the list.
What the INCI list does not reveal
- Exact quantities: You only see the order, no percentages (exceptions are manufacturer statements such as "2.5% lactic acid" for the face peel).
- Origin: Whether glycerin or lecithin are plant-based or animal-derived is not shown in the list. For that you need the "vegan" claim or a seal.
- Quality: Two products with a similar list can differ in raw material quality and processing.
- Tolerability: Whether you tolerate a product depends on your skin. The list helps you avoid known triggers – nothing more.
- Shelf life: How long an opened product lasts is shown by the PAO symbol with the open jar, not by the INCI list.
Tips for people with sensitive skin
- Note down triggers: If you have reacted to a product, copy down or photograph its INCI list.
- Compare lists: Substances that appear in several problematic products are good candidates for the cause.
- Clarify with a doctor: For recurring skin reactions, an allergy test can bring clarity. An allergy passport then names the exact INCI names you need to look for.
- Read before you buy: In an online shop this is easy on the product page – with us, the complete INCI list of every VEGAN FOX product is shown there.
Related reading: Vegan cosmetics: what "vegan" really means – and what it doesn't · Cosmetics shelf life: PAO symbol, best-before date and proper storage · Face cream with almond oil and avocado oil: what's in our cream
Conclusion
Reading an INCI list is easier than it looks: the base comes first, from around 1% the order is free, plants have Latin names, everything else English. Fragrance allergens are named individually above a certain amount, colourants can be recognised by their CI number, and preservatives such as phenoxyethanol serve as a guide to the 1% threshold. What the list does not reveal are quantities, origin and tolerability. If you keep that in mind, you can assess products much better before buying – and you will know why shea butter in the name does not mean it is at the top.
Frequently asked questions
What does INCI mean?
INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. It is a uniform system by which cosmetic ingredients are named worldwide. In the EU, listing them on the packaging is mandatory.
Why is Aqua almost always in first place?
Because the INCI list is sorted by quantity and most creams, shower gels and lotions consist mainly of water. Water-free products such as salt scrubs, on the other hand, start with salt or oil.
Are substances at the end of the list unimportant?
Not necessarily. They are present in small amounts but can still play a role – for example fragrance allergens or preservatives to which some people react.
Is "Alcohol" in the INCI list bad for the skin?
"Alcohol" refers to ethanol. Fatty alcohols such as Stearyl Alcohol or Cetearyl Alcohol are something completely different: they give creams their consistency. How a product feels on your skin depends on the whole formula.
Where can I find the INCI list?
On the packaging, usually on the back or, for small products, on the outer box. In our shop it is also shown on every product page of the VEGAN FOX range.
View all VEGAN FOX products with INCI list
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.