Take a look at the “Ingredients” section on your body care product. Start with the first few names, then look for any ingredients you want to check. Their position does not tell you their exact concentration or how effective the product is.
There’s no need to translate every name. Once you recognise a few familiar terms, the label becomes easier to read.
Where can you find the INCI list, and what does it mean?
INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. These standard names help you identify an ingredient even when a product is sold in different countries. They may look quite different from the everyday names on the front of the product.
Look for “Ingredients” on the container or packaging. The online product page is handy before you buy, but if the formula has changed, go by the label on the product you have.
The marketing description usually highlights just a few ingredients. To see the complete formula, check the INCI list required by labelling rules.
Understanding ingredient order without guessing percentages
Descending order by weight when ingredients are added
Article 19(1)(g) of the European cosmetics regulation, in its original version requires ingredients to be listed in descending order by weight at the time they are added to the product.
Under this rule, the first names account for the largest shares of the formula. But you cannot turn a position into a percentage. Second place does not necessarily mean 20%, and fourth place does not correspond to a fixed amount.
The rule for ingredients present at less than 1%
The same article states that ingredients present at less than 1% may be listed in any order after those present at more than 1%. Colourants other than those intended to colour the hair may also appear after the other ingredients, in any order.
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The list alone does not show where the “less than 1%” section begins. So if you are comparing two ingredients near the end, their positions are not a reliable guide to which has the higher concentration.
Decoding a few names using a real example
The manufacturer’s French product page for Crème Hydratante Monoï, consulted on 2 October 2026, gives this list:
AQUA, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL, GLYCERIN, BEHENYL ALCOHOL, GLYCERYL STEARATE CITRATE, PARFUM, CARBOMER, PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS OIL, SODIUM BENZOATE, SODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS FLOWER EXTRACT, TOCOPHEROL.
A few of those long names refer to ingredients you may already know:
| INCI name | What it means |
|---|---|
| Aqua | Water. |
| Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil | Sunflower seed oil. |
| Glycerin | Glycerin. |
| Behenyl Alcohol | A fatty alcohol, different from ethyl alcohol. |
| Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil | Sweet almond oil. |
| Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract | An extract of chamomile flowers. |
| Parfum | The fragrance composition, without its full breakdown. |
Plant ingredient names often include the botanical name, the plant part used and its form. Here, “Seed Oil” means oil from seeds, while “Flower Extract” means an extract from flowers. For more examples, see our article on plant oils used in body care.
If “Alcohol” catches your eye, read the full name before drawing a conclusion. Behenyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol; seeing it on the label does not mean the formula contains ethyl alcohol.
What the list cannot tell you
An ingredient near the end of the list may still be useful. Its position alone will not tell you what it contributes, and even a prominent ingredient cannot guarantee a result by itself. Our article on what a cosmetic active ingredient is explains the term and why the label tells only part of the story.
You also cannot tell from an INCI list how a product will feel on your skin, how quickly it will absorb or whether your skin will tolerate it. For that, consider the manufacturer’s information, any results for the finished product and your own experience of using it.
In this example, “Monoï” in the product name does not establish that the formula contains monoï oil. The manufacturer’s page refers to a monoï fragrance. The name is therefore not a description of the composition.
An INCI list does not prove a slimming or weight-loss claim either. We look at that question more closely in our article on the claims made by body creams.
FAQ: two common questions
Is a short ingredient list necessarily better?
No. The number of ingredients tells you nothing about a body care product’s quality, effectiveness or how well your skin will tolerate it.
Can you compare two body care products using their INCI lists?
The lists let you spot shared ingredients and differences. They will not give you exact concentrations or tell you which product is more effective. Use the current lists, and check each product’s intended uses and precautions too.
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