How to interpret the INCI of a cosmetics label?
All cosmetics on the container or packaging are required by European regulations to include the ingredients they are composed of. For this purpose, a vocabulary has been unanimously developed worldwide and it is what is known as INCI, what we always have to read.
Hello, I'm Beauty Coach from Natvral Lavde and today we are going to be talking about how to interpret the INCI of a label in cosmetics.
Nowadays, there is a lot of information about the ingredients that cosmetics contain due to concerns that they may cause alterations to our skin or health, such as sensitivity or irritation. For that same reason, it is interesting to know how to choose the cosmetics we use well, in order to stay away from those that harm the health of our skin.
To do this, we have to carefully analyze the ingredients that make them up and today I am going to give you very valuable information so that you know how to do it yourself as a beauty professional.
Do you want to know all the details?
How to interpret the INCI of a cosmetics label?
Nowadays, there is a lot of information about the ingredients that cosmetics contain due to concerns that they may cause alterations to our skin or health, such as sensitivity or irritation. For that same reason, it is interesting to know how to choose the cosmetics we use well, in order to stay away from those that harm the health of our skin.
To do this, we have to carefully analyze the ingredients that make them up and today I am going to give you very valuable information so that you know how to do it yourself as a beauty professional.
Take note:
All cosmetics on the container or packaging are required by European regulations to include the ingredients they are composed of. For this purpose, a vocabulary has been unanimously developed worldwide and it is what is known as INCI, what we always have to read.
What is the INCI?
The INCI is an international nomenclature regulated by law at the European level and mandatory use on the cosmetic box or container since 1998, the year in which it was introduced in Europe by Decision 96/335/EC. Later, it was updated by Decision 2006/257/EC in order to “identify substances with the same name in all Member States so that consumers easily recognize the ingredients.”
The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) is the list of 'ingredients' that allow us to mainly identify:
- What our favorite cosmetics are made of.
- In what quantity and percentage each ingredient is present.
And now, to understand what the INCI is, we must know the guidelines to know how to read it.
How do you read the INCI of a cosmetic?
To interpret and understand the INCI, we must first know how to read it. This will allow us to know all the ingredients contained in the cosmetics that we usually use and in this way, be able to make a more conscious purchase, choosing more organic cosmetics with the minimum of toxins.
The ingredients of any cosmetic not only have to comply with European labeling regulations, but they must also follow a rigorous order. To read it, you have to know that:
- The ingredients are in English, as it is the world language.
- The most natural ingredients are in their original language, Latin.
Another point to take into account is the order of the ingredients in a cosmetic.
Order to take into account in the list of ingredients of a cosmetic
In the INCI, if the ingredients of a cosmetic are read A, B, C, D... 'A' will be the ingredient with the highest concentration, and 'D' will be the ingredient with the lowest concentration. Normally, the first one mentioned is Aqua (water), since it allows the skin to be hydrated. The second group of ingredients will consist of what defines the consistency of the product and at the end of the list, the flavoring compounds will appear.
Surely you have asked yourself what the asterisks are in the INCI, do you know how to interpret them?
Asterisks (*) that appear in an INCI. What do they mean?:
Depending on the number of asterisks, it has one meaning or another:
*An asterisk: It means that it is an organic ingredient.
**Two asterisks: These are derived from organic essential oils.
You can see these signs on all the labels of the containers and packaging of Natvral Lavde cosmetics.
How to know the quantity (%) of ecological or organic ingredients in said cosmetic?:
In natural cosmetics, products with the highest concentration of organic and ecological ingredients are the most sought after by lovers of this type of cosmetics. The purity of the ingredients and active principles is the most demanded.
How to recognize expiration symbols and their duration of effectiveness once opened?:
Regarding the expiration date of a cosmetic product, you can find the typical label with the exact expiration date (month and year), but you will also find the expiration date once the product is opened.
The latter is known as PAO and is indicated by the icon of a jar with a number inside and a letter “M”. Example: 9M inside a jar. This symbolizes the number of months the product will last in perfect condition once opened. In this case, 9M means that the product will last 9 months once opened in perfect condition and 100% effective without losing properties of any of its ingredients.
And now the icing on the cake…
Do you know how to identify that cosmetics do what they say?
For this, there are quality seals that are usually “little circles” that carry the acronyms or drawings that describe what they certify: Cruelty Free (“bunny”), vegan (leaves), ecological (ECO OR BIO)...
This is very useful to identify that a product is natural. For example: when they say that a cosmetic contains cucumber and they say that it is natural and then you check its INCI and no quality seal appears to certify it. Furthermore, when it comes to preservatives or colorants, they appear on the list of doubtful or toxic to our health, which you can learn about in the next article.
You can find the symbols of the certifications that that product has on the packaging, for example, ACENE, Natrue, BioInspecta, Ecocert, Cosmos...
Well, and here we come with the guidelines to get your best cosmetics. I hope you found it as interesting as I did. You can find all this at the cosmetics firm Natvral Lavde , where you can very easily recognize all the indications of a clear and transparent INCI.
At Natvral Lavde we care about informing you so that you can choose with knowledge, we give you the information in a transparent way so that you can select your cosmetics knowing well what type of ingredients your skin receives.
Natvral Lavde is an honest, transparent and effective cosmetics, if you want to know more follow us on our blog to learn very interesting aspects about the beauty and health of the skin.
