Search or browse common INCI ingredient names to see their function, known comedogenicity rating, and general safety notes.
No ingredient matches this search. Try a shorter fragment of the INCI name.
The comedogenicity rating shown (0 meaning it will not clog pores, 5 meaning it is highly likely to clog pores) comes from comedogenicity scales widely cited in skincare and dermatology guides. It is not a strict clinical measurement and it does not apply to every ingredient category, such as preservatives or fragrance.
How to read an INCI ingredient list
Ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration down to 1 percent, which is why water (Aqua) usually appears first in a formula. Below the 1 percent threshold, brands can list the remaining ingredients in any order, so a preservative near the bottom of the list is not necessarily present in a meaningful amount compared with an active ingredient listed higher up.
INCI labelling requirements in the UK
A full INCI ingredient list has been a mandatory part of cosmetic product labelling across the EU since 1997, a rule the UK carried over into its own retained cosmetics regulation after leaving the EU. A UK-sold product must show the list on the packaging itself or, when the packaging is too small, on an accompanying leaflet, tag, or card referenced by a symbol on the pack.
INCI name versus marketing name
A front-of-pack marketing name and the INCI name on the ingredient list often describe the same substance in different words: "Vitamin C" on the front usually means Ascorbic Acid on the list, "Vitamin E" means Tocopherol, and plain "Water" is written as Aqua. Checking the INCI list rather than the marketing claim is the reliable way to confirm what a product actually contains.
What this tool cannot tell you
It cannot account for the exact concentration of an ingredient in a specific product, how it interacts with the rest of that formula, or an individual allergy or sensitisation. A known allergy, a diagnosed skin condition, pregnancy, or breastfeeding all call for checking with a pharmacist or dermatologist before trying a new product, and a patch test on a small area of skin is worth doing before first full use regardless.