INCI and Ingredient Labeling

INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, the standardized naming system used to write the ingredient list on nearly every cosmetic in the world. It is why the same ingredient reads the same on a product made in Seoul or Paris or Ohio: water is “Aqua,” shea butter is “Butyrospermum Parkii Butter,” and vitamin E is “Tocopherol.” The system is maintained by the Personal Care Products Council, and using it correctly is part of selling a compliant product.

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How US ingredient lists have to be ordered

In the US, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and FDA rules govern how the list is written, and the order is not up to you. Ingredients must appear in descending order of predominance, meaning by how much of each is in the formula, from most to least. There is one break in that rule: ingredients present at 1% or less can be listed in any order after the ones above 1%, and color additives can be listed last in any order. Fragrance and flavor are allowed to appear simply as “Fragrance” or “Flavor,” which is how brands protect a scent formula as a trade secret.

The catch that trips up brands

INCI is the global standard, but the US does not accept it as a complete substitute for plain English. Under US law, ingredients have to be listed by their “common or usual names,” and the FDA does not accept INCI-only terms like “Aqua,” “Parfum,” or European color-index (CI) numbers, or botanicals named only in Latin, as stand-ins. That is why so many US labels show both, for example “Water (Aqua)” or “Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii).” If you copy a European-style ingredient list straight onto a US product, you can end up non-compliant.

Who has to do this

The ingredient-list requirement applies to cosmetics sold at retail to consumers. Products distributed only to professionals or not sold as consumer products follow different rules. When in doubt, if a shopper can buy it, it needs a compliant ingredient list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does INCI mean?

INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, a standardized system of names used to label cosmetic ingredients consistently around the world. It gives every ingredient one recognized name, so “Aqua” always means water and “Tocopherol” always means vitamin E, regardless of where the product is made or sold.

What order do cosmetic ingredients go in?

Descending order of predominance, meaning from the ingredient present in the largest amount to the smallest. Ingredients that make up 1% or less of the formula can be listed in any order after the ones above 1%, and color additives can be listed last in any order. Fragrance and flavor can be listed simply as “Fragrance” or “Flavor.”

Can I use “Aqua” instead of “Water” on a US label?

Not on its own. US labeling law requires common or usual names, and the FDA does not accept INCI-only terms like “Aqua” or “Parfum,” CI color numbers, or Latin-only botanical names as substitutes. Many brands list both, such as “Water (Aqua),” to satisfy US rules and stay consistent with international labels.

Sources

• FDA, “Cosmetic Ingredient Names”. US requirement for common or usual names and why Aqua, Parfum, and CI numbers are not accepted alone.
• eCFR, 21 CFR 701.3, “Designation of ingredients”. The legal rule on descending order and the 1% and color-additive exceptions.
• Wikipedia, “International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients”. What INCI is and who maintains it.