How-to guide

How to Decode a Confusing Ingredient Name

INCI names look like chemistry homework. Here's how to work out what an ingredient actually is, and whether it's one of your triggers.

Why labels look intimidating

Cosmetic ingredients use the INCI system, a standardised set of names so the same ingredient reads the same worldwide. It looks like chemistry homework, but you only need to decode the handful that matter to you.

The method

  1. Recognise the system: those Latin and scientific names are standardised, not deliberately cryptic.
  2. Learn your triggers’ aliases: fragrance is also “Parfum” or “Aroma”; methylisothiazolinone is “MI”; plant oils appear as the Latin plant name plus “oil”.
  3. Look it up in an ingredient reference if you are unsure what something is.
  4. Match to your list, not a verdict: the only question that matters is “is this one of my triggers?”, not whether it is universally good or bad.

Skip the dictionary

Rather than decoding every line, save your triggers (and their aliases) once and let a tool flag them. ClearaScan does this on any product you scan, and keeps a Reaction Journal, a shared Care Circle so others can scan for you, and a Trusted Products list. For a free desktop reference, Skincarisma explains what each ingredient is. (We co-founded ClearaScan and are not paid to mention it.)

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A note on this content. The Sensitive Skin Lab publishes general educational information, not medical advice. If you suspect you have an allergy or sensitivity, consult a qualified dermatologist or allergist. Product formulations and labels change without notice, so always check the ingredients on the product itself.