How to Read a Skincare Ingredient List (INCI)
The ingredient list is the one part of a skincare label that the law makes you read. Here is how to read an INCI list: what the names mean, what the order tells you, and the mistakes to avoid.
Plain-language reviews of what skincare ingredients and claims actually do, based on published evidence.
The ingredient list is the one part of a skincare label that the law makes you read. Here is how to read an INCI list: what the names mean, what the order tells you, and the mistakes to avoid.
"Cosmetics aren't regulated" is a myth. In the EU every cosmetic needs a documented safety assessment, a named Responsible Person, and a file ready for inspectors. Here is how the system works, where it is strong, and where the gaps are.
Retinol was not banned in the EU, it was capped. Here is what Regulation (EU) 2024/996 says, why the limits were set, whether retinol still works at 0.3%, and how to use it sensibly.