Read the label in plain English.
This tool holds 75 common skincare ingredients, so you can search any INCI name from a label or paste a whole ingredient list at once. Every entry explains what it does, who it suits, and which other ingredients it is usually kept apart from.
Look up any ingredient.
75 ingredients are indexed below, from everyday ones like glycerin and aqua to targeted actives like retinol and azelaic acid. Search one name, or switch tabs to decode a whole list at once.
75 ingredients indexed.
Pick an ingredient on the left to see what it does, who it suits and what to watch for.
Copy the ingredients list from a product page or the back of the packaging, then paste it below. Commas or line breaks both work, since most labels already use one of the two.
How it works.
- Search an ingredient by its INCI name, or switch to Paste a label and drop in a full ingredient list.
- Read what each one does, who it suits, and any caution, then check what it pairs well or badly with.
- Use the summary line and the alert to spot combinations that are usually kept apart before you buy or mix products.
What an INCI list actually tells you
EU Regulation 1223/2009, Article 19, sets the rule behind every ingredient list on a cosmetic label sold in the EU: ingredients above 1 percent concentration must appear in descending order, so the first 5 or so names usually make up most of the formula. Below 1 percent, brands can list ingredients in any order, which is why water, active ingredients and preservatives often sit close together near the bottom. Reading an INCI list is less about counting entries and more about spotting the handful with a real job to do, then checking the ones you already know your skin reacts to, alongside our guide to anti-aging ingredients with evidence.
Fragrance allergens and the 2026 to 2028 change
26 specific fragrance compounds have needed a separate mention on EU labels since 2005 once a leave-on product holds more than 0.001 percent of them, or 0.01 percent in a rinse-off product. Regulation 2023/1545 expands that list to more than 80 substances, reaching new products from 31 July 2026 and every product on shelves by 2028, so labels will spell out more of what used to hide inside the single word Parfum. This tool flags every one of the original 26 as a fragrance allergen, alongside the humectants and actives, such as the ones behind our hyaluronic acid guide, that usually sit near the top of a formula.
What this decoder can and cannot tell you
It can name a function, explain in plain terms what an ingredient does, suggest who it suits, and flag around a dozen well known pairings, such as a retinoid with benzoyl peroxide, that are usually kept in separate steps. It cannot see the exact percentage used, judge whether a whole formula is well balanced, or replace a patch test on your own skin, since 2 people can react quite differently to the same 0.5 percent of an acid. Treat a long ingredient list as normal rather than alarming, and use the search or paste tools here alongside our clear skin guide before deciding what stays in a routine.
Frequently asked.
What is an INCI name?
INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, the standard naming system EU Regulation 1223/2009 requires on every cosmetic label, listed in descending order of concentration above 1 percent.
Why does a short ingredient list look safer than a long one?
A long list is not automatically a bad list. Many entries are water, texture agents or preservatives at well below 1 percent, not a sign of a poorly made product.
Can this tool tell me the concentration of an ingredient?
No. Labels only fix the order above 1 percent, not the exact amount, so this decoder explains what an ingredient does rather than how much of it is in the bottle.
What if an ingredient is not recognised?
Type the exact INCI spelling from the label. If it still shows as not recognised, it may use a less common synonym that this list does not carry yet.
Does pasting a label send it anywhere?
No. Matching happens on your own device using the built-in ingredient list, and nothing you type or paste leaves your browser.
Are the pairs to avoid a hard rule?
They are common formulation guidance, not a certainty for every product. A well-built formula can buffer some combinations that would otherwise clash.
Guides behind this tool
Skin and Cosmetics
Anti-aging: five ingredients with evidence
Skin and Cosmetics
Clear skin: five points that count
Skin and Cosmetics
Hyaluronic acid: two things, one nameMore tools
This tool explains what is on an ingredient label; it does not diagnose skin conditions, replace a dermatologist, or guarantee how a product will react on your own skin. This page is for general information and does not replace medical or professional cosmetic advice.