Guides
Antioxidants in skincare: tocopherol, ferulic acid, resveratrol, green tea – and the ones that protect the formula
Some antioxidants are there for your skin, others mainly to stop the cream from going rancid – and some do both. How to recognise Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Resveratrol, green tea extract, BHT or rosemary extract on an INCI list and what their position tells you.
Probiotics, prebiotics and ferments in cosmetics: what Lactobacillus Ferment and Bifida Ferment Lysate mean
“Probiotic” creams rarely contain living bacteria. What INCI names such as Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Lysate or Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate actually describe, what prebiotics like Inulin do in a formula, and what the label cannot tell you.
Men’s skincare: is it really different? Ingredients in aftershaves and beard oils
“For men” on the pack often changes the scent and the packaging more than the formula. What is actually different about men’s skin on average, what aftershave splashes, balms and beard oils contain, and how to read their INCI lists.
Baby and kids cosmetics: what to look for on the INCI list
Products for babies and children follow the same EU law as other cosmetics, with some extra rules. How to read the ingredient list of a baby wash, nappy cream or kids’ sunscreen, which label warnings mention age, and what “for babies” on the pack really means.
Linalool, limonene, citral, geraniol: what fragrance allergens on the label mean
Linalool, Limonene, Citral and Geraniol are some of the most common names at the end of an ingredient list. What each of them is, where it occurs in nature, why it is named separately – and what its presence does and does not tell you.
CI numbers in cosmetics: what CI 77491, CI 77891 and mica mean in make-up
Five-digit codes such as CI 77891 or CI 77491 are how colorants appear on an EU ingredient list. What the Colour Index is, how to recognise iron oxides, titanium dioxide, mica and synthetic dyes, and why a lipstick can list colours that are not in it.
Hair dye ingredients explained: PPD, toluene-2,5-diamine, resorcinol and the warnings on the box
A permanent hair colour is a small chemistry set: dye precursors, couplers, an alkaline agent and hydrogen peroxide. What names like p-Phenylenediamine, Toluene-2,5-Diamine and Resorcinol mean on the box, and why the warnings are there.
Deodorant vs. antiperspirant: aluminium salts, how they work and the alternatives
Deodorants fight odour, antiperspirants reduce sweating. How to tell them apart on the INCI list, what aluminium salts do, what the EU safety assessment says and which ingredients “aluminium-free” products use instead.
Toothpaste ingredients explained: fluoride, hydroxyapatite, SLS and abrasives
A toothpaste label lists cleaning particles, foaming agents, humectants, flavour and often an active such as fluoride or hydroxyapatite. How to read it, what the EU rules say and why questions about your teeth belong with a dentist.
Exfoliating enzymes and physical scrubs: papain, bromelain and scrub particles after the microbead ban
Besides acids, there are two other ways to remove dead skin cells: enzymes that loosen them and particles that rub them off. What papain, bromelain and subtilisin do, which scrub particles replaced plastic microbeads and how to spot both on an INCI list.
Emulsifiers in cosmetics: what cetearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, polysorbates and PEGs do
Creams and lotions are mixtures of oil and water that would separate without help. How emulsifiers work, how to recognise the most common ones on an INCI list and what the numbers in names like PEG-100 Stearate or Polysorbate 20 mean.
Plant oils in cosmetics: how to read Latin INCI names (argan, jojoba, sweet almond, sunflower and more)
Argan, jojoba or sunflower oil rarely appear on an INCI list under their everyday names. How the Latin naming system works, a decoder for the most common oils and what fatty acid profiles tell you.
Shea butter, cocoa butter and other plant butters: how to find them on an INCI list
Plant butters are fats that stay solid at room temperature. How to recognise shea, cocoa, mango and other butters by their Latin INCI names, what they do in a formula and which “butters” are really blends.
Glycerin in skin care: why the most common humectant is on almost every INCI list
Glycerin is one of the oldest and most widely used cosmetic ingredients. What it does for skin, where it comes from, why it can feel sticky and what its position on the INCI list tells you.
Preservatives in cosmetics: phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate and what “preservative-free” really means
Any cosmetic that contains water needs protection against bacteria, yeasts and moulds. What phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate and ethylhexylglycerin do, and how a product can honestly be “preservative-free”.
Curly girl method: silicones, sulfates and how to read hair product labels
The curly girl method comes with a list of ingredients to avoid: sulfates, silicones, drying alcohols. What these groups look like on an INCI list, why curly-hair routines treat them carefully, and where the rules are simpler than they seem – or more complicated.
Microplastics in cosmetics: the EU restriction on synthetic polymer microparticles explained
Since 2023 the EU restricts intentionally added synthetic polymer microparticles, including in cosmetics. What the rule covers, why it is phased, and why an INCI list alone cannot tell you whether a product contains microplastics.
Alcohol in cosmetics: alcohol denat. vs fatty alcohols like cetyl and cetearyl alcohol
“Alcohol” on an INCI list can mean a quick-drying solvent or a waxy, softening ingredient. How to tell Alcohol Denat. from Cetearyl Alcohol, what each does, and why “alcohol-free” needs a closer look.
Mineral oil, paraffinum liquidum and petrolatum in cosmetics: the facts
Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Cera Microcristallina: petroleum-derived ingredients are among the most debated on INCI lists. What they are, what they do, how EU rules address purity, and where the real questions lie.
Comedogenic ingredients: what the 0–5 ratings really mean
Comedogenicity charts rate oils and esters from 0 to 5 and are widely shared online. Where these numbers come from, why they often disagree and why a single rating says little about a finished product.
Ingredients for sensitive skin: how to read the INCI list
There is no official list of ingredients “for sensitive skin”. But an INCI list can help you spot the usual suspects, compare products and keep track of what you react to. A practical guide without the myths.
Essential oils in cosmetics: INCI names, allergens and how to read them
Lavender, tea tree, orange peel, peppermint: essential oils appear on INCI lists under Latin botanical names, often followed by allergen names. How the naming works and what it tells you – and what it does not.
Fragrance-free vs unscented: parfum, essential oils and the new EU allergen labelling
“Fragrance-free” and “unscented” sound alike but are not the same thing, and neither is a legal term. How to check the INCI list for Parfum, essential oils and fragrance allergens – and what changes with Regulation (EU) 2023/1545.
Cosmetics during pregnancy: what the ingredient list can and cannot tell you
Many people re-read their cosmetics labels when they become pregnant. Here is what an INCI list can actually show, which ingredient groups are most often discussed, and why the final word belongs to your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.
Urea in skin care: humectant at low levels, skin softener at higher levels
Urea is one of the skin’s own moisturising substances and a staple of hand, foot and body creams. Why it behaves differently at low and high levels, where it comes from, and why “urea” in a preservative’s name means something else entirely.
Panthenol, allantoin and other soothing ingredients in skin care
Panthenol, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Centella Asiatica, oat and licorice extracts: the classic “soothing” ingredients, how they appear on an INCI list and what “soothing” can and cannot mean for a cosmetic.
Bakuchiol vs retinol: is bakuchiol really a “natural retinol”?
Bakuchiol is often marketed as a plant alternative to retinol. What the two ingredients have in common, how they differ chemically and in regulation, what the research does and does not show, and how to recognise each on an INCI list.
Peptides in skin care: Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1 and more
Peptides have some of the longest names on an INCI list. What “palmitoyl”, “tripeptide” and the number at the end mean, which peptide groups are common in skin care, and why the amount in a jar is usually tiny.
Azelaic acid and azeloyl glycine in cosmetics: what is the difference?
Azelaic acid appears both in pharmacy medicines and in cosmetic serums, while “azeloyl glycine” (Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate) is a separate, water-soluble ingredient. How to tell them apart on the label and where cosmetics end and medicines begin.
Niacinamide in skin care: what it does and what to combine it with
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 found in serums, moisturisers and even cleansers. Why formulators like it, what it is studied for, and what really happens when you combine it with vitamin C, acids or retinol.
Vitamin C in skin care: ascorbic acid, derivatives and stability
Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: the many INCI names of vitamin C, why the pure form is so unstable and what a colour change in your serum means.
Squalane vs squalene: what is the difference in skin care?
One letter apart and often confused: squalene is a natural but easily oxidised part of skin oil, squalane its stable, hydrogenated version. How to tell them apart on an INCI list and what the source of each can be.
Hyaluronic acid vs sodium hyaluronate: molecular weights and INCI names explained
Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, crosspolymers: how the hyaluronic family appears on an INCI list, what molecular weight means and what the label leaves out.
Natural vs synthetic cosmetic ingredients: myths and facts
Why “natural” does not automatically mean safer, what eco labels actually certify and what the EU microplastics rule changes.
Ceramides and the skin barrier: how to read the label
What ceramides are, how their INCI names are built and why they often appear together with cholesterol and fatty acids.
Eyelash and eyebrow growth serums: what is in them
Peptides, conditioning ingredients and prostaglandin analogues – how to recognise them on the label and what the EU safety assessment says.
Silicones in hair and skin care: dimethicone, D4/D5/D6 and what “silicone-free” means
How to spot silicones in an ingredient list, why they are used, what the EU restriction on cyclic silicones D4, D5 and D6 covers, and how to read “silicone-free” claims.
Retinol and retinoids in cosmetics: forms, EU limits and how to read the label
Retinol, retinal, retinyl palmitate, hydroxypinacolone retinoate: how the vitamin A family appears on INCI lists, what EU rules limit, and what a label cannot tell you.
UV filters in sunscreens: mineral vs organic, SPF and the UVA logo explained
How to recognise UV filters in an INCI list, what separates mineral from organic filters, and what SPF and the UVA logo on EU sunscreens actually promise.
SLS vs SLES and other surfactants: what cleans in your shampoo
Sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, betaines, glucosides, isethionates – how cleansing ingredients differ and what “sulfate-free” really means.
Parabens in cosmetics: facts, myths and EU rules
Methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben – which parabens are still allowed in the EU, under what limits, and what a “paraben-free” label really means.
AHA, BHA and PHA: a guide to exfoliating acids in skincare
Glycolic, lactic, salicylic, gluconolactone – what the acids on your label are, how they differ and why the same acid can be an exfoliant in one product and just a pH adjuster in another.
Humectants, emollients and occlusives: how moisturisers work
Most moisturisers combine three groups of ingredients that each do a different job. Here is how to recognise them on an INCI list and what they can and cannot do.
Preservatives in cosmetics: what the names mean
Why water-based products need preservation, how preservatives are regulated in the EU and what “preservative-free” usually means.
Fragrance allergens on cosmetic labels
Why names such as linalool or limonene appear after “parfum”, what the thresholds are and what the 2023 EU update changes.
How to read an INCI ingredient list
What the order of ingredients means, how colorants and fragrance are listed, and what the list cannot tell you.