How to Read Skincare Ingredient Lists

Every skincare product sold in the US and EU is required to list its ingredients using INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) names, in descending order of concentration. The first 5-6 ingredients make up most of what you're actually buying — this concentration rule is the single most useful tool you've as a consumer, more reliable than marketing claims, influencer endorsements, or brand reputation.

I recommend starting there: ingredients are listed from highest to lowest amount, which means those top ingredients are what you're really getting. Learning to read an ingredient list takes about 20 minutes. It'll save you years of buying products that don't work.

If this ingredient interests you: What Does Niacinamide Do? A Complete Guide, AHA vs BHA: Which Exfoliant Is Right for You?, and Peptides in Skincare: What They Do and Which Ones Work.

The Concentration Rule

Ingredients are listed from highest to lowest concentration, with one important exception: ingredients at 1% concentration or below can be listed in any order. This matters because:

• First 5-6 ingredients make up the vast majority of the formula. This is the product.
• Everything after the 1% line is present in trace amounts. Some actives work at low concentrations, but many are preservatives, fragrance, or marketing additions.