The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) is a group of unique identifiers for cosmetic ingredients such as waxes, oils, pigments, and other chemicals that are assigned in accordance with rules established in 1973 by the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), previously the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA).Personal Care Products Council - News release November 29, 2007

INCI names often differ from systematic chemical nomenclature or from more common trivial names and are a mixture of conventional scientific names, Latin and English words. INCI nomenclature conventions "are continually reviewed and modified when necessary to reflect changes in the industry, technology, and new ingredient developments".Personal Care Products Council - INCI Nomenclature Conventions

Assignment and regulatory status An INCI name is used for ingredient identification and labelling, but its assignment does not by itself indicate that an ingredient is approved, safe, or permitted for use in cosmetics in a particular jurisdiction.

Nomenclature INCI and CAS

The relationship between a CAS Registry Number and an INCI name is not always one-to-one. In some cases, more than one INCI name may have the same CAS number, or more than one CAS number may apply to an INCI name. For example, the CAS number 1245638-61-2 has the CA Index Name of 2-Propenoic acid, reaction products with pentaerythritol. This CAS number can accurately be associated with two INCI names: Pentaerythrityl Tetraacrylate and Pentaerythrityl Triacrylate. Alternatively, the INCI name, Glucaric Acid can be associated with two CAS numbers: 87-73-0 which has the CA Index Name of D-Glucaric acid, and 25525-21-7, which has the CA Index Name of DL-Glucaric acid. Both of these examples are accurate associations between CAS and INCI.Personal Care Products Council - Background information on INCI and CAS

Table of common names

The following table gives examples of common names and corresponding INCI names.

Common name INCI name Purified water, deionized water, demineralized water, water, etc. Aqua Aqua Fragrance, perfume Parfum Sodium Coco Sulfate Sodium Coco-Sulfate Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (from coconut oil) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Sodium laureth sulfate (from coconut oil), sodium lauryl ether sulfate Sodium Laureth Sulfate Cocamidopropyl betaine (from coconut oil) Cocamidopropyl Betaine Coconut fatty acid monoethanolamide Cocamide MEA Decyl glucoside Decyl Glucoside* Citric acid Citric acid* Monolaurin Glyceryl Laurate Paraben Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, [and others] Cetyl alcohol Cetyl Alcohol Polyethylene glycol 3350 PEG-75 Denatured alcohol Alcohol Denat. Vitamin E Tocopherol Beeswax Beeswax* Vegetable Glycerin, glycerol Glycerin Oat bran Avena sativa Bran Shea butter Butyrospermum parkii Butter Passion Fruit Juice Passiflora edulis Fruit Juice Red rose water Rosa damascena Flower Water Raspberry extract Rubus idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract Yucca herbal extract Yucca schidigera Stem Extract Aloe vera leaf gel Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice Tea tree oil Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil Peppermint leaf oil Mentha piperita (Peppermint) Oil Spearmint leaf oil Mentha viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil Wintergreen leaf oil Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen) Leaf Oil Lavender oil Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) Oil Cinnamon leaf oil Cinnamomum cassia Leaf Oil Lemon peel oil Citrus medica limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil Valencia orange peel oil Citrus aurantium dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil Pink grapefruit peel oil Citrus paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil Roman chamomile oil Anthemis nobilis Flower Oil Jasmine oil Jasminum officinale (Jasmine) Oil Extra virgin olive oil Olea europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil Saponified oil of coconut Sodium Cocoate Saponified oil of palm Sodium Palmate Hemp oil Cannabis sativa Seed Oil Jojoba oil Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil Sunflower oil Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil * Some common names and INCI names are the same name.

INCI labelling Ingredient labelling rules are intended to provide consumers with information about the contents of cosmetic and personal care products. Ingredient declarations may help purchasers identify substances to which they have a known sensitivity or allergy. In jurisdictions that require INCI names, ingredients are listed using the INCI system so that ingredient names are more consistent across product labels.

Regulation

United States In the U.S., under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, certain accurate information is required to appear on labels of cosmetic products, including the ingredient list. In the U.S., as defined and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), true soaps are specifically exempted from INCI labelling requirements as cosmetics.

Canada In Canada, cosmetic ingredient labeling is governed by the Cosmetic Regulations under the Food and Drugs Act.

European Union In the European Union, the use of INCI names on cosmetic product labels is mandated by Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products.

See also Ingredients of cosmetics Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) List of cosmetic ingredients Cosmetic Ingredient Review

References

External links

European Commission: Cosmetic Ingredients Database FDA: Labeling Claims Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) - INCI resources A to Z INCI Database FDA: Cosmetic Labelling Guide