The desire for flawless skin and investing in “clean beauty” products has led consumers to demand that skincare brands be more open about the ingredients they are using, the quality of the product, and products customized to their individual needs. This has further led consumers to research whether a particular ingredient is good for the skin. That’s where INCI Decoder provides convenient solutions for analyzing a skincare product!
Understanding what goes into your skincare is important to avoid skin issues, just as knowing an ingredient’s particular benefit for your skin is important.
However, it is a hassle to search for each product individually and scroll through pages and websites on Google to research a particular ingredient. This is why you need to know all about INCI Decoder, what it is, and how it can keep you from the annoyance of searching for each product separately.
Also, if you want to learn more about the Best Natural Skin Care Products to Try This Year, visit Route Shopping and discover ways to improve your skin.
What is INCI Decoder?
Want to search various products and learn about their ingredients on a single platform? INCI Decoder is just the ingredient decoder tool for you! It is a free online tool that you can use to search for a cosmetics product you are interested in and understand its ingredients. Because this tool breaks down the ingredients and provides information about them.
Judit Rácz founded this amazing tool. She is a computer scientist who started her journey when she had severe acne. She randomly started a website as a hobby project where she provided cosmetic reviews and ingredient analyses. Before she could find out, her website, Kremmania, became one of the poo;luar platforms in her country.
This and her passion for skincare based on science empowered her even more, so she came up with INCI Decoder back in 2015.
This super cool cosmetics/skincare ingredient checker tool has spread worldwide. Moreover, it has become a popular choice for skincare enthusiasts who want to check a product’s ingredients before buying it.
How Does the INCI Decoder Work?
First, INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. It is a massive list of thousands of ingredient names in Standardized scientific form disclosed by the Personal Care Products Council.
If you are confused about standardized names, understand that the Hylraunic Acid in your products has an INCI name: sodium Hyaluronate.
What does INCI Decoder do with this list? Well, it lists all the ingredients of a product you enter and then decode INCI OR breaks down each ingredient. After that, it describes every detail and tells you what it does for your skin. It also details the irritancy qualities of every ingredient. This refers to the temporary damage a certain ingredient can cause your skin before it starts working.
Read more: INCIDecoder: Cosmetic Ingredient & Product Analyzer
What is The Right Way To Read An Ingredients List?
Not only does INCI Decoder provide you with a list of product ingredients to look out for, but it also tells you how to read the ingredients in the right ways and in the right format how it should be.
Most INCIDecoder best products, but not all, use INCI names in the ingredients section. The right way to read them is to Start at the Top, as the ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration. This means the ingredients with the highest amount in the print are listed at the start. Then, it is followed by progressively smaller amounts further down the list.
Here are some key pointers you need to follow when :
- Order: Ingredients that are documented in descending concentration format, with the most concentrated ingredient first.
- Exceptions: Color additives and other 1% or less ingredients must not be in descending order.
- Highlighting: Some products may highlight the percentage of a key ingredient on the packaging.
- Bulk: For products with 30 or more ingredients, the first 3–5 ingredients make up 80–90% of the product.
How Can I Use the INCI Decoder?
First, you must go to the INCI Decoder website, which is completely free. After that, you can search for the ingredients in 2 ways.
The first method is quite straightforward. To see its ingredients, enter the name of the Product you need. Alternatively, you can enter the ingredient name directly, search, and tap enter.

Now that you have picked your desired product and entered it, you will be directed to a page where you can see all the ingredients. Scrolling down, you will see the Highlights sections, where you can see what ingredients can do for your skin.

Scroll even further down and Skim Through all the ingredients. There, you will also find the ratings.

All of these sections have clickable links that you can click on to read more about certain products, along with the comparison tool, so you can properly analyze both of your preferred products and make the suitable selection for your skin.
Also, we have an amazing blog on Jergens vs Nivea, Which One Is Better For Sensitive Skin? Visit Route Shopping to read the article and find the better one for your skin.
INCI Decoder has an ID-rating system and a Comedogenic rating.
In ID-rating, you will see three ratings, these are:
- Superstars: These ingredients are the gold standard in skincare. These products are researched and studied well and highly effectively improve overall skin health.
- Goodie: These ingredients are not as potent as Superstar but generally beneficial for your skin. They can provide hydration, soothe skin irritation, and several other benefits.
- Icky: These ingredients are potential irritants. However, they are not harmful for some people. But it’s important to know about them, especially if you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin.
- No Rating: These functional ingredients, like emulsifiers and thickeners, are essential for the product’s texture and stability. However, they don’t directly impact your skin’s appearance.
On the other hand, the Comedogenic rating tells you the likelihood of an ingredient clogging a pore on a scale of 0 to 5.
INCIDicoder also gives you an “Irritancy Rating,” which tells you how much a certain product can irritate your skin on a scale of 0 to 5.
Another way to search for ingredients is to determine whether the product you are looking for is unavailable in the INCIDecoder database.
You can make an account and upload the list of ingredients. You can also upload a picture, and it will instantly decode the ingredients along with the ID ratings. Although approval for public use will take around two weeks, you will receive the decoding of the ingredients immediately.
How Does the INCI Decoder Benefit People With Sensitive Skin?
INCI Decoder can help people with sensitive skin or allergies avoid substances that may cause problems; here is how:
- Ingredient listing order: INCIdecoer helps by listing ingredients in descending order of concentration, with the most concentrated ingredients first.
- Fragrances: This tells you that if the product has fragrances, it might cause an allergic reaction. This is because some cosmetic products do not mention fragrances separately.
- Ingredient functionality: This provides functionality when you search for an ingredient/product. So you can understand why a product has a specific ingredient, what nutrients it provides, or what certain texture or flavor you can achieve from it.
Final Words
In conclusion, the INCI Decoder is an invaluable resource for skincare enthusiasts. Especially those who want to demystify product ingredients and make informed choices.
A user-friendly platform that simplifies ingredient analysis empowers consumers to understand what goes into their skincare products. More importantly, it helps them avoid potential irritants and select formulations tailored to their specific skin needs.
Founded by Judit Rácz out of a personal journey with skincare, INCI Decoder has grown into a global tool. It reflects the increasing consumer demand for transparency in beauty products.
By breaking down ingredient functionality and providing ratings for irritancy and comedogenic potential. It also enables product comparisons; INCI Decoder enhances your skincare shopping experience and promotes healthier skin.
Whether you have sensitive skin or are striving for a more informed approach to beauty, INCI Decoder is the key to unlocking the secrets of skincare ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who runs the INCI Decoder?
Judit Rácz founded INCI Decoder, a resource that provides consumer tools to analyze cosmetic ingredient lists.
Is INCIDecoder reliable?
Yes, Incidecoder is a reliable platform for checking the ingredients in skincare products. It provides a comprehensive breakdown of ingredients and clickable links to reliable studies.
What is the 1% rule in skincare?
The 1% rule in skincare, also known as the 1% line, is the point on an ingredient list. In this, all remaining ingredients are at a concentration of 1% or less. This is important because some ingredients, like vitamin C and niacinamide, may not be effective when in low concentrations.
However, other ingredients, like retinol and hyaluronic acid, can be effective even at concentrations below 1%.
What does Polymethylsilsesquioxane do in cosmetics?
Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a common cosmetic ingredient that serves many purposes, including Film formation, Skin conditioning, Water repellency, and Anti-aging.
What is silica dimethyl silylate used for?
Silica dimethyl silylate is a white, odorless powder with many uses in cosmetics and skincare products. It is a thickening agent, anti-caking agent, emulsifier, bulking agent, and more.
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