How to Read a Skincare Ingredient List (INCI)
The ingredient list is the one part of a skincare label that the law makes you read. Here is how to read an INCI list: what the names mean, what the order tells you, and the mistakes to avoid.
Evidence-based skincare, explained clearly.
Skin Science is written by two people with 30 years of experience in pharmaceutical quality and GMP-regulated industry. We explain what skincare claims and ingredients actually do, using published evidence — and offer free interactive tools.
Educational information, not medical advice.
Evidence Reviews
Plain-language reviews of what skincare ingredients and claims actually do, based on published evidence.
ExploreTools
Free interactive tools: an ingredient conflict checker, an INCI list decoder, and a formula comparison.
ExploreRegulation & Quality
How EU cosmetics rules and GMP-regulated manufacturing shape the products you put on your skin.
ExploreLatest articles
Newest evidence reviews and regulation notes.
How the EU Decides a Cosmetic Ingredient Is Safe
"Cosmetics aren't regulated" is a myth. In the EU every cosmetic needs a documented safety assessment, a named Responsible Person, and a file ready for inspectors. Here is how the system works, where it is strong, and where the gaps are.
The EU Retinol Limits Explained: What Changed and What It Means for You
Retinol was not banned in the EU, it was capped. Here is what Regulation (EU) 2024/996 says, why the limits were set, whether retinol still works at 0.3%, and how to use it sensibly.