Online Tool Store
INCI Ingredient Decoder
Translate INCI cosmetic ingredient names into plain descriptions and their usual function, so a label can be read rather than guessed at.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Education
INCI Ingredient Decoder
Frontend preview — no upload or external service.
Decoded list
Aqua = water (solvent); Glycerin = humectant; Cetearyl Alcohol = fatty alcohol emollient, not a drying alcohol; Phenoxyethanol = preservative, typically under 1%.
How the INCI Ingredient Decoder works
- Paste the ingredient list exactly as printed on the packaging.
- Read the functions — most of a formulation is water, emollients, and a preservative system.
- Remember the order is by descending concentration down to 1%, after which ingredients may be listed in any order.
FAQ
Does ingredient order tell me the concentration?
Down to 1%, yes — ingredients are listed in descending order. Below that threshold the order is arbitrary, which is why an active listed after the preservative could be at almost any low level.
Is cetearyl alcohol drying like other alcohols?
No. It is a fatty alcohol used as an emollient and emulsifier, chemically unrelated to the volatile alcohols that can be drying. The shared word causes a lot of unnecessary avoidance.
Can this tell me if a product is safe for me?
No. It explains what ingredients do. Individual sensitivities, allergies, and concentrations are matters for a patch test and, where relevant, a dermatologist.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Pen and paper | A classroom platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explains the 1% rule | ✓ | ✗ | Sometimes |
| Function for each ingredient | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| No account or scanning app | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Personal safety advice | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
INCI Ingredient Decoder explains what each ingredient does and where the 1% ordering rule stops being informative — it does not judge products.