- Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight, and those below 1% may follow in any order.
- International naming (INCI) makes the list almost the same in every market, so learning it once is enough.
- In Saudi Arabia the SFDA keeps updating its lists of restricted and prohibited cosmetic ingredients, most recently in 2025.
This article is for general education and is not a diagnosis or medical advice. For allergies or skin conditions, consult a dermatologist.
You stand at the skincare shelf, turn the pack over, and find a long list of Latin and English names you mostly do not recognise. The good news is that the list follows fixed rules, and anyone who understands them can read almost any pack. This article explains those rules step by step.
Why do lists look the same in every market?
Ingredients are listed using internationally standardised names known as INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients). You will find the same name for an ingredient on a European, American or Korean product. Many regulations rely on this naming, including EU Regulation No 1223/2009, one of the most comprehensive laws in this area, whose Article 19 governs labelling.
Five rules for reading the list
1. Descending order by weight
Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight at the time they are added. That is why water (Aqua) usually comes first in creams and lotions: it is the largest component.
2. The 1% rule
Ingredients below 1% may be listed in any order after those above 1%. This matters: an active ingredient in the middle of the list may be present at a very low concentration. Some actives are designed to work below 1% anyway.
3. Colourants at the end
Colourants other than hair dyes may be listed in any order after the other ingredients, usually as Colour Index (CI) numbers. Multi-shade make-up may show “may contain” or “+/-” before the list of colours.
4. Fragrance in one word
The fragrance blend is listed simply as Parfum or Aroma. EU law, however, requires certain allergenic substances to be named when they exceed set limits, which is why you may see names such as Limonene or Linalool after Parfum.
5. Nanomaterials are declared
Any ingredient present as a nanomaterial must be followed by the word (nano) in brackets.
Common names and their meaning
Learning about twenty common names is enough to read most daily skincare products. Long unfamiliar names are not necessarily harmful; many are humectants or stabilisers with decades of safe use.
Shelf life and precautions
Besides ingredients, the pack carries two important pieces of information:
- Shelf life: products lasting less than 30 months show an expiry date. Longer-lasting products show an open-jar symbol with a number, such as 12M, meaning safe for 12 months after opening.
- Precautions for use: such as avoiding contact with eyes, or adult use only. These are not formalities; the law requires them for specific ingredients.
What about the Gulf market?
Each Gulf country has its own requirements for registering and labelling cosmetics. In Saudi Arabia the SFDA updates its ingredient lists continuously: in August 2025 it added three substances to the restricted list with new concentration limits, and in September 2025 it added 21 substances to the prohibited list. It also requires a certificate of conformity for every imported consignment.
So reading ingredients is not just a consumer skill; it is a core skill for anyone selling, importing or manufacturing cosmetics in the region.
Conclusion
The ingredient list tells you a lot once you know its rules: order by weight, the 1% rule, colourants last, fragrance in one word, nano declared. Try it on the next product you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Is the first ingredient the most important?
It is the most concentrated, usually water (Aqua). But some active ingredients work at very low concentrations, so the order shows quantity, not importance.
Why are fragrance ingredients not listed in detail?
The fragrance blend is named simply Parfum or Aroma, while certain allergenic substances are named individually when they exceed limits set in EU legislation.
What does (nano) after an ingredient mean?
That the ingredient is present as a nanomaterial, which EU law requires to be stated for each nano ingredient.
What is the open-jar symbol with a number?
The period-after-opening symbol, such as 12M for 12 months after opening, used for products with a shelf life above 30 months.
