Skincare Ingredient Checker

How to Read Your Skincare Ingredient List

Every skincare product sold in most countries must list its ingredients using INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) names — a standardised system that identifies ingredients by their scientific or Latin name rather than a brand's marketing name. Aloe vera becomes Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, vitamin C becomes Ascorbic Acid, and fragrance becomes Parfum.

Ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration. The first five to seven ingredients typically make up around 80% of the formula. An ingredient listed near the very end (after preservatives like phenoxyethanol) is usually present at less than 1%. This matters because an ingredient appearing late in a formula — such as retinol or kojic acid — may be present in a concentration too low to cause irritation, though reactions can still occur in sensitive individuals.

When checking an ingredient list, pay attention to: (1) what appears in the top half of the list — those are your active or base ingredients; (2) whether fragrance or parfum appears anywhere — even a small amount can trigger reactions; and (3) preservatives near the end — some such as MIT (methylisothiazolinone) are potent sensitisers even at low concentrations.

The Most Common Problematic Skincare Ingredients

Drying alcohols such as Alcohol Denat, SD Alcohol, and Isopropyl Alcohol evaporate quickly and can strip your skin's natural moisture barrier. While they are often used to give a lightweight feel or to help actives penetrate faster, frequent use — especially in leave-on products — may worsen dry or sensitive skin over time.

Preservatives are essential for product safety but some — notably Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and Methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT), commonly known as Kathon CG — are classified as contact allergens and are banned or restricted in leave-on products in the EU. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives such as DMDM Hydantoin and Imidazolidinyl Urea are similarly flagged for causing allergic contact dermatitis.

Fragrance and parfum are catch-all terms that can hide dozens of individual chemical compounds, some of which are known sensitisers. Even products labelled "natural" can contain essential oils — rose oil, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint — that contain potent fragrant molecules like linalool, limonene, and geraniol. For reactive or sensitive skin, fragrance-free is always the safer choice.

Comedogenic ingredients — those with a higher tendency to block pores — include coconut oil, isopropyl myristate, myristyl myristate, and cocoa butter. Not every person will break out from every comedogenic ingredient (skin response is individual), but people with acne-prone skin often find these ingredients worsen breakouts when present in the top portion of the formula.

Ingredients to Avoid for Sensitive, Acne-Prone, or Pregnant Skin

For sensitive skin, the priority is to eliminate known contact allergens and fragrance. Look out for SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), which is a strong surfactant that disrupts the skin barrier, and artificial fragrance (parfum). Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and MIT are also significant triggers for contact dermatitis and should be avoided where possible in both rinse-off and leave-on products.

For acne-prone skin, avoid products where comedogenic oils or esters appear high in the formula. Coconut oil is rated highly comedogenic and is a common trigger for fungal acne as well. Non-comedogenic formulations are widely available across moisturisers, sunscreens, and foundations — look for that label, or cross-reference individual ingredients using a tool like this one.

For pregnant skin, the ingredients of greatest concern are retinoids (retinol, retinyl palmitate, tretinoin, isotretinoin) because systemic absorption of high-dose vitamin A derivatives is linked to birth defects. Hydroquinone (a skin lightening agent) is also widely advised against during pregnancy due to high skin absorption. Chemical sunscreen filters such as oxybenzone have raised some concern due to potential hormonal activity, though evidence remains limited. High-concentration salicylic acid (BHA peels or leave-on treatments above 2%) is flagged as a caution. Always consult your midwife or doctor before using any treatment actives during pregnancy or while trying to conceive.