Analyze the composition of a cosmetic product online
This article explains how to analyze the composition of a cosmetic product online, understand the structure of an INCI list, and identify ingredients that deserve your attention, without a chemistry background.
How to analyze the ingredient list of a cosmetic product online
Before choosing a cream, serum, or cleanser, knowing what a product is actually made of is a useful benchmark. The ingredient list, mandatory on packaging and accessible before online purchase, helps to better understand the formula, provided you know how to read it.
Understanding the INCI list before analyzing it
The ingredient list follows the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) nomenclature, mandatory in Europe since 1998. Components are generally listed in descending order of concentration: the first three to five can represent up to 80% of the formula. To further understand this reading, the guide to reading an INCI list details each step.
- Positions 1 to 5 These ingredients form the backbone of the formula, generally with a concentration greater than 5%. Aqua, humectants, fatty substances, and texture agents often make up the bulk.
- Positions 6 to 10 Functional active ingredients such as Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, or Panthenol are frequently found in concentrations between 1% and 5%.
- Beyond the 10th position The concentration often falls below the 1% threshold. Here, you'll mainly find fragrance, preservatives, and colorants, indicated at the end of the list as "CI" followed by five digits.
- Latin or English names Latin names refer to botanical extracts, such as Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract or Helianthus Annuus Oil. English or chemical terms more often refer to synthetic components, such as Dimethicone or denatured alcohol.
In accordance with the Consumer Code, the obligation to display the ingredient list also applies to online sales sites. Every seller must make the composition accessible before purchase, allowing you to analyze your cosmetics directly from the product page.
Which app or website to choose for analyzing its composition
Several platforms now allow for INCI analysis without prior knowledge. With an app, simply copy the INCI list from the packaging or the brand's website, paste it into the designated field, and then launch the analysis. To deepen your understanding of INCI lists, specialized works such as the e-book The Art of Holistic Cosmetics connect formulation and skin comfort.
- INCI Decoder / CosDNA / Open Beauty Facts These platforms compare formulations with databases that can contain up to 15,000 references. CosDNA notably displays, for each component, comedogenicity, allergenicity, and carcinogenicity indices.
- Yuka / INCI Beauty / QuelProduit These mobile apps function as product scanners: a photograph of the barcode is enough to get an instant rating. Yuka evaluates each ingredient with a very cautious approach, while INCI Beauty provides more regulatory context.
- CosIng (European Commission) This reference composition analyzer lists ingredients with their INCI name, CAS number, and official cosmetic functions, according to EC Regulation 1223/2009. It allows you to check whether an ingredient is authorized or subject to restrictions.
The level of risk assigned depends on the methodology of each online analysis tool. The EWG score, for example, is based on data from nearly 60 databases dedicated to toxicity and regulatory requirements. The BIODIZIONARIO offers five evaluation levels, from "safe" to "not recommended." It is therefore preferable to choose a cosmetic analyzer based on its method, and then to put its result into context.
What ingredient-by-ingredient analysis reveals
A composition analyzer should not be limited to assigning a color or a score. It should also indicate the function of an ingredient—emollient, surfactant, preservative, humectant, or UV filter—and highlight profiles that require particular attention. Ingredients to avoid or monitor include silicones, recognizable by the endings -cone, -conol, or -siloxane, mineral oils like Paraffinum liquidum or Petrolatum, parabens, and phenoxyethanol.
ANSES has reported that more than 800 substances suspected of being endocrine disruptors are used in common consumer products, including cosmetics. To decipher the INCI list of your beauty creams and serums, cosmetovigilance and composition analysis according to ANSES provide a useful scientific framework. Skin health also depends on clear information about formulas.
For sensitive skin, the first ten ingredients are often the most revealing. The presence of Glycerin, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, or Ceramide NP can indicate a formula focused on hydration and comfort. Conversely, aggressive sulfates, synthetic fragrance, or denatured alcohol placed at the top of the list warrant particular vigilance.
Analyze a product's composition before incorporating it into your routine. To understand how cosmetic composition analysis is regulated, the DGCCRF publishes the results of its investigations into labeling and claims.
| Tool | Type | INCI analysis method | Strengths |
| INCI Decoder | Web | Copy-paste list | Detailed ingredient sheets, database of 15,000 references |
| CosDNA | Web | Copy-paste or individual search | Comedogenicity, allergenicity, and carcinogenicity indices |
| Yuka | Mobile app | Cosmetic scan by barcode | Quick rating, cautious approach |
| INCI Beauty | Mobile app | Scan or manual entry | Regulatory context, sensitive skin profiles |
| Open Beauty Facts | Web and mobile | Collaborative database, scan or copy-paste | Open source, community updates |
| CosIng (EU) | Official web database | Search by INCI name or CAS number | Official regulatory status, cosmetic functions |
Limitations of analysis tools to keep in mind
No tool knows the exact proportions of the recipe: it only has access to the INCI list, not the actual concentrations. A chemical component present in tiny quantities can therefore receive the same penalty as a dominant ingredient. Certain allergens can lower the overall score even though they only affect a very small fraction of the population.
Formulations can also evolve without barcode modification, which sometimes skews the analysis. To analyze cosmetic ingredients discerningly, consider these results as an aid to reading, not as a definitive verdict on a product's safety. The best approach is to analyze the composition, read the list directly, and, if necessary, seek the advice of a healthcare professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are apps like Yuka reliable for evaluating the composition of a cosmetic product?
Analysis apps like Yuka offer a quick reading of the INCI list and can help with initial sorting. These tools generally do not know the exact concentration of each ingredient. A component present in very small quantities can therefore receive the same penalty as a major ingredient.
The classification of certain hypoallergenic fragrances can also assimilate them to generic allergens, which risks artificially lowering the score of a well-tolerated formula. An app is thus useful for understanding cosmetic composition in broad terms, but a colored score does not constitute an absolute judgment on the safety or tolerance of a product.
How to analyze your cosmetics without an app, directly from the INCI list?
To analyze your cosmetics without a digital tool, start by observing the first three to five ingredients on the INCI list: they generally represent the largest part of the formula. For sensitive skin, the presence of ingredients such as Glycerin, Panthenol, or Sodium Hyaluronate at the top of the list can support hydration and skin comfort.
It is also useful to identify sulfates, denatured alcohol, or synthetic fragrance when they appear among the first positions, as the formula may then be less well tolerated by certain skin types. Finally, compare the position of an active ingredient highlighted on the packaging with its position in the list: if it appears at the end of the list, its actual concentration is likely to be less than 1%.
Which ingredients should be monitored as a priority during an INCI analysis?
During an INCI analysis, certain families of ingredients may warrant particular attention, especially when the skin is sensitive or reactive. Silicones are often recognizable by the endings -cone, -conol, or -siloxane and form a film on the skin's surface. Cyclic silicones D4, D5, and D6 are classified as PBT by the European Union.
Mineral oils, such as Paraffinum liquidum and Petrolatum, do not provide nutrients to the skin. Butyl- and propyl- parabens exhibit estrogenic activity. Phenoxyethanol is a suspected endocrine disruptor, limited to 1% in Europe. Formaldehyde releasers, such as DMDM Hydantoin, are recognized as allergens.
The mentions "Parfum" or "Fragrance" can group several allergenic molecules without specifying the concentration of each. Deciphering the entire list rather than relying on a single component or an automatic rating.
