Blog #5

🔍 How Cosmetic Ingredients Are Listed (And Why Order Matters)

When reading a cosmetic label, the order of ingredients tells a story — but only if you know how to read it.

In the United States and many other countries, cosmetic ingredients must be listed using INCI names (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) and follow specific labeling rules. These rules are meant to standardize ingredient names globally, but they can also make labels confusing for the average consumer.

Ingredients Are Listed by Weight — Until 1%

• Ingredients present at more than 1% must be listed in descending order of concentration
• This means the first ingredient is the most abundant, followed by the second, third, and so on
• Once ingredients drop to 1% or less, they may be listed in any order at the end of the label

This distinction is critical — because it determines which ingredients actually make up the formula, versus which are added in very small, often insignificant amounts.

🧴 Why the First 4 Ingredients Matter Most

The first 3–4 ingredients typically make up 70–90% of the entire formula.

That’s why they matter more than:

• Trendy botanicals
• Marketing callouts
• “Infused with” claims on the front label

If the first few ingredients are:

• Harsh surfactants
• Water paired with cheap detergents
• Petroleum-based fillers
• Synthetic conditioners or silicones

Then the product is built on those ingredients, no matter what appears later.

If an ingredient is listed after fragrance or near the end, it’s likely present in a very small amount — sometimes less than 0.1%. At that level, it may sound appealing on the label, but it contributes little to no functional benefit for the hair or scalp.

🌿 The “Ingredient Dusting” Problem

Many mass-market brands rely on a practice often referred to as ingredient dusting.

This happens when:

• A botanical is added in trace amounts
• It’s listed near the bottom of the ingredient list
• It’s used primarily for marketing appeal, not performance

Common examples include:

• “Infused with argon oil”
• “Contains aloe”
• “Made with biotin”

If these ingredients appear after fragrance or preservatives, they are likely included in such small quantities that they offer minimal benefit. This practice is less about formulation integrity and more about creating the perception of a healthier or more natural product, even when the core formula remains synthetic-heavy.

⚠️ What the 1% Rule Allows Brands to Do

Once ingredients fall below 1%, brands are legally allowed to:

• Reorder them freely
• Group multiple low-level ingredients together
• Highlight them on the front label without meaningful context

This is how products can legally claim:

• “With botanical extracts”
• “Naturally inspired”
• “Plant-based blend”

…even when the formula itself is still largely built on synthetics, detergents, and fillers.

🧠 How to Read a Label Like a Formulator

Here’s a simple checklist to use when scanning a product label:

✔ Look at the first 4 ingredients
✔ Identify whether they are cleansers, fillers, or nourishment
✔ Scan for silicones, sulfates, fragrance, and preservatives
✔ Treat end-of-label botanicals as supporting actors, not the foundation

At Hair Concoction, our formulations are intentionally designed so that the plants are the formula — not the decoration.

🌱 Why This Matters for Your Hair & Scalp

Your scalp is skin — living, absorbing, and responsive.

Repeated exposure to formulas built on harsh or synthetic foundations can:

• Disrupt the scalp’s natural microbiome
• Lead to dryness, irritation, flakes, and buildup
• Create dependency cycles where hair only feels good immediately after use

Understanding ingredient order helps you choose products that support long-term hair and scalp health, rather than short-term cosmetic results.

The truth isn’t hidden — it’s printed on the label. You just need to know how to read it.

Below is a chart highlighting common ingredients found in big-box brands, why they’re concerning, and plant-based alternatives that better support hair and scalp health.

 

🧪 Ingredient Chart: Ingredients of Concern & Better Alternatives

Note: All ingredients are listed using their INCI names, which is the language required on cosmetic labels.

 

Ingredient of Concern	Why It’s Harmful / Questionable	Plant-Based Alternatives to Look For	INCA
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)	Extremely harsh detergent; strips scalp oils, disrupts barrier, triggers dryness & irritation	Soapnut (Reetha), Yucca Root, Quillaja Saponaria	Sapindus Mukorossi Fruit Extract (Soapnut), Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)	Milder than SLS but still stripping; often contaminated with 1,4-dioxane	Decyl Glucoside, Coco Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside	Decyl Glucoside, Coco Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)	Strong surfactant; dries hair & scalp	Saponified plant oils, Sugar-derived surfactants	Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	Common irritant/allergen; often contaminated with impurities	Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate	Coco Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Dimethicone	Non-biodegradable silicone; causes buildup, blocks moisture	Broccoli Seed Oil, Abyssinian Oil, Hemisqualane (sugarcane-derived)	Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil
Amodimethicone	Silicone that selectively binds to damaged hair, causing dependency	Plant ceramides, Phytosterols	Phytosterols, Plant Ceramides
Cyclopentasiloxane / Cyclohexasiloxane	Volatile silicones; environmental persistence & buildup	Jojoba Esters, Squalane (olive/sugarcane)	Squalane (Olive or Sugarcane)
PEG Compounds (PEG-7, PEG-12, etc.)	Petroleum-derived; increase skin permeability	Glycerin (vegetable), Aloe Vera, Propanediol (corn-derived)	Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Polyquaternium Compounds	Synthetic film-formers; buildup, scalp congestion	Marshmallow Root, Flaxseed Gel, Okra Extract	Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
DMDM Hydantoin	Formaldehyde-releasing preservative; linked to irritation & hair shedding	Leuconostoc Ferment, Radish Root Ferment	Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Imidazolidinyl Urea / Diazolidinyl Urea	Formaldehyde releasers; sensitizing	Potassium Sorbate (plant-derived systems)	Gluconolactone & Sodium Benzoate
Phenoxyethanol	Neurotoxic in high amounts; not plant-based	Sodium Benzoate + Plant Ferments	Lactobacillus Ferment
Fragrance / Parfum	Trade secret blend; can hide phthalates & allergens	Essential oils, CO₂ extracts, hydrosols	Essential oils, Hydrosols
Artificial Dyes (Red 33, Yellow 5, Blue 1)	Linked to irritation & sensitivity	Botanical infusions (hibiscus, chamomile, indigo)	Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
EDTA (Disodium / Tetrasodium)	Poorly biodegradable; environmental toxin	Sodium Phytate (rice-derived chelator)	Sodium Phytate
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride	Synthetic modification; buildup over time	Slippery Elm, Aloe Polysaccharides	Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Polysaccharides
Isopropyl Alcohol	Drying alcohol; weakens hair shaft	Fatty alcohols (Cetyl, Cetearyl from plants)	Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol
Mineral Oil / Petrolatum	Petroleum-derived; occlusive, non-nourishing	Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Avocado Oil	Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter

 

 

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