How to Actually Read a Skincare Ingredient List

If you’ve ever turned a bottle around to read the ingredients and felt like you were staring at another language... we totally get that and have been there too! Ingredient lists can look pretty intimidating. Long scientific names in tiny text and marketing claims on the front that don’t always match what’s inside once you take a closer look at the fine print. But once you understand a few simple principles that we will discuss today, reading a skincare label becomes much easier!

Here's how we examine a skincare ingredient list to make sure it's truly non-toxic & and how to spot the sneaky ingredients that aren't!

1. Start at the top of the list

First off, start at the very top of the list. Ingredients are listed in order of concentration from highest to lowest until about the 1 percent mark. That means the first few ingredients make up the majority of the formula. In many products, the first three to five ingredients account for most of what you are putting on your skin. So, you'll notice, let's say in our Daydream Mineral SPF, the first 5 ingredients are as follows: Babassu Oil*, Non-nano Zinc Oxide*, Raspberry Seed Oil*, Beeswax, Shea Butter (*organic). High quality ingredients that are super nourishing and protective. Your money is going towards a very nourishing base. Now, in let's say, Paula's Choice 5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer SPF 50, the first 5 ingredients are Avobenzone, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, Aqua/Water/Eau.

So your money is going towards typical cheap chemical sunscreen base and water. Avobenzone, Octinoxate, Octisalate, and Octocrylene are synthetic UV filters associated with hormone disruption concerns, environmental toxicity, and in some cases they degrade into potentially harmful byproducts... while water as the base requires added preservatives to prevent microbial growth. If the backbone of the formula is primarily fillers, silicones, or synthetic bases, the product is relying more on marketing than formulation integrity. Steer clear.

So if a product claims to contain something beneficial but that ingredient is buried near the end of a long ingredient list, it is likely present in a very small amount and probably the cheapest form. So, remember, the top of the list tells you what the formula is really built on.

2. Know about the “1 percent line”

Once ingredients drop below roughly 1 percent, companies are allowed to list them in any order. This is one of the biggest areas where marketing can get... creative (or dishonest). Botanical extracts or trendy ingredients may appear higher in the list than they actually exist in the formula. Preservatives and stabilizers may appear later even if they are present in higher amounts. This is why, as formulators and holistic skincare buffs, we look carefully at the structure of the formula, not just individual ingredients. At SBA, we always list the ingredients by way of concentration. That is a promise!

3. The Language of INCI

Cosmetic ingredients are listed using the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients system. This means plant ingredients are often written in their Latin botanical names, and that can be a bit confusing for the average consumer. If you go to our Herbal Lash Serum ingredient list, you'll notice we've provided the INCI names for all ingredients. This has to do with our desire to be fully transparent, but as a consumer, it's good to familiarize yourselves with some of these names so you can properly read the ingredient list of products.

For example:

Aloe barbadensis leaf juice = aloe vera
Butyrospermum parkii = shea butter
Simmondsia chinensis = jojoba oil

At first it looks complicated but once you recognize a few of these names ingredient lists become much easier to interpret!

4. Watch for the fragrance loophole

One ingredient that deserves special attention is fragrance. You know that we are NOT fans of "fragrance", "natural fragrance", "naturally derived fragrance", or "parfum" in any skin, hair, or body care product (read more about this here). You even need to be careful with "essential oils" on ingredient lists because these single words can represent dozens or even hundreds of undisclosed compounds! Hence why it's so important to know who is creating your skincare, the philosophy of the skincare brand, and exactly what quality of ingredients are in your products.

For people with sensitive skin, hormone concerns, or are nore toxin aware; fragrance blends are one of the most common places hidden irritants can appear. Ever developed hives, bumps, rashes, headaches, or other allergic reactions after applying something with fragrance or being around a candle or artificial fragrance plug-in? I sure have and still do. The chemicals in fragrance can be especially problematic for many.

This is why truly herbal, holistic forward formulations rely on whole plant ingredients rather than synthetic fragrance blends. For instance, our Blue Tansy Moisturizer contains absolutely no added fragrance at all. The whole plants and plant oils make up the earthy, fruity smell of our most popular HA-based moisturizer.

5. Don’t be fooled by catchy front label claims

Marketing language on the front of a product is not regulated the same way ingredient lists are. Words like "natural", "clean", "green", "botanical", and even "dermatologist tested" do not guarantee a truly clean formula. The ingredient list tells the real story! Again, in 2026, you cannot rely on skincare companies to market their products truthfully. You must know your formulator and brand to know if their claims match up to how they formulate their products. This is another reason why we prioritize complete ingredient and brand transparency. We want you to know exactly what you are applying onto your body and feel fully confident while doing so. We PROUDLY stand behind every ingredient in each of our products.

Also, remember that a product can highlight a beautiful ingredient on the front label but include only a tiny trace amount in the whole formula. This goes even for more natural products. When you learn to read the ingredient list first marketing claims won't fool you anymore! And you probably won't be buying another skin, hair, or body care product from TJ Maxx or Target once you understand these principles.

6. More ingredients ≠ better

As you may have picked up on, more ingredients does not always mean better. Many herbal formulations are intentionally simple because plants themselves contain hundreds of beneficial compounds already working together. A thoughtful formula focuses on ingredient quality, sourcing, and synergy rather than stacking a long list of additives like a big, complicated puzzle.

Quick red flag ingredient cheat sheet

If you are scanning an ingredient list and want a quick place to start, here are a few categories many herbalists and non-toxic formulators pay attention to and AVOID.

Synthetic fragrance
Listed as "fragrance", "natural fragrance", "parfum", "essential oil blend/extracts". These names can hide dozens of toxic & undisclosed chemicals!

PEG compounds
Often listed as PEG followed by a number. These are petroleum-derived emulsifiers associated with contamination concerns. Think Vaseline, Aquaphor, etc...

Parabens
Common preservatives like methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. They are synthetic preservatives used to prevent microbial growth in water-based products but are controversial because they can mimic estrogen in the body and have been linked to potential hormone disruption. Yeah, NO.

Formaldehyde releasing preservatives
Such as DMDM hydantoin, quaternium 15, and imidazolidinyl urea. These are preservative ingredients that slowly release formaldehyde (yes... you heard that right) to prevent microbial growth. They raise concerns because formaldehyde is a known irritant and carcinogen.

Silicones
Often ending in cone or siloxane such as dimethicone or cyclopentasiloxane. These create a temporary silky feel but do not nourish the skin. They're purely used for aesthetics. They are heavy and trap debris, block pores, and some (especially volatile siloxanes like cyclopentasiloxane) have environmental concerns because they can build up in organs and tissues faster than the body can get rid of them.

Synthetic dyes
Often listed as FD&C or color numbers. These can be irritating, offer no skin benefits, and some have been linked to toxicity or contamination concerns.

 

Seeing one or more of these ingredients in a product can signal that a formula is more conventionally constructed rather than formulated for integrity, purity, and holistic health in mind.

When you begin reading ingredient lists through this lens you start to notice the difference between products that simply reference plants or catchy actives (Ahem, Hyaluronic acid! Read more here about the HA dilemma) in their marketing and products that are genuinely holistic and non-toxic in their formulation. Learning to read an ingredient list is one of the most empowering things you can do as a consumer!

Once you understand how formulas are structured you start to see past the marketing and recognize which products are thoughtfully formulated and which ones are plain dishonest.

And the more you learn to read labels the easier it becomes to choose products that truly support your skin AND your health. 🌿

Before I go, I want to invite you to read a special blog that our master formulator and founder, Chelsea, wrote for our SBA fam. It's all about skincare from a holistic, herbalist lens. I think you will really enjoy it and learn even more. Click here to read it... 

Here for you,
Brier