Lavender oil and lavandin oil have similar names, but they are not the same. For example, one has the INCI name Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, while the other has Lavandula Hybrida Grosso Herb Oil.
This kind of name is called an INCI name. You will see it on ingredient lists and product specifications, and when searching for cosmetic raw materials. It helps you check which ingredient you are dealing with, even when product names look very similar.
But how exactly do you read an INCI name? And what does an INCI name tell you—and what doesn’t it tell you—about a raw material?
What is an INCI name?
INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. It is an international system for naming cosmetic ingredients.
Fixed ingredient names are used for cosmetics in the European Union, and these are largely based on this system. This means you can recognise the same ingredients on cosmetic labels in the Netherlands, Germany and France.
This is useful because ordinary product names do not always tell you exactly what a product contains.
Take lavender, for example. Products sold under that name may sometimes be different lavender species or lavandin. Checking the INCI name shows you which raw material you are dealing with.
How do you read an INCI name?
For many plant oils, you can identify three components: the botanical name of the plant, the part of the plant used and the type of ingredient.
Take Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, for example:
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Citrus Aurantium Bergamia: bergamot
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Peel: peel
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Oil: oil
This means it is bergamot oil from the peel of the fruit.
Another example is Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, the INCI name for jojoba oil. Simmondsia Chinensis refers to the jojoba plant, and Seed Oil means seed oil.
Not every INCI name follows this exact structure, but for many plant-based raw materials, this approach can help you understand much of the name.
What do those Latin plant names actually mean?
The botanical name consists of two parts: the genus and the species designation. These can sometimes tell you something about the plant, but may also refer to a person, a characteristic or a supposed place of origin.
Here are a few examples:
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Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (bergamot): Citrus is the plant genus that also includes lemons and oranges. Aurantium refers to bitter orange, and Bergamia to bergamot. The name reflects an older botanical classification.
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Lavandula Angustifolia (lavender): Lavandula is the genus of lavender plants. Angustifolia literally means “narrow-leaved”, referring to the narrow leaves of true lavender.
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Simmondsia Chinensis (jojoba): Simmondsia is named after a botanist, and Chinensis means “from China”. This is striking, since jojoba is native to North America. According to botanical history, the name came about when “California” was mistaken for “China” on a plant label.
An INCI name can therefore tell you more than just which ingredient you are looking at. However, botanical names should not always be taken literally, as jojoba clearly shows.
Examples of INCI names
Here are a few examples of raw materials in our range:
| INCI name | Raw material |
|---|---|
| Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil | Bergamot oil |
| Lavandula Angustifolia Oil | True lavender oil |
| Lavandula Hybrida Grosso Herb Oil | Lavandin oil (Grosso) |
| Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil | Jojoba oil |
| Butyrospermum Parkii Butter | Shea butter |
Lavender and lavandin in particular show why it is useful to check the INCI name.
Lavandula Angustifolia is true lavender, while Lavandula Hybrida Grosso is a lavandin variety. Both have a similar scent, but differ in botanical origin and composition.
Are you working with a recipe that lists Lavandula Angustifolia Oil? Lavandin is not automatically a suitable substitute, even though both products are sometimes sold as lavender oil.
Do cold-pressed and refined oils have the same INCI name?
Yes. If they are the same plant oil, the INCI name does not change when the oil is cold-pressed or refined.
For example, both cold-pressed and refined jojoba oil have the INCI name Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil.
However, the oils may differ. The refining process can change the colour, scent and composition, among other things. The INCI name does not tell you how an oil has been processed.
Other processing methods can change the name. Hydrogenated jojoba, for example, has its own INCI name: Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil.
To find out whether an oil is cold-pressed, refined or processed in another way, check the product information or the PDS (product specification).
Does the same INCI name also mean the same quality?
No. Two oils can have the same INCI name and still differ from each other.
For example, they may differ in origin, production method or composition. Natural variations between batches can also affect an oil’s properties.
An INCI name also does not tell you whether a raw material is certified organic.
Comparing two raw materials? Check the product specification (PDS) and certificate of analysis (CoA) as well as the INCI name. These documents provide more information about the properties and specifications of the raw material or batch.
How do you read an INCI ingredient list on a cosmetic label?
As a rule, ingredients in a finished cosmetic product are listed from highest to lowest concentration, based on their weight when they are added.
There is one exception: ingredients with a concentration below 1% may be listed in any order after the ingredients above 1%.
If Aqua is listed first in an ingredient list, water is one of the ingredients present in the highest proportion in the formula.
Familiar ingredients also have standard cosmetic names. Water is listed as Aqua, and a fragrance composition is generally listed as Parfum.
Why is shea butter called Butyrospermum Parkii Butter?
Not all INCI names use the botanical name that is currently in common use.
The shea tree is now known as Vitellaria paradoxa. However, cosmetic ingredient lists still use the name Butyrospermum Parkii Butter.
This is because Butyrospermum parkii is an older botanical name. An INCI name does not automatically change when the scientific name of a plant is revised.
Where can you find the INCI name of a raw material?
At Oliemeesters, you can find the INCI name in the product information and accompanying PDS.
Looking for a raw material for an existing formulation? Compare the INCI name in your recipe with that of the oil you want to order. Also check that the production method and product specifications meet your requirements.
This helps you avoid ordering lavandin when you are actually looking for true lavender oil.
In short: an INCI name helps you identify and compare cosmetic ingredients. But the same name does not automatically mean that two raw materials are exactly alike. So check the product information and documentation before choosing a raw material.