The Legal Mandate of INCI Formatting
Cosmetic ingredient declarations are strictly regulated across major jurisdictions (FDA in the United States, Regulation EC No 1223/2009 in the European Union). Manufacturers cannot simply write 'Vitamin C' or 'Green Tea Extract' — they must use standardized botanical and chemical names.
For example, green tea extract appears as *Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract*, and Vitamin B5 is declared as *Panthenol*. This prevents confusing marketing synonyms and enables universal allergy identification.
The 1% Line of Demarcation
Ingredients present in concentrations greater than 1% must be listed in descending order of predominance by weight. If water, glycerin, and niacinamide appear first, second, and third, those form the predominant vehicle mass.
However, once an ingredient falls below 1% concentration, regulatory statutes allow manufacturers to list remaining ingredients in any arbitrary order. Brands frequently list prestigious plant extracts or peptides ahead of preservatives like phenoxyethanol (which is capped at 1%), giving the false impression of high concentration.
Pro Tip: Look for Phenoxyethanol on a label. Anything listed after it is almost certainly formulated at less than 1% concentration.
High-Potency Bioactives Do Not Need High Percentages
A common consumer misconception is that low placement on an INCI list equates to poor efficacy. For hydrating humectants like hyaluronic acid, 1% to 2% is a physical saturation limit that creates a thick gel; 5% pure hyaluronic acid would form an unusable solid rubber.
Similarly, retinoids (0.025% to 0.3%) and copper peptides (0.05% to 0.1%) operate at cellular signaling thresholds far below the 1% mark. Miko identifies these biologically active thresholds based on pharmacology, not line position.