"Sulfate-free", "silicone-free", "96% natural": the front of the bottle is a marketing space. The back is governed by regulation. That is where the information sits.
What an INCI list is
INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. It is a nomenclature shared by every country, which is why plant extracts carry Latin names and everything else carries English ones. Two reading rules are enough to get started.
- The order is descending down to a concentration of 1%. Below that threshold, the manufacturer can list ingredients in any order.
- Regulated allergens bring up the rear. Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol and their neighbours are natural components of essential oils, and must be declared above a certain threshold. Their presence is not a sign of poor formulation.
The practical consequence: an active ingredient trumpeted on the front of the bottle but listed second to last is present in trace amounts.
Spotting a silicone
This is the easy one, because the nomenclature is consistent. Look for these endings:
- -cone: Dimethicone, Amodimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane
- -conol: Dimethiconol
- -siloxane or -xane: Cyclohexasiloxane
- Anything containing Silicone or Silylate
Let's be fair: a silicone is not a poison. It smooths the cuticle, reduces friction when detangling and protects against heat. The problem lies elsewhere. Water-insoluble silicones build up wash after wash, weigh fine hair down and eventually form a barrier that subsequent treatments can no longer cross. Above all, they mask the real condition of the fibre: hair looks repaired when it is merely coated. The day you stop, everything comes back at once.
Not all sulfates are equal
The word "sulfate" covers a family of surfactants, the molecules that create lather and carry sebum away. Lumping them all together makes no sense.
| INCI ingredient | Family | What you need to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) | Sulfate | Very foaming, very detergent. Most often singled out for its irritant potential on sensitive scalps. |
| Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) | Ethoxylated sulfate | Gentler than SLS, but produced by ethoxylation, a process excluded by organic standards. |
| Sodium Coco-Sulfate | Plant-derived sulfate | Derived from coconut oil, non-ethoxylated, accepted by the COSMOS standard. Foaming and effective. |
| Lauryl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside | Non-ionic surfactant | Very gentle, discreet lather. Often paired with a plant-based sulfate to balance comfort and efficacy. |
| Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate | Amino-acid surfactant | Among the gentlest on the market, often used as a secondary surfactant. |
In other words, a "sulfate-free" shampoo may well be less well tolerated than one containing a gentle sulfate. The claim on its own tells you nothing.
PEGs, and why certifications exclude them
PEG stands for polyethylene glycol. You spot them by the PEG- prefix followed by a number, and indirectly by -eth endings such as Laureth or Steareth, which point to the same ethoxylation process.
These ingredients work well as emulsifiers and solubilisers. The criticism aimed at them concerns the manufacturing process: ethoxylation uses ethylene oxide and can leave traces of 1,4-dioxane, which manufacturers have to remove. Natural and organic cosmetic standards prefer to rule the process out rather than have to monitor its residues. That is the case with the COSMOS standard.
What COSMOS NATURAL actually certifies
A certification is not a marketing line: it is a set of specifications verified by an independent body. COSMOS NATURAL, audited here by ECOCERT Greenlife, governs among other things:
- the origin of the ingredients and the percentage of natural origin in the finished product,
- the permitted processing methods, which rules out ethoxylation and therefore PEGs,
- an exclusion list covering silicones and parabens in particular,
- packaging and the environmental management of the production site.
Watch out for a distinction that is often blurred: COSMOS NATURAL is not COSMOS ORGANIC. The first certifies natural origin, the second also requires a minimum percentage of ingredients from organic farming. How the certification works in full, what it checks and how to verify it are set out in our breakdown of COSMOS NATURAL certification.
Where KERA NEXT stands
Worth spelling out precisely, since that is exactly what this article asks you to check.
- Zero silicone in all four formulas. No -cone, -conol or -siloxane endings anywhere in our INCI lists.
- Zero PEG. A direct consequence of COSMOS NATURAL certification by ECOCERT Greenlife.
- A plant-based sulfate, yes. The Volume Boost Shampoo contains Sodium Coco-Sulfate, combined with Lauryl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate and Coco-Glucoside. So we do not claim to be "sulfate-free", because it would not be true.
- 98 to 99% natural origin depending on the product, with 4 to 12% of organic origin.
The full INCI lists are published on every product page, in the "Ingredients" accordion, with no need to write to us for them. You can browse them from the Keratin haircare section. To understand what the main active really does once inside the fibre, see our article on hydrolysed keratin.
Reading a label: the essentials
- INCI order is descending down to 1%, then free: an active at the end of the list is a trace.
- Silicones: look for the endings -cone, -conol, -siloxane.
- PEGs and ethoxylation: look for the PEG- prefix and -eth endings.
- "Sulfate-free" means nothing on its own: it all depends which sulfate.
- The natural origin percentage includes water: it is an indicator of origin, not of performance.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sulfate-free shampoo clean less well?
It generally lathers less, which is not the same thing. Lather is a sensory cue, not a measure of cleanliness. That said, on hair heavily loaded with styling products, gentler cleansing may need two rounds.
Are silicones dangerous?
The silicones used in haircare have no demonstrated health risk at the concentrations in use. The issue is build-up, weight on fine hair and the masking effect, not toxicity.
How do I know if my hair is saturated with silicones?
The classic pattern: hair feels soft to the touch but looks dull, it absorbs treatments poorly and becomes heavy without being greasy. Two or three washes with a silicone-free shampoo are usually enough to settle the question.
Is the natural origin percentage a mark of quality?
It is an indicator of origin, not of performance. Water counts in the calculation, which mechanically pushes the figure up. Read it alongside the ingredients, not instead of them.
Where can I find a product's INCI list before buying?
It must be accessible on the packaging and, for an online sale, before the order is placed. A brand that does not publish it on the product page is asking you to trust it with no way to check.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, Annex III (allergens subject to mandatory declaration).
- Official COSMOS-standard specifications, cosmos-standard.org.
- Draelos Z. D., "Essentials of Hair Care Often Neglected: Hair Cleansing", International Journal of Trichology, 2010.
Article written by the KERA NEXT editorial team. The compositions cited match the formulas in force at the date of publication: refer to the INCI list on the packaging you have in hand.