What is INCI Names?
INCI is the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients created by the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) to identify cosmetic ingredients.
It is the most commonly used international common name when labelling cosmetic ingredients.
Personal Care Products Council of America Personal Care Products Council Video introduction
Do I need to register INCI names?
INCI names are used internationally for the labelling of ingredients on cosmetic packaging. In japan, cosmetic ingredient labelling based on INCI names, and guidelines stipulate that ingredients must be listed on the nomenclature list prepared by the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association.
Globally harmonised INCI names minimises the risk of consumer understanding and international trade.
How do I register INCI names?
Ingredients that are not on the name list of the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association will be requested to be created. However, for ingredients that are not registered with the INCI name, you must first apply for registration with the PCPC.
This INCI name is always required when creating a full ingredient label.
- Ingredients which are not listed under the INCI names should first proceed with INCI name registration.
- If an ingredient name does not exist in the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association, ask it to be created. (It is assumed that the INCI name is registered).
- Ingredients can be labeled on product packages, etc., as long as all ingredient names ( in Japanese ) are registered with the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association.
However, while you are applying to the Cosmetic Industry Association for listing, the product can be sold under a "tentative name" in the following four ways.
- Name created in accordance with "Cosmetics Industry Association Name Nomenclature General Rules"
- Names of ingredients listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia Foreign Pharmaceutical Standards and the Official Food Additive Standards.
- Names that are generally understood by consumers.
- Chemical Name
Exporting Cosmetic Gel Nail Products without INCI Names is difficult!
INCI names are very important when cosmetic Gel Nail Products are exported abroad. When exporting, the ingredients must be checked in accordance with the laws of the country. This is because laws differ from country to country, such as whether the ingredients can be blended and whether there are any restrictions on the amount of ingredients that can be blended. The INCI name is a source of information to facilitate the identification of the ingredients and to enable the labelling of the ingredients in the language of the country based on the INCI name.
However, products containing ingredients without an INCI name are more likely to be rejected by the other country and customs clearance will not be possible, as it is impossible to identify the ingredients in the product. For importing countries that accept products from abroad, a product without an INCI name is nothing more than "A product containing an unknown ingredient", which naturally means that they have no criteria for acceptance and decision can't be made.
We have recently received many inquiries from customers who have exported Gel Nail products without INCI names to foreign countries. In the past, we have received many inquiries about problems caused by exporting gel nail products without an INCI name to overseas countries.
Tell me more about INCI Name
INCI Names are divided into 6 main categories
- Polymers / Silicones
- General Chemistry / Other.
- Biotech/Bioengineering
- Ferments (enzymes).
- Botanicals.
- Inorganic/Mineral Based
In an application for registration of an INCI name, the items of information required for registration differ according to the above-mentioned categories, and it is necessary to have a variety of chemical and technical information on the ingredient for which the application is made, such as its properties, formation, synthesis method and solvent.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has issued a notice "Methods for the labelling of cosmetics on the label of all their ingredients". No. 220, jointly issued by the Director-General of the Medical and Pharmacy Evaluation and Management Division and the Director-General of the Monitoring, Guidance and Drug Control Division of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, on "Methods for the labelling of all ingredients in cosmetics", as follows.
1-(1) The names of ingredients should be listed in Japanese, and care should be taken to prevent confusion among consumers by using the 'List of names of ingredients of cosmetics' prepared by the Japan Cosmetic Industry Federation, etc.
The guidelines also state that, with regard to ingredient labelling under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law's obligation to list all ingredients, ingredients should be listed based on lists such as the 'Ingredient Labeling List for Cosmetics' prepared by the Japan Cosmetic Industry Federation, and ingredients not on the list should be registered. The rules for cosmetic product labelling names have been clarified and guidelines established, such as the following.
Under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law, ingredients other than those regulated in the positive and negative lists may be blended at the producer's discretion and product responsibility, but "for ingredients of novelty for which noINCIname has been registered,an application for anINCIname must be filed. The application for the name of the INCI name must be filed." However, in such cases, "an application for an INCI name must be made for any novel ingredient for which no INCI name is registered".
There are products containing ingredients without INCI Names, are they illegal?
Although there is no illegality, it is not possible to use rule-based labelling according to the Guidelines for the Labelling of All Ingredients in Cosmetics, which are set out in principle by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Under Japan's Pharmaceutical and Industrial Safety Law, cosmetic ingredients other than those regulated by positive and negative lists can be freely combined at the discretion of the manufacturer and on the basis of product liability, so even if industrial urethane acrylates or industrial raw materials without such INCI names are used, there is no legal illegality or penalty. Therefore, there is no legal illegality or penalty for the use of such industrial urethane acrylates or industrial raw materials without an INCI name. However, even though it is not illegal, any deviation from the rules set out in principle will result in the company's credibility being questioned.
Only when such products are distributed only in Japan can they be distributed without the act of 'customs clearance' to check the ingredients, so the problem is not brought to light.
However
- In many countries like U.S. FDA, EU and in many Asean Countries, products without an INCI name are extremely difficult to clear customs as import permits are not granted by the partner country.
- Bringing unregistered or unauthorised nail products abroad may be punishable as smuggling or illegal.
- Customs clearance with a false application for ingredients, etc., which is later discovered to be false, may also be severely penalised as an illegal act.
What are the INCI Name measures for Nichibi's Gel Nail OEM Manufacturing?
In our gel nail OEM manufacturing, we do not use any raw materials without INCI names, which are difficult to identify at the time of customs clearance or when registering cosmetics at the export destination, and We only use cosmetic raw materials with INCI names. We accept OEM manufacturing.
- Correct notation is possible in accordance with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Guidelines for the Description of All Ingredients in Cosmetics.
- It can be manufactured in a safe formula that is also compliant with the America FDA Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Programme (VCRP).
- With Nichibi.Inc, Gel nails products can be exported and cleared smoothly to many countries around the world.
- The formulation of the ingredients can be adapted to the regulations of the export destination.
When we are contract manufacturing your valuable products, we believe that
guidelines and legal compliance must be complete and flawless.
We take every precaution to ensure that our customers are not put in a disadvantageous situation in the Gel Nail OEM Manufacturing.
Customers who are thinking of commercialising gel nail polish in the future or are looking for a new contract manufacturer can rely on Nichibi.Inc for contract manufacturing of gel nail polish in compliance with the latest regulatory information.
The rules on cosmetic ingredient labelling are described in more detail in the links below.
The INCI name is decided at the INCI meeting (INCI Nomenclature Committee) held at the PCPC.
INCI Names named by the US PCPC are included in the list of cosmetic labeling names published by the japan cosmetic industry association. Cosmetics distributed in Japan must be labeled with cosmetic ingredients based on this list.