Maker’s reference: INCI, CoA, SDS, IFRA, CLP and CPSR

INCI names and why we source by them

• INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) is the standard naming system for cosmetic ingredients and the name that must appear on a finished product’s ingredient list, in descending order of weight.
• Trade names vary by manufacturer; the INCI name does not. Sourcing by INCI name, with the CAS number where one exists, is how you avoid buying the wrong material.
• Blends carry a compound INCI name written with "(and)" between components, for example Cetearyl Olivate (and) Sorbitan Olivate. Plant materials use the Latin binomial, so shea butter is Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and jojoba oil is Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil.

Reading a certificate of analysis

• A certificate of analysis (CoA) reports test results for one batch. Look for the batch number, the tests performed, each result and the specification it was tested against.
• For carrier oils and butters, typical entries are appearance, acid value, peroxide value and a fatty-acid profile. For essential oils, expect a GC profile of the main constituents. For extracts, the solvent and extract ratio matter.
• A weak CoA has no batch reference, no named laboratory and a single unsupported figure. It is worth asking for a better one before you buy.

Reading a safety data sheet

• The safety data sheet (SDS) sets out hazard classification, handling, storage and transport information for a material, in sixteen numbered sections.
• For UK supply it should follow the UK REACH and CLP format. Section 2 (hazards), section 3 (composition) and section 9 (physical properties, including flash point) are the ones makers use most.
• Not every cosmetic ingredient is classified as hazardous, but every material should still come with an SDS, and your product information file should hold one for each ingredient.

IFRA certificates and fragrance allergens

• The IFRA conformity certificate states the maximum level a fragrance can be used at in each product category, from lip products and leave-on skincare to candles and reed diffusers. It is the document that fixes your fragrance load.
• The allergen declaration lists the regulated fragrance allergens present, such as linalool, limonene or coumarin, so they can be declared on a finished cosmetic’s label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
• Ask for both documents for every fragrance oil and essential oil you buy. A supplier who cannot provide an IFRA certificate cannot tell you how much of their fragrance you may use.

CLP for candles, wax melts and reed diffusers

• Scented candles, wax melts, reed diffusers and room sprays are chemical mixtures under the UK CLP Regulation, and the fragrance oil in them usually drives the classification.
• The SDS for the fragrance, at the percentage you use it, tells you which hazard pictograms, signal word and hazard statements the label needs, and whether a UFI (unique formula identifier) must be declared.
• Alongside CLP, candles and diffusers are consumer products under general product safety rules: batch marking, a UK business address and safe-use instructions belong on the label too.

CPSR and the finished cosmetic

• A cosmetic product placed on the UK market needs a cosmetic product safety report (CPSR) from a qualified safety assessor, a product information file (PIF), a named responsible person in the UK, and notification on the UK Submit Cosmetic Product Notification portal before sale.
• The PIF holds the CPSR, the method of manufacture, the full formula, the SDS and allergen data for every ingredient, the label artwork and batch records. This is where the CoA, SDS and allergen declarations from your raw-material supplier end up.
• Raw materials do not carry any of this for you. AMIDE passes through the documents; the assessment, the responsible person and the notification are the brand’s.

Glossary

INCI

International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients; the standard ingredient naming system used on labels and in sourcing.

CAS number

Chemical Abstracts Service registry number; a public identifier for a substance, useful for checking you have the right material.

CoA

Certificate of Analysis; the document reporting one batch’s test results against its specification.

SDS

Safety Data Sheet; hazard, handling, storage and transport information for a material.

IFRA

International Fragrance Association; its standards set fragrance usage limits by product category, stated on an IFRA conformity certificate.

Allergen declaration

A manufacturer’s statement of which regulated fragrance allergens a material contains, and at what level.

CLP

Classification, Labelling and Packaging; the UK rules for hazard labelling of chemical mixtures, including scented candles, wax melts and diffusers.

UFI

Unique Formula Identifier; a code printed on the label of certain hazardous mixtures so the emergency services can identify the formula.

CPSR

Cosmetic Product Safety Report; the safety assessment a finished cosmetic needs before sale in the UK.

PIF

Product Information File; the dossier a cosmetic brand must hold, including the CPSR, formula, ingredient documents and labelling.

Responsible person

The named UK business or individual legally responsible for a cosmetic product on the market.

Flash point

The lowest temperature at which a material’s vapour ignites; shown in SDS section 9 and relevant to candle making and transport.

Fragrance load

The percentage of fragrance oil in a candle, melt or diffuser, limited by the IFRA certificate and the wax or base specification.

Emollient

An oil, butter or ester that forms the oil phase of creams and balms and gives them their slip and feel.

Humectant

A water-binding ingredient such as glycerin, sodium hyaluronate or urea.

Hydrosol

The aromatic water collected alongside an essential oil during steam distillation.

Pro forma invoice

An invoice issued before dispatch and paid in advance by bank transfer; how every AMIDE order is settled.

Faster Payments

The UK bank-to-bank transfer your banking app makes, normally arriving within minutes; the only payment method we accept.