The INCI Name for CBD

Sep 1

The INCI name for CBD follows the naming convention established in the early 1970s by the Personal Care Product Council (PCPC) for all cosmetic ingredients. When creating a cosmetic product, it’s critical to understand the FDA’s cosmetic labeling requirements and the correct way to write cannabinoid ingredients like CBD in your cosmetic ingredient list.

The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) system was established to identify and maintain an internationally harmonized and recognized list of cosmetic ingredients. As of 1999, the INCI is now mandatory nomenclature for cosmetic ingredients.

With a collection of over 16,000 ingredients, the INCI list is effectively the most comprehensive listing of ingredients used in cosmetic and personal care products. Due to the increased popularity of CBD in cosmetic formulations, the INCI has included naming systems for ingredients derived from the industrial hemp plant known as Cannabis sativa.

Brands creating any kind of topical cannabinoid-infused preparation that could be seen as cosmetic should know that traditional retailers expect a product's ingredients to follow the FDA’s labeling requirements and INCI ingredient naming conventions. Improper labeling can result in issues with the FDA and retailers refusing to work with a brand.

It should be noted that this blog only provides general information about the INCI CBD ingredient names and should not be used in place of professional cosmetic regulatory or legal advice.

Ingredient Naming of Hemp-Derived CBD

The term “hemp” is no longer used in the assigning of INCI names due to varying regulations and definitions of hemp worldwide. This means that you can not and should not list the CBD in your CBD cosmetic product as “hemp oil.”

Instead, the Latin term Cannabis sativa is used in INCI naming. Cosmetic products with “hemp” listed as their ingredient are being phased out and adjusted to align with the current INCI terminology.

INCI Nomenclature for Ingredients Derived From Cannabis Sativa

The INCI name for CBD is rooted in well-established principles applied to all botanical ingredients found on the INCI. The final name for ingredients derived from Cannabis sativa depends on several factors, including extraction source, purity levels, and extraction solvents.

In botanicals, the INCI follows the Latin binomial term for genus and species, in this case, Cannabis sativa. This term then pairs with the plant part(s) and type of preparation. Examples of INCI names based on these considerations include:

Cannabis Sativa Flower Extract
Cannabis Sativa Stem Water
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil

INCI Name for CBD Isolate

Isolated botanical ingredients may be listed as a single entity, so long as the main component in the ingredient occurs at a minimum level of 80%. Examples of isolated Cannabis sativa ingredient names include:

Cannabidiol for CBD Isolate
Cannabigerol for CBG Isolate
Cannabinol for CBN Isolate

INCI names may be based on the chemical class if the main component does not occur at a minimum of 80%, but a group of chemically similar substances constitutes 80% of the raw material. A good example of this is Cannabinoids.

The INCI name assignment includes solvents present in the final preparation.

CBD Ingredient Naming

INCI nomenclature for CBD ingredients follows the same principles applied to other botanical ingredients. Naming depends on the ingredient source, purity, and whether or not solvents were used in the preparation. To ensure proper listing, it is important to work with a professional cosmetic regulatory consultant that understands the INCI designations to ensure your product's labeling meets the regulatory requirements for the region that it's selling in.