The rules of the list
EU law (Regulation EC No 1223/2009) requires that cosmetic ingredients be listed in descending order of concentration. The ingredient present in the largest amount comes first. Ingredients below 1% may be listed in any order after those above 1%.
This means that the first five ingredients typically make up 80–95% of your product. Everything after position ten contributes the remaining fraction — often a very small amount.
What is fairy dusting?
Fairy dusting is the practice of adding a fashionable or expensive ingredient at a concentration so low it has no functional effect — purely for the purpose of listing it on the label and featuring it in marketing. A shampoo claiming to contain Vietnamese botanical oil or rare polyphenols, with that ingredient appearing at position 20 on the INCI list. At that concentration, it does nothing.
At Maison Bạch, every ingredient on our INCI list is present at a concentration where it performs a documented function. Bồ Kết decoction cleanses at 15–20%. Fermented rice water strengthens at 5–10%. Niacinamide supports the scalp barrier at 2–4%. If the evidence does not support the dose, the ingredient is not included.
Red flags to look for
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in positions 1–3: The cleansing system prioritises foam over scalp health.
- Any ingredient ending in -cone or -siloxane: A silicone. Creates the appearance of healthy hair by coating the fibre, but builds up over time.
- A hero botanical in positions 15–25: Almost certainly fairy dusting. The front says “with argan oil” — the INCI says it is one of the last things in the formula.
Every Maison Bạch product publishes its full INCI list, the rationale for each ingredient’s inclusion, and the concentration range at which each active is used. We will always tell you what is in our formulas, at what concentrations, and why.