The 1% Line: Everything After Fragrance Is Likely Under 1%
There's a hidden marker in every cosmetic ingredient list that brands don't advertise. Once you know how to find it, you can immediately identify which ingredients are present at meaningful levels...
There’s a hidden marker in every cosmetic ingredient list that brands don’t advertise. Once you know how to find it, you can immediately identify which ingredients are present at meaningful levels and which are essentially decoration.
That marker is the 1% line.
How INCI Lists Work
Ingredient lists (INCI lists) follow a specific rule:
Above 1%: Ingredients must be listed in descending order by concentration. Whatever’s first is present in the highest amount, second is next, and so on.
At or below 1%: Ingredients can be listed in any order. Brands are not required to maintain concentration sequence.
This means the first few ingredients tell you what’s actually in the product. After the 1% line, the order means nothing — a 0.9% ingredient could be listed before a 0.001% ingredient.
Finding the 1% Line
Certain ingredients are almost always used at or below 1%. When you see them, you’ve found the line:
Reliable Markers
Fragrance/Parfum — Almost always under 1%, often around 0.5-1%
Phenoxyethanol — A common preservative typically used at 0.5-1%
Sodium benzoate — Preservative usually at 0.1-0.5%
Potassium sorbate — Preservative usually at 0.1-0.5%
Xanthan gum — Thickener effective at 0.1-0.5%
Tocopherol (Vitamin E) — Antioxidant/preservative usually under 1%
Disodium EDTA — Chelating agent at 0.1-0.5%
Less Reliable Markers
Sodium hyaluronate — Can be above or below 1% depending on formulation
Niacinamide — Usually above 1% in targeted products, but may be below 1% in non-featured products
Allantoin — Often around 0.5-2%, so less reliable
What This Reveals
The Headline Ingredient Problem
A product marketed as a “Peptide Complex Serum” might list:
- Water
- Glycerin
- Butylene glycol
- …various ingredients…
- Phenoxyethanol
- Fragrance
- Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
- Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Those featured peptides are below the 1% line. They’re present, but at what concentration? Could be 0.5%. Could be 0.001%. You can’t know.
If the peptides were the selling point, their position matters. Below the 1% line, they might be functional — or they might be label decoration.
The Extract Collection
Many products list impressive-sounding extracts after the 1% line:
”…Phenoxyethanol, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract…”
These extracts could be at 0.5% each (potentially meaningful) or at 0.00001% each (essentially nothing). The order doesn’t tell you which.
The “Contains X” Trick
A product can legitimately claim it “contains Vitamin C” when the ascorbic acid is 0.01% and buried after the preservatives.
The ingredient is present. The claim is true. The concentration is meaningless.
Why Brands Use This
Label Appeal
A longer ingredient list with more impressive-sounding ingredients can attract consumers. Adding trace amounts of peptides, plant extracts, or trendy ingredients improves marketing appeal at minimal cost.
Technical Truth
“Contains retinol” is technically accurate even at 0.0001%. Consumers assume meaningful amounts; brands haven’t lied.
Cost Management
Including peptides at 0.001% costs essentially nothing. Including them at 1% costs significantly more. Sub-1% positioning allows ingredient claims without ingredient costs.
Competitive Positioning
If competitors claim “now with bakuchiol,” you can add bakuchiol at trace levels and match the claim. The concentration war happens invisibly.
When Below-1% Matters
Not all sub-1% ingredients are meaningless. Some ingredients are effective at very low concentrations:
Genuinely Effective at Low Levels
Retinaldehyde: Can be effective at 0.05-0.1%
Certain peptides: Some work at parts per million
Preservatives: Designed to work at low percentages
Fragrances: Present at 0.5-1% and definitely noticeable
Colorants: Visible at very low concentrations
pH adjusters: Functional at small amounts
Probably Not Effective at Low Levels
Most plant extracts: Need higher concentrations for effects beyond aroma
Vitamin C: Needs 10%+ for most claimed benefits
Niacinamide: Research typically uses 2-5%
Most antioxidants: Need meaningful concentrations to neutralise free radicals
Hyaluronic acid: More is generally better for hydration
How to Read Lists Critically
Find Your Marker
Identify the fragrance, phenoxyethanol, or other reliable 1% marker.
Evaluate Position
Is the ingredient you care about before or after the marker?
Consider the Ingredient
Is this ingredient effective at low concentrations, or does it need higher levels?
Check Claims
Is this ingredient central to the product’s marketing? If so, it should appear before the 1% line.
Brand Disclosure Variation
Transparent Brands
Some brands disclose specific percentages:
- “10% Niacinamide”
- “15% Vitamin C”
- “0.5% Retinol”
These brands allow informed evaluation. When percentages are disclosed, the 1% line analysis isn’t needed.
Opaque Brands
Most brands don’t disclose percentages. For these, the 1% line is your only tool for rough assessment.
Strategic Disclosure
Some brands disclose when concentrations are impressive and hide them when they’re not. A brand might announce “10% Niacinamide” while not mentioning that their retinol is 0.01%.
The Professional Brand Difference
Professional and “medical grade” brands often position themselves as more transparent, sometimes disclosing concentrations. Ironically, this can reveal that professional products aren’t always higher concentration — they just tell you what’s in them.
A professional brand with disclosed 1% retinol may be matched by a mass-market brand with undisclosed (but potentially similar) retinol.
The Practical Application
When Shopping
Before purchasing, find the 1% line. Confirm that featured ingredients appear before it.
When Evaluating Current Products
Check your current products. Are the ingredients you thought were the point actually present at meaningful levels?
When Comparing Products
Two products can list identical ingredients in different orders. The one with peptides above the 1% line may be superior to the one with peptides below it.
When Skeptical
If marketing heavily features an ingredient that appears after phenoxyethanol or fragrance, be skeptical of the entire product’s positioning.
The Limitations
This Is Approximate
The 1% line gives you categories (above/below 1%), not precise concentrations. An ingredient at 0.9% and one at 0.1% both appear after the line.
Formulation Matters
An ingredient at 0.8% in an excellent formulation might outperform 2% in a poor formulation. Concentration isn’t everything.
Some Brands Reformulate
Brands can change formulations without changing marketing. Today’s position might not match tomorrow’s formula.
The Bottom Line
The 1% line is the simplest tool for evaluating whether a product contains meaningful amounts of its featured ingredients.
Find the fragrance or preservatives. Look at where the marketed ingredients appear. Draw your conclusions.
Products with headline ingredients below the 1% line are selling you marketing, not formulation. The ingredient is there for the label, not your skin.
Once you see this pattern, you can’t unsee it. Every ingredient list becomes a transparency test — and many products fail.