You flip a jar over. Snail mucin. Hyaluronic acid. Then — "proprietary blend." No concentration. No way to know if the active is the point of the formula or a trace sprinkle. You put it back.
Cosmetic ingredient lists exist for safety traceability — INCI names in descending order — but trade-secret designations and proprietary blends often hide the doses you need to compare barrier formulas. Kreysa (2025) analyzed cosmetic disclosure under transparency programs and found trade-secret designations and inconsistent naming limit what consumers can verify [1]. Lionetti et al. (2018) frame INCI labeling under EU Regulation 1223/2009 as a traceability tool — not a shortcut for quality judgments from unverified online lists [2]. That is why we publish full INCI and ppm.
Why do some skincare brands hide ingredients?
Marketing wants mystery. Formulators sometimes protect exact ratios. Regulatory frameworks allow trade-secret designations that replace specific actives with catch-all blend names. The result: you see "snail secretion filtrate" on the list but not whether it is a trace dose or 1,000 ppm.
Kreysa (2025) highlights how these designations reduce transparency precisely when consumers are trying to evaluate barrier-support ingredients [1]. For mature skin that feels tight or reactive, dose matters — not because higher is always better, but because you cannot judge a formula you cannot read.
If you read our piece on dry skin vs. dehydrated skin, you already know barrier water loss and lipid depletion feel similar but need different responses. Ingredient transparency is how you match the formula to the mechanism.
If you cannot verify the dose, you cannot verify the claim.
What is an INCI list and why does it matter?
INCI — International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients — standardizes names so regulators, dermatologists, and you can trace what is in a product. Lionetti et al. (2018) note that labels list ingredients in descending concentration down to 1% — then anything below 1% may appear in any order [2].
That structure tells you whether water and emollients dominate (normal) and where actives sit relative to preservatives and fragrance. It does not tell you ppm of a hero active unless the brand publishes it separately — which is exactly the gap proprietary blends exploit.
What does "proprietary blend" mean on a label?
A proprietary blend groups multiple ingredients under one name — often without individual concentrations. It is legal. It is common. It also makes comparison shopping impossible when two jars both say "snail mucin" but one delivers a clinically referenced dose and one does not.
DISURI's approach: publish the INCI list and the ppm that matters. Ultimate Snail Mucin Cream lists 1,000 ppm snail secretion filtrate, plus triple hyaluronic acid at three molecular weights. You are not guessing whether mucin is the hero or a marketing line item.
That is the same standard we apply across the catalog. Transparency is not a brand personality — it is how you evaluate barrier support before money leaves your wallet [1] [2].
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Frequently asked questions
Why do some skincare brands hide ingredients?
Trade-secret rules and proprietary blends allow brands to omit specific active doses; Kreysa (2025) documents how this limits consumer transparency [1].
What is an INCI list and why does it matter?
Standardized ingredient names in descending concentration for safety traceability — Lionetti et al. (2018) [2]. It shows order, not always dose.
What does "proprietary blend" mean on a label?
Multiple ingredients listed under one name without individual concentrations — legal, but it blocks dose comparison between products.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Results refer to the appearance of skin with continued use.