INCI names / Safflower oil
Safflower oil INCI name
The INCI name for safflower oil is Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil in a lotion or balm, and Sodium Safflowerate in cold-process soap, where the oil reacts with lye and the oil itself is no longer in the finished bar.
| In lotions, balms and other cosmetics | Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil |
|---|---|
| In cold-process soap (sodium hydroxide) | Sodium Safflowerate |
| In liquid soap (potassium hydroxide) | Potassium Safflowerate |
| Superfat share in soap (unreacted) | Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil |
| On a US label | Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil; in soap, Sodium Safflowerate |
| In Great Britain and Northern Ireland | The same names as the EU. Northern Ireland uses the EU glossary cited below; Great Britain still uses the glossary it kept from the EU, where the same names have other entry numbers. |
| Also entered as | safflower |
Glossary citation: Sodium Safflowerate #26974; Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil #5551; Potassium Safflowerate #22751 (Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175 on EUR-Lex).
One detail catches many labels: the EU glossary name has no common name in brackets. In the EU and the UK it is "Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil"; the bracketed form, "Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil", is the US name.
In the soap or skincare tool, put it on its own line with its weight, for example "safflower oil, 30", and the tool prints the right name for the product type and the region you choose.
Transcribed from the EU glossary of common ingredient names (Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175) and checked against it; the US names are the ones FDA's substance registry (GSRS) records. A labelling reference, not safety advice.