# Baresel Ingredients: Full INCI List Explained > Baresel's full intended INCI list, explained role by role — a CAPB-free, sulfate-free, fragrance-free formula, and exactly what it leaves out and why. *Updated: 2026-08-08* **Baresel is a cocamidopropyl betaine-free (CAPB-free) shampoo whose full intended INCI list is 12 INCI names: water, three mild cleansers (Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate), two conditioning agents (Glycerin and Panthenol), a thickener (Sodium Chloride), a light conditioner (Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride), a pH adjuster (Citric Acid), a mild preservative pair (Sodium Benzoate + Potassium Sorbate), and an antioxidant (Tocopherol).** It deliberately leaves out cocamidopropyl betaine, sulfates (SLS/SLES), methylisothiazolinone (MI/MCI), formaldehyde-donor preservatives such as DMDM hydantoin, and fragrance. This page explains what each ingredient does and what is intentionally absent, so a reader with a contact allergy can judge the formula against their own patch-test results and the full label. **Fast facts** - 12 INCI names — count them below - CAPB-free: no cocamidopropyl betaine (2004 Allergen of the Year, American Contact Dermatitis Society) - Sulfate-free: no SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) or SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) - Preserved with Sodium Benzoate + Potassium Sorbate — no MI/MCI, no formaldehyde donors - Fragrance-free: no parfum and no masking scent - Note: some cleansers (SCI, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate) are coconut-derived — Baresel is CAPB-free, not coconut-free ## The full INCI list, role by role INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) is the standardized naming system printed on cosmetic labels worldwide. Below is Baresel's intended INCI, grouped by the job each ingredient does in the formula. Reading a full INCI list — rather than relying on marketing words — is the single most reliable way to check a product against a known [contact allergy](/what-is-cocamidopropyl-betaine). **Baresel intended INCI** | INCI name | Role | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Aqua / Water | Base / solvent | The medium every other ingredient is dissolved or dispersed in | | Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate | Mild cleanser / lather | A gentle surfactant that produces a soft foam; coconut-derived | | Decyl Glucoside | Gentle cleanser | A sugar-based (glucoside) surfactant known for mildness | | Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate | Amino-acid cleanser | An amino-acid-derived surfactant; also coconut-derived | | Glycerin | Humectant / conditioning | Draws and holds water to help skin and hair feel less stripped | | Panthenol (Provitamin B5) | Conditioning | Helps hair feel softer and smoother | | Sodium Chloride | Thickener | Common salt, used to adjust the viscosity of the wash | | Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride | Light conditioning | A guar-derived agent that improves slip and combing | | Citric Acid | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH so the formula stays scalp-friendly | | Sodium Benzoate + Potassium Sorbate | Preservative system | A mild, widely used preservative pair — NOT MI/MCI, NOT a formaldehyde donor | | Tocopherol | Antioxidant | Vitamin E; helps protect the oils in the formula from going off | > **Intended formulation:** This is Baresel's intended INCI list. **Correct:** The definitive, legally binding ingredient list is the one printed on the manufactured batch. Formulas can shift slightly during production (for example, exact preservative levels or the order of minor ingredients). Always read the full INCI on the bottle you receive and check it against your own allergist's results before use. ## Left out (and why) **What Baresel intentionally excludes** - **Cocamidopropyl Betaine (CAPB):** the surfactant this formula is built to avoid. It was named Allergen of the Year in 2004 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society, and is a recognized cause of contact allergy. Baresel uses milder surfactants instead. - **Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS):** a harsh sulfate cleanser that can strip and irritate. Left out in favor of gentler surfactants. - **Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES):** the milder sulfate, still omitted so the formula stays sulfate-free. - **Methylisothiazolinone / Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MI/MCI):** preservatives that are themselves frequent contact allergens. Baresel uses Sodium Benzoate + Potassium Sorbate instead. - **DMDM Hydantoin and other formaldehyde donors:** preservatives that release formaldehyde over time. Not used. - **Fragrance / Parfum:** no added scent and no masking fragrance, because fragrance mixes are a common trigger for reactive scalps. ## On "coconut-free": an honest note Baresel is **CAPB-free, not coconut-free.** Cocamidopropyl betaine is itself coconut-derived, and so are two of Baresel's gentle cleansers — Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (the "cocoyl" fragment signals a coconut-derived fatty acid). If you are specifically sensitive to coconut-derived ingredients rather than to CAPB, read the full INCI carefully and talk to your allergist; the honest breakdown lives on our [coconut-free shampoo](/coconut-free-shampoo) page. We would rather be transparent about this than claim a blanket "coconut-free" guarantee we cannot stand behind. ## Fragrance-free vs. unscented These two phrases are not the same. **"Unscented"** often means a product still contains masking fragrance chemicals added to neutralize the raw smell of the base — those masking agents can themselves trigger a reaction. **"Fragrance-free"** means no fragrance or parfum has been added at all, including no masking scent. Baresel is fragrance-free: there is no "Parfum" or "Fragrance" line in the INCI above, and no masking blend hiding behind an "unscented" label. If avoiding fragrance matters for your scalp, see [fragrance-free shampoo for a sensitive scalp](/fragrance-free-shampoo-sensitive-scalp). **How to read this against your own allergy** - A contact allergy is a medical matter — diagnosis comes from a healthcare professional or allergist, often via patch testing, not from a label. - Match the full INCI on the bottle against your documented allergens before first use. - No shampoo can be called "hypoallergenic" as a guarantee; the term is not a promise of zero reactions. - If your scalp reacts, stop use and consult a professional — see the American Academy of Dermatology on contact dermatitis, linked below. ## Frequently asked **How many ingredients does Baresel have?** Twelve, in the intended INCI list: Aqua/Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Sodium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, the preservative pair Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (two names), and Tocopherol. The final list is confirmed on the manufactured batch printed on the bottle. **Does Baresel contain cocamidopropyl betaine?** No. Baresel is formulated to be cocamidopropyl betaine-free. It cleans with Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, and Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate instead. If you have a diagnosed CAPB allergy, still confirm against the full label and your allergist's guidance. **How is Baresel verified cocamidopropyl-betaine-free?** The full intended INCI is published now, so you can check it yourself, and CAPB is excluded by the formulation spec rather than merely left off the marketing. Before dispatch, the INCI printed on the shipped bottle is reconciled against the manufactured batch. That is a matter of composition and process — not a lab-test or clinical claim. **What preservative does Baresel use?** A mild, widely used pair — Sodium Benzoate plus Potassium Sorbate. It deliberately avoids methylisothiazolinone/methylchloroisothiazolinone (MI/MCI) and formaldehyde-donor preservatives such as DMDM hydantoin, which are themselves common contact allergens. **Is Baresel fragrance-free or just unscented?** Fragrance-free. There is no parfum or fragrance in the INCI, and no masking scent added to cover the base smell. That is different from "unscented," which can still include masking fragrance chemicals. **Is Baresel coconut-free?** No, and we do not claim it is. Two of its cleansers (Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate) are coconut-derived. Baresel is CAPB-free with a fully transparent INCI, not a coconut-free product. If you react to coconut-derived ingredients specifically, review the full list with your allergist. **Can I trust this ingredient list if I have an allergy?** Treat this page as informational and the printed label as authoritative. A contact allergy is a medical matter: get a diagnosis and patch testing from a healthcare professional or allergist, then match your known allergens against the full INCI on the actual bottle before use. No shampoo can promise it will never cause a reaction. **Related pages** - [Baresel shampoo](/baresel-shampoo) — The product overview. - [What is cocamidopropyl betaine?](/what-is-cocamidopropyl-betaine) — Plain-language explainer on CAPB and why some people react to it. - [Shampoo for cocamidopropyl betaine allergy](/shampoo-for-cocamidopropyl-betaine-allergy) — What to look for on a label when you avoid CAPB. - [Coconut-free shampoo](/coconut-free-shampoo) — An honest look at coconut-derived surfactants and where Baresel stands. - [Fragrance-free shampoo for a sensitive scalp](/fragrance-free-shampoo-sensitive-scalp) — Why fragrance-free differs from unscented for reactive scalps. **Sources** - [DermNet — Cocamidopropyl betaine allergy](https://dermnetnz.org/topics/cocamidopropyl-betaine-allergy) - [American Academy of Dermatology — Contact dermatitis overview](https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/contact-dermatitis-overview) **Sources** - [DermNet — Cocamidopropyl betaine allergy](https://dermnetnz.org/topics/cocamidopropyl-betaine-allergy) - [American Academy of Dermatology — Contact dermatitis overview](https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/contact-dermatitis-overview) - [Cocamidopropyl betaine — PubChem (NIH)](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Cocamidopropyl-betaine)