Water is a great solvent. It’s neutral and doesn’t provide any strong positive or negative effects. It just helps components to mix better and to transport active components.
3
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Roles: Skin conditioning, Fragrance
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient that also hydrates the skin without leaving a fatty film. When applied, the component feels smooth and light. In haircare products, it’s also used for hydrating purposes. It makes hair silky, lowers tangling, and makes hair smooth.
It’s safe for most people, except for people with allergic reactions to coconut or palm oil because these oils are usually used for producing the component.
Glycerin is one of the most outstanding and helpful skincare components. It's used in many skincare products because it works and provides notable results. It's one of the best moisturizers. Molecules of Glycerin can absorb water and deliver it into deep layers of the skin making it hydrated.
Squalane is a more stable equivalent of Squalene. It is a very important component of our skin. It’s a major part of natural sebum that forms a protection barrier on the skin's surface. If the barrier isn’t strong enough, your skin will become more sensitive. Squalanehelps to keep skin hydrated, protects it from the negative impact of the environment, lowers irritation, stimulates regeneration, and removes dryness. It is accepted by our skin very well and will not cause allergic reactions.
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil is a great vegetable oil to counter dryness. It reduces inflammation and it’s a very nice ingredient for people with redness, eczema, and rosacea. It’s accepted very well by humans skin because its chemical structure is very similar to sebum. That’s why it will hardly provoke any allergy. It’s a very good helper for people with dry skin.
Green Tea Leaf Extract is a great antioxidant often used in Korean skincare products. It contains EGCG - the most effective flavonoid. It makes the skin look fresh, fills it with vitamines, and helps to prevent aging. It also helps to lower inflammation.
12
Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Fruit ExtractAntioxidant
Roles: Skin conditioning
Cleansing
Soothing
Regeneration
13
Leontopodium Alpinum (Edelweiss) Extract
Roles: Skin conditioning
14
Trifolium Pratense (Red Clover)
Roles: Astringent, Fragrance, Masking
15
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
16
Sodium Hyaluronate
Roles: Skin conditioning, Humectant
Moisturizing
Softening
Anti-aging
Rejuvenation
Good for dry skin
Sodium Hyaluronate is an amazing component! It plays very important role in skin hydration process. It helps to maintain water balance and lower water loss. Scientists have found a direct dependence between the level of Sodium Hyaluronate in cells and skin aging. That's why this component is so much important. It must be in your routine if you want to have a healthy and fresh looking skin.
Some people think that Sodium Hyaluronate and Hyaluronic acid are different names of the same component, but it is not entirely correct. Hyaluronic acid is a different chemical but with similar effects. Actually, Sodium Hyaluronate is used in cosmetics much more often because it’s more stable and has much better resistance to oxidation.
17
Ascorbyl GlucosideAntioxidant
UV Protection
Anti-aging
Lightening
18
TocopherolAntioxidant
Roles: Skin conditioning, Fragrance
UV Protection
Anti-aging
Regeneration
Comedogenic rating [ 3 ]
Good for dry skin
Tocopherol is one of the most popular active ingredients in cosmetics. It’s a brilliant component. It's a form of Vitamin E and it does help the skin and hair a lot. It conditions the skin, strengthens its barrier, protects it against harm, and makes the tone even. It also helps your skin and hair to resist the sun. It’s safe but can irritate sensitive skin sometimes. Pay attention to concentration!
19
Polysorbate-20
Roles: Emulsifying, Fragrance, Surfactant
Nutrifying
Malassezia unsafe
Polysorbate 20 doesn’t have any notable skin benefits but is used in cosmetics quite often. Manufacturers use it for formulation purposes. It improves the scent, texture, and feel of the product.
20
Polysorbate-60
Roles: Emulsifying, Fragrance, Surfactant
Soothing
Antiseptic
Malassezia unsafe
Polysorbate-60 is an emulsifier, foam stabilizer, and surfactant. It’s considered to be safe but if the product contains PEG ingredients, Polysorbate may produce 1,4-Dioxane which can be harmful to your health.
21
Sodium Hydroxide
Roles: Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide is used mostly for formulation purposes. It helps to hold the pH level of a product. It also works as a chemical exfoliator that removes dead cells. Usually concentration of this component is low in skin care products and it’s used mostly for adjusting pH.
22
Sodium Metabisulfite
Roles: Preservative
23
Isomalt
Roles: Anticaking, Bulking, Flavoring, Humectant
24
Disodium EDTA
Roles: Chelating, Viscosity controlling
Disodium EDTA is an emulsion stabilizer and chelating agent. It deactivates the metal ions preventing them from reacting with other active ingredients. It improves the stability of a cosmetic formula and keeps the product’s consistency, texture, and pH unchanged. It doesn’t have any skincare effects and is used for formulation purposes only.
25
Chlorphenesin
Roles: Antimicrobial, Biocide, Preservative
Chlorphenesin is a popular preservative. It doesn’t provide any skin-related positive effects and is used to prevent bacterial growth inside a product. It’s a weak preservative but works much better with silicones.
Allowed concentration: no more than 0,3% for European Union countries.
Benzyl Alcohol doesn’t belong to harmful alcohols and it will not dry your skin. It’s a stabilizing agent that prevents ingredients oxidization. Having this component in formulation the product will keep efficiency for a longer time. Benzyl Alcohol has a slight almond odor and is used as a fragrance ingredient very often.
Benzoic acid is a preservative and pH adjuster. Human skin accepts this component very nicely. It doesn’t cause irritation or other negative reactions. In 2017 there was a Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel meeting that confirmed the safety of this ingredient in skincare.
28
Sorbic Acid
Roles: Fragrance, Preservative
Antifungal
Sorbic Acid is a very effective synthetic preservative that is used even in food. It’s considered to be safe for use in cosmetic products. It’s great for increasing the shelf life of a product.
29
Fragrance
Roles: Deodorant, Fragrance, Masking
Fragrances
Fragrance is a mix of chemical ingredients (usually 20-30 chemicals but up to 200 sometimes) that help the product to smell better. It can hide many bad things. Synthetic fragrances may contain many different chemicals, but manufacturers don’t want to reveal each of them for some reason and hide them behind the word "Fragrance".
30
Geraniol
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
Allergens
Geraniol is a fragrance ingredient that gives product a nice rose scent. That’s why it’s used by many manufacturers. In addition to its pleasant scent, it also provides an antifungal effect increasing the shelf life of a product. There are several ways of obtaining this ingredient but all of them are chemical.
31
Hexyl Cinnamal
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
Allergens
Hexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance component that gives the product pleasant cinnamon and light jasmine aroma. It’s also used to enhance other fragrances. It’s considered a skin sensitizer and manufacturers have to call out this component on an ingredient statement.
32
Alpha Isomethyl Ionone
33
Amyl Cinnamal
34
Lyral
Allergens
35
Linalool
Roles: Deodorant, Fragrance, Masking
Allergens
Linalool gives the product a nice and fresh lavender scent. It can be found in many essential oils. It oxidizes during air exposure and becomes allergenic. It can lead to irritation causing problems for people with sensitive skin. The threat is even higher if the product was opened several months ago. In such products, more Linalool is oxidized.
36
Lilial
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
Allergens
37
Citronellol
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
Allergens
Citronellol makes the product smell better. It’s one of the most frequently used fragrance ingredients in the world. It smells like a fresh cut of apple peel mixed with a citrus scent. It’s also used to enhance flower scent. It has slight anti-bacterial activity.
Beware! This component is in the list of potential allergens and can cause allergic contact dermatitis.
38
Limonene
Roles: Fragrance
Antiseptic
Allergens
Limonene provides a nice and fresh citrus scent. It can be found in many plants. It's used in cosmetics because of its low price and pleasant smell.
VitaminsAntioxidant
