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.
Butylene Glycol is a very popular synthetic alcohol. It helps the product to absorb deeper and faster. It is also a solvent for other ingredients. As for the skin benefits, it helps to attract water and helps to make the skin softer.
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Isopentyldiol
Roles: Solvent
Moisturizing
Hair structure improvement
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Glycosyl Trehalose
Roles: Binding, Emulsion stabilizer, Film former, Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol is a solvent, emulsifier, viscosity decreasing, and masking agent. It helps to extract useful chemicals from plants and leaves, making natural components in a product more effective. It also helps to hydrate the skin. Considered safe for health and doesn't irritate the skin in common concentration.
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Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
Roles: Humectant
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Pentylene Glycol
Roles: Skin conditioning, Solvent
Moisturizing
Hair conditioning
Pentylene Glycol is a great replacement for Propylene Glycol. It has very similar characteristics but it’s derived from plants (usually from corn). Natural cosmetics lovers will find this component very useful. It enhances the moisturizing effect of cosmetic products, improves the efficiency of preservatives and it’s an effective emulsifier. It’s approved by ECOCERT and COSMOS so it’s considered to be 100% safe and can be used in vegan products.
Panthenol is a proud member of a league of the best-performing components. It's a stable form of Vitamin B5 and is also known as Pro-Vitamin B5. It’s a very good and effective component for hydration, healing, and soothing irritated skin. It works so soft and gentle that it’s even recommended for people with skin problems like eczema.
In haircare products it’s used for protecting the fiber. It’s researched very well and doesn’t have any negative side effects.
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Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract
Roles: Skin conditioning
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Soluble Collagen
Roles: Skin conditioning, Antistatic, Film former, Hair conditioning, Humectant
Moisturizing
Softening
Elasticity improvement
Antistatic
Hair conditioning
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Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Roles: Skin conditioning
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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!
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Tocopheryl AcetateVitaminsAntioxidant
Roles: Skin conditioning
Softening
Nutrifying
Tocopheryl Acetate is a form of Vitamine E. It’s used as an alternative to Tocopherol because it is more stable in the formulation. It has all the positive effects of Tocopherol plus better stability. It’s a brilliant component. It conditions and nourishes the skin helping it to resist aging. It also helps to protect the skin from the sun. High concentrations of Tocopheryl Acetate can lead to irritation and allergic reactions.
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Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Roles: Emulsion stabilizer, Film former, Viscosity controlling
AcrylatesC10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic non-toxic gel used mostly for formulation purposes. It helps manufacturers to achieve the necessary texture of the product (it makes the product thicker). It also has sight healing and antistatic activity.
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Citric AcidAntioxidantAHA
Roles: Buffering, Chelating, Fragrance, Masking
Cleansing
Exfoliating
Soothing
Lightening
Lifting
Hair growth stimulating
Citric Acid is one of the AHAs and it is a super useful component! It’s a great antioxidant. It acts as a soft peeling that removes dead cells and kills bacteria. It becomes even more effective if used with other cosmetic acids. Combined formulations are more active, but can irritate sensitive skin if used too often. The component can also whiten the skin and remove dark areas.
It can be an irritator due to its naturally lower pH level of 2.2. But manufacturers also use it as a pH adjuster so in most cases you will not have any issues.
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.
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Hydroxyethylcellulose
Roles: Binding, Emulsion stabilizer, Film former, Stabilising, Viscosity controlling
Hydroxyethylcellulose doesn’t provide any notable skincare benefits. It’s used for formulation purposes. It’s a very effective emulsifier and thickening agent. It also improves the product’s texture and feel. It allows manufacturers to use less surfactant making the product safer for your skin.
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Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Roles: Skin conditioning
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Polyvinyl Alcohol
Roles: Binding, Film former, Viscosity controlling
Cleansing
Protection
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Potassium Hydroxide
Roles: Buffering
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PPG-6 Decyltetradeceth-30
Roles: Emulsifying, Surfactant
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Sodium Citrate
Roles: Buffering, Chelating, Masking
Sodium Citrate is a water-soluble soft organic surfactant with strong stabilizing and conditioning effects. It helps to produce foam and lowers the negative impact of hard water on your skin and hair. It also helps to regulate the pH level of the product. It’s a natural ingredient and it’s safe for most people. It’s used in food (additive number E331).
Xanthan Gum is used as a thickener or rheology modifier and emulsion stabilizer. It doesn’t provide any notable skin-related effects and is used mostly for formulation purposes. It makes the product’s texture smooth and even. It’s a naturally-derived thickener. Notable fact: it can also be found in the food you eat every day, so it is 100% safe.
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Methylparaben
Roles: Fragrance, Preservative
Parabens
Methylparaben is an effective preservative. It is a controversial ingredient in terms of safety. In 2006 there was a laboratory test showed that this component can increase the sun sensitivity of the skin cells. That’s why it’s a good idea to use sunscreen after you use this component.
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Phenoxyethanol
Roles: Fragrance, Preservative
Antiseptic
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most popular preservatives. It kills bacteria and makes the product live longer. Manufacturers like this ingredient because it can dissolve in any liquid, even in oils.
Another purpose of this component is the fixation of aromas in perfumery. Phenoxyethanol is also used as a strong antiseptic and a good antibacterial agent. It is widely used in dermatological cosmetics alongside natural antiseptics such as chamomile, sage, and calendula.
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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".
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Lilial
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
Allergens
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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.
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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.