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.
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Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Water
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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Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether
Roles: Solvent, Viscosity controlling
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Isododecane
Roles: Emollient, Fragrance, Solvent
Softening
Isododecane is an emollient and a good base for colorants. Very often used in powders and shades because it spreads on the skin nicely. It also helps to soften the skin and helps to lower water loss making all the moisturizing components work better.
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.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a pH 4.5-5.5 liquid that is used to improve the overall efficiency of the formulation. It’s usually combined with different surfactants and is used because of its cleansing efficiency. It helps to remove sebum and dirt from the skin and hair. It also works as a foaming agent helping to make a pleasant foam.
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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.
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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Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Fruit ExtractAntioxidant
Roles: Skin conditioning
Cleansing
Soothing
Regeneration
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Sodium Chloride
Roles: Flavoring, Viscosity controlling
Antiseptic
Sodium Chloride is a very famous ingredeint also known as Salt. Yes, it’s the same salt you can find on your table. In cosmetics, it is used as a preservative helping the product to live longer. It is also used as a peeling agent in different scrubs. Human contact with this element since ancient times and that's why it is 100% safe.
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Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract
Roles: Skin conditioning, Moisturising
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Allantoin
Roles: Skin conditioning
Moisturizing
Pore Shrinking
Softening
Soothing
Regeneration
Good for dry skin
Good for oily skin
Allantoin usually doesn’t catch too much attention, but it is an essential ingredient for sensitive, dry, and problem skin. It is a good moisturizer that makes skin hydrated. But manufacturers love it because of its strong soothing effect. It also exfoliates dead cells, stimulates recovery of your skin, and helps to protect the skin from the sun, frost, and similar negative impacts.
The component is researched very well and its soothing activity is confirmed by scientists. Used in concentration between 0.5-2%.
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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.
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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".
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.
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Decyl Glucoside
Roles: Cleansing, Emulsion stabilizer, Surfactant
Cleansing
Decyl glucoside is a surfactant. It provides degreasing and wetting effects. It removes dirt and sebum gently. It doesn’t irritate the skin but at the same time, it’s an effective cleanser. It’s considered to be the safest among all the other surfactants.
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Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract
Roles: Keratolytic
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Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice PowderAntioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol is a vey popular skincare ingredient. It makes the product spread better and feel better on your skin. It’s a preservative and it improves the effect of other preservatives. It’s also a humectant which helps to retain water. It’s good for keeping your skin in good shape. But manufacturers use it as a supporting component rather than the main one.
Hexylene Glycol is mostly used for formulation purposes. It’s a good surfactant, emulsifier, and viscosity-reducing agent. It maintains the density of the formulation of the product preventing it from separating. It also makes the product feel better.
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Dehydroacetic Acid
Roles: Preservative
Antiseptic
Dehydroacetic Acid is a nice preservative. It has potent antifungal and antibacterial properties. It’s not toxic and it doesn’t irritate the skin. Used to increase the shelf life of a product.
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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.
