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.
2
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.
3
Octyldodecanol
Roles: Emollient, Fragrance, Solvent
Moisturizing
Softening
4
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Roles: Skin conditioning, Viscosity controlling
UV Protection
Moisturizing
Anti-aging
Malassezia unsafe
Shea Butter is a great natural moisturizer everybody knows about. And it’s popular for a reason. It contains 5 essential fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and arachidonic), vitamins (A, D, E, F), and catechins, which are antioxidants. It moisturizes the skin and protects it from UV, cold, and other negative factors. It can be used on its own and will not harm your skin even in very high concentrations.
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.
6
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.
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.
Cetearyl Alcohol is used mostly for formulation purposes. It’s a very good emulsifier and emulsion stabilizer. It helps the ingredients mix better and it makes the product spread on your skin evenly. It also makes the product thicker. It doesn’t belong to harmful alcohols and it will not dry your skin.
9
Sorbitan Stearate
Roles: Emulsifying, Fragrance, Surfactant
Softening
Malassezia unsafe
10
Glyceryl Stearate SE
Roles: Emulsifying, Surfactant
Moisturizing
Softening
Comedogenic rating [ 3 ]
Bad for oily skin
Glyceryl Stearate SE is a nice moisturizing ingredient. It hydrates the upper layers of the skin and fills small wrinkles. In haircare products, it's used for making hair softer.
11
PEG-100 Stearate
Roles: Cleansing, Surfactant
Moisturizing
Softening
Malassezia unsafe
PEG
Peg-100 Stearate is a good emulsifier that makes the ingredients mix nicely. It also makes the skin soft and moisturized. Peg-100 Stearate is also known for its cleansing effect. CIR Expert Panel marked this ingredient as safe.
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.
22
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Roles: Skin conditioning, Humectant
23
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.
Betaine is used a lot in “organic” skincare products. It is a good moisturizer that not only hydrates the skin but also strengthens the cell membrane. This helps to lower the water loss over time. It also softens the skin and reduces irritation and redness. It’s often used at a 3-5% concentration depending on the product.
29
Inositol
Roles: Antistatic, Hair conditioning, Humectant
Hair structure improvement
Hair gloss
Hair growth stimulating
Hair follicle nutrition
30
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.
31
Aminomethyl Propanol
Roles: Buffering
32
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.
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.
34
Ethylhexylglycerin
Roles: Skin conditioning, Deodorant
Moisturizing
Softening
Antiseptic
Deodorant
Ethylhexylglycerin makes the skin softer, smoother and more hydrated. It acts deeply but without any heavy or sticky feeling. In haircare products, it works as a conditioner and scalp cleanser. It is safe but only in concentration below 8% in rinse-off products and below 2% in leave-on products. Can be an irritator in higher concentrations. In general, this component is great if you see it somewhere at the bottom of the list.
35
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.
36
Potassium Sorbate
Roles: Fragrance, Preservative
Antifungal
Antiseptic
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative that increases the shelf life of the product. It’s a great alternative to parabens. That's why manufacturers like to use this component. It is safe in concentration of up to 10% but it is used in cosmetics in amounts of 1% or even lower.
37
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".
38
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.
39
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.
40
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.
41
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.
42
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.
43
Benzyl Salicylate
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
UV Protection
Allergens
Benzyl Salicylate is a fragrance component with a pleasant flower odor. It can be an allergy trigger and should be used carefully. Pay attention to this ingredient in a formulation if you have sensitive skin or if you have an allergy.
44
Benzyl Benzoate
Roles: Antimicrobial, Fragrance, Masking, Solvent
Allergens
Benzyl Benzoate is a potentially harmful fragrance ingredient. It's one of the “EU 26 fragrances” that has to be labeled separately because of allergen potential. It's a good idea to avoid this component if you have sensitive skin.