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
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".
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. It’s responsible for making your skin soft and improving product thickness. It makes the product easier to apply and feel richer. Though it contains the word “Alcohol” in its title, the component doesn’t belong to harmful alcohols. That’s why a product with this component can still be marked as Alcohol-free. Usually, manufacturers receive this component from coconut or palm oil.
5
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.
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.
Salicylic Acid is an amazing component for oily skin. It’s a famous BHA that chemically exfoliates dead cells, kills bacteria, and prevents acne. It works as a strong pores cleanser. AHAs are not effective for removing sebum from pores, while BHAs are leaders in this space. Salicylic Acid also helps to shrink pores, remove acne scars and make skin tone even. Pay attention: concentration matters! This ingredient is rather aggressive. It can lead to irritation in high concentrations. If your skin has never seen this component before test the product first.
12
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.
13
Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Peel Oil Expressed
14
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%.
15
Phenethyl Alcohol
Roles: Fragrance, Masking, Preservative
Antifungal
16
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Roles: Skin conditioning, Fragrance, Masking
17
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
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
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice
Roles: Skin conditioning
UV Protection
Moisturizing
Soothing
Healing
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice is a natural juice received from Aloe leaves. It has been used in cosmetics for hundreds of ages. Scientists have discovered that it contains more than 200 nutrients: minerals, amino acids, vitamins, and so on. It’s a good component for calming irritated skin. It also helps to heal wounds, helps the skin regenerate faster, improves collagen syncretization, tones up, and moisturizes the skin. It also provides a slight UV-filtering effect.
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.
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.
22
Dunaliella Salina Extract
Roles: Skin conditioning
23
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.
24
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.
25
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
Allergens
26
Citral
Roles: Flavoring, Fragrance, Masking
Allergens
Citral is a fragrance component responsible for a fresh citrus scent. It’s used as a masking agent to hide unpleasant aromas. Unfortunately, it’s considered to be an allergen and it is one of the 26 fragrances that have to be labeled separately in the European Union. Pay attention to this component if you have sensitive skin.
27
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.
28
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.
29
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.
30
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.
31
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.