Free from: Allergens, Chemical fragrances, Sulfates, Gluten, Coconut, Petroleum-based,
INCI - Full Breakdown
1
Water
Roles: Solvent
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.
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.
Cyclopentasiloxane is a fluid silicone. It’s non-greasy and doesn’t have any scent or color. It evaporates pretty fast which makes this ingredient essential when it comes to making products that have to dry quickly. It also gives a nice silky feeling when you apply the product to the skin and hair. It leaves a thin film that protects the skin after evaporation.
Cyclopentasiloxane is chemically neutral, meaning it doesn’t react with other components.
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.
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.
7
Polyacrylamide
Roles: Antistatic, Binding, Film former, Hair fixative
Antistatic
Protection
8
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.
9
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.
10
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.
Stearic Acid doesn’t belong to aggressive acids. It’s a fatty acid that can be found in Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, and many natural butters and oils. The component is mostly used for formulation purposes. It makes the product spread and feel better. It’s one of the most important fatty acids in our skin cells.
Palmitic Acid is an emulsion stabilizer. It reduces water evaporation from the surface of your skin. That’s why this component is good if you suffer from dryness. It also increases the efficiency of other surfactants in the formulation. It can be found in many organic oils including Avocado oil, Cocoa oil, Olive oil etc.
Alcohol Denatured is a great bacteria killer. Manufacturers often put it inside products to increase their shelf life.
14
Titanium Dioxide
Roles: Colorant
UV Protection
Titanium Dioxide is a very effective sunscreen. It belongs to physical sunscreens, meaning it reflects the UV rays like a mirror. The component is a mineral with white color. That’s why it’s also used in different powders as a pigment or brightener.
The component can be both safe and unsafe. It’s reported to be possibly carcinogenic to humans when inhaled. That’s why we don’t recommend using products where TiO2 is used in the form of powder and can be inhaled.
Sometimes it can be a nanoparticle. We recommend avoiding this form because it’s not researched well enough. A safer option is to use a non-nano form.
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.
17
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.
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.
23
Ascorbyl GlucosideAntioxidant
UV Protection
Anti-aging
Lightening
24
Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract
Roles: Fragrance
Soothing
Antiseptic
Tones up skin
25
Tetrasodium EDTA
Roles: Chelating
Tetrasodium EDTA is a formulation component. It is a pH adjuster and chelate. It prevents other components from reacting with each other making the product live longer.
26
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
27
Lupinus Albus Seed Extract
28
Potassium Hydroxide
Roles: Buffering
29
Carbomer
Roles: Emulsion stabilizer, Gel forming, Viscosity controlling
Moisturizing
Carbomer is used for formulation purposes. It helps to control the viscosity and flow of a product. It’s considered safe but only if it’s well purified. Poorly purified carbomers may contain benzol which may lead to irritation.
30
Steareth-20
Roles: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Surfactant
Softening
Comedogenic rating [ 2 ]
31
Phyllanthus Emblica (Indian Gooseberry) Fruit ExtractAntioxidant
Roles: Skin conditioning
Acne fighting
Soothing
Lightening
Anesthetic
Antiseptic
32
Dimethylmethoxy ChromanolAntioxidant
Lightening
33
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.
34
Ginkgo BilobaAntioxidant
Cleansing
Anti-aging
Lightening
Healing
Elasticity improvement
Rejuvenation
Deodorant
Anticellulite
Regeneration
35
Manganese Oxide
36
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.
37
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Roles: Antimicrobial, Biocide, Preservative
38
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!
39
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.
