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
SD Alcohol 39c
Roles: Astringent, Solvent, Viscosity controlling
3
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Roles: Emulsifying
4
Isononyl Isononanoate
Roles: Skin conditioning, Antistatic, Emollient
5
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
Roles: Emollient
Softening
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate is a softening agent that forms a thin protecting film on your skin and helps it to keep water. The component also improves the texture and feeling of the product. Ethylhexyl Isononanoate is also used in haircare products helping your hair slide better and making combing process easier.
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.
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.
12
GluconolactoneAntioxidantPHA
Roles: Fragrance, Humectant, Solvent
Moisturizing
Acne fighting
Lifting
Gluconolactone belongs to poly hydroxy acids (PHA). It’s very similar to AHAs chemically, that’s why it is usually presented as a «Next Generation AHA». It has all the benefits of AHA but it doesn’t irritate the skin. It’s a strong natural antioxidant which is as strong as Tocopherol or Ascorbic Acid.
13
Sodium Benzoate
Roles: Fragrance, Masking, Preservative
Antifungal
Antiseptic
Sodium Benzoate doesn’t have any great skincare effects and is used for formulation purposes. It’s a corrosion inhibitor, fragrance ingredient, and preservative. It is not a broad-spectrum preservative and it’s used with other preservatives for good efficiency. It’s safe, but people with eczema or a history of skin allergies should use this component with attention.
14
Dimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate
Roles: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Surfactant
Soothing
PEG
15
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
Roles: Skin conditioning
16
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Roles: Film former, Viscosity controlling
17
Glycereth-5 Lactate
Roles: Emollient, Emulsifying, Solvent
18
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".
19
N
20
2
21
3-Trimethyl-2-Isopropyl Butamide
22
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.
23
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.
