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.
Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3 and it’s a superman in cosmetics. This ingredient is researched very well. It has a lot of positive reviews from scientists and experts. It's very important for healthy skin. The lack of this vitamin can cause dryness, itching, and sun sensitivity. The component removes small wrinkles and fine lines, heals wounds, and prevents the forming of cancer cells. It also makes the skin tone even by removing dark spots. It increases ceramide synthesis which increases the overall health of your skin. It fights acne and lowers pores.
Researches say that 4-5% of Niacinamide is the most effective concentration for skincare use.
Triethanolamine is a pH adjuster. It is a toxic component that can be absorbed by the skin and detected in blood later. It can be a dermal irritant. Though it's considered safe, you should think before using it in skincare. There are many products on the market without Triethanolamine.
6
Dimethicone
Roles: Skin conditioning, Antifoaming, Emollient
Silicones
Dimethicone is the most popular silicone. It makes the skin softer and forms a film adding smooth and silky feeling. This film not only improves how the skin feels but also works as a protective barrier. It also improves the visual appearance of your skin by filling small wrinkles. That's why some people think dimethicone removes wrinkles. Actually, it does not. It's just a visual effect.
One of the most important characteristics of this component is that it helps to spread other ingredients evenly on the surface to provide good coverage. It's very important because you want all your skin cells to receive an equal proportion of the components.
Dimethicone is considered as safe, but remember that it is rather difficult to wash off! This may lead to clogged pores and acne if you use it too often and don't wash off quite well.
7
Avobenzone
UV Protection
Avobenzone is the only chemical UV-protection component with a broad spectrum coverage. It can help to block both UVA I and UVA II rays. It's safe and it is allowed to use at a 3% concentration in the USA and a 5% concentration in the EU countries.
There is one problem: avobenzone loses efficiency when exposed to the sun. If you are outside, it loses 36% of its ability to block UV rays an hour after application. That's why it's recommended to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.
8
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.
Green Tea Leaf Extract is a great antioxidant often used in Korean skincare products. It contains EGCG - the most effective flavonoid. It makes the skin look fresh, fills it with vitamines, and helps to prevent aging. It also helps to lower inflammation.
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.
13
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.
14
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.
15
Propylparaben
Roles: Fragrance, Preservative
Parabens
16
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.
17
BHTAntioxidant
Roles: Fragrance, Masking
BHT is a stabilizer and antioxidant. It helps to keep the product fresh for a long time, preventing the oxidization of components. It is stable even in high temperatures, that’s why it’s an essential component in some products. It also protects the skin from free radicals. As for safety, the component isn't researched very well. It’s considered to be safe in low concentrations. But there is still not enough scientific data collected.
18
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.
19
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.
Vitamin C is known for its strong antioxidant activity. It helps to slow down aging processes. The other positive effect of this ingredient is that it helps to make skin tone even. It's a great ingredient to counter dark areas and uneven skin tone. It's well-researched and considered safe. But it's acid and can irritate the skin if used too often.
