| 1 |
water/aqua/eau
| Plain old water |
| 2 |
glycolic acid
| An alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps to remove the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin reveling a more even, smoother complexation. It is also able to stimulate collagen production with long-term use. Could help to reduce pore congestion. It can be irritating to the skin. Apply sunscreen daily if using products with glycolic acid |
| 3 |
glycerin
| One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant |
| 4 |
aloe barbadensis leaf juice
| Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin |
| 5 |
butylene glycol
| Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin |
| 6 |
caprylic/capric triglyceride
| A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin |
| 7 |
glyceryl stearate
| An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together |
| 8 |
peg-100 stearate
| Helps oil and water mix togehter and creates a nice product texture |
| 9 |
carthamus tinctorius seed oil
| An emollient that helps soften the skin and might help calm down inflammation |
| 10 |
sodium hydroxide
| Used to adjust the product's pH |
| 11 |
cetearyl alcohol
| A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture |
| 12 |
arginine
| An amino acid that is naturally present in skin and helps keep it hydrated. When used together with AHAs, it can reduce their irritating effect on the skin |
| 13 |
cyclodextrin
| A type of sugar that is used to support delivery of active ingredients and can enhance their penetration into the skin without disrupting the skin's barrier |
| 14 |
dimethicone
| A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish |
| 15 |
squalane
| An oil naturally present in skin. Works as an emollient to soften the skin and form a protective layer on its surface without a greasy feeling. |
| 16 |
tocopheryl acetate
| A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients. |
| 17 |
ascorbyl palmitate
| Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable and can penetrate the skin better than L-Ascorbic acid. It is effective in protecting the skin from free radicals, as well as evening the skin tone, but is less effective in stimulating collagen production compared to L-Ascorbic acid. |
| 18 |
retinyl palmitate
| Three steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. To have an effect in the skin, it first needs to be converted twice to become the retinoic acid. This means it is less potent than retinol, but could also be less irritating. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, it helps against all signs of aging, improves skin cell turnover and helps fight blemishes and clogged pores. However, in many cosmetic formulations, it is used in a concentration that is too low to have the full effect |
| 19 |
phospholipids
| Emollients that are naturaly present in skin. In addition, they help water and oil mix together in the product |
| 20 |
leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate
| A preservative that comes from radishes fermented by a bacteria. New research suggests that the preservation properties in the ingredient come from an ammonium salt that is not present naturally in radish root but used in its cultivation. Is problematic because the exact amount of the preservative agents is difficult to determine |
| 21 |
citric acid
| Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH |
| 22 |
, ethoxylated sorbitan ester,
| The ingredient is not recognized |
| 23 |
disodium edta
| Stabilizes the product formulation |
| 24 |
polysorbate 20
| Helps oil and water mix together |
| 25 |
oleth-2
| |
| 26 |
potassium sorbate
| A preservative |
| 27 |
sodium benzoate
| A preservative |
| 28 |
phenoxyethanol
| A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products |
