| 1 |
water (aqua / eau
| Plain old water |
| 2 |
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 |
| 3 |
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 |
| 4 |
propanediol
| Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin |
| 5 |
dicaprylyl carbonate
| Helps products spread more easily and works as an emollient to soften skin |
| 6 |
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 |
| 7 |
retinol
| Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating |
| 8 |
hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer
| A gelling agent that thickens the product consistency and leaves the skin with a velvety finish |
| 9 |
caprylyl glycol
| Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture |
| 10 |
phospholipids
| Emollients that are naturaly present in skin. In addition, they help water and oil mix together in the product |
| 11 |
caprylic/capric glycerides
| Help soften the upper layer of the skin |
| 12 |
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. |
| 13 |
dimethyl isosorbide
| Used to dissolve other ingredients in a product and can enhance their ability to penetrate the skin |
| 14 |
glycine soja (soybean) extract
| |
| 15 |
carbomer
| Helps create a gel-like product texture. Can be used in gentle cleansing formulations |
| 16 |
sodium ascorbate
| |
| 17 |
tocopherol
| Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself |
| 18 |
polysorbate 60
| Helps oil and water mix together |
| 19 |
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. |
| 20 |
glycolipids
| |
| 21 |
sodium hydroxide
| Used to adjust the product's pH |
| 22 |
disodium edta
| Stabilizes the product formulation |
| 23 |
hydroxypinacolone retinoate
| A derivative of the most potent form of vitamin A, retinoic acid. The ingredient can be sold under name Granactive Retinoid. Note that if a skincare brand discloses the concentration of Granactive Retinoid in a product, the concentration refers to a diluted form of Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate: 1% of Granactive Retinoid corresponds to 0.1% of Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate. Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate (HPR) is a unique derivative of retinoic acid because it can directly work in the skin and does not require additional conversion steps. According to studies done by the manufacturer on models of human skin (not real people), this derivative is more effective than other cosmetic versions of retinoids (such as retinol, retinaldehyde, and retinyl palmitate), and, at the same time, causes less irritation. It has been also demonstrated to be more stable than retinol which makes formulating with easier and increases the chances that a product with it will maintain its effectiveness after opening. The packaging should still ideally be air-tight. HPR is available over the counter in the EU, UK, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, but is only with a prescription in Canada. |
| 24 |
glycine
| Helps to attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help restore the skin barrier function |
| 25 |
soja (soybean) sterol,
| The ingredient is not recognized |
| 26 |
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 |
| 27 |
peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil
| Helps oil and water mix together |
| 28 |
hyaluronic acid
| One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin. Naturally present in skin. Typically has large molecule size unless advertised otherwise on the product label. Helps support skin's barrier function and may help to reduce inflammation |
| 29 |
polysorbate 20
| Helps oil and water mix together |
| 30 |
palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7
| A type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles |
| 31 |
palmitoyl tripeptide-1
| A type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles |
| 32 |
phenoxyethanol
| A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products |
