holi(lift) Ageless Lifting and Firming Serum

The base most products are built on. It carries the other ingredients and has no safety concern.

A plant-derived water or extract used mainly as a soothing humectant filler. Evidence for dramatic skin benefits beyond mild hydration and soothing is limited, but it is well tolerated by most people.

A humectant that draws water into the skin. One of the best-studied, best-tolerated ingredients in personal care.

A blend of cetyl and stearyl fatty alcohols used to thicken lotions and soften skin. It is chemically unrelated to drying alcohols like ethanol, and the CIR expert panel has found fatty alcohols safe as used in cosmetics.

A stable, saturated version of squalene, a lipid the skin already produces, now usually sourced from olives or sugarcane instead of shark liver. It is very well tolerated across skin types and helps reinforce the skin barrier.

A larger, gentler alpha hydroxy acid than glycolic acid, used to exfoliate and to draw in moisture. It can still cause stinging or increased sun sensitivity at higher concentrations, so daytime SPF use is sensible, but it is generally better tolerated than glycolic acid.

A starch derivative used in cosmetics to thicken formulations and improve texture. It has been used safely in food and cosmetics for decades and shows low irritation potential across rinse-off and leave-on products.

A natural, plant-based emulsifier made from cetyl alcohol and glucose that mixes oil and water phases in cosmetics. It is well studied, nonirritating in published testing, and presents no known safety concerns for cosmetic use.

A synthetic gelling and stabilizing polymer that gives lotions and gels their smooth, cushiony texture. The large molecule stays on the skin surface rather than penetrating, and it is graded low concern in published assessments.

A lightweight, odorless emollient made by combining coconut or palm-derived fatty acids with glycerin. It spreads easily, feels non-greasy, and has a long history of use in skin and hair products with no meaningful irritation or sensitization signal.

A synthetic film-forming emollient that provides a protective, flexible layer on skin. Not absorbed and well tolerated with no documented safety issues in cosmetic use.

A common preservative and fragrance/solvent ingredient found naturally in many essential oils. It is well tolerated by most people at the levels used in cosmetics, but it is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens and can trigger reactions in people with an existing sensitivity.

This is a stable, water-soluble derivative of vitamin C that converts to ascorbic acid in skin and is used for antioxidant and brightening support. It is generally better tolerated than plain ascorbic acid and has a low reported rate of irritation in formulation testing.

A natural polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed, used as a thickener and gelling agent in cosmetics. It has a strong safety history in topical formulations and is well tolerated across skin types.

Xanthan gum is a microbial-fermentation-derived polysaccharide used to thicken and stabilize textures, similarly common in food. Cosmetic panel review of this and related microbial gums found them safe as used, with no meaningful irritation signal at typical concentrations.

An olive-oil-derived emulsifier, almost always paired with cetearyl olivate, that holds water and oil together and leaves a light skin-like finish. It is well tolerated and graded low concern in published assessments.

A gentle, sugar-derived surfactant that is milder than sulfates and works through natural emulsification without the irritation profile of harsher cleansers. It is well-established in rinse-off and leave-on formulations.

Pentylene glycol is a humectant and solvent that also offers mild antimicrobial support in formulas. It is generally well tolerated, with only rare reports of irritation, mostly in already sensitive or compromised skin.

Dehydroacetic acid is a preservative regulated under the EU preservative annex with a set maximum concentration. Sensitization appears to be rare, though occasional contact dermatitis case reports exist, so people with reactive skin may want to patch test.

A humectant that holds water at the skin surface for a more hydrated look. No safety concern.

A plant extract long used in traditional wound care and now common in "cica" soothing products, valued for calming redness and supporting the skin barrier. It is generally well tolerated, with rare contact allergy reported.

A soothing plant extract traditionally used in skincare, valued for its potential anti-inflammatory properties. Published assessments note it is generally well tolerated in cosmetic formulations, though people with sensitivities to botanicals may want to patch test.

A widely used, gentle preservative also common in food. It is generally well tolerated, though it can occasionally cause mild, transient irritation in people with already-compromised or very reactive skin.

The sodium salt of benzoic acid, used as a preservative in both foods and cosmetics. Decades of safety review support its use at typical cosmetic concentrations, with mild irritation the main reported issue in sensitive skin.

A naturally occurring acid used to preserve and adjust pH in cosmetic formulas. It is generally recognized as safe at cosmetic use levels, with mild irritation possible on broken or very sensitive skin at higher concentrations.

Used in tiny amounts to set a product to skin-friendly pH. No concern at those levels.