Time Response Eye Reserve Cream

A lightweight humectant and solvent similar in role to propylene glycol, used to carry actives and give lotions a lighter feel. CIR has reviewed it and considers it safe as used in cosmetics.

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

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

A saturated hydrocarbon emollient that softens skin and gives products a smooth glide. Its saturated structure makes it stable and well tolerated. It is inert and carries a low sensitization risk at typical cosmetic use levels.

A rich plant butter pressed from shea tree nuts, valued for softening and cushioning dry skin. It is generally well tolerated, though very rare allergic reactions have been reported and people with tree nut allergies who are cautious may want to patch test first.

A multi-ester emollient created from pentaerythritol and ethylhexanoic acid. It provides silky texture and skin conditioning with no documented safety concerns at cosmetic concentrations.

A wax ester derived from jojoba oil that closely resembles the skin's own sebum esters, used to soften and smooth skin. Available safety data has not flagged meaningful irritation or sensitization risk at cosmetic use levels.

A lightweight silicone that gives a smooth, silky finish to serums and primers. Like other silicones, it is often wrongly feared as pore-clogging; published assessments and dermatology data do not support that concern.

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 diester formed from malic acid and isostearyl alcohol. It conditions and smooths skin with no known safety issues in cosmetic use.

An ester that combines cetyl alcohol with ethylhexanoic acid, serving as an emollient. It softens skin and is well tolerated in cosmetics.

A long-chain fatty alcohol used to thicken and stabilize creams and soften skin. It is a waxy emollient, not a drying solvent, and is graded low concern in published assessments.

A linoleic-acid-rich plant oil used as an emollient and, in some small pediatric studies, associated with support of the skin barrier when applied to infant skin. It is well tolerated with a low reported rate of contact reactions.

A corn-derived solvent and humectant that has largely replaced propylene glycol in "clean" formulas; CIR reviewed the alkane diol group and found use concentrations up to about 40 percent in leave-on products like deodorant sticks with no meaningful irritation signal.

A phospholipid emulsifier from soy or sunflower that binds water and oil and helps other ingredients absorb. It is a natural component of skin membranes, well tolerated, and reviewed as safe as used; a soy-derived grade is not a meaningful concern for a soy food allergy because the protein is largely absent.

A PEG-based emulsifier that blends oils and water in formulas. It is a workhorse ingredient in stable emulsions and is approved for cosmetic use. Well tolerated.

A fatty alcohol derived from arachis oil or synthesized, used as an emollient and emulsifier in creams and lotions. It is well tolerated and graded safe for cosmetic use.

A humectant naturally derived from sugar beets that helps skin draw in and hold water; it has a long history of safe use with no meaningful irritation or sensitization concerns.

A form of vitamin B3 used to support a more even-looking tone and a comfortable barrier. Well tolerated at cosmetic levels.

An emulsifier made from glycerin and stearic acid that stabilizes oil-in-water and water-in-oil formulations. It has a long history of safe use in cosmetics and is assessed as a low-concern ingredient in published safety reviews.

A rheology modifier that thickens gels and serums while maintaining a lightweight, non-sticky feel. Provides suspension and stability in water-based formulas. Widely used and well tolerated.

A common emulsifier and texture-softener made from glycerin and stearic acid. CIR review of this class found no evidence of reproductive, carcinogenic, sensitizing, or phototoxic effects in the studies examined.

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 naturally occurring mineral silicate that adds shimmer and light-diffusing properties to cosmetics. Cosmetic-grade mica is well tolerated and should be free of asbestos and talc contamination.

A sugar-derived emulsifier that bridges oils and water in skincare formulas. It is gentler and plant-sourced, making it popular in natural and gentle formulations. Well tolerated with no known safety concerns.

An undisclosed scent blend that can contain dozens of components. The single most common cause of cosmetic contact allergy, and the blend is not itemized, so you cannot see what is in it.

A mineral UV filter and white pigment used in sunscreens and makeup. It sits on the skin surface rather than being absorbed, and major regulators consider it safe for topical cosmetic use.

A salt form of glycyrrhizic acid, a compound from licorice root prized for soothing irritated skin. It is well tolerated at cosmetic levels and has a long history of use in skincare formulations.

A natural alkaloid and studied active ingredient in skincare, valued for its antioxidant properties and potential to promote local circulation and reduce puffiness. Topical application results in minimal systemic absorption, graded low concern in regulatory assessments.

A plant-derived emollient and preservative formed from glycerin and caprylic acid (coconut) that helps retain moisture and supports formula stability through mild antimicrobial activity.

A crosslinked acrylic polymer that thickens and stabilizes formulations. Published assessments show it to be well tolerated at cosmetic use levels, with no evidence of penetration into viable skin layers or systemic absorption.

A chelating agent that binds trace metal ions to keep formulas stable and preservatives working properly. It is not a functional skincare "active" and only a very small amount is used, with minimal skin penetration expected.

A glycerin derivative used as a skin conditioner and preservative booster, often paired with phenoxyethanol to allow lower total preservative levels. It has a low irritation and sensitization profile in safety reviews.

A naturally occurring nucleoside used in anti-aging formulas, often marketed for smoothing the look of fine lines. It has a low irritation profile and no established hazard at cosmetic use levels.

A polysaccharide extracted from yeast cell walls or oat bran. Used for hydration and skin conditioning, beta-glucan is well tolerated with emerging evidence for supporting skin barrier function. No safety concerns flagged in cosmetic use.

A buffering agent used in tiny amounts to set a product's pH, most often alongside gel-forming polymers. It is graded low concern in published assessments at the levels used.

An emulsifier made from sorbitol and isostearic acid, used to stabilize oil-in-water formulas. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel assessed it as safe for cosmetic use at typical concentrations.

A synthetic surfactant widely used to emulsify oils and water in cosmetics. It is well tolerated and has been used safely in cosmetic formulations for decades.

A saturated fatty acid found in palm oil and naturally in the skin, used as an emollient to soften and condition skin. It is one of the most studied fatty acids and is well tolerated.

A nutrient-rich carrier oil from soybean seeds containing linoleic and linolenic acids essential for barrier function. Phytoestrogen content is present but not absorbed systemically from topical application, graded low concern by regulatory assessments.

A rich, solid-at-room-temperature butter extracted from cocoa seeds, valued for its intense emollient and conditioning properties. While generally well tolerated, it carries a higher likelihood of comedogenicity, so people with acne-prone skin may want to opt for lighter alternatives.

A starch breakdown product used as a thickener and texture modifier in cosmetic formulations. It is well established in cosmetics and food applications with documented low irritation and contact sensitization risk across diverse skin types.

Green tea extract is a well-studied topical antioxidant with a long history of use in serums and moisturizers, generally well tolerated at cosmetic concentrations. Panel safety reviews of Camellia sinensis-derived ingredients have not identified meaningful topical hazard.

A simple sugar that functions as a humectant to bind moisture into the stratum corneum and is a component of the natural moisturizing factor. It is well tolerated in cosmetics and has no known sensitization concerns.

An antioxidant that helps protect a formula and condition skin. Well tolerated.

A glycol-based humectant and solvent widely used in rinse-off and leave-on cosmetics. Published safety assessments find it well tolerated at the concentrations used in cosmetic formulations.

A widely used preservative, safe at the legal limit of 1% or less. Often the "paraben-free" replacement.

An energizing plant extract used in skincare preparations, known for antioxidant activity in cosmetic applications. Cosmetic safety assessments generally support its use, though like many botanical ingredients it may trigger reactions in very sensitive individuals.

Caprylyl glycol is a plant-derived humectant that also has mild antimicrobial properties, so it is commonly paired with other preservatives to allow lower overall preservative levels. Available data do not point to meaningful irritation or sensitization concerns at typical use levels.