Deep Hydration Multi-Correcting Face Cream

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 lightweight, silicone-like emollient derived from coconut/palm fatty alcohols, used to give lotions a smoother, less greasy feel. Listed in the EU CosIng database as a skin-conditioning agent with no restrictions.

A fatty alcohol derived from stearic acid that thickens creams and gives them a smooth, non-greasy glide. It is one of the fatty alcohols the CIR panel reviewed together and found safe as used, with a very low reported rate of contact sensitization.

A fatty alcohol used to soften skin and stabilize creams. Despite the name, it does not dry the skin.

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 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.

An emulsifier combining glyceryl stearate with citric acid to stabilize oil-water mixtures and moderate pH. Well tolerated in cosmetic formulas at standard use concentrations.

A natural plant-derived starch that absorbs moisture and adds texture to powders and dry formulations. It is derived from cassava root and is well-tolerated in topical cosmetic applications.

Technically a liquid wax ester rather than a true oil, jojoba closely resembles skin's own sebum and absorbs without feeling greasy. It is well tolerated across skin types, including acne-prone skin, with no significant irritation or comedogenicity signal in the available data.

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

A natural osmolyte produced by halophilic bacteria. Used for hydration and protective stress response, ectoin is well tolerated with emerging evidence for skin barrier support and soothing. No safety concerns flagged in cosmetic applications.

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 soothing, skin-conditioning compound (also found in comfrey root) commonly added to calm and hydrate irritated or sensitive skin. It has a long history of safe use with very low irritation potential.

A soothing humectant that helps skin and hair look conditioned. Very well tolerated.

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

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.

An amino acid-derived chelating agent that stabilizes formulas by binding trace metals. Published assessments support its use at cosmetic concentrations.

A strong alkali used in tiny amounts to adjust the pH of cosmetics to safe, skin-friendly levels. At the pH found in finished products, sodium hydroxide is neutralized and well tolerated.

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.

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 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.

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 citrus-scented fragrance component. Fine for most, but it oxidizes over time into a known contact allergen, so it must be labelled in the EU.

A jasmine-like fragrance compound frequently used in soaps and lotions. It is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens, though studies suggest its sensitization potency is comparatively low relative to other listed allergens.

A floral fragrance component and one of the EU-labelled fragrance allergens. Usually fine, worth watching if you react to scented products.

A rose-scented fragrance ingredient found naturally in geranium and rose oil. It is one of the 26 fragrance allergens the EU requires to be labeled by name because a minority of people develop skin sensitization to it, though most users tolerate it without issue.