Leave-In Conditioner

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

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

A rich, solid-at-room-temperature oil that deeply softens dry skin and hair. It is well tolerated overall, but its high lauric acid content is considered comedogenic by many dermatologists, so it can trigger breakouts in people who are acne-prone.

Plant-derived sterols that function as emollients and barrier-supporting ingredients found naturally in many botanical sources. They are well tolerated in cosmetic formulations with no known safety concerns at typical use levels.

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

A hydrating botanical extract from apple fruit, rich in polysaccharides and flavonoids. It conditions and softens skin and is generally well tolerated in cosmetic formulations.

A citrus essential oil with a fresh scent, extracted from lemon peel. It contains recognized fragrance allergen constituents (limonene, citral) and can trigger contact reactions in fragrance-sensitive individuals. Additionally, citrus peel oils carry documented phototoxicity risk, meaning skin treated with the product should avoid direct sunlight.

A hydrating plant extract from sugarcane rich in amino acids and minerals. It conditions and softens skin and is generally well tolerated across skin types.

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 long-chain quaternary ammonium compound used in rinse-off conditioners and leave-on styling products for conditioning and static control. It is well documented in cosmetic use with a strong safety record.

A cationic conditioning agent used in rinse-off products like shampoos and conditioners to provide softness and detangling. Generally well tolerated but can cause irritation at high concentrations in some individuals.

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

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

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.

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.

A synthetic polymer used to thicken gels and creams. The CIR panel confirmed it is safe as used in cosmetics. Rarely, contact sensitization has been reported in people with existing dermatitis, though the monomer residual content in cosmetic-grade material is tightly controlled.

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.

Anise alcohol is a fragrance ingredient with a mild floral scent, included among the EU-listed potential allergens even though it is considered a weaker sensitizer than many others on the list. Reactions appear to be uncommon.

A sweet, hay-like fragrance ingredient naturally found in tonka bean and lavender. It is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens and is also subject to an EU maximum concentration limit in finished cosmetic products.

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.