Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer

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

A silicone that gives a smooth, soft feel and helps hold water in the skin. Inert and well studied.

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

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

A silicone with phenyl groups that provides conditioning and a refined feel in foundations and color cosmetics. It is inert and well tolerated across skin types.

A mineral thickener and anti-caking agent widely used in sunscreens and cosmetics to control texture and prevent ingredient separation. CIR has reviewed silica in cosmetic use and found no basis for concern at the levels used topically.

A soothing humectant that helps skin and hair look conditioned. Very 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 starch derivative used to thicken sunscreen lotions and absorb excess oil; the aluminum here is bound in a starch complex, unlike the soluble aluminum salts used in antiperspirants. CIR has reviewed aluminum starch octenylsuccinate and found it safe as used in cosmetic formulations.

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 preservative that keeps products free of mold and bacteria. Reviewed repeatedly and considered safe at the low levels used.

A gentle surfactant derived from stearyl alcohol and ethylene oxide. It is used to stabilize emulsions and is well tolerated in rinse-off and leave-on formulas. Approved for cosmetic use.

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 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 surfactant derived from stearyl alcohol with a higher degree of ethoxylation than Steareth-2, providing enhanced emulsification. It is graded safe for cosmetic use and well tolerated.

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 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.

A member of the paraben family used to prevent microbial growth in cosmetics. Like methylparaben, it has been reviewed extensively and found safe at the concentrations used in leave-on and rinse-off products.

A widely used emulsifier and solubilizer that has been in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals for decades. The CIR has assessed it as safe with no known concerns at typical cosmetic concentrations. As with any surfactant, some people with very sensitive skin may experience mild irritation.

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 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 widely used organic UV-A filter in sunscreens. It can lose effectiveness in sunlight unless paired with photostabilizers, but safety reviews have not found it to pose a meaningful health hazard at approved use levels.

A UV-B filter used in sunscreens. After reassessing hormone-activity data, the EU lowered its permitted maximum concentration as a precaution, but concluded the ingredient remains safe for use at the new lower limit.

A mild UVB chemical filter usually used to help dissolve and stabilize other sunscreen actives. It has a long OTC history at US-approved levels with a low rate of reported irritation.

An organic UV-B filter that also stabilizes other sunscreen actives like avobenzone. The EU SCCS reviewed it and concluded it is safe at current use levels, though rare contact allergy has been reported and older, degraded product may form small amounts of benzophenone.

An organic UV filter with a genuinely mixed evidence picture: it is a documented contact and photo-contact allergen in a subset of users, and studies show it absorbs into the bloodstream at levels that prompted the FDA to request further safety data. The EU has lowered its permitted concentration as a precaution. It is not established as unsafe at approved levels, but people with sensitive skin may prefer to watch for reactions or choose a mineral filter.