Warm Vanilla Sugar

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

A strong foaming cleanser. It can be drying or irritating for some people, especially in leave-on or high-concentration products. It is not a toxin, and it rinses away.

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 common foaming cleanser, milder than SLS. Fine for most people in a rinse-off product.

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 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 more stable, esterified form of vitamin E used as an antioxidant and skin-conditioning ingredient. It is a different substance from the vitamin E acetate implicated in vaping-related lung injury, which involved inhaling the oil, not applying it topically to skin.

Sodium PCA is a natural component of skin's own moisturizing factor and is used in cosmetics as a humectant to help skin hold onto water. It has an extensive history of safe use with no meaningful irritation or sensitization signal.

A positively charged conditioning polymer used in shampoos and conditioners to reduce frizz and improve manageability. It is well tolerated and has been safely used in cosmetics for decades.

A cellulose derivative used to thicken gels, serums, and cleansers. It is well studied and widely used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. No meaningful safety concerns have been raised at typical cosmetic use levels.

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 PEG ester derived from caprylic and capric fatty acids, used as an emulsifier and solvent in skincare formulations. PEG-modified esters are assessed as safe by the CIR in cosmetics when used at typical concentrations.

A light, low-odor glycol used as a solvent and humectant, extremely common in Korean toners and essences. It has a low reported irritation rate and is graded low concern in published assessments.

A small humectant and solvent molecule that helps other ingredients dissolve and helps skin hold water. It is one of the most studied cosmetic ingredients and is considered safe at the concentrations used in personal care products.

Tetrasodium EDTA is a chelating agent that binds trace metal ions to keep formulas stable and help preservatives work better. It has circulated online as a supposed "toxic" additive, but decades of safety review support its use at cosmetic concentrations.

A pH buffer that neutralizes acidic ingredients to maintain a skin-compatible formulation pH. Decades of safety data and modern manufacturing practices support its use at cosmetic concentrations.

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

Ordinary salt, used in surfactant-based products like shampoos and body washes to adjust viscosity by interacting with the surfactant micelles. It has no meaningful toxicity concern at cosmetic use levels; the main practical downside is that too much can make a formula feel less mild.

A small-dose synthetic antioxidant that prevents oils and fragrance in a formula from oxidizing. Not shown to pose a toxicological risk at the levels used in cosmetics.

A polypropylene glycol-based surfactant and emulsifier used to stabilize cosmetic formulas. Safety assessments indicate it is well-tolerated when used at typical cosmetic concentrations.

A polyethylene glycol ester of hydrogenated castor oil, widely used as an emulsifier and solvent in rinse-off and leave-on cosmetics. PEG-modified ingredients are graded as safe in cosmetics by the CIR when formulated at typical use levels.

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 widely used UVB chemical filter with a long safety record at US-approved concentrations. Some lab and animal studies have raised questions about hormone activity and coral reef impact, which is why a few jurisdictions cap or restrict it, but human-relevant risk at labeled use levels is considered low by regulators.

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.

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.

Methylchloroisothiazolinone is typically used together with methylisothiazolinone in a 3:1 mix and is a well-documented skin sensitizer at higher rates than most preservatives. EU rules now restrict this combination to rinse-off products only, at a low maximum concentration.

A preservative that caused a wave of contact allergy in the 2010s. The EU banned it from leave-on products and tightly limits it in rinse-off ones. A genuine concern, not a myth.

An FDA-approved synthetic colorant used in cosmetics to create red shades. Dye sensitivity can occur in sensitive individuals, though it is uncommon. Generally well tolerated at regulated cosmetic levels.

An FDA-approved synthetic colorant commonly used in cosmetics and personal care products. A small proportion of individuals report sensitivity or allergic reactions, particularly those with existing dye sensitivities. Remains safe at approved cosmetic concentrations.

An FDA-approved synthetic colorant used in cosmetics to impart a blue hue. Blue dye sensitivity is rare but documented in a small subset of individuals. Generally well tolerated at regulated cosmetic levels.