Nourishing Cleanser

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

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 sulfate-free, amino acid-derived surfactant with a mild profile often used in gentle body washes and shampoos. It is well tolerated and formulated to provide effective cleansing with reduced risk of irritation compared to traditional sulfate surfactants.

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

Another sugar-and-fatty-alcohol derived non-ionic surfactant, structurally close to coco-glucoside but made from a shorter (decyl, C10) fatty chain. It is a gentle cleanser generally well tolerated, though a small number of contact-allergy case reports exist, mostly in people with pre-existing skin conditions.

Finely milled oat that the FDA recognizes as an over-the-counter skin protectant for temporary relief of minor itching and dryness. Well tolerated, including on eczema-prone skin, with rare contact allergy in people with pre-existing oat or cereal sensitivity.

Carbomer is a synthetic polymer used purely to thicken and stabilize gels and lotions, with negligible skin penetration due to its large molecular size. Safety reviews have found low toxicity and minimal irritation potential even in leave-on use.

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 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 mild white clay that absorbs excess oil and lightly buffs the skin surface in wash-off masks; it is well tolerated across skin types and rinses away cleanly.

Chamomile extract is used for its soothing and mild antioxidant reputation and is generally well tolerated. It belongs to the Asteraceae (Compositae) plant family, so people with a known ragweed or daisy-family allergy occasionally react to it and may want to patch test first.

Dehydroacetic acid is a preservative regulated under the EU preservative annex with a set maximum concentration. Sensitization appears to be rare, though occasional contact dermatitis case reports exist, so people with reactive skin may want to patch test.

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.

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 naturally occurring acid used to preserve and adjust pH in cosmetic formulas. It is generally recognized as safe at cosmetic use levels, with mild irritation possible on broken or very sensitive skin at higher concentrations.

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 biodegradable chelating agent that binds trace metals to stabilize formulas, often chosen as a gentler alternative to EDTA. It is readily degraded in the environment and poses minimal toxicity concerns at cosmetic concentrations.

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 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.