Purifying Charcoal Face Wash

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

A workhorse cosmetic emulsifier blend that keeps oil and water phases from separating in lotions and creams. It is chemically related to the fatty alcohols long reviewed by CIR and does not show a meaningful irritation or sensitization signal at cosmetic-use levels.

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.

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.

A coconut-derived amphoteric surfactant used to boost foam and mildness in cleansers and shampoos. CIR has reviewed it as safe as used, but it is one of the more established contact-allergy triggers in personal care, usually traced to manufacturing impurities such as amidoamine and dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) rather than the betaine itself. People with a history of eyelid or scalp dermatitis are more likely to react.

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

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

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

A fat-soluble vitamin C ester that is more stable than pure ascorbic acid. Published cosmetic assessments note it is well tolerated; it penetrates skin better than water-soluble forms and provides antioxidant support for sun-exposed areas.

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

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.