The Great

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

A lightweight, odorless emollient made by combining coconut or palm-derived fatty acids with glycerin. It spreads easily, feels non-greasy, and has a long history of use in skin and hair products with no meaningful irritation or sensitization signal.

A light coconut-derived emollient ester used as a natural-feeling alternative to silicones, giving a dry, velvety finish. It is well tolerated and graded low concern in published assessments.

A probiotic-derived ferment lysate containing amino acids and polysaccharides. Limited published research suggests it may benefit skin hydration, though the cosmetic evidence base is smaller than for established ingredients.

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

A stable, saturated version of squalene, a lipid the skin already produces, now usually sourced from olives or sugarcane instead of shark liver. It is very well tolerated across skin types and helps reinforce the skin barrier.

A mineral salt used in cosmetics as a humectant and antioxidant. It is the same compound used in food and personal care products, and is well tolerated in both rinse-off and leave-on formulations.

A form of vitamin B3 used to support a more even-looking tone and a comfortable barrier. Well tolerated at cosmetic levels.

A stable vitamin C derivative used to brighten and provide antioxidant support, more shelf-stable than pure ascorbic acid. It is generally well tolerated, though strong vitamin C forms can sting sensitive skin.

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.

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.

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 probiotic-derived ingredient that provides active benefits for skin health. Well-tolerated in skincare formulations with growing research support for its use.

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 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.

An ester formed from cetyl alcohol and palmitic acid, used to soften and smooth skin. It is well tolerated with a very low reported incidence of sensitization in the cosmetic ingredient literature.

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

A nutrient-rich carrier oil from soybean seeds containing linoleic and linolenic acids essential for barrier function. Phytoestrogen content is present but not absorbed systemically from topical application, graded low concern by regulatory assessments.

A lower molecular weight version of hyaluronic acid designed for better skin penetration. It has been extensively studied and shown to support skin hydration and barrier function with excellent tolerability in diverse formulations and skin types.

A polyol (sugar alcohol) that attracts water to the skin. Like sorbitol and glycerin, it is well tolerated in skincare formulas. It is commonly used to boost hydration without the stickiness of other humectants.

A salt derived from citric acid that buffers pH and prevents metal oxidation in formulas. Widely used in food and cosmetics, it is well tolerated at cosmetic 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 larger, gentler alpha hydroxy acid than glycolic acid, used to exfoliate and to draw in moisture. It can still cause stinging or increased sun sensitivity at higher concentrations, so daytime SPF use is sensible, but it is generally better tolerated than glycolic acid.

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

A small glycol used as a solvent and to boost the absorption of actives, and to help preservatives work at lower levels. It is well tolerated and graded low concern in published assessments.

A plant extract long used in traditional wound care and now common in "cica" soothing products, valued for calming redness and supporting the skin barrier. It is generally well tolerated, with rare contact allergy reported.

An extract from holy basil (tulsi) leaves, used for antioxidant and skin-conditioning properties. It is graded safe at cosmetic concentrations and is generally well tolerated.

An extract from neem tree leaves, valued for antioxidant and skin-conditioning benefits in formulations. Well tolerated overall, though isolated cases of contact sensitivity have been reported in the literature.