Eye Repair Cream

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

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

A fatty alcohol used to soften skin and stabilize creams. Despite the name, it does not dry the skin.

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

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.

This branched ester is a CIR-reviewed emollient used to give creams and lotions a silky, fast-absorbing after-feel. It is generally rated non-comedogenic and has not shown irritation or sensitization concerns in the available safety data.

A wax ester derived from jojoba oil that closely resembles the skin's own sebum esters, used to soften and smooth skin. Available safety data has not flagged meaningful irritation or sensitization risk at cosmetic use levels.

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

A lab-made version of a lipid naturally found in the outer skin barrier. It is added to creams and cleansers to help replace lipids that washing can strip away, and it is not linked to irritation or safety concerns.

One of the three major ceramides naturally found in human skin. Ceramide AP plays a critical role in maintaining the skin barrier and is extensively studied as a safe, essential ingredient. It is derived synthetically or from plant sources.

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 humectant sugar alcohol that draws water into the skin. It is well tolerated and widely used in skincare and food. Not known to cause concern at the concentrations used in cosmetics.

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 long-chain quaternary ammonium compound used in rinse-off conditioners and leave-on styling products for conditioning and static control. It is well documented in cosmetic use with a strong safety record.

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

A waxy sterol found naturally in skin and used in cosmetics as an emollient and emulsifier. It supports the skin barrier and is well tolerated across skin types.

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

A nutrient-rich oil pressed from sweet almond kernels, used to soften and condition skin. It is generally well tolerated, though people with tree nut allergies should patch test first, as it can rarely trigger allergic reactions.

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

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.

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 lightweight humectant and solvent similar in role to propylene glycol, used to carry actives and give lotions a lighter feel. CIR has reviewed it and considers it safe as used in cosmetics.

A glycerin derivative used as a skin conditioner and preservative booster, often paired with phenoxyethanol to allow lower total preservative levels. It has a low irritation and sensitization profile in safety reviews.