Color Security Conditioner

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

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

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

A cationic conditioning agent used in rinse-off products like shampoos and conditioners to provide softness and detangling. Generally well tolerated but can cause irritation at high concentrations in some individuals.

A synthetic ester used to provide lightweight emollient and conditioning properties in cosmetic formulations. Limited but consistent use history in cosmetics without adverse reports.

A quaternary ammonium conditioning agent that coats hair with a positive charge to smooth the cuticle, cut static, and ease detangling; it is one of the most common conditioning ingredients in rinse-off conditioners. CIR reviewed it as part of the trimonium family and found it safe as used, including in leave-on formulas at typical concentrations.

A silicone-based polymer with amino groups that deposits on hair to provide conditioning and smoothing benefits. It is extensively used in hair care products with a long track record of safe use in rinse-off formulations.

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

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

A rich botanical oil from avocado fruit, used to nourish and soften the skin. It is generally well tolerated across skin types and provides conditioning benefits.

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 PEG-type emulsifier (ethoxylated cetearyl alcohol) that helps blend the water and oil parts of a cream. CIR concluded ceteareth ingredients are safe as used, with the one caveat that they are not meant for broken or damaged skin.

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

This branched hydrocarbon is one of the isoparaffins the CIR Expert Panel reviewed and found safe as used in cosmetics, including as an emollient in leave-on face creams. It is generally considered non-comedogenic and used mainly to give a lightweight, non-greasy skin feel.

Dimethiconol is a silicone emollient closely related to dimethicone, used to add slip and a smooth finish to creams and serums. It shares dimethicone's long-standing safety record and is considered non-sensitizing and non-comedogenic in typical use.

A lightweight hydrocarbon that gives formulas a smooth, silky feel. Used in color cosmetics and sunscreens. Well tolerated and inert.

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.

A fast-evaporating solvent used to carry actives and create a light, quick-drying texture in toners and washes. At the concentrations used in rinse-off and brief-contact formulas, it has a well-established safety record, though repeated contact with high-concentration formulas can be drying.

A mixture of lightweight hydrocarbons derived from mineral oil or plants. It is biologically inert, non-irritating, and widely used in moisturizers and primers to improve texture without leaving residue.

A modified guar gum used to thicken and stabilize emulsions and gels. It is derived from guar beans and is well tolerated when applied topically. It is common in skincare formulas where a smooth texture is valued.

A protein fragment derived from animal keratin that helps hair retain moisture and improves strength and shine. It is well tolerated across hair types and does not carry the allergen risk of plant-derived hydrolyzed proteins.

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

A preservative that works by slowly releasing small amounts of formaldehyde to keep microbes from growing in the product. It is a well-documented contact allergen for a subset of users, which is why formaldehyde releasers are worth knowing about even though most people tolerate them fine.

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.

A quaternary ammonium salt used as a conditioning and antistatic agent in hair products. It has been extensively documented as safe in cosmetics when used in typical rinse-off formulations.

A chelating agent that binds trace metal ions to keep formulas stable and preservatives working properly. It is not a functional skincare "active" and only a very small amount is used, with minimal skin penetration expected.

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.

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 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 synthetic antioxidant approved in the EU and used at low levels to prevent product degradation and extend shelf life. Not absorbed through skin and presents no safety concern in cosmetic formulations.

A floral fragrance component and one of the EU-labelled fragrance allergens. Usually fine, worth watching if you react to scented products.

A film-forming copolymer used to add texture and stability to formulas. Well-tolerated with no documented safety concerns at cosmetic concentrations.