Halo Glow Liquid Filter

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

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

A fatty alcohol emollient that softens and conditions skin. The CIR Expert Panel concluded it is safe as used in cosmetics, with this determination originally made in 1985 and reaffirmed in 2006.

A silicone-based conditioning agent that adds smoothness and soft feel to formulas. Silicones in cosmetics are not absorbed by the skin and rinse cleanly, making them well-tolerated for most users.

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

A polyol ester emulsifier that stabilizes water-in-oil and oil-in-water emulsions with minimal irritation. Like other polyglyceryl esters, it is valued for its mildness and is used across a range of skincare and color cosmetics.

Synthetic fluorphlogopite is a lab-grown mica look-alike made of layered magnesium aluminum silicate sheets with some fluorine substitution, used as a shimmer and pearlescent base in powders, eyeshadow, and skincare. CIR's expert panel reviewed irritation, sensitization, and genotoxicity data and concluded it's safe as used at reported concentrations up to 67%.

A lightweight ester emollient with good skin compatibility. The CIR Expert Panel assessed isoamyl laurate as safe in cosmetic use when formulated to be non-irritating, with typical concentrations at or below 2 percent.

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.

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

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.

Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate is a fatty ester used as an emollient that leaves a smooth, non tacky finish in lip products, creams, and hair care. CIR reviewed it within the alkyl esters group and concluded it is safe as used at concentrations up to 18% when the finished product is formulated to be nonirritating.

A quaternized clay mineral used to thicken and suspend products. CIR found it safe as used, though the mineral base means trace amounts of inhalable silica particles exist if the powder form is aerosolized. It is well tolerated in leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics when formulated properly.

Propylene carbonate is a small, high-boiling solvent used to dissolve other ingredients and thin out formulas in products like lipstick, eyeshadow, and mascara. Undiluted material caused moderate skin irritation in testing, but at the concentrations actually used in finished products (generally under 20%), CIR's panel found it at most moderately irritating and reaffirmed it safe as used, with no meaningful sensitization or photoirritation seen.

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.

Caprylyl glycol is a plant-derived humectant that also has mild antimicrobial properties, so it is commonly paired with other preservatives to allow lower overall preservative levels. Available data do not point to meaningful irritation or sensitization concerns at typical use levels.

A linoleic-acid-rich plant oil used as an emollient and, in some small pediatric studies, associated with support of the skin barrier when applied to infant skin. It is well tolerated with a low reported rate of contact reactions.

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

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 silane used to improve texture and conditioning properties in leave-on cosmetics. It is hydrolyzed during formulation and creates silicone-like benefits; well tolerated at standard use levels.

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

A silicone-based powder used to improve texture and slip in formulas. It is lightweight, absorbs excess moisture, and provides smooth application. Well studied in cosmetics with no skin safety concerns.

Calendula extract is a traditional soothing botanical used in balms and after-sun formulas with a generally reassuring safety history. Like chamomile, it is part of the Asteraceae family, so cross-reactive contact allergy is possible for people already sensitive to ragweed or related plants.

A mineral pigment used to add opacity and soft-focus effects in cosmetics. FDA-approved for cosmetic use and graded low concern in published safety assessments.

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 mineral UV filter and white pigment used in sunscreens and makeup. It sits on the skin surface rather than being absorbed, and major regulators consider it safe for topical cosmetic use.

A yellow iron oxide pigment approved by the FDA for cosmetic use. Part of the established list of color additives with a strong safety record in color cosmetics.

Mineral pigments used to add color to cosmetics. Iron oxides are FDA-approved colorants with a well-established safety record in cosmetic formulations.

A synthetic iridescent pigment that creates a pearl-like shimmer. Generally well tolerated, though it can occasionally trigger irritation or heaviness in very sensitive or reactive skin. Patch test first if you have highly reactive skin.