Rose Face Mask

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

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

Pentylene glycol is a humectant and solvent that also offers mild antimicrobial support in formulas. It is generally well tolerated, with only rare reports of irritation, mostly in already sensitive or compromised skin.

A higher-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol ester of hydrogenated castor oil, used as an emulsifier in creams, serums, and other formulations. Like other PEG-modified ingredients, published cosmetic safety assessments grade it as safe in rinse-off and leave-on products.

Mineral-rich saltwater from the ocean, used as a humectant and source of trace minerals in skincare. Sea water is straightforward in composition and well tolerated, though its salt content may require buffering for sensitive skin.

A hydrosol from damascena rose flowers, used as a skin toner and fragrance. Rose can trigger allergic contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals, though the hydrosol form is generally well tolerated. People with a history of plant sensitivities should patch test.

An extract from cucumber fruit valued in skincare for its hydrating and soothing properties. It is well tolerated across skin types and commonly included in formulas designed to refresh and calm the skin.

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.

An essential oil from damask rose flowers prized for its complex, floral scent. It is a known fragrance allergen because it contains many volatile components that oxidize readily in air; dermatitis patients can react to both the fresh oil and its degradation products.

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

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.

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.

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 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 synthetic copolymer used to thicken and stabilize gels, serums, and emulsions. CIR has determined it is safe as used in cosmetics. The polymer is high molecular weight, which minimizes penetration and contact sensitization risk.

A brown colorant made by heating sugars, used to add color to cosmetics. It is FDA-approved and well established in food and cosmetics with a long history of safe use.

A starch derivative used in cosmetics to thicken formulations and improve texture. It has been used safely in food and cosmetics for decades and shows low irritation potential across rinse-off and leave-on products.

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 small-dose synthetic antioxidant that prevents oils and fragrance in a formula from oxidizing. Not shown to pose a toxicological risk at the levels used in cosmetics.

A rose-scented fragrance ingredient found naturally in geranium and rose oil. It is one of the 26 fragrance allergens the EU requires to be labeled by name because a minority of people develop skin sensitization to it, though most users tolerate it without issue.

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