Micellar Water Argan Oil Waterproof Makeup Remover

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

A lightweight, volatile silicone that gives serums and primers their silky slip and quick-evaporating finish. Human safety data are reassuring; the EU restriction on this ingredient in rinse-off products is about environmental persistence in waterways, not skin safety.

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.

A fatty-acid and tocopherol-rich plant oil used as a hair and skin emollient; CIR's review of plant-derived fatty acid oils found no evidence of irritation or sensitization and a long history of safe use in food and cosmetics.

A common preservative and fragrance/solvent ingredient found naturally in many essential oils. It is well tolerated by most people at the levels used in cosmetics, but it is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens and can trigger reactions in people with an existing sensitivity.

Benzyl salicylate is a fragrance fixative that also absorbs some UV light. It is on the EU allergen disclosure list, but the evidence suggests it sensitizes fewer people than most other listed fragrance allergens.

A widely used organic UV-A filter in sunscreens. It can lose effectiveness in sunlight unless paired with photostabilizers, but safety reviews have not found it to pose a meaningful health hazard at approved use levels.

Another sugar-and-fatty-alcohol derived non-ionic surfactant, structurally close to coco-glucoside but made from a shorter (decyl, C10) fatty chain. It is a gentle cleanser generally well tolerated, though a small number of contact-allergy case reports exist, mostly in people with pre-existing skin conditions.

A mineral salt used as a buffer and pH adjuster in cosmetics. No safety concerns at cosmetic concentrations.

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 widely used UVB chemical filter with a long safety record at US-approved concentrations. Some lab and animal studies have raised questions about hormone activity and coral reef impact, which is why a few jurisdictions cap or restrict it, but human-relevant risk at labeled use levels is considered low by regulators.

A floral, rose-like fragrance compound found in many essential oils. It is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens, meaning a documented minority of people can develop contact sensitization, so brands must disclose it above set thresholds.

This small glycol is used to thin out formulas and help preservatives work better, similar in role to propylene glycol and butylene glycol already in wide use. Industry and EU safety reviewers have set purity and concentration conditions for its use rather than restricting it outright, and no consumer-relevant hazard has been established at typical cosmetic levels.

A citrus-scented fragrance component. Fine for most, but it oxidizes over time into a known contact allergen, so it must be labelled in the EU.

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

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.

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.

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.