Whole Blends Honey Treasures Repairing 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 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 natural humectant and emollient derived from bee activity, prized for hydrating and soothing properties in skin care. Widely used with a low incidence of adverse reactions, though those with bee pollen sensitivity may experience contact reactions.

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.

Used like sodium hydroxide to adjust pH in cosmetics at very low levels. At finished-product pH, it is neutralized and well tolerated.

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

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 fast-evaporating solvent used to carry actives and give toners a light, "clean" feel; at the concentrations used in classic astringents it can be genuinely drying or irritating with repeated use, especially on dry or compromised skin, though it is not inherently toxic and is a normal, well-studied cosmetic ingredient.

A resinous substance bees make from plant exudates, added to cosmetics for antioxidant and marketed "healing" properties. Contact-allergy reviews put patch-test positivity around 1 to 7 percent in tested dermatitis populations, concentrated in beekeepers and people already sensitized to fragrance or poplar-bud resins, so it is worth patch-testing if you have a history of contact allergies or bee-product sensitivity.

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.

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

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

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 naturally occurring acid used to preserve and adjust pH in cosmetic formulas. It is generally recognized as safe at cosmetic use levels, with mild irritation possible on broken or very sensitive skin at higher concentrations.

An FDA-approved synthetic colorant commonly used in cosmetics and personal care products. A small proportion of individuals report sensitivity or allergic reactions, particularly those with existing dye sensitivities. Remains safe at approved cosmetic concentrations.

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 sweet, hay-like fragrance ingredient naturally found in tonka bean and lavender. It is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens and is also subject to an EU maximum concentration limit in finished cosmetic products.

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 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.