Salicylic Acid Face Wash

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

A primary cleansing surfactant similar in strength to sodium laureth sulfate, used in many "sulfate-lite" shampoos even though it is itself a sulfonate detergent. CIR concluded it is safe in rinse-off products; it can be drying or irritating for already-sensitized scalps at higher use levels, same as most anionic surfactants.

A coconut-derived amphoteric surfactant used to boost foam and mildness in cleansers and shampoos. CIR has reviewed it as safe as used, but it is one of the more established contact-allergy triggers in personal care, usually traced to manufacturing impurities such as amidoamine and dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) rather than the betaine itself. People with a history of eyelid or scalp dermatitis are more likely to react.

A mild non-ionic cleansing agent made from coconut fatty alcohols and plant sugars (glucose). It is widely used in sulfate-free shampoos and gentle cleansers and is one of the least irritating surfactants in common use.

A five-carbon alcohol used as a humectant to draw moisture into the skin and help formulations remain stable. It is well tolerated in the concentrations used in cosmetics.

A PEG-based emulsifier that blends oils and water in formulas. It is a workhorse ingredient in stable emulsions and is approved for cosmetic use. Well tolerated.

A beta hydroxy acid used to smooth texture and clear pores. Safe at cosmetic levels; can be mildly irritating if overused.

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

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.

Lavender essential oil naturally contains linalool, geraniol, and coumarin, several of the recognized fragrance allergen constituents, so it can trigger contact reactions in fragrance-sensitive users even though it is a "natural" ingredient. It is not a general hazard for most people, but those with a known fragrance allergy should treat it like any other essential oil.