Healing Foot Cream

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

A natural component of skin's own moisturizing system, used at low percentages as a humectant and at higher percentages (10 percent plus) as a mild keratolytic for very dry or rough skin. It can sting broken or eczema-prone skin, especially at higher concentrations.

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

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

A time-tested occlusive that seals in moisture and helps damaged skin heal, widely used in dermatology for wound care. Cosmetic-grade petrolatum must meet purity standards that remove the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in crude sources, and it is considered one of the most effective and well-studied barrier ingredients available.

A fatty alcohol used to soften skin and stabilize creams. Despite the name, it does not dry the skin.

A wax ester derived from jojoba oil that closely resembles the skin's own sebum esters, used to soften and smooth skin. Available safety data has not flagged meaningful irritation or sensitization risk at cosmetic use levels.

A larger, gentler alpha hydroxy acid than glycolic acid, used to exfoliate and to draw in moisture. It can still cause stinging or increased sun sensitivity at higher concentrations, so daytime SPF use is sensible, but it is generally better tolerated than glycolic acid.

A fatty alcohol derived from stearic acid that thickens creams and gives them a smooth, non-greasy glide. It is one of the fatty alcohols the CIR panel reviewed together and found safe as used, with a very low reported rate of contact sensitization.

A long-chain quaternary ammonium compound used in small amounts in lotions to stabilize the emulsion and improve slip. Cationic conditioning agents in this family have a long cosmetic-use history without a notable irritation signal in the published record, though as with any ingredient it can rarely trigger sensitivity in already-irritated skin.

A gentle surfactant derived from stearyl alcohol and ethylene oxide. It is used to stabilize emulsions and is well tolerated in rinse-off and leave-on formulas. Approved for cosmetic use.

A surfactant derived from stearyl alcohol with a higher degree of ethoxylation than Steareth-2, providing enhanced emulsification. It is graded safe for cosmetic use and well tolerated.

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 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 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 more stable, esterified form of vitamin E used as an antioxidant and skin-conditioning ingredient. It is a different substance from the vitamin E acetate implicated in vaping-related lung injury, which involved inhaling the oil, not applying it topically to skin.

A form of vitamin B3 used to support a more even-looking tone and a comfortable barrier. Well tolerated at cosmetic levels.

Another stable phosphate ester of vitamin C, chosen by formulators for its water solubility and gentleness compared to pure ascorbic acid. Available safety data and long history of use in leave-on products show a low rate of irritation.

A synthetic surfactant widely used to emulsify oils and water in cosmetics. It is well tolerated and has been used safely in cosmetic formulations for decades.

A common emulsifier and texture-softener made from glycerin and stearic acid. CIR review of this class found no evidence of reproductive, carcinogenic, sensitizing, or phototoxic effects in the studies examined.

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.

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.

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

A widely used, gentle preservative also common in food. It is generally well tolerated, though it can occasionally cause mild, transient irritation in people with already-compromised or very reactive skin.