Nutritive Bain Satin Riche Shampoo

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

A common foaming cleanser, milder than SLS. Fine for most people in a rinse-off product.

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

A wax-like ester of ethylene glycol and stearic acid used purely to thicken shampoo/conditioner and give it a pearly opaque look; it has no cleansing or active role. CIR found it non-sensitizing and non-irritating even at high test concentrations, and decades of manufacturer exposure data show no reported health effects.

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

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.

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 strong foaming cleanser. It can be drying or irritating for some people, especially in leave-on or high-concentration products. It is not a toxin, and it rinses away.

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.

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

A cationic conditioning agent used in rinse-off products like shampoos and conditioners to provide softness and detangling. Generally well tolerated but can cause irritation at high concentrations in some individuals.

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.

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 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 coconut-derived, mild foam-boosting surfactant closely related to cocamidopropyl betaine. It is generally well tolerated in rinse-off products but, like its chemical cousin, can occasionally cause contact irritation on already-compromised or very reactive skin.

A modified guar gum used to thicken and stabilize emulsions and gels. It is derived from guar beans and is well tolerated when applied topically. It is common in skincare formulas where a smooth texture is valued.

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

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.

A soothing humectant that helps skin and hair look conditioned. Very well tolerated.

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

A gentle, stable vitamin C derivative that the skin converts to active vitamin C, popular for brightening with less irritation than pure ascorbic acid. It is well tolerated and graded low concern in published assessments.

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

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

A protein fragment that draws water into the hair shaft and is used to strengthen and add body. People with wheat sensitivity or protein allergies should patch-test first, as protein hydrolysates can trigger reactions in those with known sensitivities.

A plant-derived protein hydrolyzate that functions as a humectant and skin conditioning agent. While generally well tolerated, those with soy sensitivities or allergies should be cautious, as protein hydrolyzates may retain antigenic properties.

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.

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.