24 Carrot Retinal

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

A corn-derived solvent and humectant that has largely replaced propylene glycol in "clean" formulas; CIR reviewed the alkane diol group and found use concentrations up to about 40 percent in leave-on products like deodorant sticks with no meaningful irritation signal.

A lightweight, odorless emollient made by combining coconut or palm-derived fatty acids with glycerin. It spreads easily, feels non-greasy, and has a long history of use in skin and hair products with no meaningful irritation or sensitization signal.

A stable, saturated version of squalene, a lipid the skin already produces, now usually sourced from olives or sugarcane instead of shark liver. It is very well tolerated across skin types and helps reinforce the skin barrier.

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

A saturated hydrocarbon emollient that softens skin and gives products a smooth glide. Its saturated structure makes it stable and well tolerated. It is inert and carries a low sensitization risk at typical cosmetic use levels.

A preservative and antioxidant that helps prevent microbial growth and oxidative degradation in formulas. Published assessments support its use at cosmetic levels.

A crosslinked acrylic polymer that thickens and stabilizes formulations. Published assessments show it to be well tolerated at cosmetic use levels, with no evidence of penetration into viable skin layers or systemic absorption.

A buffering agent used in tiny amounts to set a product's pH, most often alongside gel-forming polymers. It is graded low concern in published assessments at the levels used.

Caprylyl glycol is a plant-derived humectant that also has mild antimicrobial properties, so it is commonly paired with other preservatives to allow lower overall preservative levels. Available data do not point to meaningful irritation or sensitization concerns at typical use levels.

A retinoid that your skin converts to retinoic acid, used to support cell turnover and collagen production. Published assessments grade it low-concern and well tolerated; retinoids can irritate sensitive or compromised skin, so start low and build tolerance gradually.

A polysaccharide extracted from red seaweed used to thicken and stabilize formulas. It is well tolerated in topical cosmetics; concerns from food ingestion studies are not directly applicable to cosmetic use. People with seaweed sensitivities should patch test.

A nutrient-rich carrier oil from soybean seeds containing linoleic and linolenic acids essential for barrier function. Phytoestrogen content is present but not absorbed systemically from topical application, graded low concern by regulatory assessments.

An extract from neem tree leaves, valued for antioxidant and skin-conditioning benefits in formulations. Well tolerated overall, though isolated cases of contact sensitivity have been reported in the literature.

A lightweight oil rich in oleic acid and antioxidants, sourced from the seeds of the moringa tree. It is well tolerated across skin types and commonly used in skincare formulas to soften and condition the skin.

A precursor to vitamin A used as an antioxidant and colorant in cosmetics. CIR and regulatory bodies confirm it is safe at cosmetic concentrations; topical beta-carotene does not carry the same concerns as oral supplementation.

An antioxidant that helps protect a formula and condition skin. Well tolerated.