Telescopic Original Waterproof Mascara

A lightweight hydrocarbon that gives formulas a smooth, silky feel. Used in color cosmetics and sunscreens. Well tolerated and inert.

A natural wax secreted by honeybees, used as an emollient and texture builder in balms and salves. It is generally well tolerated. People with bee or pollen allergies should patch test, as rare sensitization has been documented.

A plant-derived wax from carnauba palm leaves, widely used in cosmetics to provide texture and protective film-forming properties. Extensively documented as safe for topical use.

A quaternized clay mineral used to thicken and suspend products. CIR found it safe as used, though the mineral base means trace amounts of inhalable silica particles exist if the powder form is aerosolized. It is well tolerated in leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics when formulated properly.

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

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 highly refined, inert petroleum-derived emollient that has been used in cosmetics and skincare for over a century. It creates a protective moisture barrier on the skin and is well tolerated by the vast majority of users, with minimal risk of irritation or sensitization.

VP/eicosene copolymer is a synthetic polymer of vinylpyrrolidone and the hydrocarbon eicosene, used as a film former and dispersant in sunscreens, hairsprays, and lipsticks to help the product cling to skin or hair and hold up against water and humidity. CIR reviewed it as part of a broader group of vinylpyrrolidone polymers and found no evidence of irritation, sensitization, or other safety signal at the concentrations reported in use.

Propylene carbonate is a small, high-boiling solvent used to dissolve other ingredients and thin out formulas in products like lipstick, eyeshadow, and mascara. Undiluted material caused moderate skin irritation in testing, but at the concentrations actually used in finished products (generally under 20%), CIR's panel found it at most moderately irritating and reaffirmed it safe as used, with no meaningful sensitization or photoirritation seen.

A mineral powder valued for its absorbent and soft-feel properties in cosmetics. Cosmetic-grade talc is required to be asbestos-free; inhalation risk from topical application is minimal. Generally well tolerated when used as intended.

Synthetic Beeswax is a manufactured blend of long-chain esters designed to mimic natural beeswax's texture and melting point, used as an emulsion stabilizer and thickener in balms, sticks, and creams. CIR reviewed it alongside other cosmetic waxes and concluded it is safe as used, a conclusion the panel revisited and left unchanged after a later look at additional data.

This is a polyamide gelling agent formed from ethylenediamine and dimer dilinoleic acid and end-capped with stearyl groups, used to thicken and structure the oil phase in products like mascara and anhydrous sun creams. It has not had its own CIR safety review, but the closely related family of dimer dilinoleate esters built on the same fatty diacid backbone has been reviewed and found safe in cosmetic use, and as a large, oil-soluble polymer it is not expected to penetrate skin.

A plant-derived wax extracted from the Euphorbia cerifera shrub native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. It provides emollient and thickening benefits and has a long history of traditional use with no documented sensitization or irritation concerns at typical cosmetic concentrations.

A synthetic antioxidant approved in the EU and used at low levels to prevent product degradation and extend shelf life. Not absorbed through skin and presents no safety concern in cosmetic formulations.

A small-dose synthetic antioxidant that prevents oils and fragrance in a formula from oxidizing. Not shown to pose a toxicological risk at the levels used in cosmetics.