Nordic-C Glow Boost Essence

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

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

A humectant naturally derived from sugar beets that helps skin draw in and hold water; it has a long history of safe use with no meaningful irritation or sensitization concerns.

A polyethylene glycol ester of hydrogenated castor oil, widely used as an emulsifier and solvent in rinse-off and leave-on cosmetics. PEG-modified ingredients are graded as safe in cosmetics by the CIR when formulated at typical use levels.

A naturally derived humectant made from fermented plant sugars that draws water into the skin. It is well tolerated in cosmetics and is used to support hydration and skin softness.

A sugar-derived humectant made from corn and other plant sources that draws water into the skin for hydration. Well-tolerated in skincare formulations.

A humectant that holds water at the skin surface for a more hydrated look. No safety concern.

Xanthan gum is a microbial-fermentation-derived polysaccharide used to thicken and stabilize textures, similarly common in food. Cosmetic panel review of this and related microbial gums found them safe as used, with no meaningful irritation signal at typical concentrations.

A sugar alcohol humectant that helps retain moisture in the skin. It is well-tolerated at typical cosmetic use levels.

A disaccharide sugar that acts as a humectant, drawing moisture into the skin and helping prevent dryness. It is well tolerated and commonly found in skincare formulas designed to support skin barrier health.

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 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 chelating agent that binds trace metal ions to keep formulas stable and preservatives working properly. It is not a functional skincare "active" and only a very small amount is used, with minimal skin penetration expected.

A broken-down form of hyaluronic acid with smaller molecules intended to penetrate more deeply into the skin. It functions as a humectant and is well tolerated, with the same safety profile as standard hyaluronic acid.

A starch derivative used in cosmetics to thicken formulations and improve texture. It has been used safely in food and cosmetics for decades and shows low irritation potential across rinse-off and leave-on products.

A five-carbon sugar alcohol (polyol) that functions as an effective humectant comparable to glycerin, drawing moisture into the skin. It is well tolerated in cosmetics and assessed as safe by regulatory bodies at typical formulation levels.

A glycerin derivative used as a skin conditioner and preservative booster, often paired with phenoxyethanol to allow lower total preservative levels. It has a low irritation and sensitization profile in safety reviews.

A salt derived from citric acid that buffers pH and prevents metal oxidation in formulas. Widely used in food and cosmetics, it is well tolerated at cosmetic concentrations.

A naturally occurring nucleoside used in anti-aging formulas, often marketed for smoothing the look of fine lines. It has a low irritation profile and no established hazard at cosmetic use levels.

Pentylene glycol is a humectant and solvent that also offers mild antimicrobial support in formulas. It is generally well tolerated, with only rare reports of irritation, mostly in already sensitive or compromised skin.

A naturally occurring amino acid that is a key component of skin barrier lipids and the natural moisturizing factor. It binds water to the skin and is well established as a safe hydrating ingredient with no known sensitization concerns.

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

A natural polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed, used as a thickener and gelling agent in cosmetics. It has a strong safety history in topical formulations and is well tolerated across skin types.

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 salt used to adjust and maintain the pH of cosmetic formulations. It has no safety concern at typical cosmetic use levels.

A polysaccharide produced by yeast fermentation used as a film-former and thickener in serums and gels. Its safety profile is supported by extensive use in food and cosmetic applications.

A mineral salt used as a buffer and pH adjuster in cosmetics. No safety concerns at cosmetic concentrations.

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

A natural fragrance component found in citrus oils and lemongrass, giving a lemony scent. It is a named EU fragrance allergen that can oxidize into potent contact allergens over time; people with known fragrance sensitivities may react.

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.