Daily Face Moisturizer

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

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

A light, low-odor glycol used as a solvent and humectant, extremely common in Korean toners and essences. It has a low reported irritation rate and is graded low concern in published assessments.

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

A lightweight, volatile silicone that gives serums and primers their silky slip and quick-evaporating finish. Human safety data are reassuring; the EU restriction on this ingredient in rinse-off products is about environmental persistence in waterways, not skin safety.

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.

Derived from olive oil fatty acids, this PEG-free emulsifier is used at low concentrations to hold water and oil phases together in creams. Available safety and dermatological testing has not shown meaningful irritation or sensitization at use levels.

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

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

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 rheology modifier that thickens gels and serums while maintaining a lightweight, non-sticky feel. Provides suspension and stability in water-based formulas. Widely used and well tolerated.

A soothing plant extract traditionally used in skincare, valued for its potential anti-inflammatory properties. Published assessments note it is generally well tolerated in cosmetic formulations, though people with sensitivities to botanicals may want to patch test.

Green tea extract is a well-studied topical antioxidant with a long history of use in serums and moisturizers, generally well tolerated at cosmetic concentrations. Panel safety reviews of Camellia sinensis-derived ingredients have not identified meaningful topical hazard.

A triterpenoid from Centella asiatica associated in published studies with skin resilience and wound-healing support. It is generally well tolerated in cosmetic concentrations.

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

A synthetic polymer used to thicken and stabilize water-based formulas like gels and serums. It provides texture and suspension of particles without interfering with skin feel. Well established in cosmetics.

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.

Chlorphenesin is a preservative subject to an EU maximum concentration limit and has been linked to contact dermatitis in a minority of users, particularly with repeated exposure. Most people tolerate it at the regulated use level without issue.

An olive-oil-derived emulsifier, almost always paired with cetearyl olivate, that holds water and oil together and leaves a light skin-like finish. It is well tolerated and graded low concern in published assessments.

A synthetic gelling and stabilizing polymer that gives lotions and gels their smooth, cushiony texture. The large molecule stays on the skin surface rather than penetrating, and it is graded low concern in published assessments.

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 synthetic peptide sequence derived from or mimicking Epidermal Growth Factor, designed to support skin renewal and healing. Cosmetic-grade formulations show no systemic absorption at recommended levels and are well tolerated in topical use.

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.

A glycol used very widely in Korean and Western skincare as a lightweight humectant, solvent, and gentle preservative-booster, often in place of traditional preservatives. It has a low reported irritation rate at use levels and is graded low concern in published assessments.

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 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 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.

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.

A rose-scented fragrance ingredient found naturally in geranium and rose oil. It is one of the 26 fragrance allergens the EU requires to be labeled by name because a minority of people develop skin sensitization to it, though most users tolerate it without issue.

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, rose-like fragrance compound found in many essential oils. It is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens, meaning a documented minority of people can develop contact sensitization, so brands must disclose it above set thresholds.

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