24 Hour Super Stay Skin Tint

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

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

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

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.

Trimethylsiloxysilicate is a silicone resin built from trimethylsiloxy and silicate units, used in makeup and skin and hair products to form a light, flexible film that adds body, wear, and a soft-focus finish. CIR's expert panel reviewed clinical and animal data on this and related silylates and concluded the ingredient is safe as used, provided the finished product is formulated so it isn't irritating to the eyes or respiratory tract when it's inhaled as a fine powder or aerosol.

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 silicone emulsifier combining polyethylene glycol and dimethicone to help blend water and oil phases in serums and primers. Limited but consistent data support its safety in cosmetic formulations.

Synthetic fluorphlogopite is a lab-grown mica look-alike made of layered magnesium aluminum silicate sheets with some fluorine substitution, used as a shimmer and pearlescent base in powders, eyeshadow, and skincare. CIR's expert panel reviewed irritation, sensitization, and genotoxicity data and concluded it's safe as used at reported concentrations up to 67%.

A lightweight ester emollient rated safe at concentrations up to 10 percent by the CIR Expert Panel. It has been assessed as low irritation, non-comedogenic, and shows no evidence of endocrine disruption in published literature.

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.

A mineral pigment used to add opacity and soft-focus effects in cosmetics. FDA-approved for cosmetic use and graded low concern in published safety assessments.

Calcium aluminum borosilicate is another engineered borosilicate glass, milled into fine flakes or microspheres and used the same way as its calcium sodium counterpart: as a sparkle and light-diffusing effect pigment in eyeshadow, highlighter, lip products, and nail polish. CIR reviewed it alongside the other borosilicate glasses and concluded it's safe as used, provided the glass meets standard impurity and particle-size specifications.

A mineral thickener and anti-caking agent widely used in sunscreens and cosmetics to control texture and prevent ingredient separation. CIR has reviewed silica in cosmetic use and found no basis for concern at the levels used topically.

Silica silylate is silica surface-treated with trimethylsilyl groups so it feels silkier and disperses better into oil-based formulas; it works as an anti-caking and viscosity-control agent in pressed powders, foundations, and other makeup. CIR reviewed it in the same assessment as silica dimethyl silylate and trimethylsiloxysilicate and concluded it's safe as used, with the same caveat that the finished product should be formulated not to irritate the eyes or respiratory tract.

A synthetic polymer used to create film-forming serums and gels. It is stable, non-irritating, and widely used in cosmetic formulations to improve texture and adherence without toxicological concerns.

A refined cellulose derivative processed from plant sources, used as a thickener and texturizing agent in cosmetics. It is an inert polysaccharide with no known sensitization or irritation potential and is widely used in personal care and pharmaceutical formulations.

An inert mineral powder used as a filler and white base for color cosmetics. It is not the same as the antiperspirant aluminum compounds that trigger health concerns. Well tolerated and FDA-approved for cosmetic use.

A mineral salt used in cosmetics as a humectant and antioxidant. It is the same compound used in food and personal care products, and is well tolerated in both rinse-off and leave-on formulations.

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.

An amino acid derived emulsifier made from stearic acid and glutamic acid that is increasingly used in natural and clean formulations. It is mild, biodegradable, and presents no known safety concerns for cosmetic use.

Bis-PEG/PPG-14/14 Dimethicone is a silicone backbone capped with polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol chains, added to formulas to help water and silicone oils blend into one stable product. It works as an emulsifier and skin-feel conditioner rather than an active ingredient. CIR has reviewed the broader group of PEG/PPG-modified (alkoxylated) polysiloxanes this ingredient belongs to and did not flag a specific safety concern, though this exact ingredient has not been the subject of its own standalone report.

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

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