The Colossal 100% Black 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 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 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.

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

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 phospholipid emulsifier from soy or sunflower that binds water and oil and helps other ingredients absorb. It is a natural component of skin membranes, well tolerated, and reviewed as safe as used; a soy-derived grade is not a meaningful concern for a soy food allergy because the protein is largely absent.

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.

PEG/PPG-18/18 dimethicone is a silicone modified with polyethylene and polypropylene glycol chains, which lets it act as a co-emulsifier that holds water droplets inside a silicone base, useful for long-wearing liquid foundations and other water-in-silicone formulas. CIR's expert panel reviewed dimethicone copolyols as a group and concluded this ingredient is safe as used up to 10%.

A wax ester derived from jojoba oil that closely resembles the skin's own sebum esters, used to soften and smooth skin. Available safety data has not flagged meaningful irritation or sensitization risk at cosmetic use levels.

A polymer of quaternary ammonium compounds widely used as a conditioning and antistatic agent in hair products. It is well established in cosmetic formulations with a strong safety record in rinse-off applications.

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.

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

A small humectant and solvent molecule that helps other ingredients dissolve and helps skin hold water. It is one of the most studied cosmetic ingredients and is considered safe at the concentrations used in personal care products.

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

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 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 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.

A widely used, gentle preservative also common in food. It is generally well tolerated, though it can occasionally cause mild, transient irritation in people with already-compromised or very reactive skin.