Rice Scrub Smooth

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

A mild non-ionic cleansing agent made from coconut fatty alcohols and plant sugars (glucose). It is widely used in sulfate-free shampoos and gentle cleansers and is one of the least irritating surfactants in common use.

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

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.

A gentle amino acid-derived surfactant made from coconut oil and glutamic acid. Commonly used in cleansers and body washes for its mild cleaning action and skin compatibility.

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.

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

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 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 coconut-derived amphoteric surfactant used to boost foam and mildness in cleansers and shampoos. CIR has reviewed it as safe as used, but it is one of the more established contact-allergy triggers in personal care, usually traced to manufacturing impurities such as amidoamine and dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) rather than the betaine itself. People with a history of eyelid or scalp dermatitis are more likely to react.

A non-ionic block copolymer surfactant used to solubilize oils and stabilize emulsions in cosmetic formulations. Published data support a favorable safety profile at cosmetic-use concentrations.

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.

Ordinary salt, used in surfactant-based products like shampoos and body washes to adjust viscosity by interacting with the surfactant micelles. It has no meaningful toxicity concern at cosmetic use levels; the main practical downside is that too much can make a formula feel less mild.

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

A common preservative and fragrance/solvent ingredient found naturally in many essential oils. It is well tolerated by most people at the levels used in cosmetics, but it is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens and can trigger reactions in people with an existing sensitivity.

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

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.