Truth Serum Hydrating Vitamin C Serum

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.

This is a stable, water-soluble derivative of vitamin C that converts to ascorbic acid in skin and is used for antioxidant and brightening support. It is generally better tolerated than plain ascorbic acid and has a low reported rate of irritation in formulation testing.

A cellulose derivative used to thicken and stabilize formulas. It dissolves fully in water and does not separate or settle over time. It is well tolerated and widely used in gels, lotions, and serums.

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

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.

This small glycol is used to thin out formulas and help preservatives work better, similar in role to propylene glycol and butylene glycol already in wide use. Industry and EU safety reviewers have set purity and concentration conditions for its use rather than restricting it outright, and no consumer-relevant hazard has been established at typical cosmetic levels.

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

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 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.

A more stable, esterified form of vitamin E used as an antioxidant and skin-conditioning ingredient. It is a different substance from the vitamin E acetate implicated in vaping-related lung injury, which involved inhaling the oil, not applying it topically to skin.

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

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.

A plant-derived water or extract used mainly as a soothing humectant filler. Evidence for dramatic skin benefits beyond mild hydration and soothing is limited, but it is well tolerated by most people.

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

A sulfur-containing antioxidant that functions both inside and outside cells, studied for anti-aging effects in cosmetics. Published safety assessments support low irritation at typical cosmetic concentrations, though some users may experience mild irritation or sensitivity at higher doses or when combined with other active ingredients.

A buffering salt used to maintain stable pH in cosmetic products. It has a well-established safety history in cosmetic use.

A humectant sugar alcohol that draws water into the skin. It is well tolerated and widely used in skincare and food. Not known to cause concern at the concentrations used in cosmetics.

An essential oil from grapefruit peel rich in limonene and other furocoumarins. It is a fragrance allergen that carries phototoxicity risk, particularly in sun-exposed areas; some formulations concentrate enough to cause phototoxic reactions in sensitive individuals.

The sodium salt of benzoic acid, used as a preservative in both foods and cosmetics. Decades of safety review support its use at typical cosmetic concentrations, with mild irritation the main reported issue in sensitive skin.

The most well-studied form of topical vitamin C, used as an antioxidant and to support collagen signaling and brighten uneven tone. It is acidic and can sting or irritate sensitive skin, and it oxidizes readily once a bottle is opened, which can reduce its effectiveness rather than create a safety issue.

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 fermented extract of radish root that acts as a natural preservative and skin-conditioning agent. It has shown antimicrobial properties in formulation work and is well tolerated in rinse-off and leave-on products, though individual sensitivities can vary.

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.

A fragrance fixative and solvent found naturally in balsams and used to help scents last longer. It is one of the 26 EU-designated fragrance allergens, with documented but uncommon contact sensitization.

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.