Tea Tree Special Conditioner

The base most products are built on. It carries the other ingredients and has 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.

This branched hydrocarbon is one of the isoparaffins the CIR Expert Panel reviewed and found safe as used in cosmetics, including as an emollient in leave-on face creams. It is generally considered non-comedogenic and used mainly to give a lightweight, non-greasy skin feel.

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

A long-chain quaternary ammonium compound used in rinse-off conditioners and leave-on styling products for conditioning and static control. It is well documented in cosmetic use with a strong safety record.

Tea tree oil is used for its antimicrobial reputation in blemish-focused products, but it is a genuine, well-documented contact sensitizer, and its allergy potential rises sharply once the oil has oxidized from air exposure. Fresh, well-preserved, low-concentration formulations are much lower risk than old or improperly stored oil.

A broad class of seaweed and microalgae extracts, commonly used in skincare for water retention and antioxidant properties. Most forms are well tolerated, though individuals sensitive to iodine or seaweed should patch test.

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.

Rosemary extract is widely used at low levels as a natural antioxidant to help stabilize oils and extend product shelf life, in addition to appearing as an active botanical in some formulas. It is generally well tolerated, with occasional mild contact reactions reported, mostly at higher leave-on concentrations.

Roman chamomile flower extract, traditionally valued for soothing skin. Allergic contact dermatitis is rare but documented; those with known sensitivities to Asteraceae plants like ragweed or chrysanthemum should patch test first.

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

Tetrasodium EDTA is a chelating agent that binds trace metal ions to keep formulas stable and help preservatives work better. It has circulated online as a supposed "toxic" additive, but decades of safety review support its use at cosmetic concentrations.

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 gentle humectant derived from glucose. It draws water to the skin and is mild enough for sensitive skin types. Widely used in cosmetics without reported safety concerns.

A preservative that caused a wave of contact allergy in the 2010s. The EU banned it from leave-on products and tightly limits it in rinse-off ones. A genuine concern, not a myth.

Methylchloroisothiazolinone is typically used together with methylisothiazolinone in a 3:1 mix and is a well-documented skin sensitizer at higher rates than most preservatives. EU rules now restrict this combination to rinse-off products only, at a low maximum concentration.

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.

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 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.