Retinol Reform

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

A lightweight, odorless emollient made by combining coconut or palm-derived fatty acids with glycerin. It spreads easily, feels non-greasy, and has a long history of use in skin and hair products with no meaningful irritation or sensitization signal.

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

A hydrating botanical extract from apple fruit, rich in polysaccharides and flavonoids. It conditions and softens skin and is generally well tolerated in cosmetic formulations.

A rheology modifier that thickens gels and serums while maintaining a lightweight, non-sticky feel. Provides suspension and stability in water-based formulas. Widely used and well tolerated.

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 metabolite produced through fermentation of milk by Lactobacillus bacteria, valued in skincare for humectant and antioxidant properties. It is documented in cosmetic formulations as well tolerated, though people sensitive to fermentation byproducts or lactic acid may want to patch test.

A vitamin A derivative used for the look of lines and texture. Effective but can irritate and increases sun sensitivity; usually advised against in pregnancy.

A form of vitamin B3 used to support a more even-looking tone and a comfortable barrier. Well tolerated at cosmetic levels.

A lab-made version of a lipid naturally found in the outer skin barrier. It is added to creams and cleansers to help replace lipids that washing can strip away, and it is not linked to irritation or safety concerns.

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.

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

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.

An aromatic plant extract rich in natural antioxidants, valued in skincare formulations for its protective properties. Published cosmetic assessments indicate it is generally well tolerated, though the botanical origin means some sensitive individuals may react.

Bisabolol is a botanically derived (or synthetically nature-identical) compound used for its calming, anti-irritant reputation in sensitive-skin formulas. Safety reviews and long clinical use have found it well tolerated with a low rate of reported reactions.

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.

A sugar-derived humectant made from corn and other plant sources that draws water into the skin for hydration. Well-tolerated in skincare formulations.

A water or bran extract of rice containing ferulic acid, small peptides and starches. It is a traditional East Asian skincare staple with some supporting antioxidant and mild-brightening data, but most of that evidence comes from cell or animal studies rather than large human trials, so the "brightening" claims on finished products go further than the direct evidence.

An essential omega-6 fatty acid and key component of the skin barrier. Well documented as safe and beneficial in topical cosmetics, supporting skin integrity and hydration.

Natural fat molecules present in healthy skin that help reinforce the skin barrier. They are graded with no known concerns in cosmetic assessments and are well tolerated as skin conditioning agents.

A sugar alcohol humectant that helps retain moisture in the skin. It is well-tolerated at typical cosmetic use levels.

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.

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 five-carbon sugar alcohol (polyol) that functions as an effective humectant comparable to glycerin, drawing moisture into the skin. It is well tolerated in cosmetics and assessed as safe by regulatory bodies at typical formulation levels.

An emulsifier made from sorbitol and isostearic acid, used to stabilize oil-in-water formulas. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel assessed it as safe for cosmetic use at typical concentrations.

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.

An amino acid-derived chelating agent that stabilizes formulas by binding trace metals. Published assessments support its use at cosmetic concentrations.

A widely used emulsifier and solubilizer that has been in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals for decades. The CIR has assessed it as safe with no known concerns at typical cosmetic concentrations. As with any surfactant, some people with very sensitive skin may experience mild irritation.

A linoleic-acid-rich plant oil used as an emollient and, in some small pediatric studies, associated with support of the skin barrier when applied to infant skin. It is well tolerated with a low reported rate of contact reactions.

A nutrient-rich carrier oil from soybean seeds containing linoleic and linolenic acids essential for barrier function. Phytoestrogen content is present but not absorbed systemically from topical application, graded low concern by regulatory assessments.

An ester formed from cetyl alcohol and palmitic acid, used to soften and smooth skin. It is well tolerated with a very low reported incidence of sensitization in the cosmetic ingredient literature.

A polyethylene glycol ether of lauryl alcohol, used as a mild surfactant and emulsifier in cleansers and other rinse-off products. CIR assessments support the safety of laureth surfactants in cosmetics, and they are often chosen for their mildness.

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

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 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.

Xanthan gum is a microbial-fermentation-derived polysaccharide used to thicken and stabilize textures, similarly common in food. Cosmetic panel review of this and related microbial gums found them safe as used, with no meaningful irritation signal at typical concentrations.