Hyaluronic Tripeptide Gel-Cream for Eyes

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

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

A silicone that gives a smooth, soft feel and helps hold water in the skin. Inert and well studied.

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

A crosslinked silicone polymer that creates a velvety texture in primers and powders. The crosslinked structure does not change its safety profile, and it is inert and well tolerated.

Pentylene glycol is a humectant and solvent that also offers mild antimicrobial support in formulas. It is generally well tolerated, with only rare reports of irritation, mostly in already sensitive or compromised skin.

An ester emollient used to soften and condition skin. The 2017 CIR safety assessment found it non-irritating and non-sensitizing across 415 surveyed formulas at concentrations from 1 to 33 percent.

A silicone-based powder used to improve texture and slip in formulas. It is lightweight, absorbs excess moisture, and provides smooth application. Well studied in cosmetics with no skin safety concerns.

A lipophilic derivative of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) designed for stable delivery in cosmetic formulations. It is graded low concern and well tolerated, with benefits similar to other vitamin C esters.

A lightweight humectant and solvent similar in role to propylene glycol, used to carry actives and give lotions a lighter feel. CIR has reviewed it and considers it safe as used in cosmetics.

Carbomer is a synthetic polymer used purely to thicken and stabilize gels and lotions, with negligible skin penetration due to its large molecular size. Safety reviews have found low toxicity and minimal irritation potential even in leave-on use.

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

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

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

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 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.

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.

A synthetic copolymer used to thicken and stabilize gels, serums, and emulsions. CIR has determined it is safe as used in cosmetics. The polymer is high molecular weight, which minimizes penetration and contact sensitization risk.

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 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 soothing, skin-conditioning compound (also found in comfrey root) commonly added to calm and hydrate irritated or sensitive skin. It has a long history of safe use with very low irritation potential.

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

An organic UV filter with a genuinely mixed evidence picture: it is a documented contact and photo-contact allergen in a subset of users, and studies show it absorbs into the bloodstream at levels that prompted the FDA to request further safety data. The EU has lowered its permitted concentration as a precaution. It is not established as unsafe at approved levels, but people with sensitive skin may prefer to watch for reactions or choose a mineral filter.

The sodium salt of lactic acid and a key component of the skin barrier and natural moisturizing factor that attracts water to the skin. It is well established as a safe and effective humectant with no known hazards at cosmetic concentrations.

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 inert mineral oxide used as a filler and opacifying agent in color cosmetics. It is an FDA-approved colorant with a well-established safety record in cosmetic formulations.

Sodium PCA is a natural component of skin's own moisturizing factor and is used in cosmetics as a humectant to help skin hold onto water. It has an extensive history of safe use with no meaningful irritation or sensitization signal.

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

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.

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.

A stearic acid derivative used to thicken and stabilize formulations while providing mild emollient properties. Graded low concern with no documented sensitization or safety issues.

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 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.

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 polyol ester emulsifier that stabilizes water-in-oil and oil-in-water emulsions with minimal irritation. Like other polyglyceryl esters, it is valued for its mildness and is used across a range of skincare and color cosmetics.

A lower molecular weight version of hyaluronic acid designed for better skin penetration. It has been extensively studied and shown to support skin hydration and barrier function with excellent tolerability in diverse formulations and skin types.

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 signal peptide attached to palmitic acid that activates collagen synthesis in skin cells. Well tolerated across skin types with no significant safety concerns in cosmetic use.

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.

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

A class of naturally derived lipid compounds used to soften skin and support barrier health. They are extracted from plants or microorganisms and used at low concentrations as conditioning agents. Well tolerated with rare contact sensitivity.

A citrus essential oil with a fresh scent, extracted from lemon peel. It contains recognized fragrance allergen constituents (limonene, citral) and can trigger contact reactions in fragrance-sensitive individuals. Additionally, citrus peel oils carry documented phototoxicity risk, meaning skin treated with the product should avoid direct sunlight.

A mineral UV filter and white pigment used in sunscreens and makeup. It sits on the skin surface rather than being absorbed, and major regulators consider it safe for topical cosmetic use.