Salicylic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Treatment

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

A corn-derived solvent and humectant that has largely replaced propylene glycol in "clean" formulas; CIR reviewed the alkane diol group and found use concentrations up to about 40 percent in leave-on products like deodorant sticks with no meaningful irritation signal.

A beta hydroxy acid used to smooth texture and clear pores. Safe at cosmetic levels; can be mildly irritating if overused.

A humectant naturally derived from sugar beets that helps skin draw in and hold water; it has a long history of safe use with no meaningful irritation or sensitization concerns.

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

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.

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

A positively charged conditioning polymer used in shampoos and conditioners to reduce frizz and improve manageability. It is well tolerated and has been safely used in cosmetics for decades.

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

A biodegradable chelating agent that binds trace metals to stabilize formulas, often chosen as a gentler alternative to EDTA. It is readily degraded in the environment and poses minimal toxicity concerns at cosmetic concentrations.