Nourish Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer

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

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 ester of palmitic acid and ethylhexanol, commonly used as an emollient and skin-conditioning agent. It is well studied and well tolerated in cosmetics.

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

A common emulsifier and texture-softener made from glycerin and stearic acid. CIR review of this class found no evidence of reproductive, carcinogenic, sensitizing, or phototoxic effects in the studies examined.

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 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.

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

A natural, plant-based emulsifier made from cetyl alcohol and glucose that mixes oil and water phases in cosmetics. It is well studied, nonirritating in published testing, and presents no known safety concerns for cosmetic use.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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

A fat-soluble vitamin C ester that provides antioxidant activity on skin. It is more stable than free ascorbic acid and is graded low concern in published assessments, with rare reports of sensitization at high concentrations.

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

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.

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.

Retinyl palmitate is an ester of vitamin A used in moisturizers and some sunscreens for mild anti-aging and antioxidant support. Long-term panel reviews of the ingredient have generally found it safe as used, with irritation potential similar to other mild retinoids at typical cosmetic concentrations.

A naturally occurring lipid cofactor produced in all cells, commonly used in skin care for its antioxidant and energizing properties. Topical formulations show low irritation in published data, and the ingredient is well tolerated across all skin types at cosmetic concentrations.

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 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 solvent and emollient ester used in leave-on and rinse-off formulas. The CIR Expert Panel reviewed alkyl benzoates and found no irritation even at full strength, with typical use levels ranging from 0.0008 to 50 percent depending on product type.

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.