Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer

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

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

A naturally derived humectant made from fermented plant sugars that draws water into the skin. It is well tolerated in cosmetics and is used to support hydration and skin softness.

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 synthetic polymer used to thicken and stabilize water-based formulas like gels and serums. It provides texture and suspension of particles without interfering with skin feel. Well established in cosmetics.

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

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

A preservative and antioxidant that helps prevent microbial growth and oxidative degradation in formulas. Published assessments support its use at cosmetic levels.

A silicone polymer used in hair and skin care products for conditioning and shine. It is inert and well tolerated, with no identified safety concerns at cosmetic concentrations.

A stable, saturated version of squalene, a lipid the skin already produces, now usually sourced from olives or sugarcane instead of shark liver. It is very well tolerated across skin types and helps reinforce the skin barrier.

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.

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.

Derived from olive oil fatty acids, this PEG-free emulsifier is used at low concentrations to hold water and oil phases together in creams. Available safety and dermatological testing has not shown meaningful irritation or sensitization at use levels.

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 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.

An olive-oil-derived emulsifier, almost always paired with cetearyl olivate, that holds water and oil together and leaves a light skin-like finish. It is well tolerated and graded low concern in published assessments.

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 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 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.

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

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

Plant-derived sterols that function as emollients and barrier-supporting ingredients found naturally in many botanical sources. They are well tolerated in cosmetic formulations with no known safety concerns at typical use levels.

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

A rich, solid-at-room-temperature oil that deeply softens dry skin and hair. It is well tolerated overall, but its high lauric acid content is considered comedogenic by many dermatologists, so it can trigger breakouts in people who are acne-prone.

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

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 salt derived from citric acid that buffers pH and prevents metal oxidation in formulas. Widely used in food and cosmetics, it is well tolerated at cosmetic concentrations.