Moisturizer with Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment

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

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

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.

A fatty alcohol derived from arachis oil or synthesized, used as an emollient and emulsifier in creams and lotions. It is well tolerated and graded safe for cosmetic use.

A sugar-derived emulsifier that bridges oils and water in skincare formulas. It is gentler and plant-sourced, making it popular in natural and gentle formulations. Well tolerated with no known safety concerns.

A PEG-type emulsifier (ethoxylated cetearyl alcohol) that helps blend the water and oil parts of a cream. CIR concluded ceteareth ingredients are safe as used, with the one caveat that they are not meant for broken or damaged skin.

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.

One of the three major ceramides naturally found in human skin. Ceramide AP plays a critical role in maintaining the skin barrier and is extensively studied as a safe, essential ingredient. It is derived synthetically or from plant sources.

A key structural lipid naturally found in healthy skin that reinforces the barrier and improves hydration. It is well established in skincare formulations and assessed as having excellent safety across all skin types, including sensitive and compromised barriers.

A plant-derived lipid precursor found naturally in skin that supports barrier function and lipid composition. It is used in skincare formulations to strengthen the stratum corneum and is documented as well tolerated, though rare individual sensitivities may occur.

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

A waxy sterol found naturally in skin and used in cosmetics as an emollient and emulsifier. It supports the skin barrier and is well tolerated across skin types.

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

Zinc PCA is a zinc salt of a naturally occurring skin humectant, used mainly to help regulate oil and support a balanced skin microbiome in oily or acne-prone formulas. It has a long history of use with no significant reported irritation, though dedicated cosmetic-specific review data is thinner than for more common ingredients.

A mineral salt used as a buffer and pH adjuster in cosmetics. No safety concerns at cosmetic concentrations.

A mild surfactant and emulsifier made from lactic acid and lauric acid. The lactate component makes it less irritating than many other surfactants; generally well tolerated in both rinse-off and leave-on formulas.

A long-chain fatty alcohol used to thicken and stabilize creams and soften skin. It is a waxy emollient, not a drying solvent, and is graded low concern in published assessments.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.