Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Texture-Enhancer
A mixture of fatty acids and a fatty alcohol.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Solvent, Texture-Enhancer
A skin softening and smoothing ingredient that can help reduce moisture loss from skin's upper layers, it also serves as a silicone alternative in skin care products.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Texture-Enhancer
Helps improve product texture by adding a cushiony feel and smooth application that sets to a hydrated, glossy finish.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient, Antioxidant
Prevents moisture loss and restores suppleness to skin. Also strengthens skin’s barrier and provides antioxidant support.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant, Plant-Extracts
Also known as the shea tree, its most famous product, shea butter, is a plant lipid used as an emollient in cosmetics. It also provides antioxidant benefits.

Rating: Best
Categories: Plant-Extracts, Emollient
Emollient oil derived from the castor bean, which is rich in skin-beneficial fatty acids.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient, Plant-Extracts, Antioxidant
Emollient lipid extracted from cocoa beans, rich in beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants. Renowned for moisturizing and soothing dry, sensitive skin.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Emollient
This ester of cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid defends skin against moisture loss and adds an elegant slip to creams and lotions.

Rating: Best
Categories: Peptides
A peptide blend that supports skin's own collagen by helping to firm and reduce the look of lines on skin and lips.

Rating: Good
Categories: Solvent
This is the most widely used ingredient in skin care, often appearing first in product ingredient lists. Used as a solvent.

Rating: Best
Categories: Peptides
A highly targeted multi-peptide that helps skin's supportive elements resist further damage while working to repair visible signs of aging.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient, Antioxidant
A highly moisturizing portion of shea butter that also has soothing and barrier-repairing benefits that are very helpful for dry skin and lips.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant
One of four forms of vitamin E. It can be naturally or synthetically derived. Regardless of its origin, tocopherol has potent oil-soluble antioxidant properties and can help defend skin from pollution and environmental stressors.

Rating: Good
Categories: Humectant, Occlusive-Opacifying-Agent
This mix of glycerin and behenic acid conditions skin and has been deemed non-irritating and safe as used in cosmetics.

Rating: Good
Categories: Occlusive-Opacifying-Agent, Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier
This fatty acid is found naturally in skin and is the most common fatty acid found in animals, plants, and microorganisms. It has many functions in cosmetics, including as a cleansing agent and emollient.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Texture-Enhancer, Cleansing-Agent
A gentle, plant-derived ingredient whose versatility lends itself to many types of cosmetics, including cleansers, sunscreens, hair care, and makeup.

Rating: Good
Categories: Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier
A very mild cleansing agent that also helps stabilize skin care formulas and keep oil- and water-based ingredients from separating.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Texture-Enhancer, Occlusive-Opacifying-Agent
A mix of glycerin and castor oil-derived fatty acid, this ingredient is used as an occlusive and texture-enhancing agent.

Rating: Good
Categories: Antioxidant
Lab-engineered antioxidant used in a variety of skin care and personal care products to improve formula and color stability while ensuring consistent efficacy of more fragile antioxidants.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant, Plant-Extracts
Natural ingredient that's a rich source of potent, effective antioxidants skin needs to look and act younger. Also contains hydrating saccharides.

Rating: Best
Categories: Humectant, Antioxidant
The more bio-available, salt form of hyaluronic acid. I’s considered an excellent moisturizer, helping skin retain water so it looks and feels smoother.

Rating: Best
Categories: Exfoliant, Humectant, Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer
This exfoliating acid helps skin shed dead cells on the surface also offers hydrating properties.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Emulsifier, Texture-Enhancer
Versatile, gentle, coconut-derived cleansing agent, foam booster, texture enhancer, and emollient used in both rinse-off and leave-on products.

Rating: Best
Categories: Peptides
Synthetic peptide proven to strengthen skin’s underlying supportive elements and visibly reduce signs of sun damage such as wrinkles and rough texture.

Rating: Best
Categories: Peptides
This synthetic peptide helps improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by providing a boost in plumping hydration and water balance.

Rating: Best
Categories: Humectant, Plant-Extracts, Polymer, Prebiotic-Probiotic-Postbiotic
Glucomannan is prebiotic sugar that combines the simples sugars mannose with glucose.

Rating: Good
Categories: Preservative
A preservative that can be naturally derived or made synthetically. It prevents the growth of bacteria, mold, and fungi and is considered safe as used in cosmetics.