Rating: Best
Categories: Uv-Filters, Occlusive-Opacifying-Agent, Absorbent
Mineral skin care ingredient best known as one of the gentlest and most effective broad-spectrum sunscreen ingredients currently in use.

Rating: Good
Categories: Silicone, Emollient, Solvent
Lightweight, conditioning silicone that creates silky-smooth spreadabilty and an enhanced sensorial feel. Also promotes even distribution of other ingredients in a formula.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Emulsifier, Cleansing-Agent
This moisturizing ingredient is found naturally in the human body but is usually plant- or synthetically derived in cosmetics. It has been deemed safe as used in cosmetics and is also used as a food additive.

Rating: Good
Categories: Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier, Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer
Versatile, commonly used ingredient that can be used as an emulsifier, cleansing agent, and emollient. In general, it helps enhance the texture of the formula and contributes to a soft after feel on skin.

Rating: Good
Categories: Humectant, Texture-Enhancer
Humectant (hydration booster), texture/penetration enhancer, and formulary solvent. May also help decrease rough surface skin and stabilize the formula.

Rating: Good
Categories: Humectant, Solvent, Preservative
This water-binding ingredient works well in cosmetics as a hydrating ingredient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It has been deemed safe for use in skin care products.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Emollient
Beneficial skin softening ingredient for skin (completely different from damaging/drying forms of alcohol). Also influences the foaming effects of a cleanser.

Rating: Best
Categories: Silicone, Emollient
An skin-softening silicone known for its permeable (think breathable) barrier that helps skin retain hydration. It has a uniquely silky, non-greasy feel.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient, Plant-Extracts, Antioxidant
Glycine soja sterols, derived from soybeans, have both moisturizing and antioxidant properties.

Rating: Good
Categories: Film-Forming-Agent, Polymer
Viscosity-increasing agent and film former, often used to help sunscreen formulations adhere better to skin.

Rating: Best
Categories: Plant-Extracts, Antioxidant
This extract from oats has antioxidant benefits for skin and is well-known for its potent soothing properties.

Rating: Best
Categories: Humectant, Texture-Enhancer, Solvent
A naturally occurring substance in skin that helps retain moisture. It is used in skin care products to help defend against dryness.

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: Plant-Extracts
An ingredient that can be naturally derived or made synthetically. It has skin-soothing and moisturizing properties, making it an excellent inclusion in products designed for sensitive skin.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant
A form of vitamin E frequently used in cosmetics for its antioxidant benefit.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient, Emulsifier, Suspending-Dispersing-Agent
Plays many different roles including dispersing agent, skin-conditioning emollient, and emulsifying agent. Enhances the penetration of other ingredients for greater efficacy.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant
Highly stable form of vitamin C that protects skin from oxidative damage and collagen breakdown.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant, Humectant
An enzyme that breaks down potentially harmful oxygen molecules, making it a powerful antioxidant. It has anti-aging and calming properties for skin and helps protect against UV damage.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant
Also known as coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10, this ingredient is found naturally in the body. It serves as an antioxidant and helps energize factors in the body that can slow with both age and sun exposure, leading to younger, healthier looking skin.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient
Formerly called ceramide 2, this ceramide helps improve skin’s barrier strength.

Rating: Good
Categories: Silicone, Emollient
One of the simpler silicones due to its less complex molecular structure. It helps give skin products a silky feel and helps skin retain moisture.

Rating: Best
Categories: Peptides
This lab-made peptide matches a sequence of amino acids found in skin. As such, skin recognizes and can understand the signals the peptide sends, which leads to a smoother, more youthful appearance.

Rating: Good
Categories: Silicone, Humectant
A synthetic blend of polyethylene glycol and skin-protecting silicone that conditions skin and hair.

Rating: Good
Categories: Plant-Extracts, Antioxidant
Plant extract that offers antioxidant properties. Contains fragrant components that are not sensitizing to skin (a rarity).

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient, Texture-Enhancer, Plant-Extracts
Emollient and skin-replenishing ingredient derived from coconut oil and glycerin. Contains fatty acids that help skin resist moisture loss.

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: Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier
Cleansing agent/emulsifier that can help enhance the overall texture of the formula. In certain capacities, this ingredient can also help rejuvenate aging skin by keeping it pliant and supple.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emulsifier, Texture-Enhancer
Emulisifier/thickener that enhances the texture and stabilizes the formula.

Rating: Good
Categories: Suspending-Dispersing-Agent, Polymer
Often used to coat mineral sunscreen active ingredients in order to help them disperse evenly and remain inert. Other roles include emulsion stabilizer, film-former, and texture-enhancing thickener.

Rating: Average
Categories: Absorbent, Texture-Enhancer
Naturally occurring mineral used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive in skin care products. Also known as aluminum oxide.

Rating: Good
Categories: Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier
Used in cosmetics primarily as a mild cleansing agent, this coconut-derived ingredient is considered extremely stable and safe.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer
A salt-derived blend of aluminum and stearic acid which functions as a stabilizer and thickening agent, among other things.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier
This naturally derived ingredient is produced from the fermentation of simple sugars, and acts as a thickening agent, texture enhancer, and emulsion stabilizer in cosmetics.

Rating: Good
Categories: Preservative, Plant-Extracts
Conditions skin and hair and is a moisturizing ingredient in many skin care products. Because of its antibacterial action, it also is an effective cosmetics preservative.

Rating: Good
Categories: Chelating-Agent
One of the salt forms of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, it improves the stability of other cosmetics ingredients, helping them last longer. It’s been deemed safe as used in cosmetics and is even used as an additive in some foods.

Rating: Good
Categories: Preservative, Humectant
Skin-softening agent with hydration boosting properties. Also plays an important preservative role to help keep cosmetic formulas stable.

Rating: Good
Categories: Preservative
Safe preservative known to be well-tolerated by skin; offers wide spectrum protection against unwanted microbials in a formula.

Rating: Good
Categories: Preservative
Effective skin care preservative that inhibits contamination and helps stabilize the formula’s shelf life.