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: 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 peptide blends four amino acids with a fatty acid to enhance penetration, where it goes to work quieting factors in skin that trigger irritation and damage to skin’s supportive elements.

Rating: Best
Categories: Plant-Extracts, Antioxidant
This licorice derivative has strong antioxidant and skin soothing properties.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant
Powerful antioxidant that stands out for its ability to help defend skin against daily environmental stressors and mitigate visible effects of UV exposure. Can be naturally or synthetically derived.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant
This natural ingredient functions as a potent skin soother and has value as an antioxidant.

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: Good
Categories: Humectant
Humectant plant sugar that boosts skin’s hydration and offers antioxidant properties to help preserve youthfulness.

Rating: Best
Categories: Humectant, Solvent
Also known as pro-vitamin B5. Humectant that increases hydration substantially by attracting/retaining moisture. Can also play a role in visibly reducing facial redness triggered by sensitivity.

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: Good
Categories: Emollient
This ingredient partially derived from almonds serves as an emollient, skin-conditioning agent, and emulsifier in cosmetics

Rating: Average
Categories: Preservative, Antioxidant, Irritant
Plays a multitasking role as a preservative, stabilizer, and antioxidant.

Rating: Good
Categories: Solvent, Polymer
A synthetically created polymer that works primarily as a solvent but also happens to have moisturizing and cleansing abilities.

Rating: Good
Categories: Humectant
A moisturizing and conditioning ingredient made by combining polyethylene glycol with glucose. It’s been evaluated and ruled safe as used in cosmetics.

Rating: Good
Categories: Silicone, Texture-Enhancer, Cleansing-Agent
Wax-like silicone that serves multiple purposes in cosmetics, including skin conditioner, surfactant, foam booster, and moisturizer.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Emulsifier, Emollient
A synthetic, glycerin-based ingredient which serves as a thickener and moisturizing ingredient in cosmetics. In rinse-off products, it is safely used in amounts up to 39.5%.

Rating: Average
Categories: Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer
Also known as lye, this ingredient is highly alkaline, meaning it is on the basic side of the pH range (its pH is naturally 13). It is used in small amounts in cosmetics (such as cleansers and exfoliants) adjust their pH.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Polymer, Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer
Often used to create gel-textured formulas or to influence the product’s thickness. Research also shows carbomers can enhance the penetration effectiveness of key actives.

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, 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.