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

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: Silicone, Texture-Enhancer, Polymer
A synthetic, silicone-based polymer that functions as an emollient, texture enhancer, and conditioning agent in haircare and skin care products.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant, Humectant
Helps visibly minimize pore size, improve dull/uneven tone, and reduce wrinkle depth. Also known to fortify skin's barrier strength and boost hydration.

Rating: Best
Categories: Plant-Extracts, Antioxidant
Species of kelp that helps soothe skin and offers moisture-binding properties to boost hydration.

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: Antioxidant, Plant-Extracts
Extract from the minimally processed buds and leaves of green tea.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant, Plant-Extracts
This plant seed extract that has been shown to help mitigate the effects environmental stressors have on skin.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Plant-Extracts, Antioxidant
Non-fragrant plant oil that imparts emollience and delivers beneficial compounds including skin-replenishing squalane.

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

Rating: Good
Categories: Silicone, Emollient
A silicone that helps lock in hydration and contributes to a product’s silky feel on skin. Often used in hair care to add luster and smoothness to tresses.

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

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

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: 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: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Emulsifier, Cleansing-Agent
Multitasking ingredient that plays various roles including cleansing agent, solvent, texture enhancer, and skin-conditioning agent. Imparts a non-greasy, lightweight, silky feel.

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, Emollient, Antioxidant
A type of fat found naturally in skin, these ingredients have value in skin care for their ability to both attract water and deliver it to areas that need increased hydration. They also have antioxidant properties.

Rating: Good
Categories: Polymer, Texture-Enhancer, Suspending-Dispersing-Agent, Occlusive-Opacifying-Agent
Versatile synthetic copolymer that helps optimize the aesthetics of skin care formulations. Functions as a dispersing agent, emulsion stabilizer, opacifying agent, and texture enhancer.

Rating: Good
Categories: Silicone, Texture-Enhancer, Polymer
Silicone powder that’s used to give cosmetics a silky feel and has mild absorption properties. It has been ruled safe as used in cosmetics.

Rating: Good
Categories: Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier
Serves a variety of roles within cosmetic formulas, primarily as a surfactant/emulsifier/solubilizing agent. Can also enhance the penetration of other key ingredients.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Film-Forming-Agent, Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer
This naturally derived ingredient serves as a thickening agent in cosmetics and has clinical and food usages as well.

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
This preservative, which can be naturally derived, is often used in conjunction with others because of its weak activity. It also is used to help preserve foods like dried meats and cheeses.