Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A gentle, natural absorbent powder from tree seeds that can help mattify skin and add texture to products, but research on its skincare benefits is limited.

Activated clay is a gentle, natural absorbent that helps draw out excess oil and surface debris without stripping the skin.

Agave leaf powder is a gentle, plant-based exfoliant and absorbent that can help mattify skin and lightly polish away dead cells without harshness.

A safe, non-irritating powder that soaks up excess oil and gives a smooth, silky feel to makeup and skincare.

A mineral powder that helps absorb oil and control shine, but its use is limited to specific product types.

A mineral complex that helps control moisture and odor, but its silver content requires cautious use.

Anthracite extract is a mineral-based ingredient that may help draw out impurities, but its use in skincare is niche and lacks robust safety data.

Argilla is a natural clay that helps absorb excess oil and impurities from the skin, making it a popular choice for oily and acne-prone skin types.

A gentle clay extract that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without over-drying, making it a solid choice for oily or combination skin.

Arrowroot extract is a gentle, natural starch that helps absorb excess oil and soothe skin, making it a popular alternative to talc in powders and deodorants.

A gentle, plant-based powder that soaks up shine and adds a smooth feel without clogging pores.

Attapulgite is a gentle clay that soaks up excess oil and impurities without stripping the skin, making it a solid choice for oily or combination skin types.

A gentle, natural starch that soaks up excess oil and gives a silky feel, ideal for oily or combination skin.

Barley powder is a gentle, natural exfoliant that helps remove dead skin cells and absorb excess oil without harshness.

Bentonite clay is a gentle, natural absorbent that helps draw out oil and dirt from the skin without harsh stripping.

Buckwheat flour is a gentle, natural powder that absorbs excess oil and provides light physical exfoliation, but it may not suit those with buckwheat allergies.

A gentle, mineral-rich clay that helps absorb excess oil and draw out impurities without over-drying the skin.

Carbon is a safe, non-irritating ingredient used mainly for its absorbent and coloring properties in skincare.

Clay minerals are gentle, natural absorbents that help draw out excess oil and impurities without stripping the skin.

A gentle, natural absorbent powder that helps control oil and provide a silky texture, but offers no active skincare benefits.

A gentle, oil-absorbing starch that gives a smooth, matte feel without clogging pores.

Elguea Clay is a gentle, mineral-rich clay that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without over-drying, making it a good option for normal to combination skin.

A classic clay that soaks up excess oil and impurities, ideal for oily and acne-prone skin when used in masks.

A gentle clay that absorbs excess oil without stripping the skin, ideal for sensitive or combination skin types.

Heilmoor Clay is a gentle, mineral-rich clay that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without over-drying, making it a good option for normal to oily skin types.

A gentle, mineral-rich clay that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without over-drying, making it a good option for normal to oily skin types.

A gentle, plant-derived starch that soaks up excess oil and gives a silky, matte finish without clogging pores.

Illite is a gentle clay that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without over-drying, making it a popular choice for combination to oily skin types.

Illite extract is a gentle clay that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without stripping the skin.

Kaolin is a mild clay that soaks up surface oil and dirt, making it a go-to for oily or combination skin without over-drying.

Kaolin is a mild, oil-absorbing clay that helps clarify skin without over-drying, making it a go-to for normal to oily skin types.

Lava extract is a mineral-rich ingredient that may help absorb excess oil and provide trace minerals, but research on its skincare benefits is limited.

Lava powder is a natural mineral powder that helps absorb excess oil and gently exfoliate skin, but it can be abrasive for sensitive skin.

A gentle, natural wood powder that helps slough off dead skin and absorb excess oil, but lacks strong clinical research.

Loess is a gentle, natural silt that can absorb excess oil and provide a smooth texture, but it lacks strong scientific backing for skincare benefits.

Loess extract is a gentle, mineral-rich sediment that can help absorb excess oil and soothe skin, but research on its cosmetic benefits is still emerging.

A safe mineral stabilizer and absorbent used in many cosmetics, but not a star active ingredient.

A mineral-rich clay from a unique geological site, Manicouagan Clay helps absorb excess oil and impurities without over-drying, making it a gentle option for most skin types.

A gentle, natural absorbent powder from millet seeds that helps control oil and add a silky texture without clogging pores.

Montmorillonite is a gentle clay that helps draw out oil and impurities without stripping the skin, making it a solid choice for oily or combination skin types.

A gentle, mineral-rich clay that helps draw out impurities and control shine without stripping the skin.

Mudstone powder is a natural, gentle physical exfoliant that helps remove dead skin and absorb excess oil without harsh chemicals.

A gentle, natural powder that helps absorb excess oil and provides mild physical exfoliation without stripping the skin.

A gentle, plant-based starch that helps absorb excess oil and improve product texture without clogging pores.

Pakau White Clay is a mild, absorbent clay ideal for oily or combination skin, offering gentle purification without harshness.

Palau White Clay is a gentle, mineral-rich clay that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without stripping the skin, making it a good option for sensitive or dry skin types.

A gentle clay extract that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without stripping the skin, but research on its unique benefits is still limited.

Peanut flour can gently absorb oil and exfoliate, but it may clog pores and is not suitable for those with peanut allergies.

Perlite is a natural volcanic mineral that helps absorb excess oil and gently exfoliate without being harsh on the skin.

Plant ash is a natural absorbent and texture agent, but its high alkalinity and variable composition require careful formulation to avoid skin irritation.

A natural absorbent and gentle exfoliant from burned plum wood, best for oily or combination skin in rinse-off products.

Poria Cocos Powder is a gentle, natural ingredient that can help absorb excess oil and soothe the skin, but its benefits are backed mostly by traditional use and limited modern research.

A gentle oil-absorbing clay-polymer hybrid that helps mattify skin without stripping it.

Pyrophyllite is a gentle clay that helps absorb excess oil and improve product texture, but its skincare benefits are not well-studied.

Rice powder is a gentle, natural absorbent that helps control oil and gives a silky feel, but it offers minimal active skincare benefits.

A gentle, natural absorbent powder that helps control oil and add texture without common irritants found in some clay or synthetic powders.

A gentle, mineral-rich clay extract that helps absorb excess oil and impurities without over-drying, suitable for most skin types.

A gentle, natural clay that helps control oil and improve product texture without drying out the skin.

Silt is a gentle, mineral-rich sediment that helps exfoliate and absorb excess oil, but its benefits are largely anecdotal and depend on the source.

A safe, functional mineral powder that helps keep makeup products dry and smooth, but offers no direct skin benefit.