Beauty ingredient research

Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

Browse the review database to understand what an ingredient is, what it does in a beauty formula, when it is useful, and when it deserves caution across skincare, haircare, bodycare, makeup, and more.

20769

Reviewed ingredients

524

Low-concern standouts

2884

Need usage caution

Showing 60 of 1,342
AllUV absorberUV filterabrasiveabsorbentacne treatmentactiveactive ingredientadhesivealkalizing agentamino acidanti-aginganti-androgenanti-cavityanti-cavity agentanti-inflammatoryanti-irritantanticariesanticavity agentantidandruffantifungalantimicrobialantioxidantantiperspirantantiplaqueastringentbarrier repairbarrier supportbarrier-repairbarrier-supportbinderbinding agentbiotechbiotechnologybond-builderbotanicalbotanical extractbotanical oilbotanical waterbrighteningbrightening agentbufferbuffering agentcell-communicating ingredientceramidechelating agentchemicalchemical intermediateclaycleansercleansingcleansing agentcolorantconditionerconditioningconditioning agentcooling agentcosmeticcosmetic additivecosmetic colorantcosmetic ingredientcosmetic pigmentcosmetic powdercosmetic-texturizercosmetic-waxcosmeticscrosslinking agentdelivery agentdelivery systemdenaturantdeodorantdeodorant agentdepigmenting agentdepilatorydepilatory agentdesensitizing agentdyedye intermediatedye precursordye-intermediateemollientemulsifierenzymeessential oilexfoliantexperimentaleyelashfermentfilm formerfilm-formerfilm-formingfilm-forming agentfirming agentfixativeflavoring agentformulationfragrancefragrance ingredientfunctional ingredientgashair carehair colorhair coloranthair conditionerhair dyehair removalhair-carehair-colorhaircarehumectantindustrialinsecticideintermediatelashlash carelash enhancerlash-and-browlip carelipidmakeupmarine extractmasking agentmicrobiomemicrobiome modulatormineralmoisturizernail carenail-careocclusiveoilopacifieropacifying agentoptical agentoral careotheroxidative dyeoxidative dye precursoroxidizing agentpH adjusterpain reliefpenetration enhancerpeptidepersonal careph adjusterpharmaceuticalpheromonepigmentplant oilplasticizerpolymerpolymer precursorprebioticprescription-drugpreservativepreservative boosterprobioticprocessing agentprocessing aidpropellantproteinpurifyingreducing agentretinoidscalp caresebum regulatorsebum-regulatorself-tannerself-tanningsensory additivesensory agentsensory modifiersiliconeskin barrierskin barrier supportskin conditionerskin conditioningskin conditioning agentskin lighteningskin protectantskin-conditioningskin-conditioning agentskin-identicalskin-identical ingredientskin-lighteningskin-lightening agentskincaresolventsoothingsoothing agentstabilizerstimulantsunscreensurfactantsyntheticsynthetic colorantsynthetic dyesynthetic resinsynthetic-coloranttexture enhancertexturizerthickenertoneruv-absorberuv-filtervasoactivevasodilatorviscosity controlviscosity controllingviscosity controlling agentvitaminwax

Emulsifier

Brazil Nut Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters

Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters

4.0

A mild, eco-friendly emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in formulas while adding a touch of skin-softening nourishment.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

pH Adjuster

C10-40 Hydroxyalkyl Acid

C10-40 Hydroxyalkyl Acid

3.8

A mild synthetic acid that helps balance product pH and stabilize formulas, but offers no direct skin benefit on its own.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C11-15 Pareth-12 Stearate

C11-15 PARETH-12 STEARATE

3.5

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy formulas, but offers no direct skin benefit.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C11-15 Pareth-3 Oleate

C11-15 PARETH-3 OLEATE

4.0

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in creams and lotions, with a low risk of irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C11-15 Pareth-3 Stearate

C11-15 PARETH-3 STEARATE

3.5

A safe, effective emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy formulas, but offers no direct skin benefit.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Surfactant

C12-14 Pareth-12

C12-14 Pareth-12

4.0

A gentle, effective cleansing ingredient that helps products foam and rinse clean without stripping the skin.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincarecleansing agentemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C12-15 Pareth-12 Oleate

C12-15 PARETH-12 OLEATE

4.0

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps water and oil mix in your products, making them feel smooth and stable.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester

C12-20 ACID PEG-8 ESTER

4.0

A gentle emulsifier that helps mix water and oil, making creams and lotions smooth and stable.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C20-30 Glycol Isostearate

C20-30 GLYCOL ISOSTEARATE

4.0

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps create smooth, stable creams and lotions with a pleasant feel.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C20-40 Pareth-3

C20-40 Pareth-3

3.8

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps water and oil mix in your products, with a low risk of irritation or clogged pores.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C20-40 Pareth-40

C20-40 PARETH-40

4.0

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy formulas without common irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C22-24 Pareth-33

C22-24 PARETH-33

4.0

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures without common irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C30-50 Pareth-3

C30-50 PARETH-3

4.0

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in creams and lotions, with a low risk of irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C30-50 Pareth-40

C30-50 Pareth-40

4.0

A gentle, high-molecular-weight emulsifier that helps blend water and oil in creams and lotions without significant irritation or clogging concerns.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

C40-60 Pareth-3

C40-60 Pareth-3

3.5

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in your skincare products, with a low risk of irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate

Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate

4.0

A mild, food-grade emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in creams and lotions without common irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil Amides/Ester

CAMELLIA OLEIFERA SEED OIL AMINOPROPANEDIOL AMIDES/ESTERS

4.0

A gentle, semi-synthetic emulsifier derived from camellia oil that helps blend water and oil phases while providing mild skin conditioning.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Carapa Guaianensis Oil PEG-8 Esters

CARAPA GUAIANENSIS OIL PEG-8 ESTERS

4.0

A gentle, water-friendly emulsifier derived from andiroba oil that helps blend oils and water in cleansers and creams without stripping the skin.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Castor Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters

Castor Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters

4.3

A mild, plant-based emulsifier that helps blend water and oil in creams and lotions while leaving skin feeling soft.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Castor Seed Oil Amides/Ester

CASTOR SEED OIL AMINOPROPANEDIOL AMIDES/ESTERS

4.0

A gentle, modified castor oil ingredient that helps blend water and oil in formulas while conditioning the skin.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-10

Ceteareth-10

4.0

Ceteareth-10 is a gentle emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures in skincare, but it may be slightly drying for very sensitive skin.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-100

Ceteareth-100

3.8

Ceteareth-100 is a reliable emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in creams and lotions, but it is a PEG compound, which raises mild concerns about potential impurities.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-11

Ceteareth-11

4.0

Ceteareth-11 is a gentle emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures in skincare without common irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-12

Ceteareth-12

3.8

Ceteareth-12 is a reliable emulsifier that helps products feel smooth, but it may cause irritation for sensitive skin due to its cleansing nature.

Irritation

moderate

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-13

Ceteareth-13

4.0

A reliable emulsifier that keeps your lotions and creams smooth and stable, with a low risk of irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-14

Ceteareth-14

3.8

Ceteareth-14 is a reliable emulsifier that keeps creams smooth and stable, but it may be less gentle for very sensitive skin due to its surfactant nature.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-15

Ceteareth-15

4.0

Ceteareth-15 is a safe, widely used emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures in skincare, though it may be slightly drying for very sensitive skin.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-17

Ceteareth-17

3.5

Ceteareth-17 is a reliable emulsifier that helps keep formulas stable, but it may be less common in modern 'clean' beauty due to its synthetic origin.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-18

Ceteareth-18

4.0

Ceteareth-18 is a reliable emulsifier that helps keep your creams and lotions smooth and stable, but it may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane during manufacturing.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-2

Ceteareth-2

4.0

Ceteareth-2 is a gentle emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures in skincare, but it may be derived from ethylene oxide, which concerns some consumers.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-22

Ceteareth-22

4.0

A reliable emulsifier that keeps your creams and lotions smooth and stable, with a low risk of irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-23

Ceteareth-23

4.0

A reliable emulsifier that helps water and oil mix, making creams and lotions stable and smooth.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-25

Ceteareth-25

4.0

Ceteareth-25 is a reliable emulsifier that helps create smooth, stable lotions and creams, but it may be drying for very sensitive skin.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-29

Ceteareth-29

4.0

Ceteareth-29 is a gentle, synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in creams and lotions, with a low risk of irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-3

Ceteareth-3

4.0

Ceteareth-3 is a reliable emulsifier that helps create smooth, stable creams and lotions with low irritation potential.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-34

Ceteareth-34

3.8

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps keep your lotions and creams smooth and stable, but may be too heavy for very oily skin.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-4

Ceteareth-4

3.5

A reliable emulsifier that helps keep your lotions and creams smooth, but may be too heavy for very oily skin types.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-40

Ceteareth-40

4.0

Ceteareth-40 is a reliable emulsifier that helps create smooth, stable creams and lotions, but it may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane in its raw form.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-5

Ceteareth-5

4.0

Ceteareth-5 is a gentle emulsifier that helps keep your lotions and creams smooth and stable, but it may contain trace impurities from its manufacturing process.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-50

Ceteareth-50

3.5

Ceteareth-50 is a reliable emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in creams and cleansers, but it may be slightly irritating for very sensitive skin.

Irritation

moderate

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-55

CETEARETH-55

4.0

Ceteareth-55 is a reliable emulsifier that keeps creams and lotions smooth, but it's synthetic and may be a minor concern for very sensitive skin.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-6 Olivate

Ceteareth-6 Olivate

4.0

A gentle, olive-derived emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy formulas without stripping the skin.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-60

Ceteareth-60

4.0

Ceteareth-60 is a reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil, but it may be too rich for very oily or acne-prone skin in high concentrations.

Irritation

low

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-7 Stearate

Ceteareth-7 Stearate

4.0

A gentle emulsifier that keeps creams and lotions smooth and stable, with a low risk of irritation.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-80

Ceteareth-80

3.8

Ceteareth-80 is a reliable emulsifier that helps products feel smooth, but it may cause irritation for sensitive skin types.

Irritation

moderate

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Ceteareth-9

Ceteareth-9

3.8

Ceteareth-9 is a reliable emulsifier that helps products feel smooth, but it may cause irritation for sensitive skin due to its surfactant nature.

Irritation

moderate

Source

synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Cetearyl Glucoside

Cetearyl Glucoside

4.5

A mild, plant-derived emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures without stripping the skin.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Cetearyl Olivate

Cetearyl Olivate

4.5

A gentle, olive-derived emulsifier that stabilizes formulas and softens skin, ideal for sensitive and dry skin types.

Irritation

low

Source

natural

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review

Emulsifier

Cetearyl Phosphate

CETEARYL PHOSPHATE

4.2

A mild emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy formulas without stripping the skin.

Irritation

low

Source

semi-synthetic

beautyskincareemulsifier
Read ingredient review