Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A gentle, synthetic film-former that helps lock in moisture and improve product texture without clogging pores.

A gentle film-forming ingredient that adds a smooth, hydrated feel to products without clogging pores.

A reliable film-former that helps makeup stay put without feeling heavy or sticky.

A pine-derived film former that helps makeup and sunscreens stay put, but may feel heavy on some skin types.

A safe, synthetic film-former that gives water-based products a silky, non-greasy feel and helps other ingredients stay on skin longer.

A gentle film former that helps products stay put and resist water, commonly found in sunscreens and long-wear makeup.

A gentle synthetic polymer that improves product feel and helps other ingredients stay on the skin longer.

A synthetic polymer that helps makeup and skincare products stay put and feel smooth, but it's not a hydrating or active ingredient.

Glyceryl Rosinate is a natural film-forming ingredient that helps makeup and hair products last longer, but it may cause sensitivity in those allergic to pine or tree resins.

A gentle film-forming ingredient that helps products feel smooth, stay put longer, and resist water without clogging pores.

A natural resin that helps makeup stay put and resist smudging, but may feel tacky on skin.

A synthetic film-former that helps makeup and sunscreen stay put longer, especially in water or sweat.

A silicone polymer that helps makeup and skincare spread smoothly and last longer without feeling heavy.

A synthetic silicone compound that helps other ingredients stick to skin, hair, or nails, but may cause irritation in high concentrations.

A synthetic polymer that helps products stay put and resist water, but offers no active skincare benefit.

A synthetic polymer that forms a flexible film on skin or hair, improving product wear and texture without common irritation.

Glycol Rosinate helps makeup stay put and resist water, but may clog pores for some skin types.

A synthetic polymer that helps products stay put and resist water, generally considered safe and non-irritating.

Gutta percha is a natural latex that can help products form a flexible film, but it is uncommon in modern skincare and may cause sensitivity in those with latex allergies.

Hagfish mucus extract is an experimental marine ingredient with promising hydrating and film-forming abilities, but it's very new to cosmetics and lacks broad safety and efficacy data.

A synthetic film-former that helps makeup last longer and resist water, but may feel heavy on some skin types.

A gentle synthetic film-former that helps makeup and skincare products feel smooth, last longer, and resist water without clogging pores.

A gentle synthetic polymer that creates a smooth, long-wearing film on skin without clogging pores or causing irritation.

Hea Succinate is a synthetic film-former that helps products spread smoothly and feel lightweight on skin, with a low risk of irritation.

Heptyl Methacrylate is a synthetic film-forming ingredient that helps create durable, glossy coatings in nail products, but it may cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

A synthetic film-former that helps products stay put on skin and hair, but it's not a star ingredient for most routines.

A synthetic film-former that helps products stay put and resist water, but it's not a hero ingredient—just a functional helper.

A gentle, non-greasy film former that helps products spread evenly and stay put without clogging pores.

A synthetic polymer that helps cosmetics last longer and resist water, but offers no active skincare benefits.

Hexyl Methacrylate is a synthetic film-former that helps products adhere and last longer, but it can be a skin sensitizer for some people.

A synthetic film-former that helps makeup and skincare last longer, but may feel heavy on some skin types.

A synthetic polymer that helps makeup last longer and feel smoother, but offers no skincare benefit.

Hydrogen Dimethicone is a gentle silicone that smooths and protects skin and hair without clogging pores or causing irritation.

A gentle silicone polymer that helps makeup and sunscreen last longer without feeling heavy or greasy.

A gentle, plant-derived film former that helps makeup and skincare stay put without clogging pores or irritating skin.

A gentle film-former that helps products stay put and resist water without clogging pores.

A gentle film-forming ingredient that helps products stay put without feeling heavy or sticky.

A synthetic polymer that helps makeup and skincare stay put longer by forming a flexible, water-resistant film on the skin.

A gentle, plant-derived film former that helps makeup and sunscreen stay put without clogging pores or irritating skin.

A gentle, plant-based polymer that helps products stay put without feeling sticky or heavy.

A gentle, plant-derived film former that helps makeup and hair products stay put without feeling sticky.

A gentle, plant-derived film former that helps products stay put and resist water without feeling heavy.

A gentle, plant-derived film former that helps makeup and skincare stay put without clogging pores.

A synthetic polymer that helps makeup and skincare last longer, resist water, and feel smooth — generally safe but not biodegradable.

A safe, non-comedogenic synthetic resin that helps makeup last longer and feel smoother on skin.

A synthetic polymer that helps makeup last longer and feel smooth, but offers no skincare benefits.

A gentle, plant-based film former that helps makeup and skincare stay put without clogging pores.

A plant-based wax that helps create a smooth, protective film on skin or lips, but research on its specific benefits is limited.

A synthetic polymer that helps makeup last longer and resist water, but may feel heavy on some skin types.

A synthetic polymer that helps makeup last longer and resist water, but offers no skincare benefit and may feel heavy on some.

A synthetic polymer that helps cosmetics glide on smoothly, feel silky, and stay put longer without clogging pores.

A gentle, protein-rich seaweed derivative that helps hydrate and form a protective film on the skin, but evidence is mostly based on whole seaweed extracts rather than this specific hydrolyzed protein.

A gentle, plant-derived film former that helps skin feel smooth and hydrated without clogging pores.

Hydrolyzed calf skin is a protein ingredient that can temporarily plump and smooth skin, but its animal origin and limited evidence for long-term benefits may not suit everyone.

A gentle, plant-derived film-former that helps lock in moisture and smooth the skin's surface.

A gentle, plant-derived film-former that helps lock in moisture and smooth the skin's surface without clogging pores.

Hydrolyzed conalbumin is a gentle egg-derived protein that forms a light film on skin to help retain moisture and temporarily smooth fine lines.

A gentle plant protein that helps hydrate and temporarily smooth the skin's surface, though research on its specific benefits is still limited.

A novel marine-derived protein that may help smooth and hydrate skin, but research is limited and it's not a must-have ingredient.

A gentle seaweed-derived film-former that helps skin feel smooth and hydrated without clogging pores.