Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A widely used, low-irritation preservative that helps keep your skincare products safe from bacteria and mold.

An effective preservative with antimicrobial properties, but may cause irritation in sensitive individuals at higher concentrations.

An effective preservative that can release formaldehyde, making it a potential irritant for sensitive skin.

An effective preservative but may cause irritation in sensitive individuals, especially at higher concentrations.

An effective preservative but can be irritating for sensitive skin; use is tightly regulated.

A synthetic preservative that helps keep products fresh but may cause irritation for sensitive skin.

A synthetic preservative that helps keep products fresh but may cause mild irritation in sensitive individuals.

Dichlorophene is an effective preservative but can be irritating for sensitive skin and is less common in modern formulations.

An effective preservative with a moderate irritation risk; best for those without sensitive skin.

An effective preservative and mild conditioner, but can be irritating for sensitive skin or eyes at higher concentrations.

An effective preservative but can be a skin sensitizer, so it's best suited for rinse-off products or low concentrations.

A synthetic ingredient that helps preserve formulas and improve feel, but it's not a primary preservative and has limited research on long-term skin effects.

An effective but controversial preservative that may cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Dimethylol Glycol is an effective preservative booster, but it may cause irritation in sensitive skin and is best avoided in leave-on products for those prone to reactions.

A synthetic polymer that helps products form a film and may boost preservative power, but its safety data is limited and it can be irritating for sensitive skin.

A synthetic antioxidant that helps keep skincare products fresh, but it's not a star ingredient for your skin's health.

Dithiomethylbenzamide is a synthetic preservative booster with limited public research; it may help extend product shelf life but could cause irritation in sensitive individuals.

DMDM Hydantoin is an effective preservative but releases small amounts of formaldehyde, which can be irritating for sensitive skin.

An effective preservative but may cause irritation in sensitive individuals; not a common or well-known ingredient in mainstream skincare.

Domiphen Bromide is an effective preservative but can be irritating for sensitive skin, especially in leave-on products.

Erucalkonium chloride is an effective preservative and antistatic agent for hair products, but it may cause mild irritation in sensitive individuals.

A synthetic antioxidant that helps prevent ingredient breakdown, but its safety data is less extensive than more common alternatives.

A synthetic preservative that helps keep products fresh, but its safety data is less extensive than more common alternatives.

A synthetic preservative booster that helps keep products fresh by enhancing the effectiveness of other preservatives, but it's not a standalone preservative.

A gentle, synthetic ingredient that helps preserve formulas and improve skin feel without common irritation.

A mild, amino-acid-based preservative enhancer that helps protect formulas without the harshness of traditional preservatives.

A mild, amino-acid-based preservative booster that helps protect formulas from microbes without the harshness of traditional preservatives.

Ethyl Persate is a little-known synthetic preservative with limited safety data; it appears in a few products but is not widely studied or recommended.

A synthetic preservative booster that helps keep products fresh but may cause irritation for sensitive skin.

A gentle, effective preservative booster that helps keep products fresh while also providing mild skin-smoothing benefits.

Ethylparaben is an effective preservative with a long safety record, but some consumers prefer to avoid it due to concerns about endocrine disruption.

Formaldehyde releasers are effective preservatives but can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, especially at higher concentrations.

Glutaral is a strong preservative that can be effective but carries a high risk of skin irritation and sensitization, making it a controversial choice in cosmetics.

Glyoxal is a strong chemical rarely used in modern skincare; it can be irritating and is best avoided in leave-on products.

Heptylparaben is an effective preservative but has raised some safety concerns due to its paraben family association; it is less common in modern formulations.

Hexamidine is a gentle synthetic preservative that helps keep products fresh and may offer mild skin-soothing benefits.

A gentle synthetic preservative that helps keep products fresh and may offer mild soothing benefits for the skin.

A gentle synthetic preservative that helps keep skincare products fresh and safe from microbes, with a low irritation profile.

Hexamidine Paraben is a synthetic preservative that helps keep products fresh, but it may cause irritation for sensitive skin types.

A gentle, plant-derived antimicrobial that helps preserve formulas and may support acne-prone or sensitive skin without harsh side effects.

A gentle preservative helper that extends product shelf life without the harshness of traditional preservatives.

A synthetic preservative booster that helps keep products fresh longer, but is rarely used alone and is best understood as a supporting player in preservation systems.

A common, effective preservative that helps keep your products fresh, but may release trace formaldehyde and can be a mild irritant for sensitive skin.

An effective preservative that keeps products safe from microbes, but may cause skin reactions in a small number of sensitive individuals.

Isobutylparaben is an effective preservative but has raised safety concerns due to potential hormone-mimicking effects, leading many brands to phase it out.

Isodecylparaben is a paraben preservative that is effective at low concentrations, but its safety is debated due to potential endocrine-disrupting properties.

Isopropyl Cresols is a synthetic preservative that helps keep products fresh, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin types.

A synthetic preservative that helps keep products fresh, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin types.

Isopropylparaben is an effective preservative but has raised some safety concerns due to its potential endocrine activity; many brands now avoid it.

Lactoperoxidase is a gentle, milk-derived enzyme used as a natural preservative to help keep skincare products fresh without harsh chemicals.

Lauralkonium Bromide is an effective preservative but can be irritating for sensitive skin, especially at higher concentrations.

An effective preservative but can be irritating for sensitive skin, especially at higher concentrations.

An effective preservative but can be irritating for sensitive skin; best limited to rinse-off products.

A synthetic antistatic and preservative ingredient with limited safety data; best avoided by those with sensitive skin or allergies.

A synthetic preservative booster that helps keep products fresh but may cause irritation for sensitive skin.

An effective preservative for rinse-off products, but can be irritating to sensitive skin or eyes at higher concentrations.

An effective preservative but may cause irritation in sensitive skin, especially at higher concentrations.

Magnesium Benzoate is a gentle preservative that helps keep products fresh, but it may cause mild irritation in very sensitive individuals.

Magnesium nitrate is a safe, low-irritation mineral salt that helps preserve formulas and improve feel, but it's not a star active ingredient.

Magnesium Propionate is a gentle preservative that helps keep products fresh while offering mild skin-conditioning benefits, but it is not as widely studied as some alternatives.