Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A safe, synthetic thickener that gives products a smooth, non-sticky feel without clogging pores.

A gentle synthetic polymer that leaves skin and hair feeling smooth without heavy buildup or irritation.

A gentle film-forming ingredient that helps products feel silky and stay put without clogging pores.

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

A safe synthetic powder that gives a silky feel and blurs imperfections without clogging pores.

A silicone resin that gives a silky, matte feel and helps products spread smoothly without clogging pores.

A gentle, amino-acid-based polymer that helps skincare products feel silky and stay put without clogging pores.

A safe, non-irritating silicone powder that gives skin a smooth, matte finish and helps control shine.

A safe, synthetic silicone powder that gives a silky, matte feel and helps control shine without clogging pores.

A silicone-silica hybrid powder that gives a silky, blurring finish without clogging pores.

A silicone film former that gives makeup a smooth, long-lasting finish without feeling heavy or greasy.

A synthetic film former that helps makeup last longer and resist water, but it's not a skincare active and may feel heavy on some skin types.

A gentle, plant-based humectant that helps hydrate and soothe skin, with emerging antioxidant potential.

A gentle, plant-derived humectant that hydrates and soothes skin, but research on its cosmetic benefits is still emerging.

A synthetic polymer that helps products stay put on skin, especially in water-resistant formulas.

A synthetic film-former that helps products stay put, but it's rarely used in modern skincare and has limited research on long-term skin effects.

A synthetic humectant that helps hydrate the skin and improve the feel of cosmetic products, with a good safety profile for most skin types.

A synthetic resin used mainly in nail products for durability, but with limited safety data for leave-on skincare.

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

Polypentene is a synthetic polymer that helps products spread smoothly and form a light, flexible film on skin or hair.

A synthetic fluorinated polymer that helps products spread smoothly and resist water, but its environmental persistence raises concerns.

A synthetic film-former that helps products resist water and sweat, but its environmental persistence raises concerns.

A synthetic film-former that helps products spread smoothly and resist water, but its environmental persistence raises concerns.

A synthetic fluorinated ingredient that helps products spread smoothly and resist water, but its environmental persistence raises concerns.

A synthetic, silicone-like ingredient that creates a smooth, water-resistant film on skin and hair, but raises environmental persistence concerns.

A safe, non-greasy silicone alternative that provides a smooth, water-resistant finish without clogging pores.

A high-performance silicone resin that helps makeup and sunscreen stay put without feeling heavy.

A gentle, biomimetic polymer that helps lock in moisture and improve skin feel without clogging pores.

A gentle fern extract rich in antioxidants that helps defend skin against pollution and UV-related stress, though human studies are still limited.

A fern-derived antioxidant that may help shield skin from UV-related stress and support a more even complexion, though most research is oral rather than topical.

A fern-derived antioxidant that may help shield skin from UV damage and environmental pollution, though more human studies are needed.

A fern-derived antioxidant that may help shield skin from UV-related damage and support a more even complexion, but human skincare studies are still limited.

A gentle fern-derived antioxidant that helps calm skin and defend against environmental stress, though human studies are still limited.

A gentle fern root extract that may help calm skin and fight free radical damage, though human studies are limited.

A gentle, effective humectant that hydrates skin without the sticky feel of glycerin, making it a great alternative for lightweight formulas.

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

A gentle, plant-derived emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures without common irritation.

A synthetic film-former that helps makeup and skincare last longer and feel smoother, but offers no active skin benefits.

Polypropylene is a safe, synthetic plastic used in cosmetics to improve texture and film formation, but it has no active skincare benefits.

A synthetic film-former that helps makeup and hair products stay put, but offers no active skincare benefit.

A gentle silicone film-former that helps products spread smoothly and resist water, but offers no active skincare benefits.

Polyquaternium is a synthetic polymer that smooths hair and skin by forming a thin, flexible film, but some types may cause buildup with frequent use.

A synthetic polymer that helps hair hold its style and reduces static, but may build up with heavy use.

A gentle synthetic polymer that helps hold hairstyles and adds a smooth feel to products without heavy buildup.

A gentle synthetic polymer that helps hair hold its shape and reduces frizz without heavy buildup.

A synthetic conditioning polymer that helps reduce frizz and static, but may cause buildup with frequent use.

A gentle conditioning polymer that helps reduce frizz and static without heavy buildup, commonly found in eye-friendly formulas.

A gentle conditioning polymer that reduces flyaways and improves wet combing without heavy buildup.

A gentle conditioning polymer that leaves hair and skin feeling soft without heavy buildup.

A gentle conditioning polymer that smooths hair and reduces static without heavy buildup.

Polyquaternium-103 is a gentle conditioning polymer that helps reduce frizz and static while improving the feel of hair and skin.

A gentle, synthetic conditioning polymer that smooths hair and reduces frizz without heavy buildup.

Polyquaternium-105 is a gentle conditioning polymer that helps reduce frizz and static in hair while improving product spreadability, with a low risk of irritation.

Polyquaternium-107 is a gentle conditioning polymer that reduces frizz and static without heavy buildup, making it suitable for fine or oily hair types.

Polyquaternium-11 is a gentle synthetic polymer that helps hair feel smooth and reduces frizz without heavy buildup.

Polyquaternium-110 is a gentle conditioning polymer that helps reduce frizz and improve hair feel without heavy buildup.

Polyquaternium-111 is a gentle synthetic polymer that helps hair feel smooth and reduces frizz without heavy buildup.

Polyquaternium-113 is a gentle conditioning polymer that helps detangle hair and improve product feel without heavy buildup.

A gentle synthetic polymer that smooths hair and skin without heavy buildup, ideal for sensitive scalps.

Polyquaternium-12 is a gentle synthetic polymer that helps detangle hair and reduce static without heavy buildup.