Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A synthetic, mild surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, but it's not a standout ingredient for most routines.

PEG-15 Soyamine is an effective emulsifier but may cause irritation in sensitive skin, especially at higher concentrations.

PEG-15 Stearamine is a synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in products, but it may be moderately irritating for sensitive skin and has a moderate comedogenic risk.

PEG-15 Tallate is a workhorse emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but it may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin and has moderate comedogenic potential.

PEG-15 Tallow Amine is an effective emulsifier but may cause irritation for sensitive skin and raises ethical concerns due to its animal-derived origin.

PEG-15 Tallow Polyamine is a synthetic conditioning agent that can improve hair feel but may cause irritation for sensitive skin.

A gentle, water-soluble lanolin derivative that helps cleanse and condition without the heavy feel of traditional lanolin.

A gentle synthetic thickener and emulsifier that helps create rich, stable lather in cleansers without stripping the skin.

A mild, multi-purpose surfactant that cleans without stripping the skin, making it a good choice for sensitive skin.

A reliable emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may feel heavy on very oily or acne-prone skin.

PEG-16 Oleate is a safe, widely used emulsifier that helps products feel smooth and rinse cleanly, but it may not suit those avoiding synthetic ethoxylated ingredients.

PEG-16 Tallate is a functional emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but its PEG component and potential impurities raise mild safety considerations.

A common emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may be mildly irritating or clog pores for some skin types.

A gentle synthetic polymer that helps cleansers foam and rinse cleanly, but offers no skin benefit beyond cleansing.

A gentle cleansing ingredient derived from apricot oil that helps water and oil mix, but its PEG component raises mild environmental and purity concerns.

A mild synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, but may not suit ultra-sensitive types.

PEG-2 Cocamide is a common cleansing and emulsifying ingredient, but its moderate irritation potential means it's best suited for rinse-off products and may not be ideal for very sensitive skin.

A gentle, coconut-derived surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, but contains PEG compounds that some prefer to avoid.

PEG-2 Cocamine is a mild surfactant and emulsifier that helps mix oils and water, but may cause irritation or clog pores in sensitive or acne-prone skin.

A synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin and has moderate comedogenic potential.

PEG-2 Lauramide is a synthetic ingredient that helps cleansers foam and mix oil with water, but it may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin.

An effective cleansing agent, but may be too stripping for dry or sensitive skin types.

PEG-2 Oleamine helps mix oil and water in cleansers, but may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin.

A synthetic fluoride compound used in oral care to help prevent cavities, but it may cause irritation in sensitive mouths.

PEG-2 Soyamine is an effective emulsifier and surfactant, but it may cause irritation or clog pores for some skin types, especially in leave-on products.

PEG-2 Tallow Amine is an effective emulsifier and conditioning agent, but its animal-derived origin and potential for irritation make it less common in modern skincare.

An effective foam booster and thickener, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin and raises ethical concerns due to animal-derived tallow.

A common foaming agent that helps cleansers lather and remove oil, but may be drying or irritating for sensitive skin.

PEG-20 Cocamine is a workhorse emulsifier and surfactant, but it may be too harsh for sensitive or acne-prone skin and raises environmental concerns due to its PEG and amine components.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and creams, generally well-tolerated by most skin types.

A gentle, castor-oil-derived emulsifier that helps rinse away makeup and sunscreen without stripping the skin.

An effective emulsifier and conditioner, but may cause irritation or clog pores for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

PEG-20 Oleamine is an effective emulsifier but may cause irritation for sensitive skin, especially at higher concentrations.

PEG-20 Tallate is an effective emulsifier but may cause irritation for sensitive skin and raises ethical concerns due to its animal-derived source.

PEG-20 Tallow Amine is an effective emulsifier but may cause irritation for sensitive skin and raises ethical concerns due to its animal-derived origin.

A gentle cleansing and conditioning agent derived from animal fat, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin and raises ethical concerns for vegans.

A gentle, water-soluble emulsifier that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, but may be too heavy for very oily or acne-prone types in high concentrations.

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and shampoos, but may be too stripping for very dry or sensitive skin.

An effective emulsifier and surfactant, but its animal-derived origin and potential for mild irritation make it less popular in modern clean beauty.

A workhorse emulsifier that helps oil and water mix, but may not be ideal for very sensitive or reactive skin due to potential ethoxylation concerns.

A mild, olive-derived cleansing ingredient that helps lift dirt and oil without stripping the skin.

A gentle, water-soluble emulsifier derived from castor oil that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and shampoos.

A gentle, semi-synthetic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and makeup removers, with a low risk of irritation for most skin types.

PEG-25 Oleamine is a synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers, but it may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin.

PEG-25 Tallow Amine is an effective emulsifier and surfactant, but its animal-derived origin and potential for irritation make it less popular in modern clean beauty.

PEG-26 Castor Oil is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and shampoos, but its PEG component raises mild environmental and purity concerns.

A gentle, water-soluble cleanser derived from jojoba oil that helps remove dirt and makeup without stripping the skin.

A synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may be slightly drying for sensitive skin.

PEG-29 Castor Oil is a gentle cleansing and emulsifying ingredient, but its PEG component raises mild concerns about potential impurities.

PEG-3 Cocamide is a cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil, but it may be slightly drying or irritating for sensitive skin.

An effective foaming agent, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin and has raised environmental concerns.

PEG-3 Cocamine is a coconut-derived surfactant that helps products foam and rinse clean, but it may cause irritation for sensitive skin.

A gentle synthetic conditioning agent that reduces static and softens hair without heavy buildup.

A gentle synthetic conditioner that helps reduce static and soften hair without heavy buildup.

A synthetic cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil, but may be drying or irritating for sensitive skin.

A gentle cleansing agent that helps create rich foam without stripping the skin, but may cause mild irritation for very sensitive types.

PEG-3 Oleamide is a synthetic ingredient that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and lotions, but it may be mildly irritating for very sensitive skin.

A gentle, coconut-derived emulsifier that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, but may not suit those avoiding ethoxylated ingredients.

An effective emulsifier and surfactant, but may cause irritation in sensitive skin and raises environmental concerns due to ethoxylation.

PEG-30 Oleamine is an effective emulsifier but may cause irritation or clog pores for sensitive or acne-prone skin.