Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

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

A synthetic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers, but may be drying or irritating for sensitive skin.

PEG-32 Oleate is a safe, widely used emulsifier that helps products feel smooth and rinse cleanly, but it may be less ideal for very sensitive or reactive skin.

PEG-36 Castor Oil is a reliable emulsifier that helps mix water and oil, but its PEG component raises mild concerns about potential impurities in unrefined grades.

PEG-4 Cocamide is a common cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil, but may be drying or irritating for sensitive skin.

PEG-4 Cocamine is a mild cleansing agent that helps products foam and rinse cleanly, but it may cause irritation for very sensitive skin.

A synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, generally safe but may be too heavy for very oily skin.

An effective emulsifier from animal-derived tallow, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin and raises ethical concerns for vegans.

A gentle, plant-based cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil without stripping the skin.

A synthetic helper that blends oil and water in your products, but offers no direct skin benefit.

PEG-4 Tallate is a functional emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but it may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin and has moderate comedogenic potential.

PEG-40 is a workhorse emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but it may cause irritation for sensitive skin at high concentrations.

A gentle emulsifier that helps mix oils and water, but may not suit those avoiding ethoxylated ingredients.

A gentle, plant-derived emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may not suit those avoiding PEG compounds.

A functional emulsifier that can help blend oils and water, but may be too heavy or irritating for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

PEG-40 Methyl Ether is a synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse and emulsify, but may cause mild irritation for sensitive skin types.

PEG-40 Ricinoleamide is a gentle emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers, but it may not suit those avoiding PEG compounds.

A gentle, water-soluble emulsifier that helps cleanse without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier.

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in creams and cleansers, but may not suit those avoiding PEG compounds.

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers, but may be drying for some skin types.

PEG-5 Cocamide is a mild cleansing agent that helps foaming products work better, but it may be slightly drying for very sensitive skin.

An effective cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin types.

PEG-5 Cocoate helps mix oil and water in cleansers, but may be slightly drying or irritating for very sensitive skin.

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

A gentle emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and creams, generally safe for most skin types.

An effective emulsifier and antistatic agent, but may cause irritation or clog pores in sensitive or acne-prone individuals.

A mild synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse and condition hair and skin, but may cause irritation in sensitive individuals.

PEG-5 Lauramide is a synthetic emulsifier that helps cleansers foam and mix oil with water, but it may cause mild irritation for sensitive skin.

PEG-5 Oleamide helps blend oil and water in cleansers and lotions, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin at higher concentrations.

A synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may be too heavy or irritating for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

PEG-5 Oleamine helps cleansers foam and mix oil with water, but it may be moderately irritating for sensitive skin and has some environmental concerns.

PEG-5 Soyamine is an effective emulsifier and cleanser, but may be irritating for sensitive skin and has moderate comedogenic potential.

A synthetic conditioning agent that reduces static and softens hair, but may cause irritation for sensitive scalps at higher concentrations.

A functional emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and creams, but offers no direct skin benefit and may be unnecessary for simple routines.

An effective but dated cleansing ingredient that can be drying for some skin types; better options exist today.

PEG-50 Castor Oil is a gentle emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in cleansers, but its production involves ethoxylation, which may raise purity concerns for some users.

A gentle cleansing agent that helps mix oil and water, but it's a PEG compound with potential processing concerns.

A mild cleansing and emulsifying ingredient derived from palm oil, generally safe but with environmental concerns due to palm sourcing.

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

PEG-50 Stearamide is a synthetic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in creams and lotions, but its PEG component raises mild purity concerns for some users.

PEG-50 Stearamine is a synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but it may cause irritation for sensitive skin types.

PEG-50 Tallow Amide is a foaming cleanser ingredient that can be effective but may cause irritation for sensitive skin and raises ethical concerns due to its animal-derived origin.

A gentle emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and lotions, but may not suit those avoiding ethoxylated ingredients.

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and makeup removers, with a low risk of irritation.

A gentle, water-soluble emulsifier that helps blend oils with water for effective cleansing without stripping the skin.

A gentle, effective emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and makeup removers, with a low risk of irritation.

A mild cleansing agent that helps create foam and lift dirt, but may be slightly drying for very sensitive skin.

A gentle, water-friendly emollient that helps products spread smoothly without leaving a greasy feel.

A gentle, palm-derived cleansing agent that helps products rinse cleanly without stripping the skin.

A synthetic surfactant that helps cleansers foam and rinse clean, but may be slightly drying for sensitive skin.

PEG-6 Isostearate is a safe, widely used emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but it may be less suitable for those avoiding PEG compounds.

PEG-6 Lauramide is a synthetic cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil, but may be slightly drying or irritating for sensitive skin.

PEG-6 Laurate is a common emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in skincare products, generally well-tolerated but not a standout active ingredient.

PEG-6 Oleamide is a synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and lotions, but it may cause mild irritation for sensitive skin.

PEG-6 Oleamine is a synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but it may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in skincare, but may not suit those avoiding all PEG compounds.

PEG-60 Castor Oil is a versatile, low-irritation emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and makeup removers, but may not suit those avoiding PEG compounds.

A versatile emulsifier that helps blend oil and water, but may irritate sensitive or acne-prone skin at high concentrations.

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and creams, but may not suit those avoiding ethoxylated ingredients.