Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A gentle, semi-synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier.

An effective cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil, but may be drying for sensitive or very dry skin.

A workhorse cleansing ingredient that helps remove dirt and oil, but may be drying or irritating for very sensitive skin.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water, but may cause mild irritation for very sensitive skin.

An effective cleansing agent that can be drying or irritating for sensitive skin, but generally safe in well-formulated products.

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

A synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse and emulsify, but may be drying for sensitive skin.

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, but may not suit ultra-sensitive skin in high concentrations.

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

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

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping, but may cause mild irritation in sensitive skin.

A gentle cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil without stripping the skin, but may cause irritation for very sensitive skin types.

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

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping, but may cause mild irritation for very sensitive skin.

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping, but may cause irritation in sensitive skin at higher concentrations.

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, making it a good choice for sensitive or dry skin types.

A gentle, low-irritation cleansing agent that helps blend oil and water, making it a reliable choice for sensitive skin formulations.

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier.

A common synthetic emulsifier that helps products rinse cleanly, 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 very sensitive skin.

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

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

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

A mild cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil without stripping the skin, but may cause slight irritation in sensitive individuals.

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water, but its tallow origin may not suit all preferences.

A mild synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping, but may cause irritation for very sensitive skin.

A gentle, synthetic cleansing ingredient that helps lift dirt and oil without stripping the skin, but may not suit extremely sensitive or compromised skin barriers.

A mild cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil without stripping the skin, but may cause irritation in sensitive individuals.

A gentle, effective cleansing ingredient that helps lift dirt and oil without stripping the skin, making it a solid choice for daily cleansers.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, commonly used in cleansers and lotions with a low irritation risk.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in your skincare products without causing irritation.

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleansers foam and rinse cleanly, with low irritation potential.

A mild synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and lotions, generally well-tolerated.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps cleansers foam and lotions stay mixed, with a low irritation profile for most skin types.

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, but may not suit extremely sensitive skin in high concentrations.

A mild synthetic emulsifier that helps cleansers foam and rinse cleanly without stripping the skin.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in your products without stripping the skin.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, commonly used in cleansers and creams with a low irritation profile.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps keep your skincare products stable and well-mixed, with a low risk of irritation.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in your products, with a low risk of irritation or clogging pores.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in creams and lotions, with a low risk of irritation.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil, but offers no direct skin benefit on its own.

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier.

A synthetic fluorinated surfactant that helps products spread and clean, but its environmental persistence raises concerns.

A mild synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier.

C9-11 Pareth-4 is a mild synthetic emulsifier that helps cleansers remove dirt and oil, but may be slightly drying for very sensitive skin.

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

A gentle synthetic surfactant that helps cleansers foam and rinse cleanly, but may cause mild irritation for very sensitive skin.

A gentle cleansing agent that helps remove dirt and oil without stripping the skin, but may cause irritation in sensitive individuals at high concentrations.

A mild synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping, but may be slightly drying for very sensitive skin.

A synthetic surfactant that helps ingredients spread evenly and stay put, but its fluorinated nature raises environmental persistence concerns.

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

A strong synthetic surfactant more at home in heavy-duty cleaners than in gentle skincare; potential irritant.

A mild synthetic helper that improves how cleansers mix and rinse, generally safe for most skin types.

A gentle, plant-based surfactant that cleanses without stripping the skin, ideal for sensitive or dry skin types.

Capramide DEA helps create rich lather and thicker formulas, but it may be irritating for sensitive skin and can be contaminated with potentially harmful impurities.

A mild synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin.

A gentle, coconut-derived surfactant that cleans effectively without stripping the skin, making it a popular choice for sensitive skin formulas.

A gentle, water-soluble surfactant that helps cleanse and emulsify without stripping the skin, making it a good choice for sensitive skin formulations.

A gentle, well-tolerated emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in cleansers and lotions without stripping the skin.