Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A reliable, lightweight emollient that helps products spread smoothly without feeling greasy.

A gentle, ethoxylated surfactant that helps cleanse without stripping the skin, making it a good choice for sensitive skin formulas.

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

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

A gentle, non-stripping surfactant that helps mix oil and water, making it a good choice for sensitive skin cleansers and lightweight emulsions.

A mild, water-soluble emulsifier that helps blend oils and water without stripping the skin, making it a good choice for gentle cleansers and lotions.

A mild, effective emulsifier that helps blend water and oil without stripping the skin, making it a solid choice for gentle cleansers and moisturizers.

A gentle, synthetic emulsifier that helps create stable, smooth formulas without common irritation.

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient derived from avocado oil that helps soften skin without clogging pores.

A gentle, modified beeswax that softens skin and improves product texture without common beeswax sensitivities.

A gentle, non-greasy emollient that softens skin and improves product texture without clogging pores.

A reliable, lightweight emollient that softens skin without feeling greasy, making it a popular choice for non-comedogenic formulas.

A gentle silicone polymer that improves product feel and wear without clogging pores or causing irritation.

A gentle, silicone-alternative film former that helps makeup and skincare stay put without feeling heavy or greasy.

A gentle, non-greasy emollient that hydrates and improves product feel without clogging pores.

A gentle film-forming polymer that improves product feel and wear without common irritants.

A synthetic film-former that helps makeup and sunscreen stay put longer without feeling heavy.

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient that helps soften skin and improve product texture with a low risk of irritation or clogged pores.

A lightweight, silky emollient that improves product texture without clogging pores or causing greasiness.

A mild, non-stripping surfactant ideal for sensitive and dry skin types.

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient derived from grapeseed oil that hydrates and softens skin without clogging pores.

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient that softens skin and improves product texture without clogging pores.

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient that helps soften skin and improve product texture with a low risk of irritation or clogged pores.

A silky, non-greasy emollient that hydrates and smooths skin, suitable for most skin types including oily and acne-prone.

A gentle, lanolin-derived emollient that softens skin without the heavy feel of pure lanolin.

A silky, non-greasy emollient that softens skin without clogging pores, ideal for sensitive and oily skin types.

Octyldodecyl Methoxycrylene is a synthetic photostabilizer that helps keep other sunscreen filters effective longer when exposed to sunlight.

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient that softens skin and improves product texture with a low risk of irritation or clogged pores.

A lightweight, synthetic emollient that softens skin without clogging pores, commonly used to improve product texture and spreadability.

A lightweight synthetic emollient that spreads easily and leaves a silky finish, ideal for non-greasy formulations.

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient that helps soften skin and improve product texture without clogging pores.

A silky, non-greasy emollient that softens skin and helps other ingredients spread evenly, with a low risk of clogging pores.

A gentle, olive-derived emollient that hydrates without clogging pores, ideal for sensitive and oily skin types.

A gentle, non-greasy emollient that helps soften skin and improve the texture of moisturizing products.

A gentle, non-greasy emollient that softens skin and improves product texture without clogging pores.

A lightweight, plant-based emollient that softens skin without clogging pores, ideal for oily and combination skin types.

A silky, non-greasy ester derived from shea butter that softens skin and improves product texture.

A lightweight, non-greasy emollient that improves product texture and skin feel with a very low risk of irritation or clogged pores.

A reliable, lightweight emollient that softens skin without clogging pores, commonly used to improve product texture.

A gentle, non-greasy emollient that helps lock in moisture and gives a silky feel to skincare and makeup.

A synthetic conditioning agent that reduces static and improves manageability, but may cause irritation for sensitive scalps.

Octylisothiazolinone is an effective preservative but can be a skin sensitizer, so it's mainly restricted to rinse-off formulas.

Octylphthalide is a synthetic fragrance ingredient that adds a warm, herbal scent but may cause irritation in sensitive individuals.

A gentle marine extract that helps calm and hydrate the skin, with early research suggesting anti-inflammatory benefits.

A gentle, marine-derived oil that hydrates and protects skin with omega fatty acids and antioxidants, suitable for most skin types.

A gentle botanical extract with potential soothing and antioxidant benefits, but research is limited.

A gentle, plant-derived fatty acid that helps soften and condition skin without clogging pores.

A gentle, plant-based antioxidant extract that may help calm skin and fight free radical damage, though research is still early.

Okra Fruit Extract is a gentle, hydrating ingredient that forms a light film on skin to help lock in moisture and calm irritation.

Okra Seed Extract is a gentle, hydrating ingredient that helps attract moisture to the skin, but research on its benefits is still emerging.

Olaflur is a well-studied fluoride ingredient that helps prevent tooth decay by strengthening enamel and reducing acid damage.

A gentle, plant-based oil with limited research but promising traditional use for soothing and moisturizing the skin.

A gentle, antioxidant-rich plant extract that helps shield skin from environmental stress, though research is still early.

A gentle plant extract with antioxidant potential, but research in skincare is still limited.

A gentle botanical extract with antioxidant potential, best known for its traditional use in herbal medicine, but clinical skincare data is still limited.

A gentle, antioxidant-rich fruit extract that helps protect skin from environmental stress and supports a healthy-looking complexion.

Olealkonium Chloride is a mild conditioning agent that helps reduce static and improve manageability, but it can be irritating for sensitive skin or eyes at higher concentrations.

Oleamide helps soften and condition skin and hair, but it's not a standout ingredient and is rarely the star of a formula.

A synthetic foam booster that can improve texture but may contain impurities linked to health concerns; many brands now avoid it.

Oleamide DIPA helps create rich lather in cleansers but may cause irritation for sensitive skin types.