Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A gentle, plant-derived antioxidant that helps protect skin from environmental stress and supports a healthy-looking complexion.

Pear Fruit Extract is a gentle, hydrating ingredient that helps soothe and moisturize the skin, making it a good choice for sensitive or dry skin types.

Pear fruit juice is a gentle, water-binding ingredient that adds light hydration and a touch of natural antioxidant activity to skincare formulas.

Pear Seed Extract is a gentle, antioxidant-rich ingredient that helps protect skin from environmental stress while providing light hydration.

A gentle, plant-based antioxidant that may help calm skin and defend against environmental stress, though research is still early.

Pearl powder offers gentle physical exfoliation and a subtle glow, but its brightening and skin-repair claims are not strongly supported by independent research.

Peat extract is a natural, mineral-rich ingredient with limited research, but early studies suggest it may help soothe and condition the skin.

Pecan Seed Extract is a gentle, antioxidant-rich ingredient that may help protect skin from environmental stress, but research on its cosmetic benefits is still limited.

A gentle, non-greasy oil rich in fatty acids and vitamin E that helps soften and protect the skin barrier.

Pecan Shell Extract is a gentle, antioxidant-rich ingredient that may help protect skin from environmental stress, but research on its cosmetic benefits is still limited.

A natural, biodegradable physical exfoliant, but the irregular particle shape can cause micro-tears if not finely milled.

Pectin is a gentle, fruit-derived thickener and hydrator that helps stabilize formulas and adds a light, non-greasy feel to skincare products.

A novel biotech peptide that may help strengthen the skin barrier and reduce fine lines, but research is still early.

Pectolinarin is a plant-derived flavonoid with antioxidant and soothing potential, but research in cosmetics is still early.

A gentle, probiotic ingredient that helps support your skin's natural microbiome and improve barrier function.

Peel oils add a fresh citrus scent and mild antioxidant activity, but they can be irritating for sensitive skin and are primarily used for fragrance.

A synthetic polymer that helps products spread smoothly and stay put, with a low risk of irritation.

A safe, synthetic thickener that improves product feel and stability without major skin concerns.

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

A cutting-edge synthetic molecule that acts like a microscopic delivery truck, carrying active ingredients deeper into skin layers.

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

PEG Oleate is a common synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but it may be slightly irritating for very sensitive skin.

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

PEG-10 is a common synthetic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers, but may raise concerns about potential contamination with impurities depending on manufacturing quality.

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

A synthetic film-former that helps makeup and sunscreen stay put, but its perfluoro component raises environmental questions.

A mild, avocado-derived emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures while adding a touch of skin-softening benefit.

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

PEG-10 Castor Oil is a reliable emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in your products, but its PEG component raises mild purity concerns for sensitive skin.

PEG-10 Cocamine is an effective cleansing and emulsifying agent, but may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin due to its surfactant nature.

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

A silicone copolymer that helps products feel silky, spread evenly, and resist water, but may not suit those avoiding silicones.

A silicone polymer that gives products a silky, smooth feel and helps stabilize formulas without clogging pores.

A silicone polymer that stabilizes formulas and gives a silky, smooth feel without clogging pores.

PEG-10 Dioleate helps mix oil and water in products, but may be slightly irritating or pore-clogging for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures, but may not suit those avoiding PEGs.

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

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

A reliable emulsifier that helps create smooth, stable creams and lotions with low irritation potential.

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

A workhorse emulsifier that helps oil and water mix, but may not suit everyone due to its synthetic origin and potential for mild irritation in sensitive skin.

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

A gentle, plant-based emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may feel slightly heavy on very oily skin.

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

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

A gentle, lanolin-based emollient that helps soften skin and stabilize formulas, but may clog pores for some.

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

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

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but may be less eco-friendly than some alternatives.

A gentle emulsifier derived from lanolin that helps blend oil and water, but may be mildly comedogenic for acne-prone skin.

A gentle, water-soluble lanolin derivative that softens skin and helps blend oil and water in formulas, but may clog pores for some.

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

A gentle silicone emulsifier that helps create smooth, lightweight textures without clogging pores.

A high-tech silicone polymer that helps makeup and sunscreen stay put and feel silky, but it's synthetic and not biodegradable.

PEG-10 Oleamine is an effective emulsifier but may cause irritation or clog pores for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

A mild, olive-derived emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures without stripping the skin.

A mild, plant-based emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures while also offering light skin conditioning.

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

A mild, plant-derived emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in skincare formulas while adding a smooth, non-greasy feel.

A reliable silicone emulsifier that helps blend water and oil phases for a smooth, non-greasy finish.