Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

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.

A reliable emulsifier that helps create smooth, stable creams and lotions, but may be too heavy for very oily or acne-prone skin.

PEG-15 Stearmonium Chloride is a synthetic conditioning ingredient that reduces static and softens hair, but it may cause irritation or clog pores in sensitive individuals.

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.

An effective hair conditioner but may cause irritation or clog pores in sensitive individuals.

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

A synthetic film-former used in nail products; may cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals and is not typically found in leave-on facial skincare.

A gentle silicone emulsifier that improves product feel and stability without clogging pores or causing irritation.

A gentle silicone emulsifier that improves product feel and stability, but may not suit those avoiding silicones or PEG compounds.

A safe, synthetic thickener that helps create a rich, creamy texture in lotions and conditioners without common irritation.

A safe, widely used synthetic thickener and emulsifier that helps products feel smooth and spread evenly, but may be too heavy for very oily or acne-prone skin in high concentrations.

A safe, effective thickener and emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and lotions, but may feel heavy on very oily skin.

A gentle synthetic thickener and stabilizer that helps create smooth, creamy textures without common irritation concerns.

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 safe, workhorse emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in your products, but it can feel heavy on very oily or acne-prone skin.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that stabilizes creamy formulas without common irritation concerns.

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

A gentle, widely used emulsifier that stabilizes formulas and gives a smooth feel, with a strong safety record in cosmetics.

A synthetic thickener that gives water-based products a smooth, gel-like feel without greasiness.

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

PEG-16 Castor Oil is a gentle emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, making it a common ingredient in cleansers and makeup removers, but it may not suit those avoiding PEGs.

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

PEG-16 Dilaurate is a reliable emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in your products, but it may not be ideal for very sensitive or compromised skin due to potential penetration enhancer effects.

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in formulas, but may be too heavy for very oily or acne-prone skin in high concentrations.

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

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in your skincare, while also softening the skin.

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

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.

A gentle, plant-based emulsifier that stabilizes formulas and leaves skin feeling smooth without clogging pores.

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 gentle, large-molecule emulsifier that stabilizes oil-and-water blends without significant irritation or clogging concerns.

PEG-160M is a safe, synthetic thickener that improves product texture without causing irritation or clogging pores.

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

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

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that stabilizes formulas without significant irritation or clogging concerns.

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

A gentle, non-stripping surfactant that helps cleanse without over-drying, making it a good choice for sensitive or dry skin.

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in products, with a low risk of irritation for most skin types.

A safe, effective emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in creams and cleansers, but may be less suitable for very sensitive skin due to potential mild irritation.

A reliable emulsifier that helps keep creams and lotions stable, but may be too heavy for very oily or acne-prone skin.

A synthetic polymer that helps create a smooth, silky feel on skin and improves product spreadability.

A synthetic thickener that helps give your cleansers and lotions a smooth, gel-like texture without clogging pores.

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

PEG-180M is a safe synthetic thickener that improves product texture and spreadability without common irritation concerns.

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

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 gentle synthetic ingredient that helps products feel smooth and spread easily, but offers no active skincare benefit on its own.

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

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

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 conditioning agent that reduces static and adds softness, but may cause irritation for sensitive skin or eyes.

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

A synthetic emollient that helps products spread smoothly and leaves skin feeling soft without heavy greasiness.

A gentle synthetic emollient that helps products feel silky and spread easily, with low irritation potential.

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

A synthetic emollient that helps products feel smooth and spread easily, but may be moderately pore-clogging for some skin types.