Beauty ingredients explained in plain English

A gentle silicone that helps products glide on smoothly without feeling heavy or greasy.

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.

PEG-6 Oleate is a safe, widely used emulsifier that helps products feel smooth and spread evenly, but it may be less ideal for very sensitive or compromised skin due to potential penetration enhancement.

A gentle, olive-derived emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in skincare formulas without stripping the skin.

A gentle emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy textures, but its palm-derived origin raises sustainability concerns.

A reliable emulsifier that helps products feel smooth, but may not suit those avoiding all PEGs.

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

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

A highly effective, photostable UV filter that offers broad-spectrum protection without the white cast of older mineral sunscreens.

A gentle emulsifier that helps mix water and oil, generally well-tolerated but may not suit those avoiding ethoxylated ingredients.

A gentle, widely used emulsifier that helps keep your lotions and creams smooth and stable without irritating most skin types.

A synthetic conditioning agent that helps hair feel soft and smooth, but its safety data is limited compared to more common alternatives.

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 cleansing and odor-fighting ingredient that helps keep products stable and skin fresh, but may not suit ultra-sensitive skin in high concentrations.

A gentle, water-friendly emollient that softens skin and improves rinse-off product feel without heavy residue.

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

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in skincare formulas, with a low risk of irritation.

A gentle, water-soluble emollient that adds softness without greasiness, ideal for sensitive and dry skin types.

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

A reliable emulsifier that helps create stable, creamy formulas, but may be too heavy for very oily or acne-prone skin.

A gentle, widely used emulsifier that helps water and oil mix in your skincare products without causing irritation or clogging pores.

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

PEG-60 Glyceryl Trioleate is a gentle emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and makeup removers, but its PEG component raises mild environmental and purity concerns.

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

A gentle emulsifier that helps mix oils and water, but may feel heavy on very oily skin.

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

A gentle emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in skincare products, generally well-tolerated but may be too heavy for very oily skin.

A gentle synthetic emulsifier that stabilizes formulas and improves texture without common irritation.

A gentle, water-friendly lanolin derivative that helps blend oil and water in formulas without the heavy feel of traditional lanolin.

A gentle, semi-synthetic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in skincare products while providing mild skin conditioning from passionflower seed oil.

A gentle, water-soluble shea butter derivative that moisturizes without clogging pores, ideal for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

A gentle, water-loving emulsifier that helps create stable, non-greasy lotions and creams.

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

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

A gentle, camellia-derived emulsifier that helps blend oil and water while leaving skin feeling soft and conditioned.

A synthetic emulsifier that helps mix water and oil in products, generally well-tolerated but with limited research on long-term skin effects.

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

PEG-65M is a safe, synthetic thickener that improves product texture and feel without common irritation concerns.

A reliable synthetic emulsifier that helps keep your creams and lotions smooth and stable, with a low risk of irritation.

A gentle silicone that smooths hair and reduces frizz without heavy buildup, but may not suit very fine or low-porosity hair.

A synthetic surfactant that helps cleanse but may cause irritation for sensitive skin; not a common or well-studied ingredient in modern skincare.

A gentle, water-friendly emollient that helps hydrate and soften skin without clogging pores, commonly used in rinse-off and leave-on products.

A gentle, plant-derived emollient that helps skin feel soft and smooth without clogging pores.

A gentle, coconut-derived cleansing agent that helps products foam and rinse cleanly, but may not suit those avoiding ethoxylated ingredients.

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

A gentle, PEG-modified butter that cleanses without stripping and leaves skin soft—great for sensitive types.

A gentle, water-soluble silicone that makes products feel silky without heavy buildup.

A gentle silicone derivative that conditions hair and skin while adding a touch of moisture from panthenol (provitamin B5).

A gentle, coconut-derived emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers without stripping the skin.

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

A gentle, non-stripping surfactant derived from soybean oil that effectively cleanses while respecting the skin barrier.

A reliable, low-irritation emulsifier that helps rinse away oil-based impurities without stripping the skin.

A gentle, water-soluble lanolin derivative that softens skin and helps cleanse without stripping, but may clog pores for some.

A gentle, water-loving synthetic ingredient that softens skin and helps other ingredients spread evenly.

A gentle, water-soluble silicone that helps products glide on smoothly without a heavy or greasy feel.

PEG-7 Oleamide is a gentle synthetic emulsifier that helps blend oil and water in cleansers and lotions, but its PEG component raises mild environmental concerns.

PEG-7 Oleate is a synthetic emulsifier that helps mix oil and water, but it may be mildly irritating for sensitive skin.

A gentle, olive-derived emulsifier that helps rinse away oil and makeup without stripping the skin.