Ingredients

what‑it‑does

emollient

A very common emollient that makes your skin feel nice and smooth. Comes from coconut oil and glycerin, it’s light-textured, clear, odorless and non-greasy. [more]

what‑it‑does	emollient
irritancy, com.	0, 0

Sunflower Oil - it's a great emollient that protects & enhances the skin barrier. [more]

what‑it‑does

emollient

A light emollient ester (C8-10 fatty acids connected to C12-18 fatty alcohols) that absorbs quickly and leaves a dry but silky finish on the skin. In terms of skin feel, it is similar to Dicaprylyl Carbonate, another commonly used light emollient.  [more]

what‑it‑does

emollient

what‑it‑does	emollient
irritancy, com.	0, 2-4

A super common, medium-spreading emollient ester that gives richness to the formula and a mild feel during rubout. [more]

what‑it‑does	emollient
irritancy, com.	0, 1-3

The emollient plant oil that comes from almonds. Similar to other plant oils, it is loaded with skin-nourishing fatty acids (oleic acid - 55-86% and linoleic acid 7-35%) and contains several other skin goodies such as antioxidant vitamin E and vitamin B versions. It's a nice, basic oil that is often used due  [more]

what‑it‑does

antioxidant | soothing

Green Tea - one of the most researched natural ingredients that contains the superstar actives called catechins. It has proven antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic properties. [more]

what‑it‑does

emollient

what‑it‑does

emollient

The extract coming from the coconut fruit. It is a similar thing to coconut water and fruit juice and is loaded with sugars, minerals, amino acids. It is also claimed to have vitalizing and energizing effects, and some smoothing, emollient and hydrating props. If you are into coconut, we have more details at coconut water and coconut oil. [more]

what‑it‑does

soothing

One of the active parts of Chamomile that is used in skincare as a nice anti-inflammatory and soothing ingredient. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

what‑it‑does

antimicrobial/antibacterial

You probably meet this guy more often in your kitchen than in the bathroom, but yes, onion extract is also used as a skincare ingredient. Its major skin benefit seems to be that it can improve the cosmetic appearance of postsurgical scars (there is also a scar-fading gel called Mederma, that has hardly anything else in it but onion extract). [more]

what‑it‑does

moisturizer/humectant

Apple fruit extract that's loaded with proteins, starch, sugars, acids, vitamins and salts. The sugars give apple nice moisturizing properties, while the acids give mild exfoliant, skin brightening and antibacterial properties.  [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

what‑it‑does

soothing

what‑it‑does

antioxidant | soothing

Ginger extract that has antioxidant and soothing properties. It is also known to increase blood circulation and thus have a toning effect. [more]

what‑it‑does

moisturizer/humectant | emollient

A handy multi-tasking ingredient that gives the skin a nice, soft feel and also boosts the effectiveness of other preservatives. [more]

what‑it‑does

solvent

Normal (well kind of - it's purified and deionized) water. Usually the main solvent in cosmetic products. [more]

what‑it‑does	emollient | perfuming
irritancy, com.	0, 3

The emollient plant oil coming from the soybean. It is rich in barrier repairing linoleic acid (48-59%) and is generally a good moisturizing oil. [more]

what‑it‑does	emulsifying | surfactant/cleansing
irritancy, com.	4, 5

what‑it‑does

emollient

A waxy solid material (the ester of nonanoic acid and cetearyl alcohol) that makes your skin nice and smooth, aka an emollient. It is also claimed to give extra hydration to the skin and give formulas velvety and silky feeling. [more]

what‑it‑does

antimicrobial/antibacterial | solvent | viscosity controlling

Alcohol with some additives to make it unconsumable. It is great solvent, penetration enhancer, creates cosmetically elegant, light formulas, great astringent, and antimicrobial. In large amounts, it can be very drying to the skin. [more]

what‑it‑does

preservative

Pretty much the current IT-preservative. It’s safe and gentle, and can be used up to 1% worldwide. [more]

what‑it‑does	emollient | solvent
irritancy, com.	0, 0-2

A clear, oily liquid that comes from refining crude oil. Even though it is a highly controversial ingredient, the scientific consensus is that it is a safe, non-irritating and effective emollient and moisturizer working mainly by occlusivity. [more]

what‑it‑does

viscosity controlling

what‑it‑does

emollient

A synthetic emollient oil that leaves a soft non-greasy, non-sticky feel on the skin, absorbs fast and can be emulsified (mixed with water) very easily.  [more]

what‑it‑does	emollient | perfuming
irritancy, com.	3, 3-5

A clear, colorless oil-like liquid that's used as a fast-spreading, non-greasy emollient. [more]

what‑it‑does	cell-communicating ingredient
irritancy, com.	1-3, 1-3

An ester form of vitamin A (retinol + palmitic acid) that is pretty much the least effective member of the retinoid family. Its anti-aging effects are quite questionable as well as its behavior in the presence of UVA light. (Use it at night if possible!) [more]

what‑it‑does	antioxidant
irritancy, com.	0, 0

A form of vitamin E that works as an antioxidant. Compared to the pure form it's more stable, has longer shelf life, but it's also more poorly absorbed by the skin. [more]

what‑it‑does

soothing | perfuming

The essential oil coming from the second most common type of chamomile, the Roman Chamomile. It also contains the biologically active anti-inflammatory components, bisabolol, and chamazulene, but less than the more commonly used German Chamomile. [more]

what‑it‑does

antimicrobial/antibacterial | perfuming

Lavender - essential oil with a calming scent and antimicrobial properties. Contains fragrant components (linalyl acetate - 50% and linalool - 35%) and might be cytotoxic from 0.25%. [more]

what‑it‑does

antioxidant | antimicrobial/antibacterial

The essential oil coming from the leafs of rosemary. It has a nice smell, is a potent antioxidant and it's also an antimicrobial agent. Contains several fragrant components, including potential skin irritant, camphor (around 15%).

what‑it‑does

soothing | antioxidant

Marigold extract - used traditionally as a skin-repairing and soothing plant extract.  [more]

what‑it‑does	antioxidant
irritancy, com.	0-3, 0-3

Pure Vitamin E. Great antioxidant that gives significant photoprotection against UVB rays. Works in synergy with Vitamin C. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

The generic term for nice smelling stuff put into cosmetic products so that the end product also smells nice. It is made up of 30 to 50 chemicals on average. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

It’s a common fragrance ingredient that is one of the “EU 26 fragrances” that has to be labelled separately (and cannot be simply included in the term “fragrance/perfume” [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

what‑it‑does

perfuming

It’s a common fragrance ingredient that has a light floral smell.  It’s one of the “EU 26 fragrances” that has to be labelled separately (and cannot be simply included in the term “fragrance/perfume” [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

A common fragrance ingredient with a nice rose-like smell. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

A common fragrance ingredient that has a sweet, vanilla, nutty scent. When diluted it smells like freshly-mown hay. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

A colorless or yellowish oil that's used as a fragrance with a spicy scent. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

With a sweet, light and floral scent, Farnesol is a popular fragrancing ingredient to make your cosmetics that bit nicer to use. It starts its life as a colorless liquid that can either be synthetically created or extracted from loads of plants like citronella, neroli, ylang-ylang, and tuberose.The reason we list it as icky is because Farnesol is one of the “ [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

A common fragrance ingredient that smells like rose and can be found in rose oil. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

A fragrance with a sweet scent somewhere between lily and fruity melon. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming | solvent

A super common fragrance ingredient found naturally in many plants including citrus peel oils, rosemary or lavender. It autoxidizes on air exposure and counts as a common skin sensitizer. [more]

what‑it‑does

perfuming

A super common fragrance ingredient that can be found among others in lavender, ylang-ylang, bergamot or jasmine. The downside of it is that it oxidises on air exposure and might become allergenic. [more]

what‑it‑does	colorant
irritancy, com.	0, 3