Skin Care and Diseases

Common Ingredients in Skin Care Products

A

1-hexadecanol - emollient,solvent
acetylated lanolin - emollient; occlusive
acrylate crosspolymer - viscosity increasing agent, stabilizer
acrylates copolymer - binder, film former
acrylates/C10-3- alkyl acrylate - emulsion stabilizer;viscosity increasing agent
acrylates/octylacrylamide copolymer - film former
algae peptides - biological additive
algae polypeptides - biological additive
algae polysaccharides - biological additive
allantoin - skin conditioning agent
aloe barbadensis gel skin conditioning agent
aloe barbadensis gel - skin conditioning agent
aloe vera gel - skin conditioning agent
aluminum hydroxide - opacifying agent
aluminum starch octenyl-succinate - absorbant, anti-caking agent
aluminum stearate - anticaking agent;colorant
ammonium hydroxide - denaturant, pH adjuster
ammonium lactate - humectant
avobenzone(parsol 1789) - UV light absorber
azelaic acid - organic salt chemical additive
aztec marigold oil - biological additive

B

beeswax - binder, emulsion stabilize
behenic acid - cleaning agent
behenocyl dimethicone - emollient
behenyl alcohol - fragrance;preservative;solvent; binder; emulsion stabilizer
benzaldehyde - denaturant, fragrance
benzoic acid - preservative
benzophenone-3 - UV light absorber
benzyl alcohol - fragrance;preservative;solvent
beta-glucan - fragrance;preservative;solvent
bisabolol (chamomile essence) - skin conditioning agent
butylated hydroxytoluene - preservative
butylene glycol - solvent, viscosity decreasing agent
butylparaben - preservative

C

C11-C13 isoparaffin - solvent
C12-15 alkyl benzoate - emollient, pH adjuster
camphylcyclohexanol - fragrance component
candelilla wax - binder
carbomer - viscosity increasing agent, stabilizer
castor oil - occlusive
celery oil - biological additive
ceramides - skin conditioning agent
ceresin - binder
ceteareth 20 - surfactant
cetearyl alcohol - emulsion stabilizer;viscosity increasing agent
cetearyl octanoate - emollient
ceteth-20 - cleansing agent;solubilizing agent
cetostearyl alcohol - emulsion stabilizer
cetyl alcohol - emulsion stabilizer
cetyl dimethicone - antifoaming agent;occlusive
cetyl palmitate - occlusive
cetyl phosphate - emulsifying agent
cetyl ricinoleate - occlusive
chamomile extract - biological additive
chinese tea extract - biological additive
cholesterol - emulsion stabilizer, skin conditioner
chromium oxide green - colorant
citric acid - chelating agent;pH adjuster
clary extract - fragrance component
cocamidopropyl betaine - cleansing agent/foam booster
cocoglycerides - emollient
colloidal oatmeal 1%
cyclomethicone

D

dea-cetyl phosphate - surfactant-emulsifying agent
diazolidinyl urea - preservative
dicaprylate/dicaprate - emollient
dimethicone - occlusive
dimethicone copolyol - emollient
dimethiconol - emollient;antifoaming agent
dioctyl adipate - plasticizer;emollient;solvent
dipropylene glycol salicylate - chemical additive
disodium EDTA - chelating agent
disodium laureth sulfosuccinate - surfactant
distearyldimonium chloride - antistatic agent
DMDM hydantoin - preservative

E

edetate disodium - chelating agent
emulsifying wax - emulsifier
ethylparaben - preservative
eucalyphis globulus oil - fragrance

F

fluoroalkydimethicone - antifoaming agent

G

galbanum oil - biological additive
glycerin - humectant
glyceryl stearate - emollient
glyceryl stearate SE - surfactant; emulsifying agent
glycolic acid - exfoliant, pH adjuster
grapefruit oil - fragrance component
guaiazulene - colorant
guarana extract - biological additive

H

hexyl laurate - colorant
hexylene glycol - solvent;viscosity decreasing agent
homosalate - UV light absorber
hydrocortisone - anti-inflammatory/anti-pruritic
hydroquinone - antioxidant, bleaching agent
hydroxyethylcellulose - emulsion stabilizer
hydroxyoctacosanyl hydroxystearate - occlusive, viscosity increasing agent
hydroxypropyl methylcellulose - binder;emulsion stabilizer

I

imidazolidinyl urea - preservative
iodopropynl butylcarbamate - preservative
iron oxide - colorant
isobutylparaben - preservative
isocetyl alcohol - emollient
isohexadecane - emollient, solvent
isopentylcyclohexanone - emollient,occlusive
isopropyl myristate - binder
isopropyl palmitate - binder,emollient
isopropylparaben - preservative
isostearate - binder
isostearic acid - binder

J

joboba oil - hair conditioning agent/occlusive

K

kojic acid - antioxident, bleaching agent
kola extract - biological additive

L

labdanum oil - fragrance component
lactic acid - humectant; exfoliant; pH adjuster
lanolin - humectant
lanolin alcohol - binder
laureth-4 - surfactant; emulsifying agent
lauryl betaine - surfactant; viscosity increasing agent
lauryl lactate - emollient
light mineral oil - emollient

M

magnesium aluminum silicate - absorbent,anticaking agent
magnesium ascorbyl phosphate - antioxidant
masking fragrance - fragrance
matricaria (chamomile) - biological additive
matricaria oil - fragrance compontent
matte extract - biological additive
methlparaben - preservative
methoxy peg-22/dodecyl glycol copolymer - emollient
methycellulose - binder; emulsion stabilizer
methyl and propyl parabens - preservatives
methyl gluceth-20 - humectant
methyl paraben - preservative
methyldibromo glutanitrite/phenoxyethanol - preservative
methylparaben - preservative
mineral oil - emollient/occlusive/solvent
mineral wax - binder
myristyl lactate - emollient

N

nopyl acetate - fragrance component
nylon-12 - bulking & opacifying agent

O

ocryldodecyl neopentanoate - emollient
octadecene/MA copolymer
octyl cocoate - emollient
octyl methoxycinnamate - UV light absorber
octyl palmitate - emollient
octyl salicylate - UV light absorber
octyl stearate - emollient
octyldodecyl neopentanoate - emollient
oxybenzone - UV light absorber

P

panthenol - hair conditioning agent
papaya extract - biological additive
parrafin - occlusive
peg-10 soy sterol - surfactant
PEG-100 stearate - surfactant
peg-20 - humectant,solvent
PEG-30 glyceryl cocoate - surfactant
peg-40 stearate - surfactant
peg-45/dodecyl glycol copolymer
peg-5 glyceryl stearate - surfactant-emulsifying agent
PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil - surfactant
peg100 stearate - surfactant
pehnyl trimethicone - antifoaming agent;occlusive
pentaerythrityl tetracaprylate - occlusive
pentasodium pentetate - chelating agent
petrolatum - occlusive
phenoxyethanol - fragrance component; preservative
phenyl-benzimidazole sulfonic acid - UV light absorber
phenyl trimethicone - skin conditioning agent
phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid - UV light absorber
polyglyceryl-4 isosterate - emollient
polyoxyl 40 stearate - emollient
polyoxymethylene urea - emollient
polysorbate 20 - thickening agent
potassium sorbate - emollient
PPG-12/SMDI copolymer - thickening agent
proplyparaben - preservative
propylene glycol - emollient, hydrating agent
propylene glycol isoceth-3 acetate - emollient
propylene glycol myristyl ether acetate - emollient
propylene xanthan gum - viscosity increasing agent
propylparaben - preservative
purified water - solvent

Q

quatermium-15 - preservative

R

retinoic acid - increases turnover of follicular epithelial cells
retinyl palmitate - skin conditioning agent
rosewood oil - fragrance component

S

salicylic acid (beta hydroxy) - exfoliant
SD alcohol 40B - solvent
shea butter - biological additive
sodium carrageenan - binder/emulsion stabilizer
sodium chloride - viscosity increasing agent
sodium citrate - buffering & chelating agent; pH adjuster
sodium cocoate - surfactant
sodium cocoyl isethionate - surfactant
sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate - surfactant
sodium isethionate - additive: functions like a salt
sodium isostearoyl lactylate - emulsifying agent
sodium lactate - humectant; buffering agent
sodium palm kernelate - surfactant
sodium sarcosinate - chemical additive
sodium stearate - surfactant
sodium tallowate - surfactant; foam booster
sodium trideceth sulfate - surfactant
sorbitan monooleate - emulsifying agent
sorbitan stearate - surfactant
sorbitol - humectant
spingolipids - skin conditioning agent
stearalkonium chloride - antistatic agent
steareth-2 - surfactant
steareth-20 - surfactant
steareth-21 - surfactant
stearic acid - surfactant; emulsifying agent

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Last Reviewed: Mar 24, 2006