Since 1995 - Non Profit Healthcare Advice

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

For more information:

Go to the Skin Care and Diseases health topic.