Skin terminal
Ingredient glossary
294 ingredients by the names on the label, grouped by the job each does in a formula. Every entry says what the thing is and where the public record on it is (Wikidata, PubMed); none says what it will do for your skin, because that depends on the product and on you. The label lists ingredients in descending order by weight, so the first five are most of what you are buying.
AllActiveHumectantEmollientOcclusiveCleansing agentEmulsifierPreservativeAntioxidantExfoliantUV filterFragranceColorantTexture and thickenerSolventConditioning agentSkin protectantpH adjusterChelating agent
Emollients fill the gaps between skin cells and leave the surface smooth and soft; oils, butters and esters.
A
Apricot kernel oilPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil · EmollientA light oil from apricot stones, close to sweet almond oil but from a stone fruit rather than a nut.Argan oilArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil · EmollientOil pressed from the argan kernel of Morocco; high in oleic and linoleic acids and vitamin E. Used in hair and face oils.Avocado oilPersea Gratissima Oil · EmollientA rich green oil from the avocado flesh, high in oleic acid; used in heavier creams and balms.
B
C
C12-15 alkyl benzoateEmollientA light ester emollient that also helps dissolve UV filters; common in sunscreens.Caprylic/capric triglyceride (fractionated coconut oil)EmollientThe light fraction of coconut oil, liquid and nearly odourless; a very common, stable emollient that feels like a dry oil.Castor oilRicinus Communis Seed Oil · EmollientA thick, glossy oil from the castor bean; gives lipstick its shine and soap its bubbles. The beans are toxic; the refined oil is not.Castor oil estersRicinus Communis Seed Oil Glycereth-7 Esters · EmollientCastor oil made water-dispersible, so it can rinse off in cleansing oils and balms.Ceramide AP (ceramide 6 II)EmollientAnother of the skin's own ceramides, often listed alongside NP and EOP.Ceramide EOP (ceramide 1)EmollientA long-chain ceramide that links the lipid layers of the skin barrier.Ceramide NP (ceramide 3)EmollientOne of the lipids that make up the mortar between skin cells; added to creams to support the barrier. Usually with cholesterol and fatty…Cetearyl alcoholEmollientA waxy fatty alcohol, not the drying kind: it thickens creams and leaves a soft feel. 'Alcohol-free' claims refer to ethanol, not to this.Cetyl alcoholEmollientA fatty alcohol from coconut or palm oil used to thicken and soften; one half of cetearyl alcohol.CholesterolEmollientOne of the three lipid families of the skin barrier, with ceramides and fatty acids; added to barrier creams, usually from plant or wool…Coco-caprylate/caprateEmollientA plant-derived ester that feels like a light silicone; used in 'silicone-free' formulas.Cocoa butterTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter · EmollientThe fat of the cacao bean, solid at room temperature and melting on skin; a traditional body balm base with a faint chocolate smell.Coconut oilCocos Nucifera Oil · EmollientThe oil of the coconut, solid below about 76°F; mostly lauric acid. Rich and occlusive; rated comedogenic in older rabbit-ear tests, which…CyclopentasiloxaneEmollientA light, volatile silicone that evaporates after spreading; gives the slip in primers and hair serums. The EU restricts it in rinse-off…
D
E
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
Macadamia oilMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil · EmollientA nut oil high in palmitoleic acid, which skin's own sebum also carries; used in richer creams.Mango butterMangifera Indica Seed Butter · EmollientThe fat from the mango stone; softer and lighter than cocoa butter, with little scent.MilkLac · EmollientMilk, in goat-milk soaps and bath milks; the lactic acid and fats give the reputation for softness.Mineral oilParaffinum Liquidum · EmollientA refined liquid from petroleum; cosmetic grade is purified to pharmaceutical standards. Light, non-comedogenic in testing, and stable.Moringa oilMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil · EmollientA very stable oleic-rich oil from the moringa tree; the 'ben oil' of old perfumery.
O
Oleic acidEmollientThe omega-9 fatty acid of olive and avocado oils; richer, and in some studies more barrier-disrupting than linoleic acid when used alone.Olive oilOlea Europaea Fruit Oil · EmollientThe oil of the olive, mostly oleic acid; the base of castile soap. Some studies find it can weaken the skin barrier of infants with regular…
P
Palmitic acidEmollientA fatty acid common in palm oil and in skin's own sebum; used as an emollient and in soap.Phenyl trimethiconeEmollientA silicone that adds shine; common in hair serums and glossy skin products.PhytosphingosineEmollientA building block of ceramides found in skin; added to barrier creams.Prickly pear seed oilOpuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil · EmollientA linoleic-rich oil pressed from cactus fruit seeds; expensive because each fruit holds very little.
R
S
Sacha inchi oilPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil · EmollientA Peruvian seed oil unusually high in omega-3 (alpha-linolenic) acid; oxidises quickly.Sal butterShorea Robusta Seed Butter · EmollientA firm butter from the Indian sal tree, used in place of shea in balms.Sea buckthorn fruit oilHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil · EmollientA deep orange oil from the sea buckthorn berry, high in palmitoleic acid and carotenoids; stains fabric and, in quantity, skin.Shea butterButyrospermum Parkii Butter · EmollientThe fat of the shea nut from West Africa; rich in oleic and stearic acids and unsaponifiables. The base of most body butters.Shea butter ethyl estersEmollientShea butter reacted into a light liquid; the shea feel without the heaviness.SqualaneEmollientA stable, saturated form of squalene, a lipid found in skin's own sebum; made from sugar cane or olives today (shark liver in the past).…Stearyl alcoholEmollientA fatty alcohol used as a thickener and emollient; the other half of cetearyl alcohol.Sunflower seed oilHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil · EmollientA linoleic-rich oil used widely as a light emollient; well tolerated in studies on newborn skin.Sweet almond oilPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil · EmollientA light oil from sweet almonds, mostly oleic acid; the classic massage oil. A tree-nut product.
How to read a label
US labels use INCI names (Latin for plant parts, chemical names for the rest) in descending order by weight down to 1 percent; below that, in any order. "Fragrance" or "parfum" can stand for dozens of undisclosed compounds. A plus sign or asterisk usually marks an organic ingredient; a jar symbol with a number of months is the period after opening. Colorants are listed last by their CI number.
Where the words come from
The function groups are the ones the EU's CosIng database and the Personal Care Products Council use. The one-line descriptions are ours, written from the public record; a Wikidata description and the three most recent PubMed papers that mention the ingredient with skin are fetched for each entry. Products that regulators treat as drugs in the US (sunscreens, acne treatments, antiperspirants, dandruff shampoos) are marked as such. FDA and CPSC recalls →