Rating: Good
Categories: Solvent, Occlusive-Opacifying-Agent, Humectant
This mixture of glycerin and the fatty acid 2-ethylhexanoic acid works as a solvent, occlusive agent, and conditioning ingredient in cosmetics. It is considered safe as used in skin care products.

Rating: Good
Categories: Polymer, Film-Forming-Agent, Texture-Enhancer
A synthetic polymer used to stabilize cosmetics, suspend ingredients in an emulsion, enhance texture, and create a flexible film on skin’s surface.

Rating: Good
Categories: Emollient, Emulsifier, Cleansing-Agent
This moisturizing ingredient is found naturally in the human body but is usually plant- or synthetically derived in cosmetics. It has been deemed safe as used in cosmetics and is also used as a food additive.

Rating: Good
Categories: Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier, Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer
Versatile, commonly used ingredient that can be used as an emulsifier, cleansing agent, and emollient. In general, it helps enhance the texture of the formula and contributes to a soft after feel on skin.

Rating: Best
Categories: Plant-Extracts, Occlusive-Opacifying-Agent
This byproduct of pumpkin production has skin conditioning and antioxidant properties.

Rating: Best
Categories: Plant-Extracts, Antioxidant
Extract from the acai berry, which is a potent source of skin-beneficial antioxidants, including ferulic acid and epicatechin.

Rating: Best
Categories: Antioxidant, Humectant
Helps visibly minimize pore size, improve dull/uneven tone, and reduce wrinkle depth. Also known to fortify skin's barrier strength and boost hydration.

Rating: Best
Categories: Peptides
Synthetic peptide that has been shown to strengthen skin’s supportive elements, improve uneven texture and the look of fine lines, and reverse a dehydrated appearance.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient
This type of ceramide helps improve the look and feel of skin thanks to its water retention properties.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient
This ceramide helps restore skin’s hydration, texture, and suppleness.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient
This type of ceramide helps strengthen skin’s barrier against external stimuli.

Rating: Best
Categories: Humectant, Antioxidant
The more bio-available, salt form of hyaluronic acid. I’s considered an excellent moisturizer, helping skin retain water so it looks and feels smoother.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient
This fatty acid is found naturally in the upper layers of skin and helps it retain its natural moisturizing factor (NMF), which benefits skin health. It also has calming properties.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient
Plays a key role in maintaining skin's health, softness, and hydration.

Rating: Best
Categories: Humectant, Solvent
Also known as pro-vitamin B5. Humectant that increases hydration substantially by attracting/retaining moisture. Can also play a role in visibly reducing facial redness triggered by sensitivity.

Rating: Best
Categories: Humectant
This excellent hydrating ingredient is part of skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF). As such, it is a cornerstone of many moisturizers thanks to its ability to help skin both attract and retain moisture, resulting a more supple, youthful appearance.

Rating: Best
Categories: Plant-Extracts
Known for wrinkle-smoothing and skin-soothing benefits. Adenosine is also naturally present in skin, allowing for ideal biocompatibility.

Rating: Best
Categories: Emollient, Emulsifier, Cleansing-Agent
Beneficial properties include emolliency (think skin softening), water-binding (to boost hydration), and emulsifying (to help water + oil ingredients mesh in a formula). Can also be used to encapsulate ingredients for improved dermal delivery.

Rating: Best
Categories: Peptides
A highly targeted multi-peptide that helps skin's supportive elements resist further damage while working to repair visible signs of aging.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Emulsifier
Naturally derived ingredient which functions as an emulsifier, thickener, and surfactant in skin care products. It has been ruled safe as used in cosmetics.

Rating: Good
Categories: Chelating-Agent, Humectant
This synthetically derived ingredient binds to metal ions to increase the stability of skin care formulas. It also serves as a humectant, meaning it helps skin retain moisture.

Rating: Good
Categories: Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer, Chelating-Agent
Ingredient used in skin care products to adjust a formula's pH. In the right concentration/formula, it can also exfoliate skin.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Emulsifier, Cleansing-Agent
Multitasking ingredient that plays various roles including cleansing agent, solvent, texture enhancer, and skin-conditioning agent. Imparts a non-greasy, lightweight, silky feel.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Cleansing-Agent, Emulsifier
This naturally derived ingredient is produced from the fermentation of simple sugars, and acts as a thickening agent, texture enhancer, and emulsion stabilizer in cosmetics.

Rating: Good
Categories: Texture-Enhancer, Polymer, Ph-Adjuster-Stabilizer
Often used to create gel-textured formulas or to influence the product’s thickness. Research also shows carbomers can enhance the penetration effectiveness of key actives.

Rating: Good
Categories: Preservative
Safe preservative known to be well-tolerated by skin; offers wide spectrum protection against unwanted microbials in a formula.

Rating: Good
Categories: Preservative, Humectant
Skin-softening agent with hydration boosting properties. Also plays an important preservative role to help keep cosmetic formulas stable.