Glossary of Cosmetics Ingrediants
Triglyceride: widely used in “oil-free” products to improve spreading of creams & lotions while leaving a non-greasy feel.
Polyglucose: surfactant composed of sugar (glucose) derived from corn starch & fatty alcohols derived from coconuts, used for cleansing, foam stabilization, and improving conditioning effects.
Aloe Vera: a potent moisturizer that penetrates skin as a regenerizing & healing agent; anti-inflammatory, & anti-aging (increases collagen synthesis).
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate: made from glycerin & coconut oil, multi-functional agent with excellent emulsifying, emollient, refatting & thickening properties. Useful as foam booster & cleansing.
Propylene Glycol: synthetic alcohol metabolized to lactic acid in the body. Humectant & wetting agent prevents water loss in products & skin. Increases spreading of creams.
Sulfosuccinate: very mild co-surfactant, especially suitable for products for delicate skin & baby shampoos.
Titanium Dioxide: White pigment with a high refractive index & great inertness able to reflect & scatter light; excellent absorber of sun rays (UV-A & UV-B) to provide long-term UV protection & water resistance.
Zinc Oxide: fine white powder , absorber of full UV spectrum (short UV-B to long UV-A), soothes skin irritations, and has anti-fungal/anti-microbial properties.
Kaolin: Pure natural mineral texturizer with great covering ability, able to absorb fats from the skin, refine poors & help clear up breakouts; ideal for sensitive skin.
Magnesium Stearate: Texturizing mineral that acts as an opacifier, and a film forming lubricant agent because it adheres to skin.
Mica Powder: Natural luster mineral pigment from Muscovite Mica, used as a filler & texturizer for improved skin feel, & increased slip & skin adhesion.
Mica Spheres: Silica beads coated with mica, which allow mica platelets to slide across each other.
Polyisobutene: Mineral oil substitute, non-irritant, non-comedogenic/ non-greasy emollient & moisturizer, prevent water loss, disperses pigments, & enhances shine.
Isoeicosane: Mineral oil substitute in oil-free products, non-comedogenic/ provides a satiny feel to the skin.
Castor Oil: excellent emollient, moisturizer & lubricant.
Shea Butter: Nut fat from the African Karite tree, containing allantoin, vitamin A&E, and lipids. Potent moisturizer & emollient, protects skin partly against UV rays, anti-inflammatory (ideal for irritated skin), anti-aging effects.
Candelilla Wax: A natural plant wax extracted from the candelilla plant. Extraordinay film forming & protective properties, effective emollient, adds gloss.
Microcrystalline Wax: Mineral wax that helps prevent sweating of lipsticks, high tensile strength & insures color uniformity in color cosmetics.
Ozokerite Wax: Mineral wax derived from sandstones. Great wax to give hardness, gel strength and consistency, emulsifying & emollient properties.
Cocoa Butter: Natrual fat from the fruit seeds of the Cacao tree. Skin softener & conditioner, thickener, moisturizer, restores skin flexibility, anti-wrinkle effects.
Vitamin E Acetate: Provides anti-oxidant activity, protects from damages by oxygen radicals & UV rays, increases SPF, moisturizing & anti-aging effect, soothing & anti-inflammatory properties, promotes skin cell renewal & enzyme activity.
Vitamin E Tocopherol: Stabilizes oils & fats in products to prevent rancidity.
Urea: excellent moisturizer & humectant, replenishes natural urea content in the skin after cleansing (avoids dryness), keratolytic properties (exfoliating), antiseptic & deodorizing effects.
Phenoxyethanol: Broad spectrum preservative protection against gram-positive & gram-negative bacteria, yeast, & mold, while imparting emolliency to finished products.