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Aqua (Water)
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The most common skincare ingredient of them all, water acts as a solvent for other ingredients in a skincare product. It's normally the first in an ingredients list, which means it's the main thing in the product. Water in cosmetics is purified, which makes products more stable over time.
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Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
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This is one smooth operator. Derived from coconut oil and glycerin, it's considered to be a great emollient and moisturiser for the skin. It has a mix of fatty acids that can repair the skin barrier and reduce loss of moisture.₃
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Glycerin
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Glycerin is a compound that naturally occurs in our skin. It’s a colourless, odourless liquid and is a dream skincare ingredient because it protects against irritation, strengthens the skin's moisture barrier and it's a humectant - a quality which means it retains water.
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Glyceryl Stearate SE
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A mixture of glycerin and stearic acid, this is used as an emollient for the skin and a texture enhancer for the product.₄
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Cetearyl Alcohol
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A fatty alcohol that's a mix of cetyl and stearyl alcohols, cetearyl alcohol can be derived naturally from plants like coconuts or made synthetically. It acts as an emollient which means it soothes and softens the skin, and it gives a product its slippery texture. Skincare with cetearyl alcohol can still be "alcohol free" as the effects are completely unlike skin-aggravating forms of alcohol.₅
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Stearic Acid
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This fatty acid is used as an emollient to soothe and soften the skin. It can also act as an emulsifier meaning it combines water and oil which normally resist each other. The acid has been shown to protect the skin's moisture barrier. It can be found in animals and plants or made synthetically.₆
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Benzyl Alcohol
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This organic alcohol occurs naturally in some teas and fruits like apricots and cranberries. It's mainly used in skincare as a preservative, and it's one of the gentlest preservatives out there. It can also be used to scent products as it's part of the floral fragrance in essential oils like jasmine.₇
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Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer
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This enhances and thickens the texture of a formulation.
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Xanthan Gum
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Totally natural and produced from glucose and sucrose, xanthan gum is a common skincare ingredient used for its thickening and emulsifying abilities. It tends to make the texture of skincare products gel-like and corrects a product that is too runny.
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Gluconolactone
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Known for its exfoliating abilities, and similar to AHAs like glycolic acid, Gluconolactone is a less abrasive, gentler exfoliant due to its larger molecular structure meaning it doesn't penetrate the skin as deeply, while remaining effective.₈
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Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil
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Mainly used to impart its clean, woody fragrance, Juniper Berry Oil can also be moisturising and nourishing on the skin.
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Sodium Benzoate
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This salt works to preserve cosmetics and food products.
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Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil
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Bilberry and blueberry extract come from this oil, and these superfoods have many benefits for the skin. Their deep colour comes from their rich antioxidant source which can protect the skin against environmental damage and UVA light. Applied to skin, it can soothe and prevent redness.
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Dehydroacetic Acid
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This preservative is popular in natural skincare. It's super effective at enabling products to last longer and works in low concentrations.₉
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Mica
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This natural mineral is used as a colourant and for providing opacity to formulations.
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Calcium Gluconate
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We all know how important calcium is for our body. It's been shown that this ingredient can also smooth skin when applied topically.₁₀
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CI 77489 (Iron Oxides)
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This orange-coloured ingredient comes from natural minerals. It's used as a colourant.
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