yavuzyilmaz/cosmetic-ingredients huggingface dataset:
Mandelic Acid
An AHA , that comes from bitter almond and is named after the German name of almond, “mandel”. If you have never heard of AHAs (where have you been? :)) then go ahead and read all about the most famous representative, glycolic acid . We will wait. When it comes to skincare you have to know about AHAs. So go and read it , and let’s meet here afterward. Hey, welcome back! Now that you are an AHA and especially a glycolic acid expert we will just focus on the main differences between mandelic acid and glycolic acid . The first difference is that mandelic acid has a bigger molecular structure than glycolic acid . Because of this it can penetrate less deeply and works more on the skin surface. Most probably this is the reason why mandelic acid is more gentle on the skin. But this does not mean that mandelic acid is not an effective exfoliator. It is. It can gently lift off dead skin cells from the surface that results in smoother and more even complexion . Compared to glycolic acid the exfoliation action is slower but also safer . Even sensitive skin types tolerate mandelic acid pretty well. Another distinct feature of mandelic acid among the AHAs is that it has well-known antibacterial properties . Because of this, it's a promising ingredient in treating acne . Also mandelic acid has effective skin brightening properties, and it seems to be particularly effective in lightening post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) . A study from 2009 has compared a 35% glycolic acid peel with 20% salicylic acid + 10% mandelic acid peel (SMP) on skins with active acne and post acne scarring and hyperpigmentation. SMP proved to be more effective both in treating acne lesions and hyperpigmentation and with fewer side effects. Of course salicylic acid is a superstar ingredient but still it is a promising result for mandelic acid. Another promising study for mandelic acid and its ability to fight acne is a Polish study from 2015. It's not an independent study and it's also not placebo-controlled (or double blind), but still better than nothing. It examined the effectiveness of 5% and 10% mandelic acid (for 60 days) and found that "both are safe and effective for the treatment of acne ".  Mandelic acid was the most effective at decreasing the number of pustules (-60% in 60 days), but it also worked to a lesser extent for inflammatory nodules (-30%) and comedones (-20%). Other good to know things are pretty similar to other AHAs: it’s effective at home pH range is 3-4 , you should use a sunscreen next to it, and experiment a bit how much and how often your skin can tolerate it. According to manufacturer info, daily use is suggested up to 10% . Oh, one more thing: as opposed to glycolic acid mandelic acid is light sensitive so choose a product with proper opaque packaging. Bottom line : mandelic acid is a less researched, but a very promising AHA. Just like other AHAs it gently exfoliates, but it also has antibacterial effect and seems to be an especially good choice for acne prone, problem skin .
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
The fragrant essential oil coming from the flowers of Rose Geranium . Like most essential oils, it contains antioxidant and antimicrobial component s, but the main ones are fragrant constituents (like citronellol and geraniol ). Be careful with it, if your skin is sensitive.
Kigelia Africana Fruit Extract
Kigelia Africana is a big tree (up tp 20m tall) native to Africa that has sausage-like fruits, hence the nickname "sausage tree". It's a traditional medicinal plant used to heal pretty much everything: it's used for its anticancer, antiulcer, anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-malarial properties. Modern scientific studies do confirm plenty of its therapeutic properties. It contains a bunch of active phytochemicals (e.g.fatty acids, coumarins, caffeic acid, sterols, and flavonoids) that give the fruit extract anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties . According to manufacturer info , Kigelia Fruit also has great firming properties and can be used to "tone and firm the bust" (that is claimed to be also a traditional use in Africa) and to improve skin firmness and elasticity.
Behenyl Alcohol
A fatty alcohol (the non-drying type with a long oil loving chain of 22 carbon atoms) that is used to increase the viscosity of the formula and it also helps the oily and the watery parts to stay nicely mixed together (called emulsion stabilizing ).
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Glyceryl stearate citrate is similar to the super common skincare ingredient glyceryl stearate , and is similarly used to help combine waters and oils (emulsifier) and to make your skin feel nice and soft (emollient). The main difference between glyceryl stearate citrate and its cousin glyceryl stearate is that this one has a citric acid molecule also attached to its glycerin . This makes it what chemists call a diacylglycerol, which is a fancy word for two acids (in this case, citric acid and stearic acid) attached together with a glycerin bridge. But when it comes to cosmetics, all you need to know is that both glyceryl stearate citrate and glyceryl stearate are safe, tried and true emulsifiers . Expect to see them in formulas with both water-based and oil-based ingredients (think moisturizers and lotions).
Nylon-12
An  odorless, slightly yellowish powder that's used as a polymer microsphere (a tiny little ball from repeated subunits). It gives products an elegant, silky texture and better slip. It can also scatter light to blur fine lines while letting enough light through so that the skin still looks natural.
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
If you are into perfumes, you must know patchouli as an important essential oil in the perfume industry. It boasts a pleasant woody, earthy and camphoraceous scent and has fixative properties (makes the fragrance long-lasting). Its composition is pretty unique: it does not contain any of the EU's 26 most common fragrance allergens, but its most important components are patchoulol (30%) and alpha- patchoulene (6%) which are responsible for its aroma and antifungal properties . Among essential oils, the allergen profile of patchouli counts as pretty good (much better than ylang-ylang or lemongrass oils), but if your skin is sensitive, it's still best to avoid it.
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
A "green chemical" developed by L'oreal in 2006. It comes from the sugar molecule, xylose that can be found in beechwood. According to L'Oreal's claims, Pro-Xylane can boost the production of important skin-building blocks called GAGs (aka glycosaminoglycans , important NMFs ) in the extracellular matrix (the goopy stuff between our skin cells) that results in better hydrated and firmer skin .
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
The emollient plant oil coming from the kernel (the seed of the seed) of the delicious apricot fruit. Like other plant oils, it contains antioxidant vitamin E and nourishing fatty acids (mostly oleic acid 54-74%, linoleic acid 12-35% ). It's a nice general purpose emollient, has nourishing and moisturizing properties (as a high oleic oil it's ideal for dry skin types) and is quite easily absorbed into the skin.
Sorbic Acid
A mild, natural preservative that usually comes to the formula together with its other mild preservative friends, such as Benzoic Acid and/or Dehydroacetic Acid . Btw, it's also used as a food preservative.
Dimethiconol
A thick, high molecular weight silicone that is usually diluted in another, lighter silicone fluid (like dimethicone or cyclopentasiloxane ). The dimethiconol containing silicone blends leave a silky smooth, non-greasy film on the skin.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
A high-molecular-weight silicone elastomer (rubber-like elastic material) that is usually blended with a base silicone fluid (such as dimethicone or cyclopentasiloxane ) to give the formula a silky smooth feel and to act as a thickening agent.
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
A vegetable based co-surfactant that helps to create mild cleansing formulas .
Isopropyl Isostearate
An oily liquid (ester) that makes your skin nice and smooth, aka emollient . It is described as highly emollient or substantive, but with a light and easy spreading and nonoily skin feel.
Cetearyl Glucoside
A sugar based emulsifier that's especially great for low viscosity lotions or even sprays. It's effective in small amounts, only 1-1.5% is needed to form an emulsion. The resulting cream or lotion has great cosmetic properties with good spreadability and an enhanced soft skin feel.
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
A pretty famous and better-researched peptide consisting of five amino acids (the building blocks of all proteins). It was created in a joint effort by the French ingredient supplier, Sederma and the cosmetics industry big shot, Procter&Gamble. The amino acid sequence of the peptide is lysine–threonine–threonine–lysine–serine (KTTKS). Sometimes, it's also called collagen pentapeptide, as it's a subfragment of skin-structure-giving type I collagen . The KTTKS amino sequence is then attached for better oil solubility and skin penetration to palmitic acid and BOOM; we get Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4. Though most research is manufacturer sponsored, the clinical studies about Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 are promising.  In short, it can reduce fine lines, wrinkles and improve skin texture significantly (and at crazy low concentrations, the studies were done with just 3 ppm that is 0.0003%). There are also studies comparing Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 with anti-aging gold standard, retinol . One of them compared 3ppm Pal-KTTKS with 700 ppm (0.07%) retinol and found that they showed similar wrinkle improving ability with the peptide showing better skin tolerability. Bottom line, if you are into peptides, this is a good one to try.
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
A big molecule from repeated subunits that is used to form gel-like textures and create a film on the skin.
Polyethylene
Polyethylene is the most common plastic in the world. It is a super versatile polymer (molecule from repeated subunits) and when it comes to cosmetics, it is often referred to as microbeads. Well, it used to be referred to as microbeads, as it was banned in 2015 in the " Microbead-Free Waters Act " due to the small plastic spheres accumulating in the waters and looking like food to fish. Well done by Obama. But being versatile means that polyethylene does not only come as scrub particles but also as a white wax. In its wax-form, it is still well, alive and pretty popular . It thickens up water-free formulas, increases hardness and raises the melting point of emulsions and water-less balms. It is particularly common in cleansing balms and stick-type makeup products due to its ability to add body, hardness and slip to these formulas.
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
A handy helper ingredient that comes in a white powder form and works as an anti-caking and oil-absorbing agent . It also gives products good spreadability, long lasting and velvet touch characteristics . It is popular both in skincare and makeup products.
Ethylparaben
A very common type of feared-by-everyone-mostly-without-scientific-reason paraben. It's a cheap, effective and well-tolerated ingredient to make sure the cosmetic formula does not go wrong too soon. Read more about parabens here >>
Mica
A super versatile and common mineral powder that comes in different particle sizes. It is a multi-tasker used to improve skin feel, increase product slip, give the product light-reflecting properties, enhance skin adhesion or serve as an anti-caking agent . It is also the most commonly used "base" material for layered composite pigments such as pearl-effect pigments . In this case, mica is coated with one or more metal oxides (most commonly titanium dioxide ) to achieve pearl effect via the physical phenomenon known as interference.
Oleic Acid
A common fatty acid that can be found in lots of plant oils. Its name, "oleic", means derived from olive oil , a plant oil rich in oleic acid, but avocado , macadamia and marula oils, just to name a few, are also oleic rich. Its chemical structure is monounsaturated, meaning it has one double bond (cis-9) that makes it less kinky than polyunsaturated fatty acids with multiple double bonds. Less kinkiness means that oleic acid and OA-rich oils are a bit thicker and heavier than their LA-rich siblings . Maybe this thickness is the reason that Oleic acid is considered comedogenic , and if you have acne-prone skin avoid OA-rich plant oils , and choose linoleic acid -rich versions instead. The thickness of OA also means that OA-rich oils are considered more nourishing and moisturizing than their LA-rich counterparts, and are generally considered to be more suitable for dry, mature skin types. As for oleic acid in its free form (and by free we mean that it is not bound up in a triglyceride structure like it is in oils), it mostly serves as an emulsifier or emulsion stabilizer in small amounts in regular cosmetic products. It is also quite well researched and is used in the pharmaceutical industry as a penetration enhancer .
Polysilicone-11
A type of silicone elastomer (rubber-like material with both viscosity and elasticity) whose major function is forming a nice film on the skin . It is also cosmetically very elegant with a non-tacky, non-oily and smooth skin feel . It also works as a stable delivery system of active materials , has sebum absorption and control properties and upon application, it transforms into a matte appearance with a powdery after feel.
Triolein
A high stability high oleic acid oil derived from microalgae in an eco-friendly process. It works as an emollient in the formula, similar to other vegetable oils.
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
When you hear the word Soy, you probably associate it with soy sauce or tofu, not skincare. But as it turns out, the soybean has a bunch of useful active components and soybean extract is an interesting cosmetic ingredient with a wide range of possible effects. Its main active components are antioxidant phenolic acids and flavonoids as well as small and large soy proteins . The large proteins give soybean extract nice skin smoothing and softening properties , while the small proteins (soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) and Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI)) are thought to inhibit skin pigmentation and delay hair regrowth . Regarding skin pigmentation, the soybean extract works by hindering melanosome transfer , meaning it blocks the melanin pigment from traveling up to the surface of the skin and becoming visible there. This is useful for most pigmentation situations but, if you have melasma, soy is not for you as melasma is estrogen-mediated and soy is a well-known phytoestrogen . The most famous and bioactive flavonoids in soybeans are the isoflavones called genistein and diadzein that have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties . Genistein is also proven to inhibit UV induced redness in human skin. These isoflavones are also the ones that make soy a phytoestrogen , meaning they have a (weak) estrogenic effect. Topical estrogen is known to decrease skin thinning and collagen loss and soy might be able to do the same, especially during and after menopause when natural estrogen levels run low. There is also some promising, but as yet not in-vivo (done on real people), research that soybean extract can stimulate both elastin and collagen synthesis and thus lead to healthier, younger-looking skin. Overall , soybean extract is a promising and multi-functional active, a nice addition to most ingredient lists.
Isoceteth-20
A handy helper ingredient that works as an emulsifier or solubilizer to include oil-loving ingredients (such as fragrance) into water-based products.
Aminomethyl Propanol
An alkaline (high pH, aka basic) material that is used to set the pH of the cosmetic formula to the right value .
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
When it comes to cosmetic oils and hype, argan oil is for sure leading the way. Dubbed as the " liquid gold of Morocco ", we have to admit we have some trouble determining why this oil enjoys such a special miracle status. Not that it's not good, it is good, even great but reading the research about argan and a bunch of other plant oils we just do not see the big, unique differentiating factor (though that might be our fault not reading enough, obvs.) So, argan oil comes from the kernel of the argan fruit that comes from the argan tree that grows only in Morocco. The tree is slow growing and getting the oil is a hard job. The traditional process is that the ripe argan fruits fall from the tree, then goats eat them up and poop out the seeds. The seeds are collected and smashed with a stone to get the kernels inside. This part is the hard one as the seeds have extremely hard shells. Once the kernels are obtained, the oil is pressed out from them (the kernels contain about 50% oil). As for skincare, argan oil is loaded with lots of skin goodies (but so are many other plant oils): it contains 80% nourishing and moisturizing unsaturated fatty acids , mainly oleic (38-50%), linoleic (28-38%) and palmitic (10-18%) . It also contains a relatively large amount of antioxidant vitamin E (600-900 mg/kg, about twice as much as olive ), small amounts of antioxidant phenols (including caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and epicatechin), as well as some rare sterols with soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Thanks to all the above goodness in argan oil, it can greatly nourish and moisturize the skin and hair . It's also claimed to be able to neutralize collagen-damaging free radicals, help reduce scars, and revitalize and improve skin elasticity. You can even read that argan might help acne-prone skin, but being a high oleic oil, we would be careful with that . All in all, argan oil is a real goodie but we do not fully understand the special miracle status it enjoys.
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Jojoba is a drought resistant evergreen shrub native to South-western North America. It's known and grown for jojoba oil, the golden yellow liquid coming from the seeds (about 50% of the weight of the seeds will be oil). At first glance, it seems like your average emollient plant oil: it looks like an oil and it's nourishing and moisturizing to the skin but if we dig a bit deeper, it turns out that jojoba oil is really special and unique : technically - or rather chemically - it's not an oil but a wax ester (and calling it an oil is kind of sloppy). So what the heck is a wax ester and why is that important anyway? Well, to understand what a wax ester is, you first have to know that oils are chemically triglycerides : one glycerin + three fatty acids attached to it. The fatty acids attached to the glycerin vary and thus we have many kinds of oils, but they are all triglycerides. Mother Nature created triglycerides to be easily hydrolyzed (be broken down to a glycerin + 3 fatty acid molecules) and oxidized (the fatty acid is broken down into small parts) - this happens basically when we eat fats or oils and our body generates energy from it . Mother Nature also created wax esters but for a totally different purpose. Chemically, a wax ester is a fatty acid + a fatty alcohol , one long molecule. Wax esters are on the outer surface of several plant leaves to give them environmental protection . 25-30% of human sebum is also wax esters to give us people environmental protection. So being a wax ester results in a couple of unique properties: First, jojoba oil is extremely stable . Like crazy stable. Even if you heat it to 370 C (698 F) for 96 hours, it does not budge. (Many plant oils tend to go off pretty quickly). If you have some pure jojoba oil at home, you should be fine using it for years. Second, jojoba oil is the most similar to human sebum (both being wax esters), and the two are completely miscible. Acne.org has this not fully proven theory that thanks to this, jojoba might be able to "trick" the skin into thinking it has already produced enough sebum, so it might have "skin balancing" properties for oily skin. Third, jojoba oil moisturizes the skin through a unique dual action: on the one hand, it mixes with sebum and forms a thin, non-greasy, semi-occlusive layer; on the other hand, it absorbs into the skin through pores and hair follicles then diffuses into the intercellular spaces of the outer layer of the skin to make it soft and supple . On balance, the point is this : in contrast to real plant oils, wax esters were designed by Mother Nature to stay on the surface and form a protective, moisturizing barrier and jojoba oil being a wax ester is uniquely excellent at doing that.
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
An emollient plant oil coming from the Sacha Inchi plant from the Colombian Amazon. Similar to other plant oils, it's loaded with nourishing and moisturizing fatty acids : it's especially rich in α-Linolenic acid (42-49%) and linoleic acid (32-38%) and contains less oleic acid (9-14%). It also contains a decent amount of antioxidant vitamin E (200 mg/kg).
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
The oil coming from the seeds of the yellow flowered safflower plant . Similar to other plant oils, it's loaded with nourishing and moisturizing fatty acids : it's a high linoleic acid oil (70%) and has only smaller amounts of oleic acid (11%) ( this might be great for acne-prone skin ). It also contains antioxidant vitamin E (44mg/100g alpha-tocopherol).
Cyclomethicone
Cyclomethicone is not one type of silicone , but a whole mixture of them: it's a mix of specific chain length (4 to 7) cyclic structured silicone molecules. (There seems to be a confusion on the internet whether Cyclomethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane are the same. They are not the same, but Cyclopentasiloxane is part of the mixture that makes up Cyclomethicone). All the silicones in the Cyclomethicone mixture are volatile , meaning they evaporate from the skin or hair rather than stay on it. This means that Cyclomethicone has a light skin feel with none-to-minimal after-feel .  It also makes the formulas easy to spread and has nice emollient properties.
Menthol
Menthol needs no introduction: it's the thing that causes the cooling sensation so well-known both from cosmetic products as well as a bunch of other things like chocolate, chewing gum, toothpaste or cigarette. It's a natural compound that comes from the essential oil of Mentha species (peppermint oil contains 40-50% menthol) and it gives them their typical minty smell and flavor. As for skincare, menthol seems to be a mixed bag . Apart from the cool cooling sensation (that might last up to 70 mins!), it also has painkilling, itch reducing, antibacterial, antifungal and even penetration enhancing properties. On the other hand, it also seems to act as a skin irritant that increases trans-epidermal water loss (the water that evaporates from the outer layer of the skin) and thus contributes to drying out the skin.
Disteardimonium Hectorite
An organic derivative of hectorite clay , Disteardimonium Hectorite is used as a viscosity controller - it thickens up formulations to make them less runny. It’s most popular use in cosmetics is in sunscreens, under the trademarked name Bentone 38 from Elementis . According to the manufacturer info, it is a real multi-tasker, including the ability to prevent pigments settling during storage, stabilizing a formula for longer , creating a light and smooth skin feel and enhancing the water-resistance of sunscreen formulas .
Trisiloxane
A clear, colorless, very easily spreadable and very volatile (evaporates from the skin easily) silicone fluid . It leaves a non-greasy, dry-smooth feel on the skin.