yavuzyilmaz/cosmetic-ingredients huggingface dataset:
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
A thickening and foam-boasting co-surfactant with amphoteric structure meaning that its head contains both a positively and a negatively charged part (surfactants are most commonly anionic meaning their head has a negative charge). It's very mild and gentle , comes from coconut oil and is readily biodegradable.
Copper Gluconate
A copper salt (copper cation + gluconate anion) probably best known for promoting cellular regeneration and wound healing . It works mainly in the final healing phase that complements nicely with the wound healing abilities of its mineral salt sister, zinc gluconate . Other than that, copper is also involved in several enzyme systems : it is a cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase and also a cofactor for the melanin stimulating enzyme, tyrosinase. This means that copper has some tan activating properties , though we think you should not be into tanning at all, as UV is so bad for the skin . The gluconate part is there to promote the bioavailability of copper and it also plays a role in cellular regeneration (involved in the synthesis of ribose sugars, structural components of DNA and RNA).
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
A mild amphoteric (contains both a negative and a positive ion in its water-loving head part) surfactant that gives a nice foam and also has the unique ability to reduce irritation from other co-surfactants.
Saccharomyces/​Camellia Sinensis Leaf/​Cladosiphon Okamuranus/​Rice Ferment Filtrate
This super-long named thing is trade named Hadasei- 3 and it's Tatcha's " superfluid of Japan’s three essential nutrients of Green Tea, Rice, and Algae ".  The liquid is obtained by fermentation and the basic idea behind any fermented ingredient is that the fermentation process helps to break down the complex bio-molecules in the plants and helps to isolate the beneficial components for the skin. The Algae component is claimed to help skin hydration , while rice gives high-protein nourishment and green tea is indeed an excellent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredient.
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Houttuynia cordata is a flowering plant native to Southeast Asia. It is eaten as a leaf vegetable, and also has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine , including as an attempted treatment for SARS (it didn’t really work). Regarding cosmetics, however, houttuynia cordata extract has a good bit of potential! The main active components in the plant are these fancy chemicals called flavonoids. Houttuynia cordata specifically has a good amount of polyphenolic flavonoids , four common ones being quercetin , quercitrin, hyperoside, and rutin . All of these exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Quercitrin has also been shown to decrease damage from UVB rays, which is an added bonus. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the flavonoid content of this extract can depend on if the extract is taken from the roots or the leaves, as well as if it’s a water extraction or an alcohol extraction. Another thing Houttuynia cordata extract contains are polysaccharides , i.e. big molecules from various sugar units (in this case it is galacturonic acid (29.4%), galactose (24.0%), rhamnose (17.2%), arabinose (13.5%), glucuronic acid (6.8%), glucose (5.3%), xylose (2.1%) and mannose (1.8%) ). Polysaccharides and sugars in skincare are excellent humectants and skin hydrators , meaning they help the skin to hold onto water. Last but not least, we also found an in-vitro (made in test tubes) study showing that houttuynia cordata extract had strong anti-allergic effects and could be helpful in treating skin allergies such as eczema (atopic dermatitis).
Tapioca Starch
A soft, white powder that can be used as a talc replacement in body powders or in pressed powders. It also has some oil absorbing properties and gives increased cushion and richness to emulsion -type formulas.
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
The essential oil created by steam distilling the leaves of the Eucalyptus tree. It's a colorless, pale yellow oil with a camphoraceous aroma used traditionally in vapor rubs to treat coughs. Its name-giving main component is eucalyptol (also called 1,8-cineole, 80-91%) that has significant antibacterial and expectorant properties . Among essential oils, Eucalyptus Globulus counts as rather non-sensitising with an EU sensitizer total of 5% (due to limonene ). However, if your skin is super-sensitive or you are allergic to fragrances, it is still better to avoid it.
Ci 77742
An inorganic (as in no carbon in its molecule) pigment that gives purple or violet shade.
Tetrasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Naringeninchalcone
A water-soluble, stabilized molecule derived from the polyphenol naringenin chalcone , which naturally occurs in the peel of citrus fruits and tomato skin and is known for its potent anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties. According to the Swiss manufacturer's clinical study with 11 people, an emulsion containing 0.1%Tetrasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Naringeninchalcone applied twice daily for 56 days visibly reduces skin redness and improves the signs of rosacea skin .
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
A water-loving emollient that is used as a solubilizer in water-based, toner-like formulas. Solubilizers are handy helper ingredients to dissolve small amounts of oil-loving materials (such as essential oils or fragrances) into watery liquids. Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate also has some emollient properties , making the skin feel nice and smooth.
Diazolidinyl Urea
An antimicrobial preservative that helps your products not to go wrong too quickly. It works especially well against bacteria, specifically gram-negative species, yeast, and mold. Somewhat controversial, it belongs to an infamous family of formaldehyde-releasers . That is, it slowly breaks down to form formaldehyde when it is added to a formula. We have written more about formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and the concerns around them at Dmdm Hydantoin , but do not get too scared, those are more theories than proven facts. As for Diazolidinyl Urea itself, a study from 1990 writes that at concentrations up to 0.4%, it was a mild cumulative skin irritant, but the CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) reviewed it in 2006 and found that, in concentrations of <0.5%, it is safe as used , as the amount of formaldehyde released will be smaller than the recommended limit (of less than 0.2%). All in all, it is up to your personal decision and skin sensitivity.
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
A thick, paste-like emollient ester that is touted as a vegetable-derived lanolin alternative. It has a smooth spreadability and touch, and it gives a substantive film to protect and moisturize the skin.
Isostearyl Isostearate
An emollient ester (oily liquid from Isostearyl Alcohol + Isostearic Acid) that gives excellent slip, lubricity and luxurious softness on skin. It's also popular in makeup products to disperse pigments nicely and evenly.
Acetamidoethoxyethanol
Acetamidoethoxyethanol is a high-performance moisturizer that's claimed to give both amazing instant and longer term (up to 30 hours) hydration to the skin. It works through interacting with water and keratin (skin protein) to keep the water molecules tightly bound in the upper layer of the skin. This binding mechanism supposedly ensures that Acetamidoethoxyethanol gives great hydration initially as well as over 30 hours. It's also non-sticky, spreads nicely and easily on the skin and plays well with other common ingredients in the formula.
Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate
A multi-functional emulsifier that helps water and oil to nicely mix together. It also has a nice skin feeling, can act as a thickener and has some antimicrobial activity that makes it an active ingredient in some natural deodorants.
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
A synthetic molecule that has a similar structure to α-Tocopherol ( vitamin E ) and works as a super potent antioxidant . It's known for not only protecting against reactive oxygen species ( ROS ) but also against reactive nitrogen species ( RNS ) (both are evil reactive molecules that cause damage to cells and tissues and are responsible for several mechanisms which trigger skin aging). There are different methods to evaluate the antioxidant power of an ingredient and according to the so-called TBA-assay, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol is a more potent antioxidant than BHT , trolox or tocopherol . Its recommended dosage is only 0.01-0.05%, that also signals how potent Lipochroman-6 is.
EDTA
An abbreviation that pops up on a lot of ingredient lists. It stands for E thylene D iamine T etraacetic A cid and it's a famous molecule for being an excellent chelating agent , i.e. a molecule that can bind to metal ions (coming usually from water) and make them harmless in a cosmetic formula. With a chelating agent, cosmetic formulas stay nice longer. EDTA is an acid molecule and its salt versions are even more often used, such as the super common Disodium EDTA .
Cellulose
A natural polymer (big molecule from repeated subunits) that can be found in the cell wall of green plants. It is a natural and sustainable helper ingredient that can improve the absorption of the formula and it also reduces oiliness on the skin. It is also used as a sensory additive and thickening agent .
Diisopropyl Adipate
A water light oily liquid (aka ester) that has a light skin feeling and is often used to reduce tackiness and lighten the feel of heavier emollients. It's popular in sunscreens to "lighten up" oil soluble chemical UV filters.
Cyclotetrasiloxane
A four-unit long, cyclic structured, super light silicone that is the small sister of the more commonly used 5-unit long cyclic structured Cyclopentasiloxane . It is a so-called volatile silicone that evaporates off the skin and hair rather than staying on it. Similar to other silicones, it has excellent spreading properties and amazing silkiness . It is often blended with other silicones to achieve unique sensorial properties in the formula.
Safflower Oil/​Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
A linoleic acid (aka omega-6 fatty acid) stabilized under a ceramide-like structure . It's a bioengineered ingredient obtained by solvent-free enzymatic synthesis from the linoleic-rich safflower oil . Omega-6 Ceramide is claimed to have barrier repairing (by increasing cellular cohesion) and skin soothing activity and is especially recommended for damaged skin.
Ci 77007
An inorganic (as in no carbon in its molecule) pigment that can range in shade from blue (most common) to violet, pink or even green. It is not permitted in lip products in the US.
Retinal
If you are reading here, we are pretty sure the words retinoids and retinol ring a bell, but if not, you are seriously missing out, please click here immediately to catch up .  The TL;DR version is that retinoids are the royal family of skincare with tretinoin being the king , the only FDA-approved ingredient to treat the signs of photoaging. Retinol is like a grandkid, it has to be converted (through two steps) in the skin to become retinoic acid. The conversion means retinol is both less effective and less harsh on the skin. So where does our current molecule, Retinal, aka Retinaldehyde fit into the family (btw, here is a nice visual family tree about who is who )?  Remember that retinol needed two conversion steps to become retinoic acid? Yes, you are right, Retinal is the intermediate step between retinoic acid and retinol , meaning it needs only one conversion step to become active in the skin. If we go with our royal family analogy, Retinal is Prince William, directly next in line to the throne. Once retinal is converted, it becomes retinoic acid and does the same things we detailed in our tretinoin description. In a nutshell, it is everything you expect from an anti-aging superstar such as decreased wrinkles, smoother, firmer and more elastic skin . This sounds good, but how does Retinal compare to retinoic acid? Good question! We found a study (a pretty good one with 125 patients) that compared 0.05% retinal with 0.05% retinoic acid (and vehicle).  They concluded that " at week 18, a significant reduction of the wrinkle and roughness features was observed with both retinaldehyde and retinoic acid. " and the difference between the two was not statistically significant. (Interestingly, in both groups, the results were less significant at week 44, so it might be a good idea to have a retinoid break from time to time?) Also, our guy, Retinal was much better tolerated than retinoic acid known for its harshness. The good tolerability of retinal was also confirmed by another study that compared retinol (ROL), retinal (RAL) and retinoic acid (RA). They found that " the natural retinoids ROL and RAL do have a good tolerance profile, in contrast with the irritating potential of RA ", meaning retinal is an awesome alternative if you have irritation and flaking issues with prescription products , such as Retin-A. Last, but not least, we want to mention a pretty big (but subjectively evaluated), Avene (the French pharmacy brand famous for its Retinal products) sponsored study that examined the tolerability and efficacy of a 0.1 Retinal + 6% glycolic acid product in the treatment of acne . The product was added next to the standard anti-acne regimen of 1,709 patients for 90 days and the study concluded that the formula was both very well tolerated as well as effective next to other standard anti-acne medications such as benzoyl peroxide and antibiotics. Overall, if you are into retinoids, Retinal is a really awesome and well-proven member of the family that is absolutely worth trying.
Cypripedium Pubescens Extract
The extract coming from the roots of the Lady’s Slipper Orchid. There is not a ton of info out there about what it's doing in a cosmetic product, but according to a Fitoterapia review paper about orchids, it's an Indian folk medicine with muscle relaxant , hypnotic, nerve calming , sedative, and tonic properties . We also found a patent that confirms Lady's Slipper Orchid as a muscle relaxant, it's official CosIng function is tonic ("produces a feeling of well-being on skin"), and MakingCosmetics says it's soothing.
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
The extract derived from Prickly Pear, a cactus native to Mexico. It is well-known for its soothing and hydrating properties . Read our shiny explanation about Opuntia Ficus-Indica here >>
Caprylyl Caprylate/​Caprate
A coconut or palm kernel oil derived, fast spreading emollient liquid that makes your skin feel nice and smooth. It is mild for sensitive skin, leaves a light and dry skin feel and is readily biodegradable.
Madecassoside
One of the main biologically active components of the famous medicinal plant, Centella Asiatica, aka Gotu Kola . It has well established wound healing, skin-soothing and antioxidant activities . There is also a study by La Roche Posay (belongs to L'Oreal) that examined the anti-aging effects of 5% Vitamin C combined with 0.1% Madecassoside . They mention that " Madecassoside is known to induce collagen expression and ⁄ or to modulate inflammatory mediators thus might  prevent and correct some signs of aging. " The surprisingly long, 6-month study observed " significant improvement of the clinical score for deep and superficial wrinkles, suppleness, firmness, roughness, and skin hydration ", but Vitamin C in itself is already an anti-aging superstar, so it is hard to know how much Madecassoside did. Another promising property of Madecassoside is that it seems to inhibit UV-induced melanin synthesis (test formula with 0.05% MA, used twice a day on 23 volunteers for 8 weeks ), making it a great active for hyperpigmentation-prone skin. If that would not be enough, the French manufacturer (Seppic) also has encouraging in-vivo studies on the molecule. Used at 0.2%, Madecassoside reduces redness and peeling in skin with light atopic dermatitis as well as itching in psoriasis-prone skin. If you are into Gotu Kola, read more here >>
Propylheptyl Caprylate
A crystal clear, oily liquid that makes your skin nice and smooth, aka emollient . It is fast-spreading and leaves a luxurious, silky-soft after-feel . It is also ideal for sunscreen products as it can enhance the solubility of crystalline UV filters.
Disodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate
A high-performance emulsifier that helps water and oil to nicely mix together. It has exceptional stabilizing power and can be used in all kinds of formulas including hard to create sunscreens.
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
A newer and, molecule-wise, somewhat bigger version of the famous "Botox-like" peptide called Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 or Argireline . Just like Argireline, Acetyl Octapeptide-3 is also claimed to influence the muscle contraction process that results in a more relaxed and line-free face, especially around the forehead and the eyes. While Argireline counts as a pretty well-proven peptide, with multiple studies confirming its anti-wrinkle efficacy, we cannot say the same for Acetyl Octapeptide-3. What we have is the manufacturer's claim that comparing 10% Argireline with 10% SNAP-8 solution (that means 0.005% pure peptide powder) the SNAP-8 peptide did a bit better as it reduced wrinkles by 34.98% vs 27.05% reduction for Argireline (twice a day use for 28 days on 17 women). Other than that, we can write here pretty much the same as at Argireline. Obviously, no peptide works as effectively as real Botox, and the Botox-inspired peptides are quick fixes rather than being collagen builders or real preventers of structural aging. They are nice additions to an anti-aging skincare routine but not the real superstars (think vitamin C , AHAs or retinol ).
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
The golden yellow oil coming from the Macadamia nut, a native Australian nut. Similar to other plant oils, it's loaded with emollient and nourishing fatty acids . It's a high oleic acid oil (50-67% oleic acid and only 0-5% linoleic acid) that makes it very emollient and ideal for dry skin types . Its unique property is that it contains high amounts of a rare fatty acid called palmitoleic acid (12-25%) that give Macadamia oil a "cushiony" feel . It's also easily absorbed and makes the skin soft and supple.
Pseudozyma Epicola/​Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil/​Glucose/​Glycine Soja Meal/​Malt Extract/​Yeast Extract Ferment Filtrate
A so-called "Fermentoil" that is created by fermenting plant oils with Pseudozyma bacteria . These bacteria produce enzymes that break down oil components increasing the "nutritional value" of the oil . More specifically, Fermentoils tend to have much larger free fatty acid content (in normal oils fatty acids are bound to a glycerin molecule and form a so-called triglyceride) and also somewhat increased antioxidant values. They are also more cosmetically elegant , meaning that they are absorbed into the skin faster, have a less greasy skin feel and, for the joy of the cosmetic chemists, they are also easier to emulsify. This long-named guy, Fermentoil Green Tea Seed is claimed not only to contain an increased amount of free fatty acids but also antioxidant vitamin E and polyphenols. It has moisturizing, antioxidant, antiseptic , fungicidal and bactericidal properties and the manufacturer recommends it for oily and acne prone skin types.
Methylheptyl Laurate
A coconut-derived, ultra-light ester oil that gives excellent slip and emolliency to the products.
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides is a blend of fatty acid mono and diesters (kind of like an oil molecule but not with three but only one or two fatty acid chains on the glycerin) that exists in lots of versions. It can be a consistency-giving wax (think something like glyceryl stearate ), or it can be a rich jelly emollient that acts as a petrolatum alternative.
Menthone Glycerin Acetal
An oil-soluble cooling agent that gives a similar cooling and freshness sensation as Menthol (1% of Menthone Glycerin Acetal vs 0.5% of Menthol). The recommended usage range is 0.1-2%, and the formula pH has to be higher than 6.5.
Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
A mild and gentle cleansing agent derived from the amino acid sarcosine and coconut fatty acids. It is known for its good foam boosting abilities and improving the mildness of the formula.
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
A vegetable-based, PEG-free ingredient whose job is to help water and oil to mix nicely together (emulsifier). It is created by attaching ten water-loving glycerin molecules with the oil-loving fatty acid, stearic acid . The result is a partly water- and partly oil-loving molecule that creates stable and smooth emulsions that are also cosmetically elegant. It also has some moisturizing and softening benefits for skin and hair.
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
A versatile and biodegradable cleansing agent with high cleaning power and strong foaming properties. Unfortunately, these two properties for a surfactant usually mean that it is harsh on the skin, which is the case here as well.
Cetyl Phosphate
A white to beige powder that helps oil and water to mix nicely together (aka oil in water emulsifier ). It is a good emulsifier choice for stable water-resistant sunscreen formulas.
Sodium Dehydroacetate
A helper ingredient that helps to make the products stay nice longer, aka preservative . It works mainly against fungi and has only milder effect against bacteria. It is Ecocert and Cosmos approved, and is popular in natural products.
Aluminum Hydroxide
Officially, CosIng (the official EU ingredient database) lists Aluminum Hydroxide 's functions as opacifying (making the product white and non-transparent), as well as emollient and skin protectant . However, with a little bit of digging, it turns out Aluminum Hyroxide often moonlights as a protective coating for UV filter superstar Titanium Dioxide . Specifically, it protects our skin from the harmful effects of nasty Reactive Oxygen Species (free radicals derived from oxygen such as Superoxide and Hydrogen Peroxide) generated when Titanium Dioxide is exposed to UV light. Btw, chlorine in swimming pool water depletes this protective coating, so one more reason to reapply your sunscreen after a dip in the pool on holiday. Other than that, Aluminum Hydroxide also often shows up in composite pigment technologies where it is used the other way around (as the base material and not as the coating material) and helps to achieve higher color coverage with less pigment .
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
The extract coming from ginger , the lovely spice that we all know from the kitchen. It is also a medicinal plant used both in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for pretty much everything you can imagine (muscular pain, sore throat, nausea, fever or cramps,  just to give a few examples). As for ginger and skincare, the root extract contains the biologically active component called gingerol that has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties . Combined with Bisabolol , the duo works synergistically to sooth the skin and take down redness. Other than that, ginger also contains moisturizing polysaccharides, amino acids, and sugars , and it is also quite well known to increase blood circulation and have a toning effect. Last but not least, Ginger also has some volatile, essential oil compounds (1-3%). Those are mostly present in ginger oil , but small amounts might be in the extract as well ( around 0.5% based on manufacturer info ).
Disodium EDTA
Super common little helper ingredient that helps products to remain nice and stable for a longer time . It does so by neutralizing the metal ions in the formula (that usually get into there from water) that would otherwise cause some not so nice changes. It is typically used in tiny amounts, around 0.1% or less.
Methyl Trimethicone
Methyl Trimethicone is a very light, volatile silicone (it evaporates from the skin rather than absorbs into it) that's similar to super commonly used Cyclopentasiloxane but it dries even faster when applied to the skin.
Dibutyl Ethylhexanoyl Glutamide
An amino acid (L-Glutamic acid) based oil gelling agent that magically turns liquid oils into nice gels. Often used togeather with fellow amino-acid based oil gelling agent, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide .