yavuzyilmaz/cosmetic-ingredients huggingface dataset:
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
A biotechnologically derived ingredient that is produced by the fermentation of a marine bacteria living in the cold Antarctic Ocean. According to the manufacturer's info, it seems to have two different sets of magic properties: The first set includes skin-protecting and anti-aging abilities : it can help to protect the skin from dryness and redness due to cold weather and it also promotes skin regeneration and smoother skin surface by stimulating protein synthesis in the skin.  More specifically, these proteins are type I and IV collagen and elastin, all super important stuff for wrinkle-free, young looking skin (though these results came only from in-vitro tests and might or might not apply to living human skin). As for in-vivo (tested on real people) efficacy, 1% Antarcticine (the trade name for the diluted version of the Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract) cream increased skin hydration by 14.8% in cold weather and 5% Antarcticine cream decreased the depth of wrinkles by 44% around the eyes. The second set of magic properties are all about oily skin regulation , such as reducing sebum production, shininess , and pore size . It acts through reducing Melanocortin 5 receptor , a protein important in sebum production. According to the in-vivo tests of the manufacturer, it both immediately reduces skin gloss as well as significantly reduces the number of active follicles and their total surface with ongoing use (by 9.5% and 27.2% after 28 days). Overall, an interesting, multifunctional ingredient both for anti-aging as well as oily skin control purposes.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Super common ingredient in all kinds of cleansing products: face and body washes, shampoos and foam baths. Number one reason for its popularity has to do with bubbles . Everyone loves bubbles. And cocamidopropyl betaine is great at stabilizing them. The other reason is that it’s mild and works very well combined with other cleansing agents and surfactants. The art of cleansing is usually to balance between properly cleansing but not over-cleansing and cocamidopropyl betaine is helpful in pulling off this balance right. Oh, and one more nice thing: even though it’s synthetic it’s highly biodegradable. More info on CAPB on Collins Beaty Pages .
Silica
A white powdery thing that's the major component of glass and sand. In cosmetics, it’s often in products that are supposed to keep your skin matte as it has great oil-absorbing abilities. It’s also used as a helper ingredient to thicken up products or suspend insoluble particles.
Citral
It’s a common fragrance ingredient that smells like lemon and has a bittersweet taste.  It can be found in many plant oils, e.g. lemon, orange, lime or lemongrass. It’s one of the “EU 26 fragrances” that has to be labelled separately (and cannot be simply included in the term “fragrance/perfume” on the label) because of allergen potential. Best to avoid if your skin is sensitive.
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
A common fragrance ingredient that has a nice floral scent and also goes by the name Lilial. It is a known fragrance allergen and as of 1st of March 2022, it has been banned in the EU due to animal studies showing a possible link to infertility (in rats - so no need to panic even if you used a product before with Butylphenyl Methylpropional).
Benzyl Alcohol
It's one of those things that help your cosmetics not to go wrong too soon, aka a preservative . It can be naturally found in fruits and teas but can also be made synthetically. No matter the origin, in small amounts (up to 1%) it’s a nice, gentle preservative. Has to be combined with some other nice preservatives, like potassium sorbate to be broad spectrum enough. In high amounts, it can be a skin irritant, but don’t worry, it’s never used in high amounts.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
It’s probably the most common cleansing ingredient of all . It’s usually the Chief Bubble Officer responsible for big bubbles in cleansing products through the foam it creates is a bit airy and loose and not as dense and luxurious as the foam created by infamous SLS . As for mildness, it goes somewhere in the middle. It’s often confused with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) , but they are absolutely not the same. The SLES molecule has a bigger water-soluble head part that makes it milder and much less irritating. It is considered absolutely ok in the amount used in cosmetic products, though if you are looking for a mild facial cleanser, you have better chances with a formula without SLES. For an average shower gel? SLES works just fine.
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
It’s a common fragrance ingredient that is one of the “EU 26 fragrances” that has to be labelled separately (and cannot be simply included in the term “fragrance/perfume” on the label) because of allergen potential. Best to avoid if your skin is sensitive.
Coumarin
A common fragrance ingredient that has a sweet, vanilla, nutty scent . When diluted it smells like freshly-mown hay. It’s one of the “EU 26 fragrances” that has to be labelled separately (and cannot be simply included in the term “fragrance/perfume” on the label) because of allergen potential. Best to avoid if your skin is sensitive.
Stearic Acid
A common multi-tasker fatty acid . It makes your skin feel nice and smooth ( emollient ), gives body to cream type products and helps to stabilize water and oil mixes (aka emulsions).
Ci 77891
Ci 77891 is the color code of titanium dioxide. It's a white pigment with great color consistency and dispersibility.
Ci 77491
Red Iron Oxide is the super common pigment that gives the familiar, "rust" red color . It is also the one that gives the pink tones in your foundation. Chemically speaking, it is iron III oxide (Fe2O3).
Sodium PCA
PCA stands for Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid and though it might not sound like it, it is a thing that can be found naturally in our skin. The sodium salt form of PCA is an important skin-identical ingredient and great natural moisturizer that helps the skin to hold onto water and stay nicely hydrated.
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Chamomile probably needs no introduction as it's one of the most widely used medicinal herbs . You probably drink it regularly as a nice, calming cup of tea and it's also a regular on skincare ingredient lists. Cosmetic companies use it mainly for its anti-inflammatory properties . It contains the terpenoids chamazulene and bisabolol both of which show great anti-inflammatory action in animal studies. On top of that chamomile also has some antioxidant activity (thanks to some other active ingredients called matricine, apigenin and luteolin). Though chamomile is usually a goodie for the skin, it's also not uncommon to have an allergic reaction to it.
Ci 77499
Black Iron Oxide is the super common inorganic (as in no carbon atom in the molecule) pigment that controls the darkness of your foundation or gives the blackness to your mascara. Blended with red and black iron oxides, it is essential in all "flesh-toned" makeup products. Chemically speaking, it is a mixture of iron II and iron III oxide. Btw, this guy, unlike the yellow and red pigments, is magnetic.
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Unless you live under a rock you must have heard about shea butter . It's probably the most hyped up natural butter in skincare today. It comes from the seeds of African Shea or Karite Trees and used as a magic moisturizer and emollient . But it's not only a simple emollient, it regenerates and soothes the skin, protects it from external factors (such as UV rays or wind) and is also rich in antioxidants (among others vitamin A, E, F, quercetin and epigallocatechin gallate). If you are looking for rich emollient benefits + more, shea is hard to beat.
Acetyl Glucosamine
An amino acid sugar that can be found in the skin and does there good and important things. One of them is that it's a precursor for the biosynthesis of superstar moisturizer, hyaluronic acid . So acetyl glucosamine itself is also an important skin-identical ingredient and natural moisturizing factor . But that is not all, acetyl glucosamine has two other great properties proved by double-blind clinical trials. First, it's a promising ingredient against wrinkles: 2% can improve wrinkles, particularly in the eye area. Second, the same amount can also fade - always stubborn - brown spots. (Do not expect magic, though - the photos from the study show the difference after 8 weeks of daily use. The difference is visible, but not that big. It's always good to have realistic expectations. :))  Combined with skincare superstar niacinamide the duo is synergistic and is more effective at improving hyperpigmentation, so if you are after the skin-lightening benefit look out for products that contain both.
Polyquaternium-10
A cellulose derived polymer (a big molecule that consists of many parts) that can help to thicken up products , form a nice film on the skin or hair and is considered to be an excellent hair conditioner .
Ubiquinone
Thanks to Nivea, Q10 is a pretty well-known ingredient and the fame and Beiersdorf's (the parent company of Nivea) obsession with it are not for no reason. It's an antioxidant found naturally in human cells where it plays a big role in energy production . In fact, it's so important for energy production that if taken as an oral supplement it has a caffeine-like effect and if taken at night you will probably not sleep very well (so you should take it in the morning). Q10 supplementation is not a bad idea: it not only gives you energy but research also shows that oral Q10 increases the Q10 level of the skin (of course, it decreases with age like pretty much every good thing in the skin) and may help to reduce wrinkles . If you are not for supplements, dietary sources include fish, spinach, and nuts. As for skincare, Q10 comes in the form of a yellow, oil-soluble powder that's shown to absorb into the upper layer of the skin and act there like an awesome antioxidant. It not only has preventative effects but might also be able to reduce the depth of wrinkles , though 0.3% Q10 was used in the study that counts as really high (products containing that much should be very yellow!).
Genistein
Genistein is a super active component of soybean . It has very potent antioxidant abilities and is proven to inhibit UVB-induced redness in human skin. It is a phytoestrogen (a plant-derived molecule with estrogenic effect) so it is especially useful for situations when natural estrogen levels are low, such as during and after menopause . Low estrogen levels can cause skin thinning and collagen loss and genistein might be able to help with that.
Cetyl Alcohol
A so-called fatty (the good, non-drying kind of) alcohol that does all kinds of things in a skincare product: it makes your skin feel smooth and nice (emollient), helps to thicken up products and also helps water and oil to blend (emulsifier). Can be derived from coconut or palm kernel oil.
Ascorbyl Glucoside
A form of skincare superstar, vitamin C . If you do not know why vitamin C is such a big deal in skincare, we have a really detailed, geeky description that's good to read. :) So now you know that because pure vitamin C is such a diva (very unstable and hard to formulate) the cosmetic industry is trying to come up with some derivatives that have the badass anti-aging properties of vitamin C (antioxidant protection + collagen boosting + fading hyperpigmentation) but without the disadvantages. This is a hard task, and there is not yet a derivative that is really proven to be better in every aspect, but Ascorbyl Glucoside is one of the best options when it comes to vitamin C derivatives . Let's see why: First, it's really stable and easy to formulate, so the problems that come with pure vitamin C are solved here. Second, in vitro (meaning made in the lab, not on real humans) studies show that ascorbyl glucoside can penetrate the skin . This is kind of important for an anti-aging ingredient to do the job, so this is good news, though in-vivo (made on real humans) studies are still needed. Third, in-vitro studies show that after ascorbyl glucoside is absorbed into the skin it is converted to pure vitamin C (though the rate of conversion is still a question mark). It also shows all the three anti-aging benefits (antioxidant protection + collagen boosting + fading hyperpigmentation) that pure vitamin C does . Bottom line : ascorbyl glucoside is one of the best and most promising vitamin C derivatives that shows similar benefits to that of pure vitamin C, but it's less proven (in vivo vs. in vitro studies) and the extent of the benefits are also not the same.
Epigallocatechin Gallate
If EGCG does not tell you anything, green tea sure does. We have written about green tea in excruciating details, so if you wanna become an expert in the "green tea in skincare" topic, click here and read it . So now you know that EGCG is the magic ingredient in green tea. It's the most active polyphenol that green tea owes most of its magic properties to. It's a fantastic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic agent. Be happy, if you spot it on the ingredient list.
Glycyrrhiza Glabra  Root Extract
You might know licorice as a sweet treat from your childhood, but it's actually a legume that grows around the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East, central and southern Russia. It's sweet and yellow and not only used for licorice all sorts but it's also a skincare superstar thanks to two magic properties: Nr. 1 magic property is that it has skin-lightening or to say it another way depigmenting properties. The most active part is called glabridin . The topical application (meaning when you put it on your face) of 0.5% glabridin was shown to inhibit UVB caused pigmentation of guinea pigs. Another study even suggested that licorice is more effective than the gold standard skin-lightening agent hydroquinone. All in all, licorice is considered to be one of the safest skin lightening agents with the fewest side effects . There is just one catch regarding glabridin and licorice: the amount of glabridin in commercial licorice extracts can vary a lot. We have seen extracts with only 4% glabridin as well as 40% glabridin. The latter one is a very-very expensive ingredient, so if you are after the depigmenting properties try to choose a product that boasts its high-quality licorice extract. Nr. 2 magic property is that licorice is a potent anti-inflammatory . Glabridin has also some soothing properties but the main active anti-inflammatory component is glycyrrhizin . It’s used to treat several skin diseases that are connected to inflammation including atopic dermatitis, rosacea or eczema. Oh, and one more thing: glabridin seems to be also an antioxidant, which is just one more reason to be happy about licorice root extract on an ingredient list. Bottom line : Licorice is a great skincare ingredient with significant depigmenting, anti-inflammatory and even some antioxidant properties. Be happy if it's on the ingredient list. :)
Ci 77492
Yellow Iron Oxide is the super common inorganic (as in no carbon atom in the molecule) pigment that gives the yellow tones in your foundation. Blended with red and black iron oxides, it is essential in all "flesh-toned" makeup products. Chemically speaking, it is hydrated iron III oxide and depending on the conditions of manufacture, it can range from a light lemon to an orange-yellow shade .
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
The salt form of one of the main anti-inflammatory ingredients in the licorice plant, monoammonium glycyrrhizinate. It’s a yellowish powder with a nice sweet smell. It’s used mainly for its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties , but according to manufacturer info, it’s also sebum regulating so it's a perfect ingredient for problem skin products. Read more about licorice and why it's a skincare superstar here.
Carnosine
Though its name does not reveal it, Carnosine is a peptide , a small, two amino acid (β-Ala-His) one. It is naturally present in high concentrations in muscle and brain tissues, but the one used in cosmetic products is biomimetic, meaning that it is synthetically produced in a lab to copy the natural thing. A 2017 review paper on topical peptides writes about Carnosine that it is a " well-documented aqueous antioxidant with wound healing activity ". Other than that we can write about manufacturer-done in-vitro (in the lab, not on real people) studies that show Carnosine to have anti-glycation properties . Glycation is the not-so-nice process that happens when we bombard our body with too much sugar that results in damaged body proteins and eventually in more wrinkles. Also, a manufacturer done in vitro study shows that carnosine might have collagen-boosing magic power. However, the 2017 research paper also mentions that even though Carnosine is a small molecule, it is water soluble and does not penetrate the skin past the top layers so we have some doubt if the collagen-boosting works in real life. We could find one anti-aging study made on real people that mentions Carnosine, but it was combined with a bunch of other anti-aging actives so it is pretty much impossible to know what Carnosine did or did not. One last thing to mention is that there is also a manufacturer done clinical study (done on real people) that shows carnosine being effective against the damages caused by infrared (IR) radiation . ( source )
Polyquaternium-51
A biocompatible copolymer (a big molecule that consists of more than one type of building blocks) that has the same structure as important cell membrane ingredient, phospholipid . Polyquaternium-51 is a good skin moisturizer , leaves a silky, smooth feel on the skin and can help to reduce irritation caused by some not-so-nice ingredients (like surfactants).
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
A nice plant extract that's used as a traditional oriental medicine in China and Korea . A 2006 study examined the cosmetic properties of the  polysaccharide extract and found a couple of promising things: The main components of the extract are water-binding sugars, namely  rhamnose, galactose, and glucose. After this, it's not very surprising that the extract itself is also a great skin moisturizer almost as good as superstar NMF, hyaluronic acid . But that's not all: the researchers also found that Ulmus extract has promising anti-inflammatory and photoprotective properties. Seems like a goodie plant extract.
Piper Methysticum Leaf/​Root/​Stem Extract
Kava kava is a crop of the western Pacific that has some analgesic (painkiller) properties . According to Paula's Choice , it can also cause skin irritation . A 2009 safety assessment of the ingredient concluded that "the available data are insufficient to support the safety of these ingredients in cosmetics".
Betaine
A sugar beet-derived amino acid derivative with nice skin protection and moisturization properties . Betaine's special thing is being an osmolyte , a molecule that helps to control cell-water balance .  It is also a natural osmoprotectant, meaning that it attracts water away from the protein surface and thus protects them from denaturation and increases their thermodynamic stability. It also gives sensorial benefits to the formula and when used in cleansers, it helps to make them milder and gentler.
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
It's the seed extract of a plant called amaranth or love-lies-bleeding. It's a really ancient plant grown by Aztecs, Incas and Mayas as their main food and they called it “the golden grain”. They believed it had supernatural powers. Nowadays it's a popular health food because the seeds have great nutritional benefits and are high in protein. As for skincare there are two types of the seed extract: 1, The aqueous extract contains a high concentration of peptides and polysaccharides and helps to improve the combability and manageability of damaged hair . 2. The oily extract is more common and acts as other similar emollient plant oils. It's rich in non-saturated fatty acids (linoleic acid/omega-6 and oleic acid/omega-9) and squalene and is a great moisturizer and emollient for both skin and hair.
Hydrogenated Lecithin
It's the chemically chopped up version of normal lecithin . Most often it's used to create liposomes and to coat and stabilize other ingredients.
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
It's the chemically chopped up version of corn starch. According to manufacturer info it helps to keep formulas together (binding), and improves foam quality (makes nice, creamy foam :)). It's also a blend of poly- and monosaccharides and works as a skin moisturizer giving products a nice soft feel.
Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
A traditional East Asian medicine that has a couple of recent studies to back up its positive effects on the skin. It seems to have potent anti-inflammatory activity , it's a mild antioxidant and also has strong anti-bacterial effect for acne causing bacteria, Propionibacterium acne.
Trehalose
A type of sugar that has water-binding properties and helps to keep your skin hydrated .
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Beetroot is a beautifully colored vegetable that you probably know from the kitchen. As for skincare - according to manufacturer info - it works as a natural moisturizer that might be able to increase the concentration of NMFs (natural moisturizing factors) in the upper layer of the skin giving skin both immediate and longer term hydration. According to Paula's Choice , it's also a colorant and a source of antioxidants .
Cassia Alata Leaf Extract
Candle tree is a nice plant with beautiful yellow flowers that's native to Mexico. It's a medicinal tree that has very effective fungicidal properties and is used traditionally to treat fungal infections of the skin. Modern studies confirm antimicrobial as well as anti-inflammatory activity of the tree. According to manufacturer info it's even a great anti-aging plant extract that gives DNA protection from UV rays and supports the natural repairing process of the skin cells.
Tromethamine
It's a little helper ingredient that helps to set the pH of the products to be right. It has an alkaline pH and can neutralize acidic ingredients.
Acetic Acid
The acid found in vinegar . Can be a skin irritant and drying in larger amounts but in tiny amounts, it's used to set the pH of the cosmetic formula. Has also some disinfecting properties.
Hexapeptide-9
An anti-aging peptide that can visibly reduce the length and depth of wrinkles, at least according to its manufacturer . In vitro (meaning it was done in the lab, not on real people) studies show that it enhances epidermal regeneration, collagen type I and III synthesis as well as the synthesis of other important skin proteins.
Methylisothiazolinone
As you may guess, if something is only recommended in products that you rinse off (cleansers and shampoos), then it’s probably not the best ingredient for the skin. Methylisothiazolinone (MI) is a preservative that' super efficient against bacteria at surprisingly low concentrations. The problem with it though is that it can also sensitize and irritate the skin quite easily when it comes in leave-on formulas. Currently, some countries are considering to ban it entirely (like Denmark ) and the permitted use level is very low ( under 0.01% ). Luckily there are plenty of products on the market with other preservative options so if you are a better safe than sorry type it's probably best to avoid it.
1,2-Hexanediol
A really multi-functional helper ingredient that can do several things in a skincare product: it can bring a soft and pleasant feel to the formula, it can act as a humectant and emollient , it can be a solvent for some other ingredients (for example it can help to stabilize perfumes in watery products) and it can also help to disperse pigments more evenly in makeup products. And that is still not all: it can also boost the antimicrobial activity of preservatives .
Ci 19140
Ci 19140  or Tartrazine is a super common colorant in skincare, makeup, medicine & food. It’s a synthetic lemon yellow that's used alone or mixed with other colors for special shades. FDA says it's possible, but rare, to have an allergic-type reaction to a color additive. As an example, it mentions that Ci 19140 may cause itching and hives in some people but the colorant is always labeled so that you can avoid it if you are sensitive.