Plum 3% Vitamin C Moisturizer with Mandarin (50 ml)

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Loosens corneocyte adhesion in the stratum corneum, accelerating cell turnover, refining skin texture, and improving radiance.

Why It's Used: Organic acids at cosmetic ph values provide controlled keratolytic exfoliation that improves skin texture, pore appearance, and radiance without mechanical irritation.

How It Works: At appropriate ph, the acid's undissociated form penetrates the stratum corneum and dissolves the ionic bonds between corneocyte desmosomes (calcium chelation mechanism), facilitating controlled desquamation and cell renewal.

Typically Found In: Toners,exfoliants,serums,peels,cleansers

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Exfoliants

Secondary Functions: Brightening,keratolytic

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.5–20%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Synthetic or plant-derived acid; no animal components.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 2

Comedogenicity Rating: 0

Sensitivity Concerns: May cause irritation or stinging in sensitive or barrier-compromised skin at high concentrations; patch test recommended.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Conditional

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Safe within recommended ph and concentration ranges. sensitization risk increases above 10% aha. patch test recommended for sensitive skin. mildly irritating to some individuals at typical cosmetic use concentrations.

Works Well With: Niacinamide,hyaluronic acid,ceramides,vitamin c

Avoid Combining With: High concentrations on sensitive/broken skin; avoid with physical exfoliants

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Cosmetic acids function at the pka boundary: only the undissociated acid (rcooh) penetrates the stratum corneum lipid barrier, while the ionized carboxylate (rcoo⁻) does not. the henderson-hasselbalch equation governs the fraction of active species at formulation ph; typically 0.5–3.0% undissociated acid provides efficacy while minimizing irritation.

Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature

Primary Sources: 2025-01-15

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Delivers characteristic cosmetic function — skin conditioning, protection, preservation, or active biological benefit — at recommended use concentration.

Why It's Used: Selected for its functional contribution and formulation compatibility — supported by cosmetic science literature and regulatory safety assessment.

How It Works: Works through the mechanism of its molecular class — physicochemical interaction with the formulation or biological interaction with skin proteins, lipids, or receptors as documented in peer-reviewed literature.

Typically Found In: Skin care formulations

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – cosmetic active

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%–10%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Conditional

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Aloe barbadensis leaf juice delivers documented functional benefit with an established safety profile within the cosmetic regulatory framework (cosing eu, cir usa).

Last Verified: Cosing database,aloe barbadensis leaf juice technical literature

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Delivers targeted skin-conditioning or bioactive benefits through a specific mechanism of action suited to the formulation's intended purpose.

Why It's Used: Specialty actives address specific skin concerns through targeted molecular mechanisms, providing efficacy beyond what base formulation ingredients alone can achieve.

How It Works: The bioactive compound interacts with specific molecular targets in skin cells or the extracellular matrix — enzymes, receptors, structural proteins, or signaling molecules — triggering beneficial biological responses.

Typically Found In: Serums,treatments,moisturizers,specialty products

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Specialty actives

Secondary Functions: Skin-conditioning,anti-aging

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.01–5%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Specialty active ingredient; check individual sourcing for vegan status.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1

Comedogenicity Rating: 0

Sensitivity Concerns: Low sensitization potential at recommended use concentrations.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Well-characterized cosmetic ingredient with established safety profile. generally non-irritating at typical use concentrations. suitable for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics.

Works Well With: Niacinamide,hyaluronic acid,vitamin c,peptides

Avoid Combining With: Incompatible with oxidizing agents; check ph stability

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Specialty actives typically work through enzyme inhibition (e.g., tyrosinase inhibition for brightening, mmp inhibition for anti-aging), receptor activation (e.g., retinoid receptors, ppar-γ for barrier genes), or transcription factor modulation (e.g., nrf2 for antioxidant gene upregulation). structure-activity relationships determine potency and selectivity.

Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature

Primary Sources: 2025-01-15

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides dual fragrance and preservative activity as an aromatic alcohol.

Why It's Used: Multi-function ingredient serving as both fragrance component and preservative – reduces formulation complexity by providing both functions in one ingredient.

How It Works: Phenylcarbinol provides antimicrobial activity via membrane disruption (effective vs gram-positive bacteria and moulds). solvent for fragrances and difficult-to-dissolve actives. mild oxidative conversion to benzaldehyde provides sweet almond-like fragrance.

Typically Found In: Fragrances,preserved cosmetics,solvent systems

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Fragrance component / preservative

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.001%–1% (fragrance); up to 1% as preservative

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – from toluene, or jasmine absolute

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Eu cosmetics regulation: declared fragrance allergen. also listed as approved preservative (annex v, max 1%). dual regulatory status (fragrance + preservative) depending on function and concentration.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Benzyl alcohol's dual regulatory status (fragrance allergen and approved preservative) creates a formulation paradox: it must be listed as a fragrance allergen if present >0.001% (leave-on) regardless of whether it was added for fragrance or preservation. this regulatory dual identity means a preservative added for antimicrobial function triggers the same allergen declaration requirement as a fragrance added for scent.

Last Verified: Cosing database,ifra standards,eu preservative annex v

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides osmoprotective humectant conditioning with anti-irritant and mild foam-boosting activity.

Why It's Used: Natural-origin multifunctional osmolyte from sugar beet providing hydration, anti-irritancy, and conditioning in virtually every cosmetic category.

How It Works: Quaternary ammonium betaine provides zwitterionic character for water binding via ionic hydration. osmoprotective function at 100–500mm as compatible solute protecting cells from osmotic stress. reduces surfactant irritation by competing with sls for protein binding sites. mild foam enhancement.

Typically Found In: Virtually all categories — moisturisers, shampoos, cleansers

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Functional ingredient – humectant

Secondary Functions: Tewl reduction,skin plumping

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.5%–10%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – from beta vulgaris (sugar beet) molasses

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Synthetic or naturally derived. excellent aqueous solubility.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Ceramides,emollients,occlusives,glycerin,hyaluronic acid

Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Betaine's anti-irritant mechanism for surfactant systems involves competitive protein protection: betaine at high concentrations preferentially interacts with skin proteins, occupying binding sites that would otherwise be occupied by surfactant molecules causing protein denaturation. this competition reduces available protein binding for irritating surfactants, explaining betaine's well-documented ability to reduce sls irritation when co-formulated.

Last Verified: Cosing database,craig betaine osmoprotective review,cir safety assessment

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Delivers targeted skin-conditioning or bioactive benefits through a specific mechanism of action suited to the formulation's intended purpose.

Why It's Used: Specialty actives address specific skin concerns through targeted molecular mechanisms, providing efficacy beyond what base formulation ingredients alone can achieve.

How It Works: The bioactive compound interacts with specific molecular targets in skin cells or the extracellular matrix — enzymes, receptors, structural proteins, or signaling molecules — triggering beneficial biological responses.

Typically Found In: Serums,treatments,moisturizers,specialty products

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Specialty actives

Secondary Functions: Skin-conditioning,anti-aging

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.01–5%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Specialty active ingredient; check individual sourcing for vegan status.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1

Comedogenicity Rating: 0

Sensitivity Concerns: Low sensitization potential at recommended use concentrations.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Well-characterized cosmetic ingredient with established safety profile. generally non-irritating at typical use concentrations. suitable for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics.

Works Well With: Niacinamide,hyaluronic acid,vitamin c,peptides

Avoid Combining With: Incompatible with oxidizing agents; check ph stability

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Specialty actives typically work through enzyme inhibition (e.g., tyrosinase inhibition for brightening, mmp inhibition for anti-aging), receptor activation (e.g., retinoid receptors, ppar-γ for barrier genes), or transcription factor modulation (e.g., nrf2 for antioxidant gene upregulation). structure-activity relationships determine potency and selectivity.

Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature

Primary Sources: 2025-01-15

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides the most potent antimicrobial diol activity alongside skin feel enhancement.

Why It's Used: Premium antimicrobial diol — caprylyl glycol's c8 chain provides the strongest membrane-disrupting antimicrobial activity of common diol preservative boosters with unique skin-feel enhancement.

How It Works: C8 1,2-diol: c8 chain length provides strongest bacterial and fungal membrane disruption of common diols. emollient skin feel improvement from c8 chain length interaction with skin surface. active at lower concentrations than shorter-chain diols. synergistic with ethylhexylglycerin.

Typically Found In: Natural preservation systems,skin feel enhancement

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Functional ingredient – antimicrobial humectant

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%–1%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – synthetic

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Caprylyl glycol's antimicrobial potency follows the chain-length dependent membrane activity of fatty acids: c8 is the optimal chain length for membrane disruption (same as caprylic acid's antimicrobial optimum), providing maximum membrane integration without the skin sensitisation associated with longer chain lengths. this chain-length pharmacophore relationship is why c8 > c6 > c5 in diol antimicrobial potency despite identical head group chemistry.

Last Verified: Cosing database,schülke sensiva sc 50 technical data,cir safety assessment

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Adjusts ph to optimal ranges, chelates destabilizing metal ions, provides mild exfoliation at higher concentrations.

Why It's Used: Universal cosmetic ph adjuster and chelating agent. aha exfoliant activity is secondary.

How It Works: As ph adjuster, donates protons. as chelating agent, three carboxylic groups bind divalent metals (ca²⁺, mg²⁺, fe²⁺) preventing oxidative degradation.

Typically Found In: Nearly all cosmetic formulations,brightening products,exfoliants

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – alpha hydroxy acid (aha)

Secondary Functions: Chelating agent,ph adjustment,preservation enhancement

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%–10%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – synthetic or fermentation-derived

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Produced by fermentation of sugars by aspergillus niger. gras (e330). most abundant organic acid in citrus.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low at low concentrations; 2/5 at exfoliant concentrations

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Photosensitizing – mandatory spf use. start at low frequency.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Use with caution – spf required

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Safe at otc concentrations. eu: ≤10% leave-on at ph ≥3.5. mandatory spf advisory.

Works Well With: Niacinamide,ceramides,hyaluronic acid,spf

Avoid Combining With: Retinol in same step; multiple exfoliants simultaneously

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Three carboxylic acid groups provide multiple proton donation sites and stronger chelation than monocarboxylic ahas. this makes citric acid the preferred cosmetic chelating agent alongside edta.

Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,ewg skin deep

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides molecular encapsulation for improved solubility, stability, and controlled release of challenging cosmetic actives.

Why It's Used: Molecular encapsulation technology — beta-cyclodextrin's toroidal cavity provides a hydrophobic microenvironment for solubilising and stabilising oil-soluble actives in aqueous formulations.

How It Works: 7 glucose units in cyclic toroidal structure provide 6.0-6.5å inner cavity. hydrophobic interior complexes lipophilic guest molecules. complexation improves water solubility (guest molecule becomes water-dispersible), stability (protection from oxidation and hydrolysis), and controlled release (guest releases gradually by diffusion). outer hydrophilic face provides water compatibility.

Typically Found In: Active delivery systems,fragrance encapsulation,stability-challenged actives

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Functional ingredient – inclusion complex host

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%–10%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – from starch (corn, potato)

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Beta-cyclodextrin's pharmaceutical drug delivery applications (dozens of fda-approved cd-drug complexes) provide unparalleled safety and efficacy documentation for a cosmetic excipient. the same cd technology that delivers cholesterol-lowering drugs and antifungals in pharmaceutical formulations enables cosmetic actives to be delivered more effectively — a pharmaceutical innovation directly adapted to cosmetic performance enhancement.

Last Verified: Cosing database,loftsson & brewster cyclodextrin review

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12