Buyers Guide – Skincare Ingredients

Buyers Guide – Skincare Ingredients

At Pure Shave, we believe that by knowing more about the ingredients used in the skincare industry, you can make better decisions for your health and wellbeing. Although we’ve previously covered our “hero ingredients” in our blog, here we’ll be listing other ingredients, many of which aren’t found in our products.

So, the next time you’re thinking about adding a skincare product to your basket, have a quick scan of this list and know what you’re buying.

A

Alcohol Denat – a preservative alcohol that may dry out skin and hair

B

Beeswax – a natural wax with moisturising and antibacterial properties

Behenyl Alcohol – a fatty alcohol that emulsifies ingredients and moisturises

Benzyl Alcohol – a preservative alcohol that may dry out skin and hair

Cetearyl Alcohol – a fatty alcohol that emulsifies ingredients and moisturises

Cetyl Alcohol – a fatty alcohol that emulsifies ingredients and moisturises

Cocamidopropyl Betaine – a gentle, plant-derived alternative to SLS

Coconut Oil – a natural moisturising oil sourced from coconuts – as used in Pure Shave shaving cream

D

Disodium Lauryl Succinate – a gentle cleansing agent and alternative to SLS

E

Ethanol – a preservative alcohol that may dry out skin and hair

G

Glycerin – a moisturising humectant that is produced from vegetable oils

Glyceryl Stearate – from the glycerin family, a humectant moisturiser that increases skin absorption

I

Isopropyl Alcohol – a preservative alcohol that may dry out skin and hair

L

Lanolin – an emollient moisturiser from sheep’s wool

M

Methanol – a preservative alcohol that may dry out skin and hair

P

Parabens – a group of preservatives that may be harmful to humans

Paraffinum Liquidum – mineral oil that provides a protective layer on the skin

Phenoxyethanol – a preservative derived from green tea, or synthesised in a lab

Propylene Glycol – from the glycerin family, a humectant moisturiser that increases skin absorption

S

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – a detergent agent that strips moisture from hair and skin

Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate – a gentle, plant-derived alternative to SLS

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate – a stabilising ingredient for blending oil and water-based ingredients

Stearyl Alcohol – a fatty alcohol that emulsifies ingredients and moisturises

Sweet Almond Oil – a natural moisturising oil sourced from almonds

T

Tallow – a non-vegan animal product used to make soap

X

Xanthan Gum – a thickening, stabilising ingredient for blending oil and water-based ingredients