Common ingredients used in cosmetics include antibacterial and preservative agents like triclocarban and triclosan to protect products and bacteriostatic activity. Colorants are also widely used for decorative purposes and include inorganic pigments like iron oxides, titanium dioxide, and organic pigments. Emollients help maintain skin's softness and include lipids, oils, fatty acid esters, and silicones. Humectants like glycerin are used to increase skin's water content. Ceramides and lipids from sources like coconut oil are used as emollients. Moisturizers hold water on skin using ingredients like glycerin and aloe. Thickeners and polymers form different

1. Mohammad Asim
+919953194659
Common ingredients used in cosmetics
1.ANTI BACTERIAL AND PRESERVATIVES:
The term “antibacterial agent” is largely used to qualify chemical agents, which are included in
cosmetics or household products to provide them-
I. Bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity
II. To protect the product by providing a preservative efficacy against micro-organisms
TOPICAL ANTIMICROBIAL PRODUCTS:
 Triclocarban (TCC) Most antibacterial soap bar contains TCC as the active ingredient.
 Formaldehyde In the past, antibacterial soap bars were prepared with formaldehyde.
 These were very effective for hospital use, but the use of formaldehyde declined due to
toxicity reasons.
 Triclosan- Currently a max of 1% of the liquid soaps are formulated with triclosan. Safety
of the regular use of TCC and triclosan were extensively discussed by FDA.
2. COLORANTS:
 The use of coloring agents for decorative purpose is one of the earliest cultural
accomplishments of humankind.
 The dramatic boom in the development of color industry led to numerous new colorants
and pigments.
 Inorganic pigments are used in large quantities.
 In coloring decorative cosmetics several products are of vital importance: e.g. titanium
dioxide is most important white pigment
 Iron oxides and iron hydroxides for the colors yellow, red and black, ultramarine
especially in blue and violet, Prussian blue, coal black.
 By combining iron oxides with titanium dioxide various brown tones can be created in
makeup and toning creams
 The most significant colorant is composed of the organic colorants and pigments
 Mainly these are azo, triarylmethane, anthraquinone, xanthene or phthalocyanine
colorants and pigments
3. EMOLLIENTS:
 Cosmetic ingredients which help to maintain the soft, smooth and pliable appearance
of the skin
 Obtained from natural origin or by chemical synthesis
EMOLIENT CLASSIFICATION:
1: polar substances (esters and triglycerides)
2: non polar substances (paraffins and iso paraffins)

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+919953194659
As a class they comprise lipids, oils and their derivatives, fatty acid esters, lanolin derivatives and
silicones.
LIPOPHILLIC EMOLLIENTS AND OCCULUSIVES:
 They comprise vegetable oils, triglycerides, mineral oil, natural or synthetic waxes, fatty
acid esters, lanolin oil and its derivatives
 Commonly used in liquid skin cleansing products
HYDROPHLLIC LIPIDS:
 Preferred for foaming skin cleansing preparations
 It includes ethoxylated glycerides, low ethoxylates triglycerides, ethoxylated mono and di
glycerides, propoxylated fatty alcohols
4. HUMECTANTS:
 Cosmetic ingredients intended to increase the water content of top layers of skin
 Examples includes glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, xylitol, ethoxylated methyl
glucose, lactic acid, sodium lactate
5. CERAMIDES AND LIPIDS:
 The majority of emollients used in personal care and beauty items are fats and oils, also
called lipids.
 Many of the major cosmetic companies are moving away from animal-based materials to
renewable vegetable-based materials.
 Coconut oil and palm kernel oil are often used.
6. MOISTURIZERS:
 Moisturizers are generally polar materials that are hygroscopic in nature they hold onto
water
 Glycerin is a very cost-effective ingredient used to help reduce trans epidermal water loss
(TEWL).
 Aloe contains a mixture of polysaccharides, carbohydrates, and minerals, is an excellent
moisturizer
7. THICKENERS:
 By incorporating enough wax into a thin lotion, a thick cream can be formed.
 Many thickeners are polymers e.g. cellulose and Carbopol. Carrageenan, pectin, and locust
bean gum are all examples of cosmetic thickeners.
8. ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
 Materials that work physiologically within the skin or aid in protecting the skin are called
active ingredients.

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+919953194659
 Some active materials are added to skin treatments to protect the skin from the
environment.
 Dimethicone and petrolatum are examples of skin protectants.
 Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are important ingredients because of their anti-acne
activity.
9. SUNSCREENS:
 Sunscreens are a class of compounds that protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation.
 Octyl methoxycinnamate, octyl salicylate, titanium dioxide and avobenzone are some
important topical sunscreens.
 They can be classified depending upon the wavelengths they absorb.
 Benzophenone-4, a water-soluble UV filter, is commonly used to protect the skin from
UV-A and UV-B ultraviolet light.