Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

We don't have a description for Isodecyl Neopentanoate yet.

Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.

Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.

Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.

Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.

This silicone is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.

It is not soluble in water and helps increase water-resistance in products.

PEG/PPG-19/19 Dimethicone is a type of silicone.

This ingredient is a solvent, texture enhancer, and emollient.

Solvents help other ingredients dissolve in a product. It adds a 'silky' texture to products and is thus considered a silicone alternative.

Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.

Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin. 

It’s often used to:

Silica Silylate is a siloxane polymer, meaning it is made up of silicon and oxygen atoms. It is not soluble in water.

This ingredient is a white powder with oil-absorbing, emollient, and anticaking properties.

Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer is a type of silicone.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse. 

It is a:

• Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
• Emollient, helping to soften skin
• Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
• Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives 

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is an extract of the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.

Aloe is one of the most well-known natural soothing ingredients, and for good reason. It’s full of water and has a cooling, calming effect on the skin, especially when it’s sunburned, itchy, or irritated. Aloe also helps your skin stay hydrated and smooth by mimicking what healthy skin naturally produces. On top of that, it contains vitamins and nutrients that support skin recovery. 

Bioflavonoids are secondary metabolites found in plants. They contain antioxidants.

Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

You might know Brassica Oleracea Italica as Broccoli. Broccoli is rich in antioxidants.

Broccoli extract is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. These unstable molecules may damage your skin cells. By helping to stabilize them, antioxidants may help with anti-aging. Beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C are three types of antioxidants found in broccoli.

This ingredient is also known as C10-13 Isoalkane.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Polysilicone-11 is a film-forming silicone that creates a non-tacky and matte finish on the skin. It's commonly used to improve texture, absorb excess oil, and help active ingredients spread evenly.

Due to its "rubber-like" structure, it stays on the skin's surface instead of being absorbed. On the skin, it creates a flexible layer that enhances wearability and stability.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Trisiloxane is a type of silicone.

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.