Huxley Secret of Sahara Sleep Mask

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

• It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
• It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
• It helps improve product application.
• It has mild preservative properties.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Cyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.

D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.

Cyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.

Cyclohexasiloxane is used to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. When applied to the skin, Cyclohexasiloxane evaporates and leaves behind a silky feel.

Trehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.

As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

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.

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 

This oil comes from the seed of the prickly pear cactus. Due to its ability to be easily absorbed, it does not leave a greasy feeling behind.

The main parts of this oil are fatty acids - linoleic, oleic, and palmitic. Other than that, the seeds also contains antioxidants such as vitamin E that help soothe the skin.

Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.

Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide. It can be derived from the cell walls of seaweed, oats, yeast, and fungi. It hydrates the skin and helps boost your skin's natural barrier.

As an antioxidant, beta-glucan helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract comes from the leaves of an herb plant native to Southeast Asia. Centella Asiatica is rich in antioxidants and amino acids. It can help reduce irritation and soothe the skin.

Many active components found in centella asiatica, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside, encourage the skin to naturally produce hyaluronic acid. This helps keep our skin hydrated. Many of these components also show antioxidant activity and may help reduce the signs of aging.

We don't have a description for Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract yet.

Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract comes Peony plant. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Emerging studies also show peony root may help reduce hyperpigmentation.

Sage leaf extract is a culinary and medicinal herb with antibacterial, antioxidant, and soothing properties.

This ingredient is made up of 75-90% ursolic acid, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound.

Citrus Grandis Seed Extract is a fragrance.

We don't have a description for Acorus Gramineus Root/Stem Extract yet.

We don't have a description for Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract yet.

This ingredient is extracted from the seeds of the cocoa tree.

Cacao seeds contain antioxidants known as polyphenols. These include flavonoids, procyanidins, and epicatechins.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is created from the hydrogenation of lecithin (a group of phospholipids). Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between hydrogen and another element.

This ingredient is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps soften skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer (let's call it AAVC for short) is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.

AAVC is able to increase the consistency and viscosity of products due to its large molecule size. It also prevents ingredients from separating.

Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.

As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.

This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.

A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.

This ingredient is a silicone used to improve the texture of products and absorb oil. It does not get absorbed into the skin.

Like other silicones, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer helps condition the skin by creating a barrier. In this sense, it can act as an emollient and trap moisture in.

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

It’s often used to:

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is usually an astringent alcohol.

These alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.

Dextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.

As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.

This ingredient is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.

It is made from polyethoxylated sorbitan and oleic acid. This ingredient can be found in cosmetics, foods, and medicine. It is water-soluble.

Tromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.

As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

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.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

Benzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.

In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".

Hexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.

This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.