Ingredient Glossary
A comprehensive glossary with ingredients you may come across in food + beverage, supplements, beauty, household, and bath + body products. This list was compiled through years of research and should be used as a resource to better understand ingredient labels. There may be ingredients missing from this list, so please submit an ingredient request on the form below.
All of these ingredients are approved by the FDA and recognized as safe, but the research we have done has guided our decisions on what we believe is clean and what should be avoided. It is your decision and this is meant to guide you as you become an informed consumer.
RATING SYSTEM
Disclaimer: I do not claim any medical expertise or have science and chemical knowledge; but like all of you, I am a consumer and want to better understand these ingredients and know what I am putting in my body. This list is based on my extensive research. I always suggest doing your own additional research if you want to learn more about a specific ingredient or have additional questions!
A synthetic preservative that may cause skin and eye irritation.
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A byproduct of ethoxylation, which is a process that produces soft and sudsy detergent. It is a byproduct ingredient so will not be on the ingredient label so keep an eye out for PEG, ingredients ending in -eth, and polyethylene. Is a possible carcinogen.
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A VOC that can cause asthma and affect lung function.
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Used as a solvent and is not required to be listed on ingredient labels. It can cause kidney and liver damage, irritate eyes, and damage red blood cells.
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A synthetic fragrance ingredient commonly used in perfumes, skincare, and cosmetic products and can be a potential skin irritant or allergen,
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A fragrance component that may be a skin sensitizer.
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A naturally occurring compound found in the body that is made from the amino acid tryptophan and helps with stimulating serotonin, the chemical that helps with regulating mood, sleep, and memory. In supplement form, it is derived from plant seeds.
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A gum that is an emulsifier, thickening agent and flavor stabilizer. This gum comes from the sap from the acacia tree and is a source of fiber and prebiotics.
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This gum is derived comes from the sap from the acacia tree. It is used as a thickener and stabilizer.
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An ingredient made from acerola cherries fermented with Lactobacillus (a probiotic) that can provide vitamin C to the skin.
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A synthetic, high-intensity, non-nutritive sweetener chemically related to acesulfame potassium. Used to provide sweetness without calories in beverages, processed foods, and some supplements.
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An artificial sweetener that is inflammatory and can disrupt your gut microbiome negatively.
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An artificial sweetener that is inflammatory and can disrupt your gut microbiome negatively.
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Acid commonly found in vinegar that is used as a natural preservative. It can produced by fermentation or synthetically through a methanol (alcohol) extraction process.
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A synthetic peptide in skincare used to reduce wrinkles. Can cause a skin reaction like stinging, redness, and dry skin.
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A synthetic ingredient that helps stimulate proteins to help with hair loss. It's a new ingredient with limited research and may cause skin irritation so use with caution.
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An enzyme that can break down protein into amino acids and peptides. May be derived from Aspergillus niger (a type of black mold). May cause issues for those with mold sensitivities.
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Used as a water resistant ingredient or as a thickener.
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Synthetic polymers that helps leave skin smooth. There is not much research on skin irritation.
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A synthetic ingredient that helps the texture of products that is derived from plastic.
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