Detoxifying Night Concentrate

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Alcohol denat. dissolves oil-soluble and water-soluble cosmetic actives, provides rapid antimicrobial activity at concentrations above 60–70% by denaturing microbial proteins, delivers a refreshing cooling sensation through evaporative cooling on skin, and temporarily enhances the penetration of topical actives by transiently disrupting the stratum corneum lipid bilayer organisation.

Why It's Used: Formulators choose alcohol denat. for its irreplaceable combination of solvent power, antimicrobial activity, and penetration-enhancing properties. no other cosmetic solvent simultaneously provides the cooling sensory experience of alcohol (from evaporative cooling at the skin surface), the immediate antimicrobial activity required for sanitisers (from protein denaturation above 60%), and the transient sc lipid disruption that improves active ingredient delivery (essential in actives-rich toners and essences). for denatured alcohol specifically, denaturing agents (typically 5% isopropanol or bitrex) prevent consumption without affecting cosmetic function.

How It Works: Alcohol denat. works through multiple mechanisms depending on concentration: (1) solvent action — alcohol's hydroxyl group provides hydrogen bonding with water while the short alkyl chain provides interaction with organic solutes, enabling dissolution of both hydrophilic and moderately lipophilic cosmetic actives in a single solvent; (2) antimicrobial — above 60% concentration, ethanol denatures microbial proteins by disrupting non-covalent bonds maintaining protein secondary and tertiary structure — the alcohol molecules intercalate between protein chains, disrupting the hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds that maintain enzyme active site geometry. this non-specific protein denaturation is immediately bactericidal and virucidal with no resistance mechanism possible; (3) sc penetration enhancement — at lower concentrations (5–30%), ethanol transiently fluidises the sc lipid bilayer by intercalating between the ordered lipid lamellae, disrupting the crystal packing and increasing lipid bilayer fluidity. this transient fluidisation increases the diffusion coefficient of co-applied actives through the sc for up to 30 minutes post-application; (4) astringency — alcohol's protein precipitating action at the skin surface contracts superficial proteins, temporarily tightening pores and reducing oiliness.

Typically Found In: Toners,hand sanitisers,actives serums

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – cosmetic active

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 5%–95%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Ethanol concentration-dependent antimicrobial efficacy: below 40% — minimal bactericidal effect (insufficient protein denaturation); 40–60% — bacteriostatic, not bactericidal; 60–70% — peak bactericidal efficacy against both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses and vegetative bacteria (optimal water content maintains protein hydration required for denaturation to proceed); 80–90% — remains effective but slightly reduced from decreased water activity; 95–100% — reduced efficacy (insufficient water for protein denaturation). the 70% 'sweet spot' for sanitisers reflects this concentration-efficacy peak, not a formulation convenience.

Last Verified: Cosing database,alcohol denat. ethanol solvent antimicrobial review

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Delivers characteristic cosmetic function — skin conditioning, protection, preservation, or active biological benefit — at recommended use concentration.

Why It's Used: Selected for its functional contribution and formulation compatibility — supported by cosmetic science literature and regulatory safety assessment.

How It Works: Works through the mechanism of its molecular class — physicochemical interaction with the formulation or biological interaction with skin proteins, lipids, or receptors as documented in peer-reviewed literature.

Typically Found In: Skin care formulations

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – cosmetic active

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%–10%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Conditional

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Diglycerin delivers documented functional benefit with an established safety profile within the cosmetic regulatory framework (cosing eu, cir usa).

Last Verified: Cosing database,diglycerin technical literature

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Glycerin pulls water from the environment and deeper skin layers into the outer skin layer (epidermis), boosting moisture levels and keeping skin soft, smooth, and plump.

Why It's Used: It is used in virtually every moisturizer, serum, and cleanser because it is highly effective at hydrating skin, is well-tolerated by all skin types, and enhances the texture and spreadability of formulations.

How It Works: As a humectant, glycerin forms hydrogen bonds with water molecules, trapping them in the skin. it also reinforces the skin barrier by integrating into lipid structures between skin cells.

Typically Found In: Moisturizers,serums,cleansers,toners,sheet masks,sunscreens,body lotions,shampoos,conditioners

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Humectant

Secondary Functions: Skin barrier support,emollient,solvent

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 1%–30% (typical: 3–10%)

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – plant-derived (coconut, soy, palm) or synthetic

Halal Status: Yes – when plant-derived or synthetic; verify source with supplier

Source Notes: Derived from plant oils via hydrolysis or saponification; synthetic versions also available. palm-derived glycerin carries sustainability concerns.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low; non-irritating at all standard concentrations

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Extremely rare allergic reactions; generally safe for all skin types including sensitive and baby skin

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Widely recognized as safe. ewg hazard score: 1. no significant concerns for irritation, sensitization, or toxicity at typical concentrations (up to 50%).

Works Well With: Hyaluronic acid,ceramides,niacinamide,panthenol,urea,peptides,retinol,ahas/bhas

Avoid Combining With: No known incompatibilities at standard concentrations

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Glycerin is an endogenous skin component found naturally in the stratum corneum. aquaporin-3 channels in keratinocytes facilitate glycerin transport, making it integral to natural skin hydration pathways.

Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,ewg skin deep,inci decoder

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Delivers characteristic cosmetic function at recommended use concentration.

Why It's Used: Selected for functional contribution and formulation compatibility supported by cosmetic science and regulatory safety data.

How It Works: Works through the mechanism of its molecular class — physicochemical or biological interaction with skin proteins, lipids, or receptors as documented in peer-reviewed cosmetic literature.

Typically Found In: Skin care formulations

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – cosmetic active

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%–10%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Conditional

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Levulinic acid has an established safety and efficacy profile within the cosmetic regulatory framework at standard use concentrations.

Last Verified: Cosing database,levulinic acid technical literature

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Delivers targeted skin-conditioning or bioactive benefits through a specific mechanism of action suited to the formulation's intended purpose.

Why It's Used: Specialty actives address specific skin concerns through targeted molecular mechanisms, providing efficacy beyond what base formulation ingredients alone can achieve.

How It Works: The bioactive compound interacts with specific molecular targets in skin cells or the extracellular matrix — enzymes, receptors, structural proteins, or signaling molecules — triggering beneficial biological responses.

Typically Found In: Serums,treatments,moisturizers,specialty products

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Specialty actives

Secondary Functions: Skin-conditioning,anti-aging

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.01–5%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Specialty active ingredient; check individual sourcing for vegan status.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1899-12-31 00:00:00 -0800

Sensitivity Concerns: Fragrance sensitization possible; contains allergens that may require labeling under eu regulations.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Well-characterized cosmetic ingredient with established safety profile. generally non-irritating at typical use concentrations. suitable for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics.

Works Well With: Niacinamide,hyaluronic acid,vitamin c,peptides

Avoid Combining With: Incompatible with oxidizing agents; check ph stability

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Specialty actives typically work through enzyme inhibition (e.g., tyrosinase inhibition for brightening, mmp inhibition for anti-aging), receptor activation (e.g., retinoid receptors, ppar-γ for barrier genes), or transcription factor modulation (e.g., nrf2 for antioxidant gene upregulation). structure-activity relationships determine potency and selectivity.

Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature

Primary Sources: 2025-01-15

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides humectant moisture retention with antimicrobial preservative-boosting activity.

Why It's Used: The balanced multifunctional diol — pentylene glycol provides the ideal balance of humectancy and antimicrobial activity for clean beauty preservation systems with excellent sensory compatibility.

How It Works: C5 diol: longer chain than propylene glycol providing better antimicrobial activity but shorter than 1,2-hexanediol (slightly lower membrane activity). two oh groups provide humectant water binding. solvent for fragrances and some actives. synergistic with phenoxyethanol reducing required phenoxyethanol concentration.

Typically Found In: Clean beauty products,natural preservation systems,moisturisers

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Functional ingredient – multifunctional pentanediol

Secondary Functions: Tewl reduction,skin plumping

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.5%–3%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – synthetic

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Synthetic or naturally derived. excellent aqueous solubility.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Ceramides,emollients,occlusives,glycerin,hyaluronic acid

Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Pentylene glycol's position in clean beauty preservation is due to a regulatory quirk: 1,2-pentanediol is not classified as a preservative in eu cosmetics regulations (unlike phenoxyethanol which requires preservative listing), so it can provide antimicrobial activity while not requiring the 'contains preservative' designation — enabling cleaner labels in natural-positioned formulations.

Last Verified: Cosing database,dsm hydrolite-5 technical data,cir safety assessment

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides hyaluronic acid hydration in the most formulation-stable and compatible form.

Why It's Used: The standard form of ha used in cosmetics – more stable than free ha, better solubility, and equivalent skin hydration benefits.

How It Works: Sodium salt reduces the polyelectrolyte repulsion of ha chains, allowing better packing in formulations. on skin, sodium ions dissociate and the ha chain unfolds to its full water-binding conformation. provides full ha humectant and barrier benefits equivalent to free ha.

Typically Found In: Hydrating serums,toners,moisturizers,sheet masks,anti-aging products

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – ha sodium salt

Secondary Functions: Equivalent ha hydration,superior stability

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%–2%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes – bacterial fermentation

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Synthetic or naturally derived. excellent aqueous solubility.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Ceramides,emollients,occlusives,glycerin,hyaluronic acid

Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

The sodium salt form of ha has approximately 10% better water solubility than free hyaluronic acid at equivalent molecular weight due to reduced chain-chain electrostatic repulsion from partial sodium counterion screening. this improved solubility enables higher concentration formulations without viscosity issues.

Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12