Functional Category 200 ingredients

Humectants in Cosmetics

Humectants attract and bind water molecules to keep the skin's outer layer hydrated. The most commonly used humectants in cosmetic formulation include glycerin, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, sodium hyaluronate, sorbitol, urea, and betaine. Regulatory status varies: glycerin and hyaluronic acid are permitted without concentration limits under EU 1223/2009, while urea and lactic acid may trigger Annex III restrictions at higher concentrations. This hub lists humectant ingredients in the Roots database with their safety profiles, NOAEL studies, dermal absorption data, and SCCS or CIR safety conclusions.

Functional Categories
Skin Conditioning Ingredients Humectants in Cosmetics Emollient Ingredients in Cosmetics Antioxidants in Cosmetics Surfactants in Cosmetics Emulsifiers in Cosmetics Fragrance Ingredients in Cosmetics Cosmetic Colorants Cosmetic Preservatives UV Filters & Sunscreen Ingredients Hair Conditioning Ingredients Rheology Modifiers & Thickeners Active Cosmetic Ingredients Plant Extracts & Botanical Ingredients
Regulatory Clusters
Cosmetic Ingredients Flagged as Endocrine Disruptors Cosmetic Ingredients Listed Under California Proposition 65 Cosmetic Ingredients with SCCS Safety Opinions Cosmetic Ingredients with CIR Expert Panel Conclusions Cosmetic Ingredients with GHS Hazard Classification Cosmetic Ingredients with NOAEL Toxicological Data Cosmetic Ingredients Banned or Restricted Globally Cosmetic Ingredients with Sensitization Data Cosmetic Ingredients with Dermal Absorption Data Cosmetic Ingredients Restricted Under EU Regulation 1223/2009
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Ingredient Safety
(ANGELICA GIGAS/GLYCYRRHIZA URALENSIS/REHMANNIA GLUTINOSA ROOT)/ANGELICA GIGAS STEM/CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS FLOWER/(CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS/PRUNUS PERSICA SEED)PORIA COCOS WATER Good
(ARCTIUM LAPPA/CARROT/COLOCASIA ESCULENTA/DIOSCOREA BATATAS/GARLIC/GINGER/IPOMOEA BATATAS/NELUMBO NUCIFERA/ONION/POTATO BULBS)/(CHESTNUT/CITRUS UNSHIU/EGGPLANT/FIG/GRAPE/KIWI/LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM/MALUS PUMILA/MUME/PEACH/PLUM/PUMPKIN/PYRUS SEROTINA/RADISH/ZIZIPHUS JUJUBA FRUIT)/(ALLIUM TUBEROSUM/ALOE BARBADENSIS/ANGELICA UTILIS/BRASSICA OLERACEA ACEPHALA/CABBAGE/CELERY/SACCHARINA JAPONICA/UNDARIA PINNATIFIDA LEAF)/(ALLIUM FISTULOSUM/ENTEROMORPHA COMPRESSA/OENANTHE JAVANICA STALK)/LENTINULA EDODES/SUCROSE FERMENT FILTRATE Good
(CODONOPSIS TANGSHEN/DIOSCOREA JAPONICA) ROOT/ATRACTYLODES JAPONICA RHIZOME/PORIA COCOS/(DOLICHOS LABLAB/COIX LACRYMA-JOBI MA-YUEN/EURYALE FEROX/NELUMBO NUCIFERA) SEED EXTRACT Good
(GELIDIUM ELEGANS/LINGULATUM/REX/SESQUIPEDALE)/(GRACILARIA CHILENSIS/VERMICULOPHYLLA)/PTEROCLADIELLA TENUIS OLIGOSACCHARIDES Good
(GRIFOLA FRONDOSA/INONOTUS OBLIQUUS/SCHIZOPHYLLUM COMMUNE/TRICHOLOMA MATSUTAKE) MYCELIUM/LETHARIELLA CLADONIOIDES FERMENT EXTRACT FILTRATE Good
(Honey + Zymomonas Ferment) Extract Good
1,2,6-Hexanetriol Good
1,2-Butanediol Good
1,4-Butanediol Poor
2,3-Butanediol Moderate
3-Hydroxybutyric Acid Good
ACETYL HEPTAPEPTIDE-4 Good
ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM FLOWER/ALTHAEA OFFICINALIS ROOT/CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER/HYPERICUM PERFORATUM FLOWER/SALVIA OFFICINALIS LEAF/TUSSILAGO FARFARA LEAF EXTRACT Good
ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM FLOWER/CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER/FOENICULUM VULGARE FRUIT/HUMULUS LUPULUS FLOWER/MELISSA OFFICINALIS LEAF/VISCUM ALBUM EXTRACT Good
ALLIUM SATIVUM VESICLES Good
ANGELICA ACUTILOBA ROOT/CITRUS AURANTIUM AMARA FRUIT/COPTIS JAPONICA ROOT/FORSYTHIA VIRIDISSIMA FRUIT/GARDENIA FLORIDA FRUIT/GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA ROOT/MENTHA ARVENSIS LEAF /PAEONIA LACTIFLORA ROOT/PLATYCODON GRANDIFLORUS ROOT/REHMANNIA GLUTINOSA ROOT/SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS ROOT EXTRACT Good
ARACHIS HYPOGAEA (PEANUT) SPROUT EXTRACT Good
ASPERGILLUS/BIFIDOBACTERIUM/LACTOBACILLUS/SACCHAROMYCES/STREPTOCOCCUS /RHIZOME/(ARCTIUM LAPPA/CARROT/DANDELION/ELEUTHERO/EURYCOMA LONGIFOLIA/LEPIDIUM MEYENII/LICORICE/PANAX GINSENG/PANAX NOTOGINSENG/PLATYCODON GRANDIFLORUM/SALACIA RETICULATA ROOT)/(PANAX GINSENG/GINGER/POLYGONATUM ODORATUM ROOT/STEM)/(CASSIA OBTUSIFOLIA/JOB'S TEARS SEED)/(COMMELINA COMMUNIS/CORCHORUS OLITORIUS SPROUT)/SAMBUCUS SIEBOLDIANA STEM/GLOIOPELTIS TENAX/LAMINARIA JAPONICA/ARTEMISIA PRINCEPS/CASSIA OBTUSIFOLIA/EQUISETUM ARVENSE/GLECHOMA HEDERACEA/GYNOSTEMMA PENTAPHYLLUM/HYPERICUM ERECTUM/ISODON JAPONICUS/NANDINA DOMESTICA/PLANTAGO ASIATICA/VIGNA RADIATA EXTRACT FERMENT FILTRATE Good
ASPERGILLUS/GARLIC BULB/RICE BRAN/RICE VINEGAR FERMENT Good
ASPERGILLUS/LACTOBACILLUS/SACCHAROMYCES/BARLEY/RICE/SOYBEAN SEED FERMENT FILTRATE Good
ASPERGILLUS/SACCHAROMYCES/APPLE FRUIT/MELON FRUIT/BANANA FRUIT/GRAPE/SUCROSE FERMENT FILTRATE Good
ASPERGILLUS/SACCHAROMYCES/BARLEY FERMENT EXTRACT FILTRATE Good
ASPERGILLUS/SOYBEAN SEED EXTRACT FERMENT EXTRACT FILTRATE Good
ASPERGILLUS/SOYBEAN SEED FERMENT FILTRATE Good
ASPERGILLUS/SOYBEAN/WHEAT GERM/CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF/JOB'S TEARS SEED/RICE GERM/SESAME SEED FERMENT Good
ASPERGILLUS/SOYBEAN/WHEAT GERM/CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF/JOB'S TEARS SEED/RICE GERM/SESAME SEED FERMENT EXTRACT Good
ASPERGILLUS/TANGERINE PEEL FERMENT EXTRACT FILTRATE Good
ASPERGILLUS/WALNUT SEED/PEACH SEED/APRICOT SEED/PRUNUS MUME SEED FERMENT FILTRATE Good
Abeliophyllum Distichum Leaf Extract Moderate
Abelmoschus Manihot Flower/Stem Extract Moderate
Acanthopanax Koreanum Root Extract Moderate
Acer Saccharum Sap Good
Acer Saccharum Sap Extract Good
Acetamide MEA Moderate
Acetyl Galactosamine Good
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-71 Good
Acetylglutaminoyl Farnesylcysteine Good
Achillea Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract Moderate
Acorus Gramineus Callus Culture Conditioned Media Good
Acronychia Acidula Fruit Extract Good
Adenophora Stricta Root Extract Moderate
Agave Tequilana Root Juice Moderate
Ageratum Houstonianum Extract Poor
Agrimonia Pilosa Extract Good
Agrostis Stolonifera Extract Good
Ajuga Nipponensis Leaf/Stem Extract Good
Alanine Excellent
Alanyl Glutamine Excellent
Alaria Praelonga Extract Moderate
Albatrellus Confluens Extract Good
Algae Good
Algae Exopolysaccharides Good
Algae Oligosaccharides Good
Aloe Arborescens Leaf Juice Moderate
Aloe Arborescens Leaf Water Moderate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides Excellent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water Excellent
Aloe Maculata Leaf Water Good
Aloe Vera Vesicles Good
Alpha-Glucan Excellent
Alpinia Speciosa Leaf Oil Moderate
Alteromonas Ferment Filtrate Good
Althaea Rosea Callus Good
Aluminum PCA Good
Aminolevulinic Acid Phosphate Good
Aminopropyl Calcium Polysilsesquioxane Chloride Good
Aminopropyl Calcium/Magnesium Polysilsesquioxane Chloride Good
Aminopropyl Magnesium Polysilsesquioxane Chloride Good
Ammonium Ferric Pentetate Good
Ammonium Hydrolyzed Collagen Excellent
Ammonium Lactate Good
Anadenanthera Colubrina Bark Extract Good
Ananas Erectifolius Leaf Juice Good
Androstenedionyl Propionate Poor
Angelonia Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract Moderate
Anhydroglucitol Good
Anhydroxylitol Good
Anhydroxylityl Lactate Moderate
Annona Atemoya Fruit Water Moderate
Arabinose Excellent
Arachidyl Glycol Excellent
Argilla Excellent
Arginine PCA Excellent
Artemisia Abrotanum Leaf/Stem Extract Moderate
Artemisia Fukudo Extract Moderate
Artemisia Glacialis Extract Moderate
Artemisia Gmelinii Leaf/Stem/Twig Extract Moderate
Artemisia Japonica Extract Moderate
Ascorbyl Nicotinate Moderate
Asimina Triloba Leaf Extract Moderate
Asparagus Lucidus Root Extract Moderate
Aspartic Acid Excellent
Aspergillus Ferment Extract Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Angelica Tenuissima Root Extract Ferment Extract Moderate
Aspergillus/Angelica Tenuissima Root Ferment Extract Moderate
Aspergillus/Hydrolyzed Collagen Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Hydrolyzed Corn Starch Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Lactobacillus/Rice Seed Extract Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Malus Domestica Fruit/Rice Seed Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Millet Seed/Rice Hull Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Panax Ginseng Root Ferment Extract Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Raspberry Fruit/Rice Ferment Filtrate Good
Aspergillus/Rice Ferment Extract Good
Aspergillus/Rice Ferment Lees Extract Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Rice/Rice Bran Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Rice/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate Extract Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Chicory Root Ferment Lees Extract Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Gastrodia Elata Root Extract Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Honey/Origanum Majorana Leaf/Rice Ferment Lees Extract Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Ipomoea Batatas Root Ferment Lees Extract Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Morus Alba Fruit/Rice Ferment Lees Extract Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Prunus Mume Fruit/Rice Ferment Lees Extract Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Pumpkin Seed Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Extract Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Rice Lees Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Tetragenococcus/Rice Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aster Glehnii Extract Moderate
Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aureobasidium Pullulans/Dimocarpus Longan Fruit Extract Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Aureobasidium Pullulans/Sucrose Ferment Filtrate Extract Moderate
Auricularia Polytricha Fruiting Body Extract Moderate
Avena Sativa Meristem Cell Extract Moderate
Avena Sativa Peptide Moderate
BACILLUS/DENDROPANAX MORBIFERUS SAP EXTRACT/SOYBEAN FERMENT FILTRATE Good
BACILLUS/FLAVOBACTERIUM MULTIVORUM/EXTRACT/SODIUM CARBONATE FERMENT FILTRATE Good
BACILLUS/FLAVOBACTERIUM PSYCHROPHILUM/BUTYLENE GLYCOL/CODIUM FRAGILE/ENTEROMORPHA COMPRESSA/SARGASSUM FUSIFORME EXTRACT/FERMENT FILTRATE Good
BACILLUS/LACTOBACILLUS/RHODOPSEUDOMONAS/SACCHAROMYCES/ROOT/SESAME SEED/LEAF/LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA FLOWER/GLYCYRRHIZA URALENSIS EXTRACT FERMENT FILTRATE Good
BACILLUS/PRUNUS YEDOENSIS LEAF EXTRACT FERMENT FILTRATE Good
BIFIDA FERMENT EXTRACT Good
BIFIDA/ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM/LACTOBACILLUS/STREPTOCOCCUS THERMOPHILUS/SOYMILK/NONFAT MILK FERMENT CURD Good
BOVINE DERMAL FIBROBLAST CONDITIONED MEDIA Good
Bacillus/Biotin/Polysorbate 80/Soy Peptide Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Bacillus/Canavalia Ensiformis Seed Ferment Extract Moderate
Bacillus/Canavalia Gladiata Seed Ferment Extract Moderate
Bacillus/Dimocarpus Longan Fruit/Soybean Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Bacillus/Rice Bran Extract/Sodium Glutamate/Soybean Seed Extract Ferment Moderate
Bacillus/Rice Ferment Lees Ferment Filtrate Good
Banksia Spinulosa Flower Extract Good
Beer Extract Good
Benzyl Hyaluronate Moderate
Benzyl PCA Good
Bergenia Crassifolia Root Extract Moderate
Beta-Glucan Excellent
Betaine Excellent
Betaine Excellent
Bifida/Hydrolyzed Milk/Lactose/Sodium Ascorbate/Silicon Ferment Filtrate Moderate
Bifida/Soybean Extract Ferment Moderate
Biosaccharide Gum-1 Excellent
Biota Orientalis Leaf Extract Moderate
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Succinate Moderate
Bis-PEG/PPG-15/5 Dimethicone Good
Bishydroxyethyl Dihydroxypropyl Stearammonium Chloride Good
Bittern Good
Black Strap Powder Good
Borassus Flabellifer Sap Good
Brassica Campestris Sprout Extract Good
Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract Good
Bupleurum Falcatum Leaf Extract Moderate
Butene/Isobutene Copolymer Good
Butenediol Moderate
Butyl Ethyl Propanediol Good
Butylene Glycol Good
Butylglycerin Good
Butyloctanol Good
C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate Good
C4-18 Alkyl Methacrylate/Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine Copolymer Excellent
CALOPHYLLUM INOPHYLLUM LEAF EXTRACT Good
CETRARIA ISLANDICA THALLUS/POLYPODIUM VULGARE RHIZOME/SPHAGNUM MAGELLANICUM EXTRACT Good
CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA/ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS/SALVIA OFFICINALIS/THYMUS VULGARIS EXTRACT Good
CIMICIFUGA DAHURICA ROOT/FORSYTHIA VIRDISSIMA FRUIT/GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA ROOT/PAEONIA LACTIFLORA ROOT/PLATYCODON GRANDIFLORUM ROOT/PUERARIA LOBATA ROOT EXTRACT Good
CNIDIUM MONNIERI FRUIT EXTRACT Good
COCOS NUCIFERA FLOWER EXTRACT Good
CUCUMIS MELO FRUIT WATER Good
Calcium Fructoborate Moderate
Calcium Lactate Excellent
Calcium PCA Excellent
Camel Milk Good
Camellia Euryoides Leaf Extract Moderate
Camellia Japonica Flower Juice Moderate
Canarium Luzonicum Leaf Extract Moderate
Cannabis Sativa Stem Extract Moderate
Caprylic/PCA Glycerides Moderate
Caprylyl Glycol Good
Caprylyl Glycol/Glycerin/Polyacrylic Acid Copolymer Moderate
Carboxymethyl Chitosan Moderate
Carboxymethyl Levan Moderate
Carex Dispalata Extract Moderate
Carnitine PCA Moderate
Cassia Nomame Leaf/Stem Powder Moderate
Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Powder Moderate
Caviar Water Moderate
Ceramide AG Moderate
Ceramium Kondoi Extract Moderate
Cereus Jamacaru Extract Moderate
Cereus Jamacaru Fruit Juice Moderate
Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Conditioned Media Moderate
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