A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Locks in moisture
Traditional Use
Synthetic hydrocarbon developed in the mid-20th century as a replacement for mineral oil in cosmetics. Created to provide lightweight moisture protection without the heavy residue of earlier oil-based formulations.