Binding

Skin Conditioning

A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.

Emollient

Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.

Solvent

Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.