List of cosmetic functions

Could you explain to what the Cosmetic Functions under the ingredient name?

Each ingredient may have several functions. Function being the purpose of the ingredient in the product. Below is a complete list of cosmetic functions directly from the “Official Journal of the European Union: Amending Decision 96/335/EC establishing an inventory and a common nomenclature of ingredients employed in cosmetic products”.

FUNCTION NAME FUNCTION DESCRIPTION
ABRASIVE Removes materials from various body surfaces or aids mechanical tooth cleaning or improves gloss.
ABSORBENT Takes up water- and/or oil-soluble dissolved or finely dispersed substances.
ANTICAKING Allows free flow of solid particles and thus avoids agglomeration of powdered cosmetics into lumps or hard masses.
ANTICORROSIVE Prevents corrosion of the packaging.
ANTIDANDRUFF Helps control dandruff.
ANTIFOAMING Suppresses foam during manufacturing or reduces the tendency of finished products to generate foam.
ANTIMICROBIAL Helps control the growth of micro-organisms on the skin.
ANTIOXIDANT Inhibits reactions promoted by oxygen, thus avoiding oxidation and rancidity.
ANTIPERSPIRANT Reduces perspiration.
ANTIPLAQUE Helps protect against plaque.
ANTISEBORRHEIC Helps control sebum production.
ANTISTATIC Reduces static electricity by neutralising electrical charge on a surface.
ASTRINGENT Contracts the skin.
BINDING Provides cohesion in cosmetics.
BLEACHING Lightens the shade of hair or skin.
BUFFERING Stabilises the pH of cosmetics.
BULKING Reduces bulk density of cosmetics.
CHELATING Reacts and forms complexes with metal ions which could affect the stability and/or appearance of cosmetics.
CLEANSING Helps to keep the body surface clean.
COSMETIC COLORANT Colours cosmetics and/or imparts colour to the skin and/or its appendages.
DENATURANT Renders cosmetics unpalatable. Mostly added to cosmetics containing ethyl alcohol.
DEODORANT Reduces or masks unpleasant body odours.
DEPILATORY Removes unwanted body hair.
DETANGLING Reduces or eliminates hair intertwining due to hair surface alteration or damage and, thus, helps combing.
EMOLLIENT Softens and smooths the skin.
EMULSIFYING Promotes the formation of intimate mixtures of non-miscible liquids by altering the interfacial tension.
EMULSION STABILISING Helps the process of emulsification and improves emulsion stability and shelf-life.
FILM FORMING Produces, upon application, a continuous film on skin, hair or nails.
FOAMING Traps numerous small bubbles of air or other gas within a small volume of liquid by modifying the surface tension of the liquid.
FOAM BOOSTING Improves the quality of the foam produced by a system by increasing one or more of the following properties: volume, texture and/or stability.< /td>
GEL FORMING Gives the consistency of a gel (a semi-solid preparation with some elasticity) to a liquid preparation.
HAIR CONDITIONING Leaves the hair easy to comb, supple, soft and shiny and/or imparts volume, lightness, gloss, etc.
HAIR DYEING Colours hair.
HAIR FIXING Permits physical control of hairstyle.
HAIR WAVING OR STRAIGHTENING Modifies the chemical structure of the hair, allowing it to be set in the style required.
HUMECTANT Holds and retains moisture.
HYDROTROPE Enhances the solubility of substance which is only slightly soluble in water.
KERATOLYTIC Helps eliminate the dead cells of the stratum corneum.
MASKING Reduces or inhibits the basic odour or taste of the product.
MOISTURISING Increases the water content of the skin and helps keep it soft and smooth.
NAIL CONDITIONING Improves the cosmetic characteristics of the nail.
OPACIFYING Reduces transparency or translucency of cosmetics.
ORAL CARE Provides cosmetic effects to the oral cavity, e.g. cleansing, deodorising, protecting.
OXIDISING Changes the chemical nature of another substance by adding oxygen or removing hydrogen.
PEARLESCENT Imparts a nacreous appearance to cosmetics.
PLASTICISER Softens and makes supple another substance that otherwise could not be easily deformed, spread or worked out.
PRESERVATIVE Inhibits primarily the development of micro-organisms in cosmetics. All preservatives listed are substances on the positive list of preservatives (Annex VI to the cosmetics Directive).
PROPELLANT Generates pressure in an aerosol pack, expelling contents when the valve is opened. Some liquefied propellants can act as solvents.
REDUCING Changes the chemical nature of another substance by adding hydrogen or removing oxygen.
REFATTING Replenishes the lipids of the hair or of the top layers of the skin.
REFRESHING Imparts a pleasant freshness to the skin.
SKIN CONDITIONING Maintains the skin in good condition.
SKIN PROTECTING Helps to avoid harmful effects to the skin from external factors.
SMOOTHING Seeks to achieve an even skin surface by decreasing roughness or irregularities.
SOLVENT Dissolves other substances.
SOOTHING Helps lightening discomfort of the skin or of the scalp.
STABILISING Improves ingredients or formulation stability and shelf-life.
SURFACTANT Lowers the surface tension of cosmetics as well as aids the even distribution of the product when used.
TANNING Darkens the skin with or without exposure to UV.
TONIC Produces a feeling of well-being on skin and hair.
UV ABSORBER Protects the cosmetic product from the effects of UV light.
UV FILTER Filters certain UV rays in order to protect the skin or the hair from harmful effects of these rays. All UV filters listed are substances on the positive list of UV filters (Annex VII to the Cosmetics Directive).
VISCOSITY CONTROLLING Increases or decreases the viscosity of cosmetics