Cosmetic ingredient
Zinc oxide
Zinc oxide is a particulate UV filter, but its presence or percentage cannot establish a finished sunscreen’s SPF, UVA protection, cast or wear.
Ingredient explainers · Formula context included
Know the role. Keep the evidence limits.
Start with the plain-language role, then inspect the evidence, product context, market distinctions, cautions and unanswered questions.
Sunscreen · Seven profiles
Filters, pigments and the finished-formula boundary
Cosmetic ingredient
Titanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide can be a UV filter or colourant, but its role, particle form and finished formula must be established before interpreting a label.
Cosmetic ingredient
Avobenzone
Avobenzone is an oil-soluble UVA filter whose useful interpretation depends on the complete stabilised formula and finished-product testing.
Cosmetic ingredient
Bemotrizinol
Bemotrizinol is a photostable organic UV filter with UVA and UVB absorption, but finished-product testing still determines a sunscreen’s protection claim.
Cosmetic ingredient
DHHB (Uvinul A Plus)
DHHB is an oil-soluble UVA filter often known by the trade name Uvinul A Plus; its presence cannot reveal the finished sunscreen’s UVA-PF.
Cosmetic ingredient
Ethylhexyl triazone
Ethylhexyl triazone is a photostable organic UVB filter often called Uvinul T 150, but it does not establish UVA protection or finished SPF alone.
Cosmetic ingredient
Iron oxides
Iron oxides are colour pigments, not UV filters; some tested tinted formulas attenuate visible light, but tint or pigment presence alone proves no clinical outcome.
Hyperpigmentation · Four profiles
Condition context before percentage comparisons
Ingredient profile
Azelaic acid
Azelaic acid appears in cosmetic and medicinal products and has evidence in acne, rosacea and melasma contexts. Strength, vehicle, classification and tolerance still matter.
Cosmetic ingredient
Niacinamide
Niacinamide is a cosmetic form of vitamin B3 with small controlled studies on facial pigmentation and barrier-related benefits; percentage alone does not predict results.
Cosmetic ingredient
L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
L-ascorbic acid is the direct form of vitamin C used in topical research, but water, air, light, pH, packaging and tolerability shape the finished product.
Pharmacological active
Tranexamic acid
Tranexamic acid is an antifibrinolytic medicine studied through oral, injected and topical routes in melasma. A cosmetic topical cannot inherit evidence or safety claims from another route.
Scalp care · Six profiles
Anti-dandruff and scale-management strategies
Pharmacological active
Ketoconazole
Ketoconazole is an azole antifungal used in medicated scalp products; it has useful evidence for dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis, but formula strength and directions matter.
Cosmetic ingredient
Piroctone olamine
Piroctone olamine is a cosmetic anti-dandruff ingredient used in rinse-off formulas; product-level evidence depends on the blend, concentration, directions and complete vehicle.
Pharmacological active
Selenium sulfide
Selenium sulfide is a medicated anti-dandruff active with controlled-trial support, but strength, suspension vehicle, contact directions and precautions are product-specific.
Ingredient profile
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is a keratolytic ingredient that helps loosen scale. It can make flakes easier to remove, but it does not identify or treat every cause of a flaky scalp.
Cosmetic ingredient
Climbazole
Climbazole is a cosmetic anti-dandruff ingredient commonly used in rinse-off shampoos, often as part of a blend rather than as an isolated active.
Ingredient profile
Zinc pyrithione
Zinc pyrithione is an anti-dandruff ingredient with finished-formula evidence and materially different regulatory treatment across markets.