What are the main ingredients in cosmetics?

Cosmetics are composed of a base plus other ingredients such as antioxidants, preservatives, fragrances, surfactants, moisturizers, pigments and skin penetrating agents. The matrix raw materials are mainly oily raw materials, including oils, waxes, hydrocarbons, and the higher fatty acids and higher alcohols that make up these ingredients. In order to prevent oily ingredients such as grease, wax, and hydrocarbons in cosmetics from contacting oxygen in the air and causing oxidation to produce peroxides, aldehydes, acids, etc., which will cause discoloration, rancidity, and quality degradation of cosmetics, antioxidants need to be added to cosmetics. Commonly used antioxidants include tocopherol, tert-butylhydroxyacethole, tert-butylhydroxytoluene, propyl gallate, etc. Preservatives include paraben esters such as methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben and benzyl paraben. There are two main types of emulsifiers commonly used in cosmetics: ionic and nonionic. Moisturizers include glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, sodium lactate, etc. In addition, an appropriate amount of skin penetrating agents, such as azone, can be added to help skin absorption.