Ingredients glossary

JavaScript disabled. Keyword search is redirected to Google.com

We’ve listed below in alphabetical order all the various functions our ingredients perform - from fragrances to preservatives, emulsifiers to solvents.

Use the letter links to easily navigate to each section.

A

Skip to glossary nav

Abrasive: Removes dirt to leave surfaces clean or polished through rubbing/ brushing
Absorbent: Helps to absorb fluids like water or oil
Additive: Added to a product to improve one or more important properties
Adhesive: Helps bind surfaces to each other
Alkalinity Source: Increases the alkalinity of the product to help in the washing away of dirt.
Anti-redeposition Agent: Helps prevent the removed dirt in washing water from reattaching to a surface
Anticaking Agent: Helps to prevent the formation of lumps in the product.
Antidandruff Agent: Helps to relieve or control the symptoms of dandruff
Antifoaming Agent: Prevents excessive foam or bubbles forming when a product is used
Antimicrobial Agent: Helps to reduce the amount of bacteria on a surface or body (part)
Antioxidant: Helps to prevent reactions promoted by oxygen in the product, which can cause product spoilage.
Antiperspirant Agent: Helps to reduce sweating
Antistatic Agent: Helps to make you hair, skin, clothes, kitchen ware or hard surfaces feel better by reducing static charge
Astringent: Creates tightening or a tingling sensation on the skin

B

Skip to glossary nav

Binder: Helps materials to bind or stick together
Bleach Catalyst: Boosts the performance of bleach to make it more effective at low temperatures
Bleach Precursor: Becomes a bleaching substance during washing
Botanicals: Ingredients from herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, leaves or seeds
Buffering Agent: Maintains the right acidity / alkalinity balance of a product
Builder: Reduces water hardness, makes cleaning products more effective
Bulking Agent: Diluant. Dilutes solids or liquids to allow for more accurate dosing

C

Skip to glossary nav

Colourant: Colours the product, your hair or skin
Cooling Agent: Provides a cool and fresh sensation
Corrosion Inhibitor: Prevents corrosion of packaging

D

Skip to glossary nav

Denaturant: Changes the taste of a product to prevent ingestion. Typically used in alcohol-containing products.
Dye Transfer Inhibitor: Prevents colour rinsed out from clothes into wash water being deposited on to your other clothes during the wash

E

Skip to glossary nav

Emulsifier: Helps two or more liquids, that don't usually combine to form a single solution; often referred to as an 'emulsion'
Emulsion Stabiliser: Prevents a mixture from separating and helping to increase a product's shelf life
Enzyme: Boosts the cleaning properties of a product to help remove specific stains at lower temperatures e.g. fats, egg, blood.
Enzyme Stabiliser: Makes an enzyme last longer in liquid detergent

F

Skip to glossary nav

Fabric Conditioner Agent: Helps to soften and improve the feel of a fabric
Film Former: Helps provide a smooth, consistent coverage when applied
Fixing Agent: Helps to maintain the hold of your hair style
Flavour: Improves the taste of oral or lip care products, such as tooth paste or lip balm
Fragrance: Provides a distinctive, pleasant smell

H

Skip to glossary nav

Hair - Shaping/Styling Agent: Helps you to style or straighten your hair
Hair Conditioning Agent: Helps to improve the gloss, sheen and texture of your hair
Humectant: Helps to retain water in a product, in hair or the top layers of skin
Hydrotrope: Allows cleaning agents to be uniformly dispersed within a product.

O

Skip to glossary nav

Opacifier: Makes the product appear more opaque or pearly
Optical Brightener: Provides additional brightness to the surface to which product is applied.
Oral Care Agent: Helps to clean, protect or remove/cover an unpleasant smell in the mouth/teeth/gums
Oxidising Agent: In laundry and household care products stains are removed by oxidation (bleaching).

P

Skip to glossary nav

Pearlescer: Helps to give products a shimmery appearance
pH Adjuster: Controls the acidity / alkalinity balance of products
Plasticizer: Makes materials more flexible and resilient
Preservative: This prolongs the shelf-life of the product, even once it has been opened, protecting it from bacteria, yeasts and moulds
Process by-product: A secondary component/ingredient which is created when making the product
Propellant: A compressed gas that helps expel product from a can

S

Skip to glossary nav

Sequestrant: Helps prevent impurities from water from causing adverse effects on product performance, appearance, or stability.
Skin Conditioning Agent: Helps to make your skin feel soft, smooth and supple.
Skin Protectant: Helps to temporarily protect minor cuts, scrapes, burns or skin irritation
Slip Modifier: Helps a product spread more easily
Softness Extender: Makes a softening agent more effective and last longer
Solubiliser: Helps an ingredient in the product dissolve better
Solvent: Dissolves substances or ingredients
Stabilising Agent: Helps maintain the stability of a product's formulation, appearance and texture
Structurant: Gives a product form or shape
Sunscreen Agent: Helps to protect the skin and filter out harmful UV rays
Surface Modifiers: Changes the look and feel of an object's surface in home care products
Surfactant: An ingredient which helps to clean or remove dirt and oil, creating foam when used with water
Suspending Agent: Helps keep solids separated and evenly dispersed within a product
Sweetener: Makes products taste sweeter

T

Skip to glossary nav

Tablet Disintegrant: Helps tablets break up so the product works faster

U

Skip to glossary nav

UV Absorber: Helps to protect the product formulation from UV rays

V

Skip to glossary nav

Viscosity Controlling Agent: Controls the density or thickness of a product