Best and worst ingredients in skin cleansing products

When you buy skin care products you should look at the ingredients.
Despite their fancy-sounding names, some ingredients are quite simply generics, such as Lauryl Sulfate for soap and Octyl Methoxycinnamate for sunscreen.
It can be very confusing, yet so important, here you can find some advice about the best and the worst ingredients on your facial cleansers.

Best ingredients

In addition to standard beauty boosters, you have alpha hydroxy acids, antioxidants and vitamins.
Purified water, as the first ingredient in the product. Water provides a fundamental source of pure hydration. It is non-irritating, noncomedogenic, and provides a clean base for good cleansing.
Propylene Glycol, is oil-free and helps to hydrate without adding a greasy feel to the skin.
Chamomile is an anti-irritant and very important in a cleanser. It can help to heal and soothe irritated skin.
Sodium Cocoyl Isothionate. It is a mild and very gentle cleansing agent, derived from coconut, very often used in baby products.

Worst ingredients

Mineral oil. Very common in wipe-off cleansers, it can clog pores and leave a greasy residue on skin. Also very difficult to rinse off.
Ammonium-based surfactants. These are cleaning ingredients that are chemically reacted to create ammonium salts, such as ammonium lauryl sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate. These can over-dry skin, leading to long-term irritation.
Soaps. They can dry and irritate skin and should be avoided, especially on sensitive skin.
Cocamide DEA, TEA lauryl sulfate and sodium C14-16 olefin sulfate. These detergent cleansers are known to be potentially serious skin irritants.