Ingredients glossary
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
- Abrasive
- Removes dirt to leave surfaces clean or polished through rubbing/ brushing
- 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
- Antifoaming Agent
- Prevents excessive foam or bubbles forming when a product is used
- Antioxidant
- Helps to prevent reactions promoted by oxygen in the product, which can cause product spoilage.
B
- 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
- Colourant
- Colours the product, your hair or skin
- Corrosion Inhibitor
- Prevents corrosion of packaging
E
- 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.
- Evaporation Aid
- Helps a product dry faster
F
- Fabric Conditioner Agent
- Helps to soften and improve the feel of a fabric
- Fragrance
- Provides a distinctive, pleasant smell
H
- Hydrotrope
- Allows cleaning agents to be uniformly dispersed within a product.
O
- Opacifier
- Makes the product appear more opaque or pearly
- Optical Brightener
- Provides additional brightness to the surface to which product is applied.
- Oxidising Agent
- In laundry and household care products stains are removed by oxidation (bleaching).
P
- Pearlescer
- Helps to give products a shimmery appearance
- pH Adjuster
- Controls the acidity / alkalinity balance of products
- Preservative
- This prolongs the shelf-life of the product, even once it has been opened, protecting it from bacteria, yeasts and moulds
- Propellant
- A compressed gas that helps expel product from a can
S
- Sequestrant
- Helps prevent impurities from water from causing adverse effects on product performance, appearance, or stability.
- 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
- Structurant
- Gives a product form or shape
- Surfactant
- An ingredient which helps to clean or remove dirt and oil, creating foam when used with water
T
- Tablet Disintegrant
- Helps tablets break up so the product works faster
V
- Viscosity Controlling Agent
- Controls the density or thickness of a product