Inactive: Water/Aqua/Eau ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is the primary solvent and diluent in many personal care formulas, dissolving or dispersing humectants, surfactants, preservatives, salts, and other formula components. It also sets product texture, viscosity, and concentration.
What does Inactive: Water/Aqua/Eau do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is the primary solvent and diluent in many personal care formulas, dissolving or dispersing humectants, surfactants, preservatives, salts, and other formula components. It also sets product texture, viscosity, and concentration.
Is Inactive: Water/Aqua/Eau clean?
This ingredient is widely accepted in clean-beauty frameworks and is generally well tolerated on skin. Quality control focuses on purity, microbial control, and appropriate preservation of the finished formula.
Is Inactive: Water/Aqua/Eau sustainable?
This material is typically sourced from purified municipal or natural supplies, so its footprint depends on local availability, purification, heating, and transport. It does not persist as a synthetic pollutant, but responsible use matters in regions with supply stress.
Is Inactive: Water/Aqua/Eau COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic standards, although it is not counted as organic content. From a Green Chemistry view, it is a low-concern solvent, with the main considerations being purification energy and efficient use.
How does Inactive: Water/Aqua/Eau work chemically?
The molecule is small, polar, and strongly hydrogen-bonding, which gives it broad solvency for ionic and polar ingredients but limited compatibility with oils without emulsifiers or solubilizers. In emulsions, gels, cleansers, and sprays it often makes up 50 to 95 percent of the formula, and preservation is usually required when the finished product has enough available free phase to support microbial growth.
Last updated 2026-08-19