Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate is a cleaning agent, or "surfactant," that is one of a group of ingredients commonly used in bath products, cleansing products, shampoos and hair conditioners. We use it in our products to remove dirt and deposits. In its liquid form, as we use it, it surrounds dirt particles to loosen them from the surface to which they are attached.

Sodium sulfate is a carrier that can also be found in bath soaps, detergents and skin care products. A carrier does just what it sounds like - it helps carry a product to a surface by thinning or thickening the formula or simply ensuring even distribution of the other ingredients in the formula. We use sodium sulfate because without a carrier, the product would not work with the same consistency across a surface.

Also known as Borax, sodium borate is a builder that has been used for decades in a wide variety of household products, such as lotions, bath and skin products. We use it to make a product formula clean better by affecting the molecules in the formula so they work together better. Sodium borate can also be used as a pH adjuster that alters the pH of a product to improve stability over time. Every formula has an optimum pH to make it work best. Also, the pH of a formula can affect how long it lasts within a container – for example limiting its tendency to corrode a can, container or dispenser.

Hydroxyethyl cellulose is a thickener that can also be found in cosmetics and personal care products such as makeup, skin care products and shaving cream. In some products, hydroxyethyl cellulose can also be used as a binder, which helps ingredients hold together. We use it to improve the texture of a product and, as needed in some formulas, help a product to cling to surfaces such as a toilet bowl.

Benzalkonium chloride is a preservative that can also be found in skin creams and shampoos. It helps maintain product quality and performance over time. Some people raise concerns about preservatives, because a small number of individuals have allergies to them just as some people have allergies to nuts or bees. But preservatives play a very important role in food, cosmetics and household products. Without preservatives, many products would not last more than a week or two before being contaminated by bacteria, mold or yeast. So, we feel the best choice is to add preservatives in the smallest effective quantity to protect our products, but to list these preservatives in our formulas so that those with allergies in the family can make informed choices.

2,6-dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol; 2-t-butylcyclohexyl acetate; 3,5,5-trimethylhexyl acetate; 3,6-dimethylcyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde*; 3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1h-4,7-methanoinden-1-yl acetate; citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil*; dimethylcyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde*; dipropylene glycol; hexamethylindanopyran*; limonene*; mentha arvensis oil*; menthone*; methylbenzyl acetate

*Item on SC Johnson’s list of skin allergens, learn more

For additional detail about our fragrance ingredients, click here.

Fatty alcohol is a binder that can also be found in shampoos and soaps. It holds a product’s ingredients together. Fatty alcohol is added to products so that when other ingredients are compressed, they hold together in a solid shape. As a result, we use fatty alcohol in our products to improve the thickness of liquids or gels or to stabilize foams.

Acid Blue 9 is a colorant, or dye. It is one of the most widely used and tested dyes in consumer products, and can be found in clothing and colored paper. We add dyes to products for a variety of reasons including helping you see where you applied the product, when a product is used up, or for aesthetic reasons. This dye is available from multiple suppliers, which are responsible for its contents.

Ascorbic Acid is a cleaning agent, commonly known as Vitamin C, that can be found in bath products, soaps and moisturizers. It alters the pH of a product to improve stability and functions as a chelator. The word chelator (pronounced "key-lay-tor") comes from the Greek word chele, or claw. Think of a chelator as a lobster claw that reaches out and grabs the minerals in soap scum or soils, to keep them from depositing on a surface. We use ascorbic acid in products to remove soap scum and mineral deposits that are caused by hard water. By binding to the soap scum or deposit, it allows them to be rinsed away.