We read the research first.

Sorrel & Co scrutinizes every ingredient and discloses what we find. This page lays out the peer-reviewed evidence behind the ingredients we choose, the ones we minimize, and the exceptions we flag rather than round away — with the studies, so you can check our work.

17Formulas, all manufactured in the US
7Ingredient categories researched
30+Peer-reviewed studies cited

Why this exists

Most skincare brands make ingredient claims. Few cite the evidence behind them.

We built Sorrel & Co because the gap between what skincare formulations contain and what most people actually understand about those ingredients is enormous. Walk into any beauty aisle and you’ll see hundreds of products labeled “clean,” “natural,” or “free from” — terms that mean almost nothing under US labeling law. The FDA does not regulate the term “clean.” Manufacturers can call almost anything natural.

So instead of marketing claims, we publish citations. We read the peer-reviewed research on every ingredient, choose what goes into each formula for documented reasons — and where a formula still contains something the research argues against, we flag it in the table below rather than round up to a claim that isn’t true. We use PubMed links so you can verify everything yourself.

The seven ingredient categories below are the ones we scrutinize most closely. We’ve graded each one by evidence strength — because the research is stronger for some than others, and pretending otherwise would betray the trust of the customers we want most: the ones who read labels.

Connor

The science is either there or it isn’t. Here we show you which, and how strong the evidence is. — CONNOR

Every formula, fully disclosed

All 17 formulas are USA-made. This table lays out what each one contains — and what it doesn’t — across the ingredients people ask about most: synthetic fragrance, parabens, silicones, drying alcohol, and animal-derived ingredients. Where a formula contains one, we flag it rather than round it away. In the ingredient columns a check means the formula contains none and a cross means it contains some — see the notes below.

ProductKey IngredientNo Synthetic FragranceNo ParabensVeganCruelty-FreeNo SiliconesNo Drying Alcohol
Face SerumRetinol & Liposomes✓✓✓✓✓✓
Hydration Serum4-Weight Hyaluronic Acid✓✓✓✓✓✓
Glow SerumVitamins B3, C & E✓✓✓✓✓✓
Clarity Serum10% Niacinamide✓✓✓✓✓✓
Defense SerumGreen Tea EGCG✓✓✓✓✓✓
Repair SerumSnail Mucin & Centella✓✓✗*✓✗*✓
Firming CreamDMAE & CoQ10✓✗§✓✓✓✓
Dew CreamNiacinamide & Allantoin✓b✓✓✓✓✓
Renewal CreamRetinol & Ceramides✗†✓✗†✓✓✓
Eye CreamAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5✓✓✓✓✓✓
Face OilJojoba, Squalane & Magnolia✓b✓✓✓✓✓
Balance GelGreen Tea & Bisabolol✓b✓✓✓✓✗‡
Daily CleanserLicorice & Mushroom✓✓✓✓✓✗‡
Clearing CleanserTea Tree & Charcoal✓b✓✓✓✓✓
Brightening BarKojic Acid & Turmeric✓b✓✓✓✓✓
Calming MistRose Water & Aloe✓b✓✓✓✓✓
Collagen PowderHydrolyzed Bovine Collagen✓✓✗**✓✓✓

* Repair Serum contains snail secretion (animal-derived) — not vegan — and cosmetic silicones (dimethicone). Cruelty-free per industry definition.
** Collagen Powder is bovine-derived — not vegan or vegetarian. Cruelty-free per industry definition.
† Renewal Cream contains added fragrance and milk lipids (dairy) — so it carries synthetic fragrance, and it isn’t vegan.
‡ Balance Gel and Daily Cleanser each contain a small amount of denatured or ethyl alcohol — so each is marked in the drying-alcohol column.
§ Firming Cream’s preservative system (Phenonip) contains parabens — so it is marked in the parabens column.
b No synthetic fragrance, but contains a naturally derived botanical or essential oil, or a floral water (Balance Gel, Brightening Bar, Calming Mist, Clearing Cleanser, Dew Cream, Face Oil).

7 ingredient categories we scrutinize — and the research behind why

We keep these out of our formulas wherever the formula allows. A few products still contain a small amount of one — denatured alcohol, silicones, or a paraben-based preservative — and every one is flagged in the table above. Here is the research on why we minimize them.

Strongest evidence

Fragrance

The most common cause of cosmetic contact allergy. Decades of patch test data confirm 1–4% of the general population is sensitized.

Read the research →Strongest evidence

Sulfates (SLS/SLES)

Direct disruption of the skin barrier’s lipid matrix. Among the most well-established concerns in dermatology.

Read the research →Strongest evidence

Phthalates

Endocrine disruption with reproductive and developmental implications. Primary cosmetic exposure route is fragrance, which sixteen of our seventeen formulas leave out — the exception is flagged in the table above.

Read the research →Strong evidence

Parabens

Estrogenic activity established in vitro. Direct causation for breast cancer not proven; the EU has restricted multiple paraben types.

Read the research →Strong evidence

Denatured Alcohol

Barrier disruption via lipid solubilization. Particularly problematic for compromised, atopic, or rosacea-prone skin.

Read the research →Mixed evidence

Silicones

Dermatological concern is moderate; environmental persistence is the stronger argument. We’re honest about which is which.

Read the research →Mixed evidence

Mineral Oil

Pure occlusion without barrier benefit. Not a safety concern — a functional one.

Read the research →

How strong the evidence actually is

The evidence behind these ingredient choices varies in strength. Being upfront about that hierarchy is itself a differentiator. We grade the research in three tiers.

Strongest

Fragrance, sulfates, phthalates. Multiple well-designed studies, consistent findings, clear mechanisms, decades of clinical data.

Strong

Parabens, denatured alcohol. Real effects established; the most-cited concern is qualified (paraben causation not proven; alcohol effect is concentration-dependent). Regulatory action or clinical caution supports precaution.

Mixed

Silicones, mineral oil. The case is real but qualified — environmental more than dermatological for silicones, functional rather than safety for mineral oil. We tell you which.

A brand that tells you the evidence against silicones is mostly environmental rather than dermatological is more credible than one that treats every absence claim as equally backed by science. We choose precision over marketing language because the customer who reads labels respects it.

How we evaluate research

Every claim on this page is supported by peer-reviewed research published in dermatology, toxicology, or environmental health journals. We rely primarily on:

  • Multicenter clinical studies — large patch test datasets like NACDG and EU registries
  • Mechanistic research — studies showing how an ingredient affects skin biology
  • Regulatory positions — EU restrictions and EWG ratings as supporting context, not primary evidence
  • Peer-reviewed reviews for synthesis

We do not cite:

  • Single-source blog posts or aggregated “natural beauty” databases
  • Industry-funded studies without independent corroboration
  • Animal-only studies as standalone evidence for human relevance

We update this page as new research emerges. Last reviewed: July 2026.