Hey! Here's some information on ingredients we think you should know about!
We decided for organization that a table would be the best way to present this information. Below it will be some further clarification on some terms.
| INGREDIENT | WHAT IT IS | WHY IS IT IMPORTANT |
| BHA/Salicylic Acid | Anti-inflammatory, Exfoliant, Preservative | Deep Removal of Dead Skin Cells, Prevents Acne, Soothes, Removes Blackheads |
| AHA | Exfoliant | Brightens skin tone, Removes Dead Skin Cells |
| Citric Acid | AHA, Buffering, Exfoliant | Adjusts pH, Brightens Skin Tone, Removes Dead Skin Cells |
| Glycolic Acid | AHA, Exfoliant | Anti-aging, Brightens Skin Tone, Firms Skin, Removes Dead Skin Cells |
| Lactic Acid | AHA, Exfoliant, Humectant, Moisturizer | Anti-Aging, Brightens Skin Tone, Firms Skin, Hydrates, Moisturizes, Nonirritating, Removes Dead Skin Cells |
| Mandelic Acid | AHA, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Exfoliant | Brightens Skin Tone, Nonirritant, Removes Dead Skin Cells |
| PHA/Lactobionic Acid | Antioxidant, Buffering, Exfoliant, Moisturizer | Adjusts pH, Anti-aging, Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Reduces Free Radicals, Removes Dead Skin Cells |
| Vitamin A/Retinol | Antioxidant, Exfoliant, Retinoid | Anti-aging, Firms Skin, Stimulates Cell Growth, Prevents Acne, Reduces Free Radicals |
| Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid | Antioxidant, Melanin Inhibitor | Anti-aging, Brightens Skin Tone, Firms Skin, Reduces Free Radicals |
| Vitamin E/Tocopherol | Antioxidant, UV Blocker | Moisturizes, Prevents UVB Damage, Reduces Free Radicals |
| Niacinamide/Vitamin B3 | Antioxidant, Humectant, Melanin Inhibitor, Moisturizer | Anti-aging, Brightens Skin Tone, Firms Skin, Hydrates, Nonirritant, Prevents Acne, Stimulates Cell Growth, Reduces Free Radicals, Wound Healing |
| Pantenol/Pro-Vitamin B5 | Anti-inflammatory, Humectant, Moisturizer | Moisturizes, Soothes, Wound Healing |
| Fatty Acids | Skin-identical Ingredient | Hydrates, Moisturizes, Nonirritant |
| Lauric Acid | Fatty Acid, Antimicrobial, Emulsifier | Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Prevents Acne |
| Linoleic Acid | Emollient, Fatty Acid, Skin-identical Ingredient | Brightens Skin Tone, Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Prevents Acne, Wound Healing |
| Linolenic Acid | Anti-inflammation, Emollient, Fatty Acid, Skin-identical Ingredient | Brightens Skin Tone, Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Soothes |
| Jojoba Oil | Anti-inflammatory, Emollient, Fatty Acid | Moisturizes, Nonirritants, Soothes |
| Aloe Vera | Anti-inflammatory, Humectant, Moisturizer | Hydrates, Moisturizes, Soothes, Wound Healing |
| Bee Venom | Anti-inflammatory, Astringent, Skin Protecting | Firms Skin, Improves Circulation, Soothes |
| Caffeine | Antioxidant | Improves Circulation, Reduces Free Radicals |
| Calendula | Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory | Soothes, Reduces Free Radicals, Wound Healing |
| Ceramide | Moisturizer, Skin-identical Ingredient | Hydrates, Moisturizes, Nonirritant |
| Ginseng | Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Emollient | Anti-aging, Improves Circulation, Soothes, Reduces Free Radicals |
| Tea Tree Oil | Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial | Prevents Acne, Soothes |
| Green Tea | Antibacterial, Anti-Inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Humectant, Moisturizer, UV Blocker | Hydrates, Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Prevents UVB Damage, Soothes, Reduces Free Radicals |
| Honey | Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Humectant, Moisturizer | Anti-aging, Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Soothes, Reduces Free Radicals, Wound Healing |
| Hyaluronic Acid/Sodium Hyaluronate | Humectant, Moisturizer, Skin-identical Ingredient | Firms Skin, Hydrates, Moisturizes |
| Jojoba Oil | Anti-inflammatory, Emollient, Fatty Acid | Moisturizes, Nonirritants, Soothes |
| Licorice Root Extract | Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Melanin Inhibitor | Anti-aging, Brightens Skin Tone, Nonirritant, Soothes, Reduces Free Radicals |
| Propolis | Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Humectant, Moisturizer | Hydrates, Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Prevents Acne, Reduces Free Radicals, Wound Healing |
| Snail Mucin | Antioxidant, Humectant, Moisturizer | Anti-aging, Firms Skin, Hydrates, Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Soothes, Wound Healing |
| Squalane | Emollient, Skin-identical Ingredient | Firms Skin, Moisturizes, Nonirritant |
| 1,2-Hexanediol | Humectant, Emollient, Solvent | Boosts Antimicrobial traits of Preservatives, Hydrates, Moisturizes |
| Adenosine | Anti-inflammatory, skin-restoring | Anti-aging, Firms Skin, Soothes, Wound Healing |
| Arbutin | Antioxidant, Melanin Inhibitor | Brightens Skin Tone, Reduces Free Radicals |
| Betaine | Humectant, Moisturizer | Hydrates, Moisturizes |
| Beta Glucan | Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Humectant, Moisturizer | Anti-aging, Moisturizes, Nonirritant, Soothes, Reduces Free Radicals, Wound Healing |
| Butylene Glycol | Humectant, Moisturizer, Solvent | Hydrates, Moisturizes |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | Emollient, Moisturizer | Moisturizes, Nonirritant |
| Dimethicone | Emollient | Moisturizes |
| Glycerin | Humectant, Moisturizer, Skin-identical Ingredient | Hydrates, Moisturizes, Nonirritant |
| Madecassoside | Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory | Soothes, Reduces Free Radicals, Wound Healing |
| Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate | Anti-inflammatory, Humectant, Moisturizer | Anti-aging, Brightens Skin Tone, Hydrates, Moisturizes, Stimulates Cell Production |
| Tiger Grass/Centella Asiatica | Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Humectant, Moisturizer | Anti-aging, Improves Circulation, Moisturizes, nonirritant, Soothes, Reduces Free Radicals, Wound Healing |
| Urea/Carbamide | Skin-identical Ingredient, Humectant, Moisturizer | Moisturizes, Nonirritants |
| Titanium Dioxide | UV Blocker, Mineral | Protects against UVA and UVB damage |
| Zinc Oxide | UV Blocker, Mineral | Protects against UVA and UVB damage, Non-irritating |
OUR SHORTHAND SKINCARE DEFINITIONS
Anti-inflammatory - This is a common sought out property for those looking to reduce redness. Usually when you see this as a quality of an ingredient, it is safe to say that the ingredient will be great for sensitive skin types. Most products that aim to soothe skin and reduce irritation have ingredients that are anti-inflammatory.
Buffer - This is a term to describe pH. When you see the word buffer or buffering this generally means that the product attempts to bring your skin pH level back to normal (around 5.5). Buffers in skin care generally aim to lower pH levels.
Humectant - This is just a fancy way to say that this ingredient is moisturizing. An ingredient that is a humectant has the ability to bind water to your skin.
Anti-bacterial vs Anti-Microbial - Anti-bacterial refers to the ingredient's ability to prevent bacterial growth, while anti-microbial refers to the ingredient's ability to prevent bacterial growth as well as molds, fungi, and some virus strains.
Free radicals - These guys harm the skin by doing all sorts of bad things, typically by causing oxidation. Generally they are created by UV radiation, and they can damage skin DNA, cellular respiration, and collagen production. Free radicals are what you want to reduce to take anti-aging measures.
Anti-oxidants - This kind of ingredient removes free radicals. This is the line of defense against aging. Free radicals create harmful oxidation, while anti-oxidants do what their name implies. Another thing to note is that some studies show that anti-oxidants can also be anti-inflammatory for certain sensitive skin types, such as those with rosacea.
Astringent - An ingredient that is astringent typically means that it has the ability to eliminate oils. They can also be pore tightening and, in higher concentrations or more powerful variants, drying.
Skin Brightening / Melanin Inhibitor - This kind of quality in an ingredient means that it helps with uneven skin tone, for example dark spots from old acne scars. Melanin is basically what causes darker skin pigmentation, so you want to inhibit the production of it to brighten those darker areas. Ascorbic acid (vitamin c) is an example of an ingredient that does this. However with these types of products you have to be extra aware of UV radiation. Your skin will be more susceptible to burning with the use of these products. Wear sunscreen. And also, store these products in a darker place, because they are photosensitive and will degrade in contact with sunlight.
UV Filter / Blocker - This type of an ingredient filters UV radiation. There is not a chemical out there that can completely block UV radiation, so UV blocker is not the best word choice; however, we want to stress the ties these ingredients have with sunblock. On an important side note, if you have sensitive skin type, look for sunscreen with metal oxides ONLY in them (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the only ingredients that are metal oxides in sunscreens).
Skin-identical Ingredient - We use this term to show that this kind of ingredient by its chemical nature is found naturally on the skin. For example, ceramides are found to be 50% of the natural skin barrier on your outermost layer of the skin; they are skin-identical ingredients. These types of ingredients are typically very low in risk of irritation and great for sensitive skin types.
FINAL NOTES
We hope that we are able to answer some questions to skincare ingredients that you may have.
If you have any questions or if anything is unclear, please feel free to contact us here!
We would love to help!