Ingredients in Skincare

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Part of the Vitamin C family of ingredients, Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate is a water-soluble, medium-strength, derivative of Vitamin C. It is designed to have improved stability vs. pure Vitamin C, with a strong conversion to ascorbic acid (the active form of Vitamin C) within the body. It has extremely low sensitisation profile vs other forms which can cause stinging and dryness/irritation. Vitamin C can also be found on ingredients lists as ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl palmitate, ethyl ascorbic acid, l-ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate.

Caffeine

Caffeine, derived from the coffee plant, is used in skincare as an antioxidant and a vasoconstricting agent. Its antioxidant properties help to protect against free radicals, neutralising them before they can cause damage to the skin cells. Its vasoconstricting abilities make it good for draining water retention from around the eye area, to reduce puff, and for reducing skin redness by constricting the capillaries whose dilation visually increases skin redness by passing blood closer to the skin’s surface.

Avocado Ferment

Avocado ferment is used for its nourishing, moisturizing, and skin-conditioning properties, offering benefits for the skin.

Zinc Sulfate

Zinc Sulfate

The jury is still out on the efficacy of this zinc derivative, but it is used in skincare for its antibacterial and astringent properties. This means it is able to fight blemish-causing C. Acnes bacteria, as well as minimise sebum production via its astringent effect. Zinc sulfate is part of a family of ingredients that can also be found on ingredients lists as zinc gluconate, zinc pca and zinc sulphate.

Superoxide Dismutase

Superoxide Dismutase

Superoxide dismutase is an enzyme produced naturally in the body, specifically to break down the free radical superoxide (an oxygen with an excess electron and thus a negative charge). It is considered to be the body’s most important antioxidant and works by catalysing the conversion of superoxide, into elemental oxygen (O2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a process known as dismutation. This action is part of the body’s natural anti-ageing mechanism, so including this ingredient in skincare supports this natural protection process.

Glycerin

Glycerin is a humectant present in all natural lipids. It works to attract water molecules towards it, plumping & hydrating the applied area, resulting in smooth, soft, hydrated skin. It is one of the most widely used humectants in skincare, due to its high performance and broad availability (making it very cost-effective). Recent research has shown that its ability to penetrate the layers of the skin is superior to that of low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, making it a brilliant choice for overall skin hydration, and suitable for all skin types.

Arginine HCL

Arginine HCL

Arginine is an amino acid that can be found in food sources such as almonds and chocolate. Arginine is an essential amino acid that the body cannot produce on its own. It is often referred to as the ‘master amino acid’ and has a number of benefits to skin health. Amino acids are a class of ingredients. They can also be found on ingredients lists as acetyl glucosamine, acetyl tyrosinamide, alanine, arginine hcl, arginine pca, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, taurine, threonine and valine and yeast amino acids.

Moringa Seed Extract

Moringa seed extract is derived from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree, also known as the "Miracle Tree" or "Tree of Life." In skincare, it is used for its potential nourishing, antioxidant, and skin-protecting properties.

Essential Lipids

The outer layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, has a multilamellar structure (essentially a fine membrane), made up of lipids (fats), to form a non-permeable barrier. This keeps water inside the skin, and acts as the first defense against external aggressors. Using lipids in skincare helps to support the natural skin barrier, preventing water-loss to keep skin hydrated and balanced. Essential lipids are a class of ingredients also known as caprooyl phytosphingosine, caprooyl sphingosine, cholesterol, glycolipids, glycoproteins, glycosphingolipids, lecithin, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phospholipids and phytosphingosine.

Bilberry Extract

Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

Bilberry extract is derived from the fruit of the bilberry plant, a close relative of the blueberry. It is used in skincare for its antioxidant properties and potential benefits for improving the appearance of the skin. It is rich in beneficial compounds, including antioxidants, vitamins, and polyphenols.

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Part of the Vitamin C family of ingredients, Ascorbyl palmitate is an oil-soluble Vitamin C ester, produced by the reaction of ascorbic acid and palmitic acid. This oil-soluble form works to improve stability against oxidation (something L-ascorbic acid is notorious for), as well as improve skin affinity to allow the ingredient to penetrate further. Vitamin C can also be found on ingredients lists as ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucoside, ethyl ascorbic acid, l-ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate.

Bio-Active Glucosides

Bio-Active Glucosides

Derived from plants, with the ability to soothe the skin by sending signals to the relevant cells to regulate any inflammatory response. They also work to even out skin tone and blotchiness.

Asparagopsis Armata Extract

Asparagopsis Armata Extract

asparagopsis armata extract is an extract of the red algae plant. It has antioxidant properties that protect, soothe, and hydrate the skin. It is in the class of Algae Extract which also include ahnfeltia concinna extract, alaria esculenta extract, algae exopolysaccharides, algin, alteromonas ferment extract, alteromonas ferment extract, ascophyllum nodosum extract, chlorella protothecoides, chlorella vulgaris extract, dunaliella salina (green algae) extract, hydrolyzed f-fucoidan, laminaria ochroleuca (kelp) extract, macrocystis pyrifera (kelp) extract, and marine extract.

Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic Acid

Part of the Vitamin C family of ingredients, L-ascorbic acid is Vitamin C in its purest form, and the active form required by the body to result in the many skin skin benefits of Vitamin C. The issue with L-ascorbic acid is in the delivery, as it is very unstable in water, and needs a pH 4 or below for it to penetrate the skin. That being said, when it can be stabilised in a formula and is able to penetrate the skin, it provides the highest potency of any form of Vitamin C currently available. Vitamin C can also be found on ingredients lists as ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl palmitate, ethyl ascorbic acid, l-ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate.

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Ascophyllum nodosum extract is a type of cold water brown seaweed that has antioxidant properties and serves as a texture enhancer in cosmetics. It is found along the shorelines in cold areas of the world, such as Northern Canada and Iceland. It is in the class of Algae Extract which also include ahnfeltia concinna extract, alaria esculenta extract, algae exopolysaccharides, algin, alteromonas ferment extract, alteromonas ferment extract, asparagopsis armata extract, chlorella protothecoides, chlorella vulgaris extract, dunaliella salina (green algae) extract, hydrolyzed f-fucoidan, laminaria ochroleuca (kelp) extract, macrocystis pyrifera (kelp) extract, marine extract, padina pavonica thallus extract, parachlorella beijerinckii exopolysaccharides, plankton extract, porphyridium cruentum extract, pseudoalteromonas exopolysaccharides, tripleurospermum maritimum extract, vibrio alginolyticus ferment filtrate, chlorella protothecoides oil