Ingredients in Skincare

Isoleucine

Isoleucine

A branch-chained, essential amino acid that can be found in things like almond, cashew or soy protein. In skincare, it is used in moisturising products and is found to be good for skin barrier defence. Amino acids are a class of ingredients. They can also be found on ingredients lists as acetyl glucosamine,acetyl tyrosinamide, alanine, arginine hcl, histidine, arginine pca, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, taurine, threonine and valine and yeast amino acids.

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.

Avene Thermal Water

Avene Thermal Water

Avene thermal spring water is sourced from a natural spring in France. It spends 50 years travelling to this spring through mountainous rock, and contains the minerals calcium, magnesium and silica, which are particularly good for sensitive skin due to their soothing properties.

Blue Lotus Extract

Nymphaea Caerulea

Blue lotus is typically used in skincare for its moisturising properties. As with most plant extracts, it also demonstrates antioxidant abilities, so is able to help protect skin against free radical damage.

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Part of the Vitamin C family of ingredients, Ascorbyl Glucoside is a water-soluble derivative of Vitamin C. This derivative was created to provide improved stability and skin penetration vs. ascorbic acid alone. It is still unclear how well ascorbyl glucoside is converted into ascorbic acid (the active form of Vitamin C) within the body, but some of it will be lost during this conversion, making this less potent, and therefore requiring higher levels in the formulation in order to achieve great results. Vitamin C can also be found on ingredients lists as ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, ethyl ascorbic acid, l-ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate.

Sugar Cane Extract

Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract

Sugar Cane extract is a natural ingredient that works as a humectant when applied to the skin, meaning it draws water molecules towards it, plumping & hydrating the area. It is also the natural plant from which glycolic acid is derived, so it is thought to have some degree of exfoliating & brightening action, although there is currently insufficient research proving this.

Jojoba Beads

Jojoba beads are spherical exfoliating particles made from jojoba oil, a natural liquid wax obtained from the seeds of the jojoba plant (Simmondsia chinensis). These beads are used in skincare for their gentle exfoliating and skin-smoothing properties.

Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is produced naturally in a number of plant species, such as mushrooms, and is also a by-product of the fermentation process of soy and rice wine. It is used in cosmetics for its ability to target hyperpigmentation, and works by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase, which is involved in producing the pigment in our skin, known as melanin. A reduction in the activity of this enzyme helps to minimise the overproduction of melanin, and help reduce areas of hyperpigmentation.

Apple Polyphenols

Apple Polyphenols

Apple (like most plants), contains polyphenols, which are compounds with strong antioxidant properties, meaning they are able to protect skin from free radical damage.

Jojoba Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil

Jojoba oil, also known as hydrogenated jojoba oil or simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, is a natural oil from the jojoba plant. It is structurally similar to our skin's natural sebum (oil), so absorbs very well into the skin and doesn't clog the pores. It is fantastic for nourishing the skin and is naturally high in fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins to optimise skin barrier health.

Sweet Almond Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil

Sweet Almond Oil is naturally rich in fat-soluble Vitamins A & E, which provide antioxidant benefits. This oil is naturally high in Omega 3 fatty acids, which cannot be produced naturally in the body, but offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

Phytic Acid

Phytic Acid

Phytic acid is technically an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), although its exfoliating effects are very mild compared to other acids in the AHA family. It does work to remove dead skin cell build up from the pores, and in turn reducing occurrences of breakouts, but this is not its main skin benefit. It is predominantly used for its high antioxidant potential, meaning it can neutralise damaging free radicals before they can cause any damage to the skin.

Carnosine

Carnosine is a peptide used in skincare as an antioxidant and a soothing agent. Research also shows this also has an effect against glycation (a process which accelerates ageing).

Prebiotics

Prebiotics, can be classed as a food source that encourages the growth of good bacteria on the skin. The microbiome (the ecosystem of bacteria on the skin) is a relatively new discovery and we are learning that this is linked to many different aspects of our health, mood and appearance. Prebiotics are a class of ingredients which can be found on ingredients lists as alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, fructooligosaccharides, lactobacillus extract filtrate, rhamnose and saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) extract.

Copper PCA

Copper PCA

A skin-conditioning agent which is also thought to help firm the skin and stimulate collagen synthesis.