Ingredients in Skincare

Glyceryl Glucoside

Glyceryl Glucoside is used in skincare for its hydrating abilities. It works by stimulating the production of Aquaporin 3, a natural substance found in the epidermis to regulate the movement of water between cells. An increased level of Aquaporin 3 in the skin results in improved hydration throughout the surface, and deeper layers, of the skin.

Acetyl Glucosamine

Acetyl Glucosamine

Acetyl Glucosamine is an amino acid sugar. It increases hyaluronic acid production in the skin, repairs sun damage, improves skin tone & hydration, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Amino acids are a class of ingredients. They can also be found on ingredients lists as acetyl tyrosinamide, alanine, arginine, arginine hcl, arginine pca, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, taurine, threonine and valine and yeast amino acids.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has many skin benefits, including its action as an antioxidant, to neutralise free radicals (reactive molecules with an unpaired electron), preventing them from causing damage to cells within the body. Vitamin C is also involved in the collagen-production process, so provides anti-wrinkle activity through this mechanism. Lastly, Vitamin C inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase, which is involved in melanin-synthesis, and can therefore visibly reduce areas of hyperpigmentation in the skin. Vitamin C is a family of ingredients also known as ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl palmitate, ethyl ascorbic acid, l-ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate.

Aquagenium

Aquagenium

A Bioderma exclusive ingredient, which is a blend of niacinamide and apple extract, which works to stimulate the expression of aquaporins (proteins which are responsible for water transfer between cells). Aquagenium works to stimulate the movement of water in order to deliver deep hydration to the skin.

Arbutin

Arbutin

Arbutin, also known as alpha arbutin, can be derived from the bearberry plant, or made synthetically, and is used in skincare to lighten dark spots. It works by breaking down in the body into hydroquinone, which can inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for producing melanin. It is one of the most well-researched actives for lightening pigmentation, with better skin tolerability vs. prescription hydroquinone.

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.

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide is in a class of prebiotic ingredients also found on ingredients lists as Fructooligosaccharides, lactobacillus extract filtrate, rhamnose and saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) extract. Prebiotics are a class of ingredients which can be found on ingredients lists as fructooligosaccharides, lactobacillus extract filtrate, rhamnose and saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) extract.

Beta Glucan

Beta-Glucan

Beta Glucans are polysaccharides found naturally in oats, fungi, seaweed and yeast. It is best known for its skin-soothing properties, showing excellent effects at reducing redness and other symptoms of sensitive skin. They do this via barrier-supporting properties, as they form a film on the skin’s surface to offer protection against daily environmental stressors, which can aggravate sensitive skin. They also stimulate macrophage function in the body (immune cells which fight invading bacteria), so offer added benefit to those with already compromised skin barriers more susceptible to bacterial infection, for example eczema-prone or drier skin types. Their polysaccharide nature makes them an effective humectant, meaning they can draw water molecules towards them to plump and hydrate the area.

Amino Acids

Amino Acids are the small building blocks that make up peptides, and proteins. Each amino acid has a unique structure, and as such plays a specific role within the body. There are around 20 different types considered to be most important for human health. Amino acids are a class of ingredients. They can also be found on ingredients lists as acetyl glucosamine, acetyl tyrosinamide, alanine, arginine, arginine hcl, arginine pca, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, taurine, threonine and valine and yeast amino acids.

Vitamin A

Retinoic acid (aka tretinoin) is the gold standard of anti-ageing and works in a number of ways. Firstly, it blocks the production of collagen-degrading enzymes, meaning collagen does not get broken down as quickly in the skin. After prolonged use (6M+), it has also been shown to stimulate the production of type I and type III collagen, reducing wrinkles and improving skin firmness. It has been shown to protect against UV-induced damage, as well as reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation in the skin. Skin treated with retinoids is smoother, more even-toned, firmer and younger looking. Vitamin A is a family of ingredients also known as retinol, retinaldehyde, encapsulated retinaldehyde, Retinoic acid (aka tretinoin), hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinyl palmitate, retinyl propionate or retinyl retinoate (8x more powerful than retinol). Vitamin A is one of the most well-researched actives used in skincare today. Retinol and all of It's derivatives are broken down within the skin first into retinaldehyde, then into retinoic acid, the active form recognised by the body to trigger it’s skin benefits.

Apple Extract

Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract

Apple extract, also known as pyrus malus extract, is used in cosmetics for its antioxidant abilities, as it is very high in polyphenols. This means it is able to help protect the skin from free radical damage, one of the largest external factors which contributes to ageing of the skin (after UV light).

Algin

Algin

Algin, also known as sodium alginate, is a large sugar molecule/polysaccharide that is used as a gelling agent in cosmetics, and is derived from brown seaweed. It is used in cosmetics for its hydrating and soothing properties, and in formulations as a binding and thickening agent. It is in the class of Algae Extract which also include ahnfeltia concinna extract, alaria esculenta extract, algae exopolysaccharides, alteromonas ferment extract, ascophyllum nodosum 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, and marine extract.

Acetyl Tyrosinamide

N-Acetyl L-Tyrosinamide

Acetyl tyrosinamide is an effective moisturising ingredient that also has been shown to be effective in evening out the skin tone and reducing hyperpigmentation. Amino acids are a class of ingredients. They can also be found on ingredients lists as acetyl glucosamine, alanine, arginine, arginine hcl, arginine pca, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, taurine, threonine and valine and yeast amino acids.

Anti-Ageing Peptides

Many peptides function as anti-ageing ingredients in skincare, due to their ability to fit specific receptors in the body to trigger anti-ageing responses. This includes mechanisms like collagen production, cell regeneration or even blocking muscle contractions to smooth expression lines. Peptides are a class of ingredients also found on ingredients lists as acetyl hexapeptide, acetyl tetrapeptide, acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine, arginine/lysine polypeptide, azelaoyl bis-dipeptide, copper heptapeptide-14 pantothenate, dipeptide, dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate, ferric hexapeptide, heptapeptide-15, palmitate, myristol hexapeptide, myristol pentapeptide, myristoyl nonapeptide, myristoyl pentapeptide, oligopeptide, palmitoyl tripeptide, palmitoyl decapeptide, palmitoyl heptapeptide, palmitoyl hexapeptide, palmitoyl nonapeptide, palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl pentapeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide, palmitoyl tripeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide, pentapeptide, sh-oligopeptide, tetrapeptide and copper palmitoyl heptapeptide.

Alaria Esculenta Extract

Alaria Esculenta Extract

A type of edible brown algae, harvested from waters bordering Europe and Ireland, and rich in amino acids, minerals and antioxidants. When used in skin care, it hydrates, soothes, and imparts the appearance and feel of firmness in the skin. The combined properties of the ingredient results in plump and hydrated skin, and reduced signs of ageing. It is in the class of Algae Extract which also include ahnfeltia concinna extract, algae exopolysaccharides, algae extract, algin, alteromonas ferment extract, ascophyllum nodosum 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, and marine extract.