Ingredients in Skincare

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.

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.

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.

Teprenone

Teprenone

Teprenone, a synthetic active produced by manufacturer Sederma, is believed to provide all-round anti-ageing benefits by supporting the cells natural replication process, and preventing telomere lengthening in the process. Whilst the research is not robust enough to prove this, the study carried out showed promising in-vivo results after 1 month, with instrumental results showing an improvement in skin firmness, elasticity & tone. The same study also showed an improvement in skin smoothness and skin redness, as well as a reduction in pore size.

Azelaic Acid

Azelaic Acid

Azelaic acid is found naturally in grains such as barley, wheat and rye, but can also be produced commercially in the lab. It has several benefits in skincare including as an anti-inflammatory, with evidence showing great results in treating rosacea symptoms (swelling & redness) via this mechanism. Azelaic also has an anti-blemish activity - firstly, it is an antibacterial which works to kill acne-causing bacteria, P.Acnes. Secondly, it prevents pores becoming blocked by the skin’s natural shedding process, which makes it harder for this bacteria to populate inside the pore to cause a blemish (it needs an oxygen-free environment to thrive). Studies have also shown azelaic acid to inhibit melanogenesis (production of melanin), so also has benefits in treating hyperpigmentation and post-inflammatory acne scarring. It has good skin tolerability, so can be used to treat more sensitive skin types in concentrations of around 10%. It is a family of ingredients, the other ingredient including Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate.

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.

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.

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.

Symsitive

Symsitive

This active has been designed specifically to soothe sensitive skin. Research from its manufacturer shows that 3 minutes after application, it can alleviate stinging by 78% and burning by 80%. It works by increasing the skin’s tolerance threshold to regulate the reaction response.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid works as an extremely powerful humectant, able to attract 1000x its own weight in water, to immediately plump and hydrate the area it is applied to. The body’s own production of hyaluronic acid slows with age, so supplementing this ingredient in topical formulations helps to support the skin’s natural moisture-binding, anti-ageing mechanisms. Hyaluronic acid is a family of ingredients, also known by hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, sodium butyroyl hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate or sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer.

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.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid works as an exfoliating acid to dissolve the keratin that binds the outermost layers of the skin, encouraging the natural exfoliation process of the skin. Salicylic acids are a family of ingredients and can also be found on ingredients lists as beta hydroxy acid (BHA) or capryloyl salicylic acid.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide, also known as Vitamin B3 and Nicotinamide, has many skincare benefits. Firstly, it regulates sebum production in the skin, which in turn reduces blemishes and visible pore size. It also reduces facial redness by improving microcirculation, which means moving the blood inside the capillaries away from the face to reduce visible redness. It also has the ability to strengthen the natural lipid barrier of the skin by encouraging ceramide production (the building blocks which seal our skin cells together), which in turn increases the hydration within the epidermis. Lastly, niacinamide works to help reduce hyperpigmentation by blocking melanin from being deposited on the skin cells.

Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine

Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine

Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine is a synthetic tetrapeptide used in skincare for its firming abilities. It works by inhibiting the enzyme elastase, which breaks down elastin in the skin (the protein responsible for skin firmness and elasticity). This reduction in elastase allows for higher levels of elastin in the skin, which in turn leads to skin that looks firmer, tighter and restructured. It is in a class of ingredients also found on ingredients lists as acetyl hexapeptide, acetyl tetrapeptide, 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.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Aloe vera, also appear on ingredients lists as aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, contains around 75 active constituents, including Vitamins A,C & E to provide antioxidant protection, 8 enzymes to inhibit inflammatory processes in the body and 9 different minerals to support the body’s natural functioning. It also includes sugars to provide hydrating humectant properties, fatty acids to provide anti-inflammatory & antiseptic properties, and hormones to promote wound healing.