Ingredients in Skincare

Kola Seed Extract

Kola seed extract is derived from the seeds of the kola nut tree, and is used in skincare for its potential skin-toning, and antioxidant properties.

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex

Chlorophyll, also known as chlorophyllin-copper complex, is a plant substance which is naturally high in vitamins and contains a high concentration of antioxidants, which helps protect the skin.

Horse Chestnut

Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract

Horse Chestnut has powerful antioxidant properties, is able to soothe irritated skin, and has also been shown in some studies to have benefits in strengthening the blood vessels to reduce visible redness.

Retinyl Propionate

Retinyl Propionate

Retinyl Propionate is a part of the vitamin A family of ingredients and is an ester of retinol and propionic acid. It is designed to have better skin tolerability vs. retinol. Once absorbed, it is broken down in the body to retinol, then into retinaldehyde, and then again into retinoic acid, the active form recognised by the body to trigger it’s skin benefits. Studies have shown levels of 0.3% or higher are required to see benefits comparable with retinol. It is part of a family of ingredients also found on ingredients lists as encapsulated retinaldehyde, hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinaldehyde, retinyl palmitate, retinyl propionate and retinyl retinoate (8x more powerful than retinol)

Golden-Eye Grass Complex

An antioxidant and anti-inflammatory plant extract which has been shown to balance the pH of the skin, keeping the natural lipid barrier functioning at its best and therefore providing protection against environmental stressors.

Fernblock

Fernblock

Known as FernBlock, this is a patented active from Heliocare, developed alongside Harvard medical school. It is derived from a tropical fern native to South America, and works by protecting against UVB-induced sunburn, as well as protecting against UVA and Infrared wavelengths. The active is also able to support cell renewal and protect from cumulative damage caused by sun exposure (such as ageing and DNA damage). It is an antioxidant, protecting against free radicals, and has been shown to boost production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid in the skin.

Neurophroline

An incredibly innovative ingredient, Neurophroline is derived from the Wild Indigo plant and has multiple skin benefits. It has been shown to breakdown cortisol, a stress hormone which has many negative effects on the skin. It also triggers the release of a calming neuropeptide to reduce stress in the skin. Through these mechanisms, it has been shown to achieve a visible improvement in skin tone in as little as 2 weeks.

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Padina pavonica, also known as peacocks tail, is a brown algae native to the Mediterranean coast. It is rich in polysaccharides, which provide humectant properties, meaning they can draw water molecules to them to plump & hydrate the surrounding area. It is also shown to have anti-pollution effects, protecting skin against free radical and heavy metal exposure. It is in the class of Algae Extract which also include ahnfeltia concinna extract, alaria esculenta extract, algae exopolysaccharides, 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, marine extract, parachlorella beijerinckii exopolysaccharides, plankton extract, porphyridium cruentum extract, pseudoalteromonas exopolysaccharides, tripleurospermum maritimum extract, vibrio alginolyticus ferment filtrate, chlorella protothecoides oil

Hibiscus Fruit Extract

Hibiscus fruit extract is derived from the flowers of the Hibiscus sabdariffa plant. It is used in skincare for its antioxidant and skin-nourishing properties.

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate is a post-biotic ingredient derived from Gram-positive bacteria, Lactococcus lactis. It is used in skincare for its ability to increase the speed of epidermal growth, leading to a thicker stratum corneum (outermost layer of the skin), and in turn better barrier function. This is seen as healthier-looking, more hydrated and supple skin. Lactococcus ferment lysate sits in a class of probiotic ingredients which can be found on ingredients lists as bifida ferment lysate and lactobacillus ferment.

Probiotics

Probiotics

Probiotics can be defined as living bacteria which are good for the skin, and are useful to include in skincare formulations in order to populate a healthy microbiome (the ecosystem of bacteria on the skin). A diverse breadth in the strains of bacteria living on the skin results in a healthy microbiome, and some early research has linked certain imbalances in this microbiome to skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. Probiotics are a class of ingredients which can be found on ingredients lists as bifida ferment lysate, lactobacillus ferment, and lactococcus ferment lysate.

Chondrus Crispus

Algae

Algae is an incredibly interesting natural ingredient source. There are many types of algae (kelp, laminaria, microalgae) but in general in all its forms, it acts as a powerful antioxidant, protecting from free radical damage, as well as being able to hydrate the skin and deliver naturally-occurring vitamins into 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, ascophyllum nodosum extract, asparagopsis armata extract, chlorella protothecoides, vibrio alginolyticus ferment filtrate, dunaliella salina (green algae) extract, hydrolyzed f-fucoidan, laminaria ochroleuca (kelp) extract, macrocystis pyrifera (kelp) extract, marine extract, parachlorella beijerinckii exopolysaccharides, padina pavonica thallus extract, plankton extract, porphyridium cruentum extract, pseudoalteromonas exopolysaccharides, tripleurospermum maritimum extract, chlorella protothecoides oil and chlorella protothecoides oil.

Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides

Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides

Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides are biotechnological marine alternatives to famous IT-moisturiser and humectant hyaluronic acid (HA). It is obtained by the fermentation of a marine bacterial strain. It is in the class of Algae Extract which also include ahnfeltia concinna extract, alaria esculenta extract, algae exopolysaccharides, 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, marine extract, parachlorella beijerinckii exopolysaccharides, plankton extract, porphyridium cruentum extract, padina pavonica thallus extract, tripleurospermum maritimum extract, vibrio alginolyticus ferment filtrate, chlorella protothecoides oil

L-Ascorbic Acid

L-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 ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl palmitate, ethyl ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate.

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Caprooyl Sphingosine is a mixture of fatty acids Caproic acid and Sphingosine. It acts as a precursor for ceramide synthesis, meaning it encourages the skin to produce ceramides naturally. The function of ceramides is to hold the skin cells together by creating a barrier against water-loss from the inside-out, and external aggressors from the outside-in. They make up almost 50% of our skins composition, but they can be depleted by UV, free radicals & pollution, and their production also naturally slows with age. This leads to an impaired skin barrier, which results in dry, rough skin with more visible wrinkling and redness. Encouraging the skin’s natural production of ceramides leads to an improved skin barrier, resulting in smoother, more hydrated, younger-looking skin. Caprooyl sphingosine is in the class of essential lipids, it can be found on ingredient lists as caprooyl phytosphingosine, cholesterol, glycolipids, glycoproteins, glycosphingolipids, lecithin, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phospholipids and phytosphingosine.