Ingredients in Skincare

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.

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.

Snow Mushroom Extract

Tremella Fuciformis

Snow Mushroom Extract, also known as Tremella fuciformis extract, is derived from the snow mushroom, a gelatinous mushroom with hydrating properties. In skincare, it is used for its potential moisturizing, plumping, and skin-soothing benefits.

Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake

Hydrolyzed pumpkin seedcake is a protein derived from pumpkin seeds. It is a very good source of Vitamin E and key fatty acids, which protects the skin from excess water loss, as well as to support healthy skin functioning.

Prickly Pear Extract

Prickly Pear Extract

Prickly pear is a cactus native to Mexico, and is used in skincare for its soothing and hydrating properties. It is also known as hydrolyzed opuntia ficus indica flower extract and opuntia ficus-indica fruit extract.

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.

EGCG

Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)

EGCG is an active polyphenol, present in green tea, this compound provides powerful antioxidant protection to the skin, as well as some studies showing an ability to visibly reduce dark circles.

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

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 made up of amino acids, and are unique in shape, with a huge variety available to target specific responses in the body. It is from 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 pentapeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide, palmitoyl tripeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide, pentapeptide, sh-oligopeptide, tetrapeptide and copper palmitoyl heptapeptide.

Saskatoon Berry

Saskatoon Berry

Saskatoon Berry, also known as Amelanchier alnifolia, is a small fruit-bearing shrub native to North America. In skincare, Saskatoon Berry extract is used for its potential antioxidant and skin-nourishing properties.

Tomato Stem Cells

Tomato Stem Cells

Stem cells occur naturally within plants to help regenerate cells after stress or injury, and studies show this can encourage similar regenerating mechanisms in human skin. Tomato stem cells provide antioxidant protection to protect against free radicals, as well as acting as a chelating agent to sequester heavy metals which could result in damage, so overall this ingredient has great protective properties.

Sea Buckthorn Water

Sea Buckthorn Water

Sea buckthorn is a natural plant extract which contains a high concentration of vitamin c, and polyphenols, which provide antioxidant protection against free radicals.

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.

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.

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.

Gluconolactone

Gluconolactone is a poly hydroxy acid (PHA). PHAs work by gently dissolving the keratin that binds our outermost layer of skin cells, encouraging the natural exfoliation process of the skin, leading to smoother, clearer skin. This process also encourages new skin cell generation in the basal layer of the epidermis, a process which naturally slows with age, so with repeated use this can have an overall anti-ageing effect on the skin. Gluconolactone has also been shown to inhibit the enzyme elastase, which breaks down elastin in the skin (an essential protein produced by the fibroblasts), leading to sagging of the skin. PHAs are much larger in molecular weight vs AHAs so they cannot penetrate the skin as fast or as far, which therefore makes more gentle & suitable for more sensitive skin types, including those with rosacea-prone skin. Gluconolactone is also especially good for drier skin types as it also has natural humectant qualities, meaning it draws water towards it, hydrating the skin from within. Gluconolactone is in a class of polyhydroxy acid ingredients also known by lactobionic acid, and maltobionic acid.