Ingredients in Skincare

Threonine

Threonine

When taken orally, it helps the digestive and intestinal tracts function more smoothly and also helps the absorption of nutrients. As for skincare, it helps to hydrate the skin. Amino acids are a class of ingredients. They can also be found on ingredients lists as acetyl glucosamine,acetyl tyrosinamide, alanine, arginine hcl, arginine pca, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, proline, serine, taurine and valine and yeast amino acids.

Coconut Oil

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Coconut oil, also known as cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, is naturally rich in fat-soluble Vitamins A & E, which provide antioxidant benefits, as well as supporting the skin barrier by reducing TEWL and therefore retaining moisture levels within the epidermis.

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.

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.

Ferulic Acid

Ferulic Acid

Ferulic acid is a naturally occurring acid found in plants, such as bran. It is used in skincare for its antioxidant properties, meaning it can neutralise free radicals before they can cause any cellular damage. It has also been shown to stabilise Vitamins C and E when used in combination, resulting in a boost in their efficacy vs being used without the addition of Ferulic acid.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba is a tree native to Asia, one of the oldest plant species on the planet, and rich in flavonoids and terpenoids. These provide powerful antioxidant protection, reducing potential damage caused by reactive free radicals. Studies have also shown Ginkgo Biloba to provide skin-smoothing and hydrating properties.

Quercetin

Quercetin

Quercetin is a naturally occurring bioflavonoid found in fruits and vegetables such as kale, onion, tomatoes and berries. It is used in skincare for its antioxidant abilities, meaning it can neutralise free radicals before they cause any damage to the skin. Studies also show Quercetin to have anti-inflammatory effects, and an ability to protect the skin against aggressors such as UV, histamine and toxic chemicals. It is also believed to support the skin barrier functioning, reducing water-loss via the skin to improve hydration levels in the epidermis.

Red Algae

Red Algae

Algae is an incredibly interesting natural ingredient source. It is essentially an underwater plant, designed to get its food from sunlight, much like any other plants, although from much more challenging conditions. 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.

Ectoin

Ectoin

Ectoin is an emollient used in skincare to help maintain moisture balance in the skin. New research shows it may also be able to protect against certain environmental aggressors, such as pollutants and UV. This is believed to be down to its antioxidant properties, as well as the ability to protect skin from dehydration from the surrounding environment.

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.

Sacred Lotus Flower Extract

Sacred Lotus Flower Extract

This natural plant extract has been shown to have multi-functional benefits, targeting both pigmentation and wrinkles. Studies have shown the extract to be effective at inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in producing the pigment melanin in the skin, helping to reduce the appearance of dark spots. It has also been shown to help firm the skin, by slowing the rate at which elastin, an important protein for skin firmness, is degraded.

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Part of the Vitamin C family of ingredients, Ascorbyl palmitate is an oil-soluble Vitamin C ester, produced by the reaction of ascorbic acid and palmitic acid. This oil-soluble form works to improve stability against oxidation (something L-ascorbic acid is notorious for), as well as improve skin affinity to allow the ingredient to penetrate further. Vitamin C can also be found on ingredients lists as ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucoside, ethyl ascorbic acid, l-ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate.

Feverfew Extract

Feverfew has been used in ancient medicine for centuries to treat everything from headaches, constipation, vertigo, worms, spasms & arthritis. One of the oil-soluble flavonoids, Tanetin, has been shown to modulate inflammatory responses in the body, whilst other flavonoids provide antioxidant protection.

Retinol

Retinol

Retinol, is a part of the vitamin A family of ingredients and is one of the most well-researched actives used in skincare today. Retinol and all of its derivatives are broken down within the skin first into retinaldehyde, then into retinoic acid, the active form recognised by the body to trigger its skin benefits. 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. 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)

Rhamnose

Rhamnose

Rhamnose is a naturally occurring sugar found in plant sources such as buckthorn and birch. Studies have shown that its molecular size and structure allows it to penetrate to the area between the base of the epidermis and the top of the dermis, known as the ‘dermo-epidermal junction’. This is important as this is where the fibroblasts are situated, which produce the key skin proteins collagen and elastin, which contribute to overall skin structure & firmness. In vivo studies (on humans) from the manufacturers have shown that applying a product including rhamnose once daily for 8 weeks resulting in an increase in collagen production, and a decrease in overall wrinkle depth. Prebiotics are in a class of ingredients that can be found on ingredients lists as alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, fructooligosaccharides, lactobacillus extract filtrate and saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) extract.