These days there’s so much information available about our skin care products that it’s hard to believe that any ingredient could elude us. But sometimes an overabundance of information is exactly what makes it difficult to understand these ingredients—especially ones with complex sounding scientific names.
Skin Care Ingredient #1: Aloe Vera
During the summer months, your beach bag is probably stocked with aloe vera—and you aren’t alone. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one of the most popular uses for aloe vera gel—a byproduct of the aloe vera plant—is for soothing sunburns.
Product pick: EVELINE NATURAL ALOE VERA MULTIFUNCTIONAL BODY & FACE GEL
Skin Care Ingredient #2: Ceramides
Ceramides are key to maintaining your skin’s barrier because of their hydrating properties. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) shares that moisturizers formulated with lipids, such as ceramides, are usually well tolerated and improve the barrier that is often compromised in people with rosacea.
Skin Care Ingredient #3: Azelaic Acid
You might have started noticing more people talking about this powerhouse ingredient more in the past few years. While it’s part of a drug classification called dicarboxylic acids, it’s often included in skin care products due to its anti-inflammatory properties. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) creams containing azelaic acid are effective in treating inflammatory acne while gels containing the ingredient are effective in treating mild to moderate rosacea.
Skin Care Ingredient #4: Caffeine
You're familiar with caffeine as the ingredient that gives your coffee its kick, but it also has topical benefits for your skin. Eye creams formulated with caffeine can help awaken the appearance of your eye contour area and help combat the appearance of dark circles under eyes.
Skin Care Ingredient #5: Retinol
Retinol is definitely one of the power players in skin care ingredients. Retinol is a vitamin A compound and—according to Mayo Clinic—the first antioxidant to be widely used in non-prescription wrinkle creams. In addition to helping with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, retinol is recommended for addressing the development and maintenance of acne.
Skin Care Ingredient #6: Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid may have acid in its name but it isn’t quite the same as the other acids in this guide. Hyaluronic acid doesn’t exfoliate, instead it helps moisturize. It’s a naturally occurring substance in the body, and according to NCBI has a unique capacity to bind and retain water molecules.
Skin Care Ingredient #7: Salicylic Acid
You may know by now that hydroxy acids are split into two categories: AHAs and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs). We’ve already covered AHAs, but do you know the difference between AHAs and BHAs? Both help to remove dead skin cells on the skin’s surface but BHAs are more commonly found in acne formulations.
Skin Care Ingredient #8: Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid is another AHA, and as such, its main purpose in skin care product formulas is to help polish away dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Glycolic acid is an example of a chemical exfoliator, so it’s important to introduce products containing glycolic acid slowly at first to avoid over-exfoliating and irritation.
Source:
L'Oréal
