Acetyl Glucosamine
Acetyl glucosamine is an amino sugar and a natural precursor in the body's own hyaluronic acid production pathway, used in its acetylated form because it...
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Ingredient Dictionary
A curated resource for understanding skincare ingredients, their functions, benefits, and role within a formula.
Ingredient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline)
Argireline works in a completely different way than most anti aging peptides. Instead of telling skin cells to make more collagen, it tries to interrupt...
Read MoreAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Extracted straight from the leaves of the aloe plant, aloe barbadensis leaf juice is best known for calming and soothing the skin, and there's real...
Read MoreAlpha-Arbutin
Whether it's sourced from plants or made synthetically, alpha arbutin is formed by combining hydroquinone with the alpha form of glucose, a type of sugar...
Read MoreAlpha Lipoic Acid
What sets alpha lipoic acid apart from most antioxidants is its dual solubility: unlike vitamin C, which is water-soluble, or vitamin E, which is fat-soluble,...
Read MoreAscorbyl Glucoside
Ascorbyl glucoside is a stable, water soluble derivative of vitamin C formed by attaching a glucose molecule to L ascorbic acid, making it resistant to...
Read MoreAvobenzone
Avobenzone is a chemical, or organic, sunscreen filter that works by absorbing UV radiation and converting it into a small amount of heat, rather than...
Read MoreAvocado Oil
Avocado oil is pressed from the fruit's flesh rather than a seed, which is unusual among common carrier oils, and is rich in oleic acid...
Read MoreAzelaic Acid
Naturally derived from grains, azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid best known for two things: calming redness and clearing breakouts. Clinical research backs up both...
Read MoreBaobab Seed Oil
Baobab oil is pressed from the seeds of the baobab tree, native to sub Saharan Africa, and carries a roughly even balance of oleic, linoleic,...
Read MoreBenzoyl Peroxide
Among over the counter acne treatments, benzoyl peroxide is widely considered the most effective antibacterial option available. It works by releasing active oxygen on contact...
Read MoreBeta-Carotene
Beta carotene is an orange, lipid soluble carotenoid pigment found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens, and is one of the most abundant carotenoids...
Read MoreBeta-Glucan
Beta glucan is a complex sugar that can be derived from several natural sources, among them yeast, fungi, seaweed, and oats. It's most commonly used...
Read MoreBifida Ferment Lysate
Bifida ferment lysate is produced by fermenting Bifidobacterium, a genus of bacteria that occurs naturally in the human gut and, in smaller amounts, on skin,...
Read MoreBilberry Extract
Bilberry is a wild European relative of blueberry, and cosmetic extracts typically draw on its anthocyanin rich fruit or its leaf and seed material, which...
Read MoreBlack Currant Seed Oil
Black currant seed oil is notable for containing both omega 6 gamma linolenic acid and omega 3 stearidonic acid, an unusually balanced essential fatty acid...
Read MoreBroccoli Extract
Broccoli extract, most often sourced from the seeds or sprouts, contains glucoraphanin, a compound that skin and gut enzymes can convert into sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is...
Read MoreBurdock Root Extract
Burdock root extract comes from Arctium lappa, a plant that has long been used in folk remedies and traditional Chinese medicine. It contains plant compounds...
Read MoreCastor Oil
Castor oil is pressed from the seeds of the castor plant and is chemically distinctive because it is roughly 85 to 90 percent ricinoleic acid,...
Read MoreCentella Asiatica Extract
Native primarily to Asia, Centella asiatica is a perennial herb that appears on ingredient labels under a few different names, including asiatic acid, hydrocotyl, and...
Read MoreChamomile Extract
Chamomile Extract is derived from the flowers of Matricaria recutita, commonly known as German chamomile, and contains a concentrated blend of flavonoids, most notably apigenin,...
Read MoreChestnut Leaf Extract
Chestnut Leaf Extract comes from Castanea sativa and owes much of its soothing reputation to a class of tannin compounds called ellagitannins, including one called...
Read MoreChlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Chlorophyllin copper complex is a semi synthetic, water soluble derivative of chlorophyll in which magnesium is replaced with copper. Its porphyrin copper structure allows it...
Read MoreCholesterol
Cholesterol is one of three key lipids, alongside ceramides and fatty acids, that make up the skin's outer barrier structure. Foundational research testing various combinations...
Read MoreCocoa Butter
Cocoa butter is a solid fat pressed from roasted cacao beans, composed mainly of oleic, stearic, and palmitic acid triglycerides that form a semi occlusive...
Read MoreCoenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone)
Muhammad JunaidCoQ10 is unique among topical antioxidants in that skin cells can actually synthesize a small amount of it on their own, and the body...
Read MoreCollagen Extract
Collagen extract is a structural protein, typically sourced from animal tendon, skin, cartilage, or bone, that's purified for cosmetic use to isolate the pure protein....
Read MoreCopper Peptides
Copper peptides pair copper, a trace mineral the body already uses as a cofactor in numerous enzymatic processes, with GHK, a small peptide sequence first...
Read MoreCucumber Extract
Cucumber Extract, derived from Cucumis sativus, is prized in skincare mainly for its high water content and its blend of antioxidant compounds, including vitamin C,...
Read MoreEllagic Acid
Ellagic acid is a polyphenolic compound found naturally in many fruits and nuts, including pomegranate and berries, and is used in skincare as an isolated,...
Read MoreEnsulizole
Ensulizole is a water soluble organic UVB filter, unusual among chemical filters because it is used as its sodium salt rather than an oil soluble...
Read MoreEvening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil is one of the few common plant oils with a meaningfully high concentration of gamma linolenic acid, an omega 6 fatty acid...
Read MoreFerulic Acid
Ferulic acid's primary value in skincare isn't as a standalone antioxidant, but as a stabilizer for other antioxidants, particularly vitamin C and vitamin E. In...
Read MoreFeverfew Extract
Feverfew's calming reputation centers on parthenolide, a compound with documented anti-inflammatory activity, though ironically parthenolide is also the primary reason unpurified feverfew extract can be...
Read MoreFibronectin
Fibronectin is a large protein naturally found in the blood and in the supportive tissue that surrounds skin cells, where it plays a key role...
Read MoreGluconolactone
Gluconolactone belongs to the polyhydroxy acid, or PHA, family of exfoliants, a category that delivers results comparable to AHAs like glycolic acid, but with a...
Read MoreGlucosamine
Glucosamine is a simple sugar and one of the basic building blocks skin cells use to make hyaluronic acid and other water holding molecules that...
Read MoreGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Glycine soja seed extract is derived from whole soybean seeds and contains a broad mix of phytochemicals beyond isolated isoflavones, including saponins, phytosterols, peptides, and...
Read MoreGlycolic Acid
Among all the alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid has the deepest body of clinical research behind it, which is part of why it's the most...
Read MoreHexylresorcinol
Hexylresorcinol is structurally related to resorcinol, an older skin lightening compound, but was specifically developed to retain tyrosinase inhibiting brightening activity while improving on resorcinol's...
Read MoreHomosalate
Homosalate is a chemical sunscreen ingredient that soaks up UVB rays, the type mainly responsible for sunburn, and quickly converts that energy into a tiny,...
Read MoreHorse Chestnut Extract
Horse chestnut extract comes from the seeds of the horse chestnut tree and is standardized to contain a set amount of escin, its main active...
Read MoreHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Houttuynia cordata, sometimes called fish mint, is a plant long used in traditional East Asian medicine, and its extract is rich in flavonoids like quercetin...
Read MoreHyaluronic Acid
Your skin already contains hyaluronic acid naturally, which is part of why the synthetic version used in skincare works so well. It can hold up...
Read MoreIron Oxides
Iron oxides are naturally occurring or, more commonly for cosmetic grade purity, synthetically produced inorganic pigments used to tint mineral sunscreens and other formulas to...
Read MoreJojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is technically a liquid wax ester rather than a true triglyceride oil, a structural distinction that happens to closely mirror the composition of...
Read MoreKelp Extract
Kelp is a large brown seaweed, and it is a rich source of a protective sugar compound called fucoidan, a different compound from the ones...
Read MoreKojic Acid
Kojic acid forms as a natural byproduct during the fermentation of rice used to brew sake, produced by fungi in the Aspergillus and Penicillium families....
Read MoreLactic Acid
Milk is the natural source of lactic acid, but the version used in most skincare today comes from a non dairy fermentation process instead. The...
Read MoreLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Lactobacillus ferment lysate is produced the same general way as bifida ferment lysate, by fermenting a different genus of bacteria, one also widely used in...
Read MoreLactobionic Acid
Lactobionic acid is an exfoliating polyhydroxy acid, or PHA, that behaves much like the AHAs, such as glycolic acid, but with a key structural difference:...
Read MoreLicorice Extract
The botanical name for licorice is Glycyrrhiza glabra, and while "licorice extract" is the general term you'll usually see on a label, some formulas get...
Read MoreLinoleic Acid
Linoleic acid is an essential omega 6 fatty acid, meaning the body cannot produce it on its own and must obtain it through diet or...
Read MoreMacadamia Nut Oil
Macadamia oil stands out among plant oils for its unusually high palmitoleic acid content, an omega 7 fatty acid that also occurs naturally in young...
Read MoreMandelic Acid
Mandelic acid, an AHA that can be synthesized or derived from almonds, stands out from other alpha hydroxy acids because of its size. Its molecule...
Read MoreManganese Gluconate
Manganese gluconate is a water soluble form of manganese, a trace mineral the body needs in small amounts to help build one of its own...
Read MoreMango Seed Butter
Mango seed butter is extracted from the kernel inside the mango stone and is mostly composed of oleic and stearic acid triglycerides, giving it emollient...
Read MoreMangosteen Peel Extract
Mangosteen peel extract comes from the thick rind of the mangosteen fruit and is rich in xanthones, a class of polyphenols including alpha mangostin that...
Read MoreMeadowfoam Seed Oil
Meadowfoam seed oil's standout feature is its fatty acid profile, made up almost entirely of long chain fatty acids with only one double bond each,...
Read MoreMeradimate
Meradimate is one of the oldest sunscreen ingredients still allowed for use today, first introduced back in the 1950s to help absorb UVA rays, the...
Read MoreMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Moringa seed oil, sometimes called ben oil, is pressed from the seeds of the drumstick tree and is notable for an unusually high oleic acid...
Read MoreNeem Extract
Neem extract comes from the leaves, bark, or seed oil of the neem tree, native to South Asia, and contains limonoid compounds like nimbin and...
Read MoreNiacinamide
Vitamin B3, more commonly listed as niacinamide (or sometimes nicotinamide), is valued for its wide ranging effects on skin appearance and function. Used consistently, it...
Read MoreOat Kernel Extract
Oats are one of the only plants known to contain avenanthramides, a group of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds essentially unique to this single grain. Avenanthramides...
Read MoreOctinoxate
Octinoxate is one of the most commonly used chemical sunscreen ingredients in the world, and in the United States it is allowed at levels up...
Read MoreOctisalate
Octisalate, also called ethylhexyl salicylate, is a salicylate ester that absorbs UVB radiation through the same general chemical family as homosalate, but is generally considered...
Read MoreOctocrylene
Octocrylene absorbs UVB and short wave UVA radiation through its acrylate structure's extended conjugation, a chemical arrangement of electrons that allows it to soak up...
Read MoreOligopeptide-1
Oligopeptide 1 is a synthetic peptide engineered to replicate human epidermal growth factor, a signaling protein that binds receptors on skin cells to stimulate proliferation...
Read MorePalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Palmitoyl hexapeptide 12 is a lab made peptide built around a small piece of tropoelastin, the raw material skin uses to build elastin, the stretchy...
Read MorePalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 is built around the GQPR peptide sequence and is designed to work synergistically alongside palmitoyl tripeptide-1 in the Matrixyl 3000 blend, rather than...
Read MorePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1, often paired with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 in a blend marketed as Matrixyl 3000, is built around GHK, the same core peptide sequence used in...
Read MorePEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides
PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides is made by attaching roughly 75 units of polyethylene glycol to the natural glycerides found in shea butter, a process called...
Read MorePentapeptides
Also known as: Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, Matrixyl Pentapeptides are short amino acid chains engineered to mimic fragments of skin's own structural proteins. The most researched version...
Read MorePhytic Acid
Phytic Acid, also called inositol hexaphosphate, is a naturally occurring compound found in plant seeds, grains, and legumes. In skincare, it works through a mechanism...
Read MorePhytosphingosine
Phytosphingosine is a naturally occurring lipid that skin uses as a direct building block to manufacture certain classes of ceramides, the lipids that make up...
Read MorePolydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN)
PDRN consists of purified DNA fragments, most commonly derived from salmon sperm cells, broken down to a length small enough to be biologically active as...
Read MorePomegranate Extract
Much of pomegranate extract's activity traces back to ellagic acid, one of the most abundant phenolic compounds in the fruit's peel. Research has found ellagic-acid-rich...
Read MorePoria Cocos Extract
Poria cocos is a fungus long used in traditional Chinese medicine, and skincare extracts are typically derived from its dense sclerotium, containing triterpenoids called poricoic...
Read MorePrickly Pear Extract
Prickly pear extract comes from the pads, fruit, or flowers of the Opuntia cactus and contains mucilage polysaccharides, betalains, and flavonoids like quercetin derivatives. The...
Read MorePumpkin Seed Extract
Pumpkin seed extract or oil contains unsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, phytosterols, carotenoids, and zinc. Its linoleic acid content supports barrier lipid synthesis and helps reduce...
Read MorePurslane Extract
Purslane is an edible succulent particularly high in omega 3 alpha linolenic acid, ascorbic acid, tocopherols, and unique alkaloid antioxidants. Aqueous extracts have been shown...
Read MoreRed Algae Extract
Red algae extract comes from any of a large number of seaweed species that make up a broad marine plant group. To survive their salty,...
Read MoreResveratrol
Resveratrol belongs to a class of plant compounds called stilbenes, produced by grapevines and a handful of other plants as a natural defense against fungal...
Read MoreRice Bran Oil
Rice bran oil is pressed from the outer bran layer of rice grains and carries, alongside its ordinary triglyceride content, a distinctive unsaponifiable fraction of...
Read MoreRosemary Extract
Rosemary Extract comes from Rosmarinus officinalis and is valued in skincare for two active compounds, carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid. Carnosic acid is a potent...
Read MoreRoyal Jelly
Royal jelly is a viscous secretion produced by worker honeybees and fed to the queen bee throughout her life, a complex mixture of proteins, free...
Read MoreSalicylic Acid
Salicylic acid, better known as BHA (beta hydroxy acid), exfoliates by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells to the surface, rather than...
Read MoreSesame Oil
Sesame oil is pressed from sesame seeds and is roughly balanced between oleic and linoleic acid, but what sets it apart from most carrier oils...
Read MoreShea Butter
Shea butter is extracted from the nuts of the African shea tree and is notable for its high proportion of unsaponifiable compounds, the fraction of...
Read MoreSnail Secretion Filtrate
Better known as snail mucin, snail secretion filtrate is the filtered secretion certain snail species produce from their foot, where it naturally helps with both...
Read MoreSodium PCA
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a compound that occurs naturally in skin as part of what dermatologists call the natural...
Read MoreSoy Isoflavones
Soy isoflavones are plant compounds, most notably genistein and daidzein, that are shaped similarly enough to the hormone estrogen that they can weakly latch onto...
Read MoreSweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil is cold pressed from the kernels of sweet almonds and is dominated by oleic and linoleic acid, alongside vitamin E, phytosterols, and...
Read MoreTitanium Dioxide
Titanium dioxide is one of only two mineral sunscreen ingredients the FDA considers both safe and effective, the other being zinc oxide, and it protects...
Read MoreTranexamic Acid
Derived from the amino acid lysine, tranexamic acid is a synthetic ingredient that works by interrupting at least two separate pathways in the skin responsible...
Read MoreTroxerutin
Troxerutin is a lab modified version of rutin, a plant compound naturally found in buckwheat and the Japanese pagoda tree, and is also taken as...
Read MoreTurmeric Extract
Turmeric Extract comes from the root of Curcuma longa and owes most of its skincare activity to curcumin, a polyphenol with well documented anti inflammatory...
Read MoreWatermelon Fruit Extract
Watermelon fruit extract is prized in skincare mainly for its very high water content along with the amino acid L citrulline, vitamin C, and lycopene...
Read MoreWheat Amino Acids
Wheat amino acids are produced by hydrolyzing wheat protein into smaller peptides and free amino acids, used as a film forming humectant in skincare and...
Read MoreWhite Tea Leaf Extract
White tea comes from the same plant as green and black tea, Camellia sinensis, but is made from young leaves and buds that undergo minimal...
Read MoreWillow Bark Extract
Willow Bark Extract is derived from the bark of Salix species and contains salicin, a compound the body and skin convert into salicylic acid. Because...
Read MoreYeast Extract
Yeast extract comes from the inside and outer walls of baker's and brewer's yeast, and it is naturally rich in beta glucans, amino acids, minerals,...
Read MoreZinc Oxide
Zinc oxide is one of only two UV filters generally recognized as safe and effective by the FDA for use as a physical, or mineral,...
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