Working active ingredients into your skincare routine is one of the best ways to create a beneficial change for your skin. In this blog post, I’m going to explain what exactly makes an ingredient “active”, along with 12 of the best active ingredients, what they do, and what skin type they’re best for.
Keep reading to learn more about actives in skincare:
WHAT ARE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS?
In skincare, “actives” refer to the ingredients in a product that are responsible for delivering some kind of targeted benefit to your skin. These ingredients are specifically chosen for their ability to address various skin concerns, such as aging, acne, hyperpigmentation, hydration, and protection. Actives are typically present in higher concentrations compared to other ingredients in the formulation.
Here are our picks for the 12 best active ingredients in skincare:
THE 12 BEST ACTIVE INGREDIENTS IN SKINCARE
ALGAE
Chlorophyll-containing organisms with a hefty amount of vitamins and minerals inside, algae has long been celebrated for its healing properties.
This means that it’s great for keeping skin healthy when it is exposed to environmental toxins and stressors - which happens to all of us! These harmful compounds can break down the skin’s protective moisture barrier, but luckily, algae is ideal for repairing it.
Algae is able to protect our skin so effectively because, in nature, it’s constantly exposed to extreme conditions.
One of the key ingredients in our lightweight gel cleanser MOISTURIZING WASH is red sea algae, which helps to retain moisture while boosting the skin barrier for clear, clean skin.
COENZYME Q-10 (CoQ10)
CoQ10 works to create more of the necessary fuel for creating new cells and tissues, faster. Our cell’s natural processes for this slow down with age, so CoQ10 has a crucial role to play in helping to keep your face radiant, healthy, and youthful.
CoQ10 is one of the key ingredients in our rich, velvety moisturizer, the CREAM, helping to boost skin’s healing properties, fighting off free radicals and keeping cells active.
GLYCERIN
A humectant derived from plant oils and sugars, glycerin attracts moisture from the air. As the glycerin draws moisture into the lower layers of the skin, it traps it in between your skin’s cells, helping to keep it moisturized for longer while giving skin a moist, bouncy appearance.
This gentle ingredient is found in our BOTANICAL LIFT EYE GEL, PLUMPING SERUM, DEEP ENZYME CLEANSE, MOISTURIZING WASH, BAKUCHIOL WONDER SERUM, BAMBOO REFINING POLISH, and BLUE TANSY HYDRATING FACE MIST.
GLYCOLIC ACID
An Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), glycolic acid lowers the pH of the skin to help dissolve the connections between dead skin cells so they can be cleansed away in a process called chemical exfoliation.
This triggers the process of cellular renewal, where brand new, youthful skin cells are brought in to replace the ones that were removed. Plus, out of all the AHAs and other exfoliation chemicals, glycolic acid has the smallest molecules, meaning it can penetrate down to the epidermis. This is one of the best actives specifically for improving texture and promoting a smooth skin appearance.
You can find this AHA in our DEEP ENZYME CLEANSE, gently dissolving the bonds between dead skin cells to lightly exfoliate your skin.
GREEN TEA
Rich in compounds that fight off damage and disease causing free radicals, green tea is an antioxidant with incredible soothing benefits and an ability to calm redness. It’s perfect for preventing wrinkles and reducing their appearance, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors.
This superpowered ingredient is so beneficial for the skin, you can find it in our: CREAM, VITAMIN C PLUMPING SERUM, DEEP ENZYME CLEANSE, MOISTURIZING WASH, NOURISHING OIL, BOTANICAL LIFT EYE GEL, PUMPKIN ENZYME MASK, BAMBOO REFINING POLISH, and our CITRUS CUCUMBER TONER.
HYALURONIC ACID
Like glycerin, hyaluronic acid is another humectant that attracts moisture from the air to deliver it to the skin and hold it between cells, giving skin a plump, elastic look and feel. It’s also a bioactive compound, meaning it naturally occurs in the body, so getting it into your skin through your skincare routine will just boost your own natural supply.
You can find this ingredient in our VITAMIN C PLUMPING SERUM, keeping skin hydrated, soothing it, and protecting your skin barrier.
LACTIC ACID
An AHA made from fermented sugar, lactic acid is another chemical exfoliator that helps to dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells. It’s also a humectant, trapping water in the skin while exfoliating. Its molecule size is much larger than others, so it will not penetrate skin as deeply. This may sound like a problem, but it makes it a strong option for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.
You can find this hydrating AHA in our MOISTURIZING WASH and BLUEBERRY BOOST MASK, improving the skin’s ability to retain moisture.
NIACINAMIDE
An active with multiple benefits, niacinamide is a water-soluble form of Vitamin B3 that boosts skin ceramides, lipids that support your protective moisture barrier. It does this by boosting skin circulation. Niacinamide also has antioxidant properties, meaning it protects your skin and everything it’s made of from free radical damage. It also helps prevent discoloration of the skin.
This skin brightener is found in our BLUE TANSY HYDRATING FACE MIST and RADIANT DETOX MINERAL MASK.
BAKUCHIOL
A plant-based alternative to retinol that avoids any risk of irritation, bakuchiol supports the production of collagen and the thickening of skin. With regular use, the appearance of skin should improve, from smoothed texture to the reduced appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, large pores, and dark spots. Great for smooth, resurfaced skin!
You can find this retinol-alternative in only one of our products: our BAKUCHIOL WONDER SERUM, which combines this skin-thickener with barrier-boosting ingredients like ceramides.
SALICYLIC ACID
A beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid acts as an exfoliant, breaking down keratin that can clog pores to prevent or clear blemishes along with smoothing skin and reducing the appearance of acne scars. Where AHAs are water-soluble, BHAs are oil-soluble, effectively penetrating the skin barrier to help clear clogged pores, blackheads, and bumps under the skin.
You can actually find two different types of salicylic acid in our products, including one form sourced from Aspen bark (found in our exfoliating CLARIFYING SERUM) and the other being sourced from Willow bark (found in our PUMPKIN ENZYME MASK).
VITAMIN C
Vitamin C has powerful antioxidant properties to help protect against the damaging effects of free radicals. It also is known for its ability to boost collagen production, increase skin firmness, fight dark spots and hyperpigmentation, and protect against UV rays.
This powerful ingredient is found in several of our products, but in two different forms.
L-ascorbic acid, the most potent form of Vitamin C on the market that is loaded with pro-collagen and pro-elastin properties, is found in our VITAMIN C PLUMPING SERUM.
Vitamin C ester is less acidic than regular Vitamin C and absorbs very rapidly while helping to thicken the skin. You can find this ingredient in our CREAM and RADIANT DETOX MINERAL MASK.
ZINC OXIDE
Zinc oxide is a mineral that provides broad-spectrum sun protection while also protecting against hyperpigmentation. Mineral sunscreen like this is known as a physical blocker, sitting on the surface of the skin to prevent UV rays from penetrating it whereas chemical sunscreen is absorbed through your pores.
Zinc oxide is the main ingredient in our MINERAL TINT SPF 31 - it also happens to be the only form of sunscreen approved by the FDA.
At IN YOUR FACE SKINCARE, we want to protect your delicate skin from UV damage before it penetrates your skin’s surface. Here are a few tips to using our tinted mineral sunscreen:
- Be sure to regularly exfoliate, 1-3x a week. You want a smooth, texture-free surface to apply this product. Our BAMBOO REFINING POLISH does the job, fast and gently!
- When applying serums and moisturizers, use a thin amount. Let the product dry or at least settle between each layer to avoid pilling.
- Apply sunscreen to not just your face, but your neck and chest, too. These can experience just as much UV damage as your face, so it’s important to prevent it.
- Don’t overdo your makeup. Our tinted mineral sunscreen can act as a light foundation, so after patting/pressing our hydrating formula into your skin, simply apply a touch of COLOR to your cheeks and you’re all set!
And there are our picks for the 12 best active ingredients found in skincare! To learn more about these actives and what they do for your skin, click here to go to our Ingredients page. You can also Contact Us here with any questions you may have or call us at +1 (727) 286-7684, we’d love to hear from you!
Xoxo,
Denice
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