Skincare Glossary: Essential Skincare Ingredients Guide

Understanding the complex beauty landscape as it constantly evolves can be overwhelming. Whether you’re passing through a beauty aisle or reviewing skincare ingredient lists, it gets confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for. You might be hesitant to add something new to your skincare routine, not knowing whether it will work for you or aggravate your skin.

In our essential skincare ingredients guide, we provide the necessary information to help you navigate and discover the best ingredients for your skin type.

Essential Ingredients in a Skincare Routine

There are many gimmicks and tricks out there when it comes to skincare. However, there is an easier way to achieve better results when you use proven ingredients rather than blindly following the latest skincare trends. You can think of your skincare routine as consisting of three main steps:

• Cleansing - Washing your face
• Toning - Balancing the skin
• Moisturizing - An important part of skincare that involves hydrating and softening the skin

When shopping for the best ingredients in skincare, consider how it can achieve one of the above results in your skincare routine.

Essential Ingredients Glossary

AHAs

Alpha-hydroxy-acids (AHAs) encourage exfoliation and have anti-aging properties. They are a group of plant-and-animal-derived acids used in various skincare products. People use them as exfoliants to remove dead skin cells and treat specific concerns.

Aloe vera

You’ll find aloe vera featured in products that target stressed skin. It is also good for sunburn! This wonder plant nourishes the body from the inside and is rich with nutrients that can enhance your skin and hair.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants describe a group of ingredients that neutralize free radical damage that is caused by pollution, sun exposure, and smoking.

Argan oil

Made from the kernels that grow on the argan tree, this tree is native to Morocco. Pure oil can be applied directly to the skin or ingested to provide many other health benefits. Argan oil can protect from skin damage, moisturize your skin, and treat several skin conditions, including acne.

Benzoyl peroxide

This is one of the most effective ingredients to treat inflammatory skin breakouts. Benzoyl peroxide can also help to decrease the oiliness of the skin.

Biotin

Also known as vitamin B7, biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin which means that the body does not store it. Biotin is found in various foods, including eggs, fish, meat, dairy products, and nuts. It helps to process glucose, fats, and proteins in the body and converts them into energy for the body.

Borage seed oil

Borage seed oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and seborrheic dermatitis.

Caffeine

Caffeine can be used for your eye area. You’ll find caffeine in under-eye creams to reduce puffiness and dark circles around the eye. When it’s in body creams and scrubs, it can help improve cellulite. You can reap the benefits of caffeine’s skin-boosting powers, which instantly brighten and tighten areas needing a kickstart.

Ceramides

Ceramides are fatty molecules that help to maintain a healthy skin barrier. Skincare that contains ceramides helps to replenish the skin barrier. This will help to ensure that you prevent skin dryness and infection.

Citric acid

Citric acid is an alpha/beta hydroxy acid that is found in citrus fruits such as lemons and limes. When found in skincare, it has protective antioxidant and corrective anti-aging effects.

Glycolic acid

It is a type of AHA and comes from sugarcane. Glycolic acid helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by exfoliating the top layer of your skin. It helps with skin cell renewal and maintains the skin’s natural ability to retain hydration.

Grapeseed oil

Packed with antioxidants such as vitamins E, A, and C, grapeseed oil can help improve skin tone, texture, and elasticity. Grapeseed oil is good for all skin types and can help to clear up acne breakouts, moisturize, and facilitate even skin tone.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid aids in boosting hydration. It is a slippery substance that your body naturally produces. It is especially found in the eyes, joints, and skin. It provides so many benefits to your body, including helping the skin stretch and flex, and reducing skin wrinkles and lines.

Jojoba oil

Jojoba extract, or jojoba oil, is extracted from the jojoba shrub. It can be used for collagen production. Other benefits include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Kojic acid

Kojic acid is made from various types of fungi and it’s also a byproduct when certain foods ferment, such as soy sauce and rice water. It is found in different types of cosmetic products, including powders, cleansers, soaps, and serums. The primary use of kojic acid is to lighten age spots or scars.

Peptides

Peptides are a chain of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins. Peptides signal the skin to create collagen, which helps to keep the skin firm and supple.

Polyglutamic acid

Polyglutamic acid can be used to hydrate skin w lthy skin barrier. Skincare that contains ceramides helps to replenish the skin barrier. This will help to ensure that you prevent skin dryness and infection.

Citric acid

Citric acid is an alpha/beta hydroxy acid that is found in citrus fruits such as lemons and limes. When found in skincare, it has protective antioxidant and corrective anti-aging effects.

Glycolic acid

It is a type of AHA and comes from sugarcane. Glycolic acid helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by exfoliating the top layer of your skin. It helps with skin cell renewal and maintains the skin’s natural ability to retain hydration.

Grapeseed oil

Packed with antioxidants such as vitamins E, A, and C, grapeseed oil can help improve skin tone, texture, and elasticity. Grapeseed oil is good for all skin types and can help to clear up acne breakouts, moisturize, and facilitate even skin tone.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid aids in boosting hydration. It is a slippery substance that your body naturally produces. It is especially found in the eyes, joints, and skin. It provides so many benefits to your body, including helping the skin stretch and flex, and reducing skin wrinkles and lines.

Jojoba oil

Jojoba extract, or jojoba oil, is extracted from the jojoba shrub. It can be used for collagen production. Other benefits include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Kojic acid

Kojic acid is made from various types of fungi and it’s also a byproduct when certain foods ferment, such as soy sauce and rice water. It is found in different types of cosmetic products, including powders, cleansers, soaps, and serums. The primary use of kojic acid is to lighten age spots or scars.

Peptides

Peptides are a chain of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins. Peptides signal the skin to create collagen, which helps to keep the skin firm and supple.

Polyglutamic acid

Polyglutamic acid can be used to hydrate skin hile locking in moisture to soften the appearance of pores and fine lines.

Rambutan

Rambutan can help to improve skin firmness and elasticity. Depending on the part of the fruit that is used, rambutan can hydrate the skin while locking in moisture, and reduce crow’s feet.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Also known as baker’s yeast, saccharomyces cerevisiae is praised for its effective skin conditioning properties and for helping hydrate the skin.

Soy

Soy extract is packed with antioxidants and provides many incredible beauty benefits, including improving your skin texture, firming and plumping aging skin, and reducing redness.

Squalane

Squalane mimics your skin’s natural oils and it is a natural antioxidant. It also has antitumor properties which protect your skin from carcinogens. Squalane benefits the skin by boosting hydration which makes your skin appear healthier and more vibrant.

Vitamin C

It is a powerful ingredient that is found in anti-aging products. It is an antioxidant nutrient that can improve skin tone, help with tissue repair and signs of aging.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and it acts as a powerful antioxidant. It is effective in reducing UV damage to the skin.

Discover these ingredients and more at fresh

Get ready for the best skincare products, such as our Soy Face Wash and Vitamin Nectar Glow Moisturizer. At fresh, we create safe, effective, sensorial products backed by science. Your skincare concerns are taken care of with our high-performance collection.