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SU:M37 Losec Summa Elixir Essence Secreta

Losec Summa Elixir Essence Secreta

A naturally fermented essence formulated with energy gold elixir to penetrate skin to provide deep nourishment, strengthen skin barrier to refine skin texture and reduce fine lines.
Uploaded by: gy on

Ingredients overview

Water, Glycerin, PEG/​PPG/​Polybutylene Glycol-8/​5/​3 Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trehalose, Niacinamide, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Panthenol, Sucrose Stearate, Vanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract, Hydroxyproline, Betaine, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acrylates/​C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cholesterol, Tromethamine, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Vinegar, Propylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Trisodium EDTA, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract, Beta-Glucan, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Saccharomyces/​Grape Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/​Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract, Carbomer, Caprylic/​Capric Triglyceride, Saccharomyces/​Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/​Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/​Rye Flour Ferment, Lactobacillus/​Water Hyacinth Ferment, Lactobacillus/​Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/​Xylinum/​Black Tea Ferment, Lactobacillus/​Panax Ginseng Root Ferment Filtrate, Monascus/​Rice Ferment, Saccharomyces/​Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate, Polysorbate 20, Lactobacillus/​Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Yeast Ferment Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract, Nigella Sativa Seed Extract, Fraxinus Excelsior Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Citratus Extract, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Fruit/​Leaf Extract, Hypericum Perforatum Flower/​Leaf/​Stem Extract, Carum Petroselinum (Parsley) Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel Fruit Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Valeriana Officinalis Rhizome/​Root Extract, Honey Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Wine Extract, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Panicum Miliaceum (Millet) Seed Extract, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Sasa Veitchii Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Glechoma Hederacea Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Allium Sativum (Garlic) Bulb Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Platycodon Grandiflorum Root Extract, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata (Cabbage) Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Actinidia Polygama Fruit Extract, Plantago Major Seed Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Cichorium Intybus (Chicory) Root Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Flower/​Leaf/​Stem Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract, Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Leaf Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Melissa Officinalis Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Leaf Extract, Hemerocallis Fulva Flower Extract, Acer Palmatum Leaf Extract, Morus Bombycis Leaf Extract, Geranium Robertianum Extract, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Schizonepeta Tenuifolia Extract, Raphanus Sativus (Radish) Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Brassica Rapa (Turnip) Leaf Extract, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Allium Cepa (Onion) Bulb Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Spinacia Oleracea (Spinach) Leaf Extract, Grifola Frondosa Fruiting Body Extract, Codonopsis Lanceolata Root Extract, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Prunus Salicina Fruit Extract, Akebia Quinata Extract, Crataegus Cuneata Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Warning: This ingredient list seems to miss preservatives necessary for creating safe products. Read here for more detail.
INCI photo pending approval

Highlights

#alcohol-free
Alcohol Free

Key Ingredients

Antioxidant: Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus/​Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract, Monascus/​Rice Ferment, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Wine Extract, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Platycodon Grandiflorum Root Extract, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Acer Palmatum Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Prunus Salicina Fruit Extract

Skim through

Ingredient name what-it-does irr., com. ID-Rating
Water solvent
Glycerin skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/​humectant 0, 0 superstar
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin moisturizer/​humectant
Butylene Glycol moisturizer/​humectant, solvent 0, 1
Dipropylene Glycol solvent
1,2-Hexanediol solvent
Trehalose moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Niacinamide cell-communicating ingredient, skin brightening, anti-acne, moisturizer/​humectant superstar
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane emollient, moisturizer/​humectant, surfactant/​cleansing
Hydrogenated Lecithin emollient, emulsifying goodie
Panthenol soothing, moisturizer/​humectant 0, 0 goodie
Sucrose Stearate emollient, emulsifying, surfactant/​cleansing 0, 0
Vanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract
Hydroxyproline surfactant/​cleansing
Betaine moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate viscosity controlling
Dimethicone emollient 0, 1
Cetearyl Alcohol emollient, viscosity controlling, emulsifying, surfactant/​cleansing 1, 2
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer viscosity controlling
Cholesterol skin-identical ingredient, emollient 0, 0 goodie
Tromethamine buffering
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Ceramide NP skin-identical ingredient goodie
Vinegar
Propylene Glycol moisturizer/​humectant, solvent 0, 0
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil perfuming icky
Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract soothing
Sodium Hyaluronate skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/​humectant 0, 0 goodie
Linoleic Acid skin-identical ingredient, emollient, surfactant/​cleansing goodie
Palmitic Acid skin-identical ingredient, emollient, emulsifying 0, 2
Hydroxyethylcellulose viscosity controlling
Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil perfuming icky
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil antioxidant, perfuming, antimicrobial/​antibacterial icky
Trisodium EDTA chelating
Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract moisturizer/​humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract
Artemisia Annua Extract
Beta-Glucan soothing, moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract antioxidant, soothing goodie
Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract antioxidant, soothing goodie
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil perfuming
Saccharomyces/Grape Ferment Extract
Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract antioxidant
Carbomer viscosity controlling 0, 1
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emollient
Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate moisturizer/​humectant
Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate
Lactobacillus/Rye Flour Ferment
Lactobacillus/Water Hyacinth Ferment
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Ferment Filtrate
Monascus/Rice Ferment antioxidant
Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate moisturizer/​humectant
Polysorbate 20 emulsifying, surfactant/​cleansing 0, 0
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract exfoliant goodie
Yeast Ferment Extract
Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract
Nigella Sativa Seed Extract perfuming
Fraxinus Excelsior Leaf Extract
Cymbopogon Citratus Extract
Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract perfuming
Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Fruit/Leaf Extract
Hypericum Perforatum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Carum Petroselinum (Parsley) Extract
Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract surfactant/​cleansing
Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel Fruit Extract emollient, soothing
Marrubium Vulgare Extract soothing
Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract antioxidant, soothing goodie
Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract surfactant/​cleansing
Valeriana Officinalis Rhizome/Root Extract soothing
Honey Extract moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract antimicrobial/​antibacterial, antioxidant, emollient, moisturizer/​humectant, perfuming
Wine Extract antioxidant
Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract
Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Panicum Miliaceum (Millet) Seed Extract
Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract antioxidant goodie
Sasa Veitchii Leaf Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract soothing, skin brightening superstar
Glechoma Hederacea Extract
Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract soothing, antioxidant 0, 0 goodie
Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract
Equisetum Arvense Extract soothing, emollient
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract
Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract
Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract soothing, antimicrobial/​antibacterial goodie
Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract skin brightening, antioxidant
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract
Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract
Allium Sativum (Garlic) Bulb Extract
Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract moisturizer/​humectant
Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract antioxidant, emollient goodie
Platycodon Grandiflorum Root Extract antioxidant
Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract antioxidant, moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Brassica Oleracea Capitata (Cabbage) Leaf Extract
Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract antioxidant, soothing, skin brightening, perfuming goodie
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract
Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Lentinus Edodes Extract
Actinidia Polygama Fruit Extract
Plantago Major Seed Extract
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract antioxidant
Cichorium Intybus (Chicory) Root Extract
Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract soothing
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract perfuming
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Leaf Extract
Houttuynia Cordata Extract antioxidant, soothing goodie
Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract
Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract perfuming
Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract antioxidant, soothing, antimicrobial/​antibacterial goodie
Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract abrasive/​scrub, moisturizer/​humectant
Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Leaf Extract
Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract antioxidant, emollient, moisturizer/​humectant
Melissa Officinalis Extract
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract
Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract antioxidant, emollient, moisturizer/​humectant
Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Leaf Extract
Hemerocallis Fulva Flower Extract
Acer Palmatum Leaf Extract antioxidant
Morus Bombycis Leaf Extract
Geranium Robertianum Extract
Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract
Schizonepeta Tenuifolia Extract
Raphanus Sativus (Radish) Root Extract
Portulaca Oleracea Extract soothing, antioxidant goodie
Brassica Rapa (Turnip) Leaf Extract
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Allium Cepa (Onion) Bulb Extract antimicrobial/​antibacterial
Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract soothing, emollient goodie
Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract
Spinacia Oleracea (Spinach) Leaf Extract
Grifola Frondosa Fruiting Body Extract emollient
Codonopsis Lanceolata Root Extract
Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract
Centella Asiatica Extract soothing, antioxidant, moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Acorus Calamus Root Extract perfuming
Prunus Salicina Fruit Extract antioxidant
Akebia Quinata Extract
Crataegus Cuneata Fruit Extract
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 cell-communicating ingredient goodie
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 cell-communicating ingredient goodie

SU:M37 Losec Summa Elixir Essence Secreta
Ingredients explained

Also-called: Aqua | What-it-does: solvent

Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product. 

It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water. 

Glycerin - superstar
Also-called: Glycerol | What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/humectant | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0
  • A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
  • A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
  • Not only a simple moisturizer but knows much more: keeps the skin lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation, helps to restore barrier
  • Effective from as low as 3% with even more benefits for dry skin at higher concentrations up to 20-40%
  • High-glycerin moisturizers are awesome for treating severely dry skin
Read all the geeky details about Glycerin here >>

What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

A glycerin derived, synthetic oily liquid that is also water soluble and works as a great skin moisturizer. Its moisturizing ability is comparable to glycerin itself and the two together work in synergy to give skin superb hydration. It is also "cosmetically elegant", i.e. non-sticky and non-greasy.

It can also work as a co-surfactant helping to dissolve small amounts of oily things (think essential oils or vitamin E) into water-based formulas.

What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant, solvent | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 1

Butylene glycol, or let’s just call it BG, is a multi-tasking colorless, syrupy liquid. It’s a great pick for creating a nice feeling product.  

BG’s main job is usually to be a solvent for the other ingredients. Other tasks include helping the product to absorb faster and deeper into the skin (penetration enhancer), making the product spread nicely over the skin (slip agent), and attracting water (humectant) into the skin.

What-it-does: solvent

A clear, colorless liquid that works as a solvent and viscosity decreasing ingredient. It also has great skin-moisturizing abilities. 

What-it-does: solvent

A really multi-functional helper ingredient that can do several things in a skincare product: it can bring a soft and pleasant feel to the formula, it can act as a humectant and emollient, it can be a solvent for some other ingredients (for example it can help to stabilize perfumes in watery products) and it can also help to disperse pigments more evenly in makeup products. And that is still not all: it can also boost the antimicrobial activity of preservatives

Trehalose - goodie
What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

A type of sugar that has water-binding properties and helps to keep your skin hydrated

Niacinamide - superstar
Also-called: vitamin B3, nicotinamide | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient, skin brightening, anti-acne, moisturizer/humectant
  • A multi-functional skincare superstar with several proven benefits for the skin
  • Great anti-aging, wrinkle smoothing ingredient used at 4-5% concentration
  • Fades brown spots alone or in combination with amino sugar, acetyl glucosamine
  • Increases ceramide synthesis that results in a stronger, healthier skin barrier and better skin hydration
  • Can help to improve several skin conditions including acne, rosacea, and atopic dermatitis
Read all the geeky details about Niacinamide here >>

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane is a silicone that is water dispersible (as opposed to most other silicones that are usually oil dispersible). It makes the skin smooth and nice (emollient), moisturizes, helps to reduce tackiness, and also has some foam boosting properties. It is often used in light, watery formulas to give them an extra silky feel

What-it-does: emollient, emulsifying

It's the chemically chopped up version of normal lecithin. Most often it's used to create liposomes and to coat and stabilize other ingredients. 

Panthenol - goodie
Also-called: Pro-Vitamin B5 | What-it-does: soothing, moisturizer/humectant | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0

An easy-to-formulate, commonly used, nice to have ingredient that’s also called pro-vitamin B5. As you might guess from the “pro” part, it’s a precursor to vitamin B5 (whose fancy name is pantothenic acid). 

Its main job in skincare products is to moisturise the skin. It’s a humectant meaning that it can help the skin to attract water and then hold onto it. There is also research showing that panthenol can help our skin to produce more lovely lipids that are important for a strong and healthy skin barrier. 

What-it-does: emollient, emulsifying, surfactant/cleansing | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0

A sugar ester (sucrose + stearic acid) that works as a natural emulsifier (helps water and oil to mix). It's popular in oily gel cleansers as it improves the high-temperature stability of the formula.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: surfactant/cleansing

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Betaine - goodie
What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

A sugar beet-derived amino acid derivative with nice skin protection and moisturization properties. Betaine's special thing is being an osmolyte, a molecule that helps to control cell-water balance.  It is also a natural osmoprotectant, meaning that it attracts water away from the protein surface and thus protects them from denaturation and increases their thermodynamic stability. 

It also gives sensorial benefits to the formula and when used in cleansers, it helps to make them milder and gentler. 

What-it-does: viscosity controlling

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 1

Probably the most common silicone of all. It is a polymer (created from repeating subunits) molecule and has different molecular weight and thus different viscosity versions from water-light to thick liquid.

As for skincare, it makes the skin silky smooth, creates a subtle gloss and forms a protective barrier (aka occlusive). Also, works well to fill in fine lines and wrinkles and give skin a plump look (of course that is only temporary, but still, it's nice). There are also scar treatment gels out there using dimethicone as their base ingredient. It helps to soften scars and increase their elasticity. 

What-it-does: emollient, viscosity controlling, emulsifying, emulsion stabilising, surfactant/cleansing | Irritancy: 1 | Comedogenicity: 2

An extremely common multitasker ingredient that gives your skin a nice soft feel (emollient) and gives body to creams and lotions. It also helps to stabilize oil-water mixes (emulsions), though it does not function as an emulsifier in itself. Its typical use level in most cream type formulas is 2-3%.  

It’s a so-called fatty alcohol, a mix of cetyl and stearyl alcohol, other two emollient fatty alcohols.  Though chemically speaking, it is alcohol (as in, it has an -OH group in its molecule), its properties are totally different from the properties of low molecular weight or drying alcohols such as denat. alcohol. Fatty alcohols have a long oil-soluble (and thus emollient) tail part that makes them absolutely non-drying and non-irritating and are totally ok for the skin.

Though its long name does not reveal it, this polymer molecule (big molecule from repeated subunits or monomers) is a relative to the super common, water-loving thickener, Carbomer. Both of them are big molecules that contain acrylic acid units, but Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer also contains some other monomers that are hydrophobic, i.e. water-hating. 

This means that our molecule is part water- and part oil-loving, so it not only works as a thickener but also as an emulsion stabilizer. It is very common in gel-type formulas that also contain an oil-phase as well as in cleansers as it also works with most cleansing agents (unlike a lot of other thickeners). 

Cholesterol - goodie
What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient, emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0

It's one of the important lipids that can be found naturally in the outer layer of the skin. About 25% of the goopy stuff between our skin cells consists of cholesterol. Together with ceramides and fatty acids, they play a vital role in having a healthy skin barrier and keeping the skin hydrated. 

Apart from being an important skin-identical ingredient, it's also an emollient and stabilizer

What-it-does: buffering

It's a little helper ingredient that helps to set the pH of the products to be right. It has an alkaline pH and can neutralize acidic ingredients.

Also-called: Acai Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Ceramide NP - goodie
Also-called: Ceramide 3 | What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient

One of the many types of ceramides that can be found naturally in the upper layer of the skin. Ceramides make up about 50% of the goopy stuff that's between our skin cells and play a super important role in having a healthy skin barrier and keeping the skin hydrated. It works even better when combined with its pal, Ceramide 1.

We wrote way more about ceramides at ceramide 1, so click here to know more.

Also-called: Acetum

The thing that you put on your salad with some olive oil. But in a more scientific sense vinegar is usually a 5% solution of acetic acid. It's used in cosmetic products to adjust pH. Larg amounts of vinegar on the skin could be irritating and drying.

What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant, solvent | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0
  • It's a helper ingredient that improves the freeze-thaw stability of products
  • It's also a solvent, humectant and to some extent a penetration enhancer
  • It has a bad reputation among natural cosmetics advocates but cosmetic scientists and toxicology experts do not agree (read more in the geeky details section)
Read all the geeky details about Propylene Glycol here >>

Also-called: Bergamot Fruit Oil | What-it-does: perfuming

The essential oil coming from the fruit (probably the rind) of the bergamot orange.  It's a common top note in perfumes and contains (among others) fragrant compounds limonene (37%), linalyl acetate (30%) and linalool (8.8%). 

A well-known issue with bergamot oil (apart from the fragrance allergens) is that it contains phototoxic compounds called furanocoumarins, but more and more commonly furanocoumarin-free versions are used in cosmetic products. Still, if you have sensitive skin and prefer fragrance-free products, bergamot oil is not for you.

Also-called: Blueberry Extract | What-it-does: soothing

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/humectant | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0

It’s the - sodium form - cousin of the famous NMFhyaluronic acid (HA). If HA does not tell you anything we have a super detailed, geeky explanation about it here.  The TL; DR version of HA is that it's a huge polymer (big molecule from repeated subunits) found in the skin that acts as a sponge helping the skin to hold onto water, being plump and elastic. HA is famous for its crazy water holding capacity as it can bind up to 1000 times its own weight in water.

As far as skincare goes, sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid are pretty much the same and the two names are used interchangeably. As cosmetic chemist kindofstephen writes on reddit  "sodium hyaluronate disassociates into hyaluronic acid molecule and a sodium atom in solution". 

Linoleic Acid - goodie
Also-called: LA, omega-6 fatty acid, 18:2 cis-9,12, Form of Vitamin F | What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient, emollient, surfactant/cleansing

The famous omega-6 fatty acid, the mother of all ω-6 fatty acids in our body. It is a so-called polyunsaturated fatty acid meaning it has more than one (in this case two) double bonds and a somewhat kinky structure that makes LA and LA-rich oils a thin liquid.

It is also an essential fatty acid meaning our body cannot synthesize it and has to take it from food. This is not hard at all as plenty of nuts (such as flax, poppy or sesame seeds) and vegetable oils (such as sunflower or safflower) are rich in LA. The hard thing seems to be eating enough omega-3-s, more specifically eating a healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, but that is a topic for a what-is-good-to-eat-site and not for us. 

What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient, emollient, emulsifying | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 2

A fatty acid that can be found naturally in the skin. In fact, it's the most common saturated fatty acid found in animals and plants.

As for skincare, it can make the skin feel nice and smooth in moisturizers (emollient) or it can act as a foam building cleansing agent in cleansers. It's also a very popular ingredient in shaving foams. 

Also-called: HEC | What-it-does: viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilising

A nice little helper ingredient that can thicken up cosmetic products and create beautiful gel formulas. It's derived from cellulose, the major component of the cell wall of green plants. It is compatible with most co-ingredients and gives a very good slip to the formulas. 

Also-called: Grapefruit Peel Oil | What-it-does: perfuming

The essential oil coming from the rind of the grapefruit. In general, the main component of citrus peel oils is limonene (86-95% for grapefruit peel), a super common fragrant ingredient that makes everything smell nice (but counts as a frequent skin sensitizer).

Other than that, citrus peel also contains the problematic compound called furanocoumarin that makes them mildly phototoxic. In general, the more sour-bitter the fruit, the more problematic it is regarding phototoxicity: orange and clementine peel contain less of it while lemon, grapefruit, and bergamot contain some more. Be careful with it if it is in a product for daytime use.  

Also-called: Damask Rose Flower Oil | What-it-does: antioxidant, perfuming, antimicrobial/antibacterial

We are big fans of all kinds of roses as ornamental plants but when it comes to skincare, it is a mixed bag. Before we list out the good and the not so good, here is an interesting thing. 

The oil content in rose is very, very low so distilling rose essential oil requires huge amounts of rose flowers. It has such a wonderful scent that there are no comparable synthetic alternatives. You can probably guess that this means rose essential oil is expensive.... very very expensive

What-it-does: chelating

A common helper ingredient that works as a so-called chelating agent.  It helps products to remain nice and stable for a longer time by neutralizing the metal ions in the formula (that usually get into there from water) that would otherwise cause some not so nice changes.

What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Gum Arabic

A natural polymer (big molecules from repeated subunits) that is harvested from the Acacia tree in the sub-Saharan region in Africa. It's a great thickening and binding agent. Often coupled with xanthan gum, as it helps to reduce its unpleasant stickiness.

Also-called: Neem Leaf Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Beta-Glucan - goodie

Beta-Glucan is a nice big molecule composed of many smaller sugar molecules (called polysaccharide). It’s in the cell walls of yeast, some mushrooms, seaweeds, and cereals.

It’s a real goodie no matter if you eat it or put it on your face. Eating it is anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and even lowers blood cholesterol. 

Also-called: Green Tea | What-it-does: antioxidant, soothing
  • Green tea is one of the most researched natural ingredients
  • The active parts are called polyphenols, or more precisely catechins (EGCG being the most abundant and most active catechin)
  • There can be huge quality differences between green tea extracts. The good ones contain 50-90% catechins (and often make the product brown and give it a distinctive smell)
  • Green tea is proven to be a great antioxidant, UV protectant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial
  • Because of these awesome properties green tea is a great choice for anti-aging and also for skin diseases including rosacea, acne and atopic dermatitis
Read all the geeky details about Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract here >>

Also-called: Raspberry Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant, soothing, astringent

Raspberry is one of the colorful berries that’s not only delicious but contains many biologically active, healthy compounds. It has polyphenols including anthocyanins and ellagitannins that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

According to skin care expert Paula Begoun, it’s antibacterial as well but due to its tannin content it can cause also irritation to the very sensitive skinned. 

What-it-does: perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: antioxidant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: viscosity controlling, emulsion stabilising | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 1

A big molecule created from repeated subunits (a polymer of acrylic acid) that magically converts a liquid into a nice gel formula.  It usually has to be neutralized with a base (such as sodium hydroxide) for the thickening to occur and it creates viscous, clear gels that also feel nice and non-tacky on the skin. No wonder, it is a very popular and common ingredient. Typically used at 1% or less in most formulations.

What-it-does: emollient

A super common emollient that makes your skin feel nice and smooth. It comes from coconut oil and glycerin, it’s light-textured, clear, odorless and non-greasy. It’s a nice ingredient that just feels good on the skin, is super well tolerated by every skin type and easy to formulate with. No wonder it’s popular. 

What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: NG Kombuchka

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: antioxidant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: emulsifying, surfactant/cleansing | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0

It's a common little helper ingredient that helps water and oil to mix together. Also, it can help to increase the solubility of some other ingredients in the formula. 

Also-called: Pomegranate Enzyme | What-it-does: exfoliant

It's the fancy name for pomegranate enzyme that's obtained by fermenting the pomegranate fruit with Lactobacil­lus lactis. The fermentation process makes the desired phytochemicals readily available and selective filtration techniques are used to isolate the  proteolytic frac­tions.

The end result is the enzyme that increases cell renewal and can be an alternative to acid exfoliation (though it is not as effective as glycolic acid even according to the manufacturer's measurements not to speak about the other benefits of glycolic acid). 

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: astringent

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: emollient, soothing

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: soothing

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Ginger Root Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant, soothing

The extract coming from ginger, the lovely spice that we all know from the kitchen. It is also a medicinal plant used both in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for pretty much everything you can imagine (muscular pain, sore throat, nausea, fever or cramps,  just to give a few examples).

As for ginger and skincare, the root extract contains the biologically active component called gingerol that has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Combined with Bisabololthe duo works synergistically to sooth the skin and take down redness. 

Also-called: Sage Leaf Extract | What-it-does: surfactant/cleansing

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: soothing

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Honey Extract - goodie
What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

Usually, a glycerin or glycol based extract of honey that has similar properties to pure honey, i.e. moisturizing, soothing and antibacterial magic properties.

If you wanna know more about honey in cosmetics, we have a shiny explanation here >>

What-it-does: antioxidant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Watermelon Fruit Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant

We love a cold slice of watermelon on a hot summer day and we love watermelon as a skincare ingredient. It's really full of good-for-the-skin stuff: it contains a bunch of vitamins (A, B, C and E), mineral salts (K, Mg, Ca and Fe), amino acids citrulline and arginine and antioxidant carotenoids and phenolics

It's especially rich in potent antioxidant, lycopene (a type of carotenoid), the cool pigment that's responsible for the red color of the watermelon. According to manufacturer info, in-vitro (made in the lab not on real people) studies show that watermelon extract gives significant DNA protection against UV damage. The in-vivo (made on real people) study also confirmed this and the watermelon formula showed 25% increase in skin protection compared to placebo.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Licorice Root;Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract | What-it-does: soothing, skin brightening

You might know licorice as a sweet treat from your childhood, but it's actually a legume that grows around the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East, central and southern Russia. It's sweet and yellow and not only used for licorice all sorts but it's also a skincare superstar thanks to two magic properties:

Nr. 1 magic property is that it has skin-lightening or to say it another way depigmenting properties. The most active part is called glabridin. The topical application (meaning when you put it on your face) of 0.5% glabridin was shown to inhibit UVB caused pigmentation of guinea pigs. Another study even suggested that licorice is more effective than the gold standard skin-lightening agent hydroquinone. All in all, licorice is considered to be one of the safest skin lightening agents with the fewest side effects.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Apple Fruit Extract | What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

Apple needs no introduction as one of the most common fruits on planet Earth. It's not only a healthy fruit snack, it's also a goodie if you put in all over your face. 

It's loaded with proteins, starch, sugars, acids, vitamins and salts. The sugars (mainly fructose, glucose, sucrose) give apple fruit extract nice moisturizing and smoothing properties, while the acids (mainly malic  and gallic acid) give it mild exfoliant, skin brightening and antibacterial properties. 

Also-called: German Chamomile Flower Extract | What-it-does: soothing, antioxidant | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0

Chamomile probably needs no introduction as it's one of the most widely used medicinal herbs. You probably drink it regularly as a nice, calming cup of tea and it's also a regular on skincare ingredient lists.

Cosmetic companies use it mainly for its anti-inflammatory properties. It contains the terpenoids chamazulene and bisabolol both of which show great anti-inflammatory action in animal studies. On top of that chamomile also has some antioxidant activity (thanks to some other active ingredients called matricine, apigenin and luteolin).  

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Horsetail Extract | What-it-does: soothing, emollient, astringent

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Japanese Honeysuckle Flower Extract | What-it-does: soothing, antimicrobial/antibacterial

Lonicera Japonica, or Japanese Honeysuckle as normal people call it, is a white-flowered honeysuckle known for being a traditional Chinese medicine. Modern research confirms that the plant has a super complex chemical composition with more than 140 compounds identified with possible anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidative and hepatoprotective activities.

As for Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract in skin care, it can have two main roles. The first one is being an anti-inflammatory and soothing ingredient, probably due to chlorogenic acid, a polyphenol thought to be the main bioactive component of the flower.

Also-called: Dandelion Leaf Extract

The extract coming from the leaves of dandelion. It's a folkloric medicine for the treatment of liver and kidney disorders and we could find several studies confirming its liver-protecting, "detoxifying" effect.

What we could not find is information on what dandelion is doing in cosmetic products. Our best info is that it "enhances the clarity of skin" by helping the detoxification of the liver (though we have to admit we are a bit sceptical about this).  

Also-called: Satsuma Mandarin, Satsuma Orange | What-it-does: skin brightening, antioxidant

Out of the more than 900 Citrus species known today, Citrus Unshiu is a seedless, easy to peel tangerine coming from the Japanese town Satsuma. The peel extract used in cosmetics is mainly created from the "press-cake", the by-product of the juice industry and as it turns out, what's waste to one industry is a useful ingredient to another. 

In cosmetics, the main thing of the Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract is being a skin-brightening or whitening agent. In-vitro (made in test tubes) and animal studies both show promising results for inhibiting tyrosinase, the famous enzyme regulating melanin production. It also contains antioxidant components such as carotenoids, coumarins,  limonoids, and flavonoids that might be useful for the skin to protect itself from UV caused damages. 

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Papaya Fruit Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Garlic Bulb Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Carrot Root Oil | What-it-does: antioxidant, emollient

The oil-soluble extract coming from the edible, orange part of the carrot. It is created by macerating the carrot root in a carrier oil such as sunflower or olive oil, and the resulting thing (base oil + carrot root extract) is often called carrot oil or carrot root oil. (Not to be confused with carrot seed oil, that can be fixed or essential and comes from the seeds.)

The root extract is known for containing the orange pigment beta-carotene, aka provitamin A. It is a famous molecule for being a potent antioxidant, suntan accelerator and having skin-regenerative abilities. Carrot oil also contains vitamin E and some fatty acids that give the oil further antioxidant and barrier repairing properties. 

What-it-does: antioxidant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Beet Root Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant, moisturizer/humectant

Beetroot is a beautifully colored vegetable that you probably know from the kitchen. As for skincare - according to manufacturer info - it works as a natural moisturizer that might be able to increase the concentration of NMFs (natural moisturizing factors) in the upper layer of the skin giving skin both immediate and longer term hydration. 

According to Paula's Choice, it's also a colorant and a source of antioxidants

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Turmeric Root Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant, soothing, skin brightening, perfuming

Turmeric is the yellow spice you probably know from curry and Indian food. It's also a traditional herbal medicine used in Ayurveda for its bunch of anti-something magic abilities including being anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic. 

As for turmeric and skincare, we have good news: studies show that the root extract and its main biologically active component, curcumin can do multiple good things for the skin. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity, it shows some promise for acne-prone skin and a small study from 2013 showed that it might be able to regulate sebum production

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Shiitake Mushroom Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: antioxidant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: soothing

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: astringent

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: antioxidant, soothing

Houttuynia cordata is a flowering plant native to Southeast Asia. It is eaten as a leaf vegetable, and also has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, including as an attempted treatment for SARS (it didn’t really work). Regarding cosmetics, however, houttuynia cordata extract has a good bit of potential! 

The main active components in the plant are these fancy chemicals called flavonoids. Houttuynia cordata specifically has a good amount of polyphenolic flavonoids, four common ones being quercetin, quercitrin, hyperoside, and rutin. All of these exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Quercitrin has also been shown to decrease damage from UVB rays, which is an added bonus. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the flavonoid content of this extract can depend on if the extract is taken from the roots or the leaves, as well as if it’s a water extraction or an alcohol extraction.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: astringent, perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Rosemary Leaf Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant, soothing, antimicrobial/antibacterial

The extract coming from the lovely herb, rosemary. It contains lots of chemicals, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and diterpenes. Its main active is rosmarinic acid, a potent antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. It has also anti-bacterial, astringent and toning properties. 

The leaves contain a small amount of essential oil (1-2%) with fragrant components, so if you are allergic to fragrance, it might be better to avoid it. 

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: antioxidant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: astringent

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: astringent

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Purslane Extract | What-it-does: soothing, antioxidant

Portulaca Oleracea is a nice succulent with bright yellow flowers and edible nutritious vegetables. It's a famous plant in Korean traditional medicine to treat infection and irritated skin.

Modern research confirms that it's loaded with skin-goodies: it's the richest green plant source of omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acid), contains NMFs (polysaccharides and amino acids),  vitamins (β-carotene), minerals, and antioxidants (yellow betaxanthins and reddish betacyanins). Thanks to all its beneficial components, Purslane Extract has several magic properties: it's a great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent and also has wound healing abilities

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Onion Bulb Extract | What-it-does: antimicrobial/antibacterial

You probably meet this guy more often in your kitchen than in the bathroom, but yes, onion extract is also used as a skincare ingredient. Its major skin benefit seems to be that it can improve the cosmetic appearance of postsurgical scars (there is also a scar-fading gel called Mederma, that has hardly anything else in it but onion extract). 

We also saw some manufacturer claims that onion is not only a scar healer, but it has also antibacterial and antifungal activity, it can help to reduce acne and stimulate hair growth

Also-called: Cucumber Fruit Extract | What-it-does: soothing, emollient

Cucumber is a nice, non-irritating plant extract that’s known for it’s soothing and emollient properties. It’s not something new to put it on our face: even Cleopatra used it to “preserve her skin”.

It’s commonly believed that cucumber is the answer to puffy eyes, but there is no research confirming this. What research does confirm is that it contains amino acids and organic acids that’s helpful for the skin’s acid mantle. There is also an enzyme (called shikimate dehydrigenase) in the pulp that’s shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: emollient

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Gotu Kola, Tiger Grass | What-it-does: soothing, antioxidant, moisturizer/humectant

Centella Asiatica - or sometimes also called Gotu Kola or Cica - has been used in folk medicine for hundreds of years. It’s traditionally used to improve small wounds, burns and scratches and it’s also a well known anti-inflammatory agent for eczema.

Recently science has taken an interest in Gotu Kola as well and it turns out it really has many active compounds with several benefits. Just for hard-core geeks, the main biologically active compounds are pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins called asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic and madecassic acid (also called centellosides).

What-it-does: perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Japanese Plum Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Part of Matrixyl 3000, Pal-GHK, Formerly also Palmitoyl Oligopeptide | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient

A really famous peptide that is part of Matrixyl 3000, the most sold peptide complex in the word. Before we go and find out what the big deal with Matrixyl 3000 is, let's just focus on Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 itself for a bit.

It's a small three amino acid (they are the building blocks of all proteins) peptide with the amino sequence of glycine-histidine-lysine, or GHK. GHK is attached to palmitic acid (a fatty acid) to increase oil solubility and skin penetration. 

Also-called: Part of Matrixyl 3000, Pal-GQPR, Previously Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3 | What-it-does: cell-communicating ingredient

A four amino acid peptide with the amino sequence of glycine-glutamine-proline-arginine. It is attached to palmitic acid (a fatty acid)  to increase oil solubility and skin penetration. 

It works by reducing the production of the signal moleculeinterleukin-6 (IL-6) which promotes inflammation in the skin and less inflammation means slower degradation of important things (like collagen) that results in younger looking skin for a longer time. 

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A real oldie but a goodie. Great natural moisturizer and skin-identical ingredient that plays an important role in skin hydration and general skin health. [more]
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A clear, colorless liquid that works as a solvent and viscosity decreasing ingredient. It also has great skin-moisturizing abilities.  [more]
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A multi-functional helper ingredient that acts as a humectant and emollient. It's also a solvent and can boost the effectiveness of preservatives. [more]
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A type of sugar that has water-binding properties and helps to keep your skin hydrated. 
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A multi-functional skincare superstar that has clinically proven anti-aging, skin lightening, anti-inflammatory and barrier repair properties. [more]
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It's the chemically chopped up version of normal lecithin. Most often it's used to create liposomes and to coat and stabilize some other ingredient. 
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Pro-Vitamin B5 is a goodie that moisturises the skin, has anti-inflammatory, skin protecting and wound healing properties. [more]
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A sugar ester (sucrose + stearic acid) that works as a natural emulsifier (helps water and oil to mix). [more]
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A very common silicone that gives both skin and hair a silky smooth feel. It also forms a protective barrier on the skin and fills in fine lines. Also used for scar treatment. [more]
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It's the salt form of famous humectant and natural moisturizing factor, hyaluronic acid. It can bind huge amounts of water and it's pretty much the current IT-moisturizer. [more]
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The famous omega-6 fatty acid, the mother of all ω-6 fatty acids in our body. It is a so-called polyunsaturated fatty acid meaning it has more than one (in this case two) double bonds and a somewhat kinky structure that makes LA and LA-rich oils a thin liquid.It is also an essential fatty acid meaning our body cannot synthesize  [more]
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Rose essential oil - a super expensive oil with a lovely scent. Has also antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Contains fragrant components that might irritate sensitive skin. [more]
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A common helper ingredient that works as a so-called chelating agent.  It helps products to remain nice and stable for a longer time by neutralizing the metal ions in the formula (that usually get into there from water) that would otherwise cause some not so nice changes. [more]
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A natural polymer (big molecules from repeated subunits) that is harvested from the Acacia tree in the sub-Saharan region in Africa. It's a great thickening and binding agent. [more]
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A great skin soother and moisturizer, and it even shows promising anti-aging benefits. It‘s also shown to have wound healing properties and is a mild antioxidant. [more]
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Green Tea - one of the most researched natural ingredients that contains the superstar actives called catechins. It has proven antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic properties. [more]
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Raspberry is one of the colorful berries that’s not only delicious but contains many biologically active, healthy compounds. It has polyphenols including anthocyanins and ellagitannins that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. According to skin care expert Paula Begoun, it’s antibacterial as well but due to its tannin content it can cause also irritation to the very s [more]
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A handy white powder that magically converts a liquid into a nice gel formula. [more]
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Usually, a glycerin or glycol based extract of honey that has similar properties to pure honey, i.e. moisturizing, soothing and antibacterial magic properties. If you wanna know more about honey in cosmetics, we have a shiny explanation here >> [more]
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Watermelon extract that's full of good-for-the-skin stuff, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. A useful antioxidant-rich ingredient to protect skin from UV-induced damage. [more]
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You might know licorice as a sweet treat from your childhood, but it's actually a legume that grows around the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East, central and southern Russia. [more]
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Apple fruit extract that's loaded with proteins, starch, sugars, acids, vitamins and salts. The sugars give apple nice moisturizing properties, while the acids give mild exfoliant, skin brightening and antibacterial properties.  [more]
what‑it‑does soothing | antioxidant
irritancy, com. 0, 0
Chamomile extract - has great anti-inflammatory and some antioxidant properties. [more]
what‑it‑does soothing | emollient
what‑it‑does soothing | antimicrobial/antibacterial
Lonicera Japonica, or Japanese Honeysuckle as normal people call it, is a white-flowered honeysuckle known for being a traditional Chinese medicine. Modern research confirms that the plant has a super complex chemical composition with more than 140 compounds identified with possible anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidative and hepatoprotective activities. [more]
Dandelion Extract - a folkloric medicine for the treatment of liver and kidney disorders. It's unclear what it does in a cosmetic product. [more]
what‑it‑does skin brightening | antioxidant
Out of the more than 900 Citrus species known today, Citrus Unshiu is a seedless, easy to peel tangerine coming from the Japanese town Satsuma. The peel extract used in cosmetics is mainly created from the "press-cake", the by-product of the juice industry and as it turns out, what's waste to one industry is a useful ingredient to another. [more]
what‑it‑does moisturizer/humectant
what‑it‑does antioxidant | emollient
The oil-soluble extract coming from the edible, orange part of the carrot. It is created by macerating the carrot root in a carrier oil such as sunflower or olive oil, and the resulting thing (base oil + carrot root extract) is often called carrot oil or carrot root oil. [more]
what‑it‑does antioxidant
what‑it‑does antioxidant | moisturizer/humectant
Beetroot is a natural moisturizer, colorant, and antioxidant. [more]
what‑it‑does antioxidant | soothing | skin brightening | perfuming
Turmeric Root Extract that has nice anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and skin-brightening properties. [more]
what‑it‑does antioxidant
what‑it‑does soothing
what‑it‑does perfuming
what‑it‑does antioxidant | soothing
A flavonoid-rich plant extract known mainly for its soothing and antioxidant properties. [more]
what‑it‑does perfuming
what‑it‑does antioxidant | soothing | antimicrobial/antibacterial
Rosemary leaf extract - Its main active is rosmarinic acid, a potent antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. It has also anti-bacterial, astringent and toning properties. [more]
what‑it‑does abrasive/scrub | moisturizer/humectant
what‑it‑does antioxidant | emollient | moisturizer/humectant
what‑it‑does antioxidant | emollient | moisturizer/humectant
what‑it‑does antioxidant
what‑it‑does soothing | antioxidant
Purslane Extract - a traditional Korean medicinal plant with skin-soothing, antioxidant and wound healing abilities. [more]
what‑it‑does antimicrobial/antibacterial
You probably meet this guy more often in your kitchen than in the bathroom, but yes, onion extract is also used as a skincare ingredient. Its major skin benefit seems to be that it can improve the cosmetic appearance of postsurgical scars (there is also a scar-fading gel called Mederma, that has hardly anything else in it but onion extract). [more]
what‑it‑does soothing | emollient
Cucumber is a nice, non-irritating plant extract that’s known for it’s soothing and emollient properties. [more]
what‑it‑does emollient
what‑it‑does soothing | antioxidant | moisturizer/humectant
Centella Asiatica - or sometimes also called Gotu Kola or Cica - has been used in folk medicine for hundreds of years. It’s traditionally used to improve small wounds, burns and scratches and it’s also a well known anti-inflammatory agent for eczema. Recently science has taken an interest in Gotu Kola as well and it turns out it really has many active compounds with several benefits. [more]
what‑it‑does perfuming
what‑it‑does antioxidant
what‑it‑does cell-communicating ingredient
A three amino acid peptide that is part of famous peptide duo, Matrixyl 3000. It's a type I collagen fragment that might be able to trick the skin to think that collagen broke down and it's time to create some new one. [more]
what‑it‑does cell-communicating ingredient
The pal of Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in Matrixyl 3000. A four amino acid peptide that works by reducing the production of the signal molecule, inteleukin-6 (IL-6) that promotes inflammation in the skin. [more]