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Eminence Organic Firm Skin Acai Booster-serum

Firm Skin Acai Booster-serum

An anti-aging serum to improve the skin's tone and texture.
Uploaded by: fungfay on

Ingredients overview

Organic Phytonutrient Blend™ (Stone Crop Juice, Aloe Juice, Lemon Peel Extract, Bearberry Extract, Jasmine Flower Extract, Lavender Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rice Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Soybean Germ Extract, Chlorophyll, Vegetable Glycerin), [Acai Berry Juice*, Seabuckthorn Berry Juice*, Raspberry Juice*, Blueberry Juice*, Goji Berry Juice*, Aloe Juice*, Lemon Peel Extract*, Blackberry Leaf Extract*, Gotu Kola Extract*, Sunflower Seed Oil*, Soy Lecithin*], Vegetable Glycerin*, Gotu Kola Extract, Lemon Extract, Horsetail Extract, Witch Hazel Extract, Hops Extract, Pine Needle Extract, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Vegetable Glycerin, Acai Fruit Extract*, Marine Algae Extract, Tara Tree Gum, Wild Jujube Extract, Maral Root Phytoecdysteroids Extract, Marshmallow Root Extract*, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Guava Extract, Biocomplex2™ (Euterpe Oleracea (Acai), Citrus Limon (Lemon), Malpighia Glabra (Barbados Cherry), Emblica Officinalis (Indian Gooseberry), Adansonia Digitata (Baobab), Myrciaria Dubia (Camu Camu), Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water, Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Berry, Tapioca Starch (From Cassava Root), Thioctic Acid (Alpha Lipoic Acid), Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10)), [Acai*, Lemon*, Barbados Cherry*, Indian Gooseberry*, Baobab*, Camu Camu*, Carrot*, Coconut Water*, Goji Berry*, Tapioca Starch (From Cassava Root)*, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Coenzyme Q10]
Warnings:
  • This ingredient list contains duplicate ingredients that should not be the case for correct ingredient lists in the EU/US. Read here for more detail.
  • This ingredient list contains several ingredient names that do not follow the INCI nomenclature. Read here for more detail.

Highlights

#alcohol-free #fragrance & essentialoil-free
Alcohol Free
Fragrance and Essential Oil Free

Skim through

Ingredient name what-it-does irr., com. ID-Rating
Organic Phytonutrient Blend™
Stone Crop Juice moisturizer/​humectant
Aloe Juice soothing, moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Lemon Peel Extract emollient
Bearberry Extract antioxidant, skin brightening goodie
Jasmine Flower Extract perfuming
Lavender Flower Extract surfactant/​cleansing
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract soothing, antioxidant, perfuming goodie
Rice Extract
Green Tea Leaf Extract antioxidant, soothing goodie
Rosemary Leaf Extract antioxidant, soothing, antimicrobial/​antibacterial goodie
Soybean Germ Extract emollient
Chlorophyll colorant
Vegetable Glycerin skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/​humectant 0, 0 superstar
[Acai Berry Juice*
Seabuckthorn Berry Juice*
Raspberry Juice*
Blueberry Juice*
Goji Berry Juice*
Aloe Juice* soothing, moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Lemon Peel Extract* emollient
Blackberry Leaf Extract*
Gotu Kola Extract* soothing, antioxidant, moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Sunflower Seed Oil* emollient 0, 0 goodie
Soy Lecithin*] emollient, emulsifying goodie
Vegetable Glycerin* skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/​humectant 0, 0 superstar
Gotu Kola Extract soothing, antioxidant, moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Lemon Extract
Horsetail Extract soothing, emollient
Witch Hazel Extract soothing, antioxidant, antimicrobial/​antibacterial goodie
Hops Extract soothing, antimicrobial/​antibacterial, emollient, perfuming
Pine Needle Extract
Rosemary Extract antioxidant, soothing, antimicrobial/​antibacterial goodie
Sage Extract antioxidant, soothing, antimicrobial/​antibacterial, surfactant/​cleansing
Vegetable Glycerin skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/​humectant 0, 0 superstar
Acai Fruit Extract*
Marine Algae Extract emollient, moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Tara Tree Gum viscosity controlling
Wild Jujube Extract
Maral Root Phytoecdysteroids Extract
Marshmallow Root Extract*
Sodium Benzoate preservative
Potassium Sorbate preservative
Xanthan Gum viscosity controlling
Lactic Acid exfoliant, moisturizer/​humectant, buffering superstar
Sodium Salicylate preservative
Guava Extract
Euterpe Oleracea (Acai)
Citrus Limon (Lemon)
Malpighia Glabra (Barbados Cherry)
Emblica Officinalis (Indian Gooseberry)
Adansonia Digitata (Baobab)
Myrciaria Dubia (Camu Camu)
Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) perfuming
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Berry
Tapioca Starch (From Cassava Root) viscosity controlling
Thioctic Acid (Alpha Lipoic Acid) antioxidant goodie
Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) antioxidant goodie
[Acai*
Lemon*
Barbados Cherry*
Indian Gooseberry*
Baobab* emollient
Camu Camu*
Carrot* perfuming
Coconut Water* moisturizer/​humectant goodie
Goji Berry*
Tapioca Starch (From Cassava Root)* viscosity controlling
Alpha Lipoic Acid antioxidant goodie
Coenzyme Q10] antioxidant goodie

Eminence Organic Firm Skin Acai Booster-serum
Ingredients explained

This ingredient name is not according to the INCI-standard. :( What, why?!

Also-called: Stonecrop Extract;Sedum Sarmentosum Extract | What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Aloe Juice - goodie
Also-called: Aloe Vera;Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice | What-it-does: soothing, moisturizer/humectant

Aloe Vera is one of today’s magic plants. It does have some very nice properties indeed, though famous dermatologist Leslie Baumann warns us in her book that most of the evidence is anecdotal and the plant might be a bit overhyped.

What research does confirm about Aloe is that it’s a great moisturizer and has several anti-inflammatory (among others contains salicylates, polysaccharides, magnesium lactate and C-glucosyl chromone) as well as some antibacterial components. It also helps wound healing and skin regeneration in general. All in all definitely a goodie. 

Also-called: Citrus Limon Peel Extract | What-it-does: emollient

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Bearberry, Kinnikinnick;Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant, skin brightening

Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi is a little plant with nice red berries that lives in the North and is also called bearberry or kinnikinnick. According to Wikipedia the uva-ursi part means “grape of the bear”.  

As for skincare bearberry is interesting because it contains the well-known skin lightening agent arbutin. The leaves contain 5-15% percent of it and might be able to help fading brown spots on the skin. Also, kinnikinnick (such a cool name :)) is an antioxidant and has some antibacterial activity

What-it-does: perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Calendula Extract, Marigold Extract | What-it-does: soothing, antioxidant, perfuming

The extract coming from the popular garden plant Calendula or Marigold. According to manufacturer info, it's used  for many centuries for its exceptional healing powers and is particularly remarkable in the treatment of wounds. It contains flavonoids that give the plant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Green Tea;Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract | 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: Rosmarinus Officinalis 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. 

What-it-does: emollient

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: colorant

A natural, oil-soluble colorant that gives olive-green shades. It can be found in all plants that photosynthesize but is commercially produced mainly from grass, alfalfa, and nettles. 

Vegetable Glycerin - superstar
Also-called: Glycerol;Glycerin | 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 >>

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Red Raspberry Juice;Rubus Idaeus Juice | What-it-does: astringent

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.

Aloe Juice* - goodie
Also-called: Aloe Vera;Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice | What-it-does: soothing, moisturizer/humectant

Aloe Vera is one of today’s magic plants. It does have some very nice properties indeed, though famous dermatologist Leslie Baumann warns us in her book that most of the evidence is anecdotal and the plant might be a bit overhyped.

What research does confirm about Aloe is that it’s a great moisturizer and has several anti-inflammatory (among others contains salicylates, polysaccharides, magnesium lactate and C-glucosyl chromone) as well as some antibacterial components. It also helps wound healing and skin regeneration in general. All in all definitely a goodie. 

Also-called: Lemon Peel Extract;Citrus Limon Peel Extract | What-it-does: emollient

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Gotu Kola, Tiger Grass;Centella Asiatica Extract | 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).

Also-called: Sunflower Oil;Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil | What-it-does: emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0

Sunflower does not need a big intro as you probably use it in the kitchen as cooking oil, or you munch on the seeds as a healthy snack or you adore its big, beautiful yellow flower during the summer - or you do all of these and probably even more. And by even more  we mean putting it all over your face as sunflower oil is one of the most commonly used plant oils in skincare.

It’s a real oldie: expressed directly from the seeds, the oil is used not for hundreds but thousands of years. According to The National Sunflower Association, there is evidence that both the plant and its oil were used by American Indians in the area of Arizona and New Mexico about 3000 BC. Do the math: it's more than 5000 years – definitely an oldie.

What-it-does: emollient, emulsifying

A very common ingredient that can be found in all cell membranes. In cosmetics it's quite the multi-tasker: it's an emollient and water-binding ingredient but it's also an emulsifier and can be used for stabilization purposes. It's also often used to create liposomes

Also-called: Glycerol;Glycerin | 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 >>

Also-called: Gotu Kola, Tiger Grass;Centella Asiatica Extract | 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).

This ingredient name is not according to the INCI-standard. :( What, why?!

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

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Hamamelis Virginiana Extract | What-it-does: soothing, antioxidant, antimicrobial/antibacterial, astringent

Witch hazel is a smallish tree (up to 5m) that's native to North-America, has nice yellow flowers and is similar to the hazelnut bush (hence the name).  

As for skincare, it's loaded with active components that have a bunch of magic properties, like astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-bacterial. It's also a well-known vasoconstrictor (it makes the blood vessels narrower) and promotes the healing of broken skin by tightening up the skin proteins and thus creating a protective covering.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

This ingredient name is not according to the INCI-standard. :( What, why?!

Also-called: Rosemary Leaf Extract;Rosmarinus Officinalis 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. 

Also-called: Salvia Officinalis Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant, soothing, antimicrobial/antibacterial, surfactant/cleansing, astringent, deodorant

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Vegetable Glycerin - superstar
Also-called: Glycerol;Glycerin | 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 >>

Also-called: Acai Extract;Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We have to admit that Algae Extract is not our favorite ingredient name. It does comply with the INCI standard (the official list about how ingredients on the product labels have to be called, the thing we help you to decode here :)), but there are about 20 000 different kinds of algae and an extract from them can be made in another 10 000 ways.

So, Algae Extract can be anything from La Mer's "Miracle Broth" to a simple brown algae extract that helps to smooth the hair. The official description in the Europiean Cosmetic Ingredient listing is this: "an extract of various species of Algae; Extract of the Seaweed, Fucus vesiculosus, Furaceae". Its official functions include being a humectant (helps skin to attract water), emollient (makes skin feel smooth and nice) and skin conditioner (a catchall phrase for saying it does something good for the skin).

What-it-does: viscosity controlling

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

This ingredient name is not according to the INCI-standard. :( What, why?!

Also-called: Marshmallow Root Extract;Althaea Officinalis Root Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: preservative

A helper ingredient that helps to make the products stay nice longer, aka preservative. It works mainly against fungi. 

It’s pH dependent and works best at acidic pH levels (3-5). It’s not strong enough to be used in itself so it’s always combined with something else, often with potassium sorbate.

What-it-does: preservative

It's one of those things that help your cosmetics not to go wrong too soon, aka a preservative. It’s not a strong one and doesn’t really work against bacteria, but more against mold and yeast. To do that it has to break down to its active form, sorbic acid. For that to happen, there has to be water in the product and the right pH value (pH 3-4). 

But even if everything is right, it’s not enough on its own. If you see potassium sorbate you should see some other preservative next to it too.

It's one of the most commonly used thickeners and emulsion stabilizers. If the product is too runny, a little xanthan gum will make it more gel-like. Used alone, it can make the formula sticky and it is a good team player so it is usually combined with other thickeners and so-called rheology modifiers (helper ingredients that adjust the flow and thus the feel of the formula). The typical use level of Xantha Gum is below 1%, it is usually in the 0.1-0.5% range. 

Btw, Xanthan gum is all natural, a chain of sugar molecules (polysaccharide) produced from individual sugar molecules (glucose and sucrose) via fermentation. It’s approved by Ecocert and also used in the food industry (E415). 

Lactic Acid - superstar
  • It’s the second most researched AHA after glycolic acid
  • It gently lifts off dead skin cells to reveal newer, fresher, smoother skin
  • It also has amazing skin hydrating properties
  • In higher concentration (10% and up) it improves skin firmness, thickness and wrinkles
  • Choose a product where you know the concentration and pH value because these two greatly influence effectiveness
  • Don’t forget to use your sunscreen (in any case but especially so next to an AHA product)
Read all the geeky details about Lactic Acid here >>

What-it-does: preservative

The sodium salt of salicylic acid. CosIng (the official EU cosmetic ingredient database) says that it's a preservative and helps to make the product taste bad (called denaturant), while some manufacturer claims that it has exfoliating properties and is antimicrobial. It's good to know, that the salt of an exfoliant is a neutralized form, so if you want to go for exfoliation stick to the pure acid. 

This ingredient name is not according to the INCI-standard. :( What, why?!

Also-called: Acai Extract;Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

This ingredient name is not according to the INCI-standard. :( What, why?!

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Baobab Tree Extract;Adansonia Digitata Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Camu Camu Fruit Extract;Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Coconut Water, Coconut Liquid Endosperm | What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

Coconut Water is the liquid inside the coconut and/or the juice pressed from the coconut fruit. It is a really nice and refreshing beverage loaded with good for the body and the skin things. It is about 95% of water and the other 5% are things such as skin-moisturizing sugars, skin nourishing amino acids, minerals, vitamins and phytohormones (kinetin)

This adds up to coconut water being a nice moisturizing and nourishing ingredient on the skin and it is also claimed to have some antioxidant and anti-glycation properties

Also-called: Goji Berry Extract;Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract | What-it-does: astringent

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: viscosity controlling

A soft, white powder that can be used as a talc replacement in body powders or in pressed powders. It also has some oil absorbing properties and gives increased cushion and richness to emulsion-type formulas.  

Also-called: Alpha-Lipoic Acid | What-it-does: antioxidant

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a great antioxidant that's also part of the body's natural antioxidant system. It's soluble both in water-rich and lipid-rich environments so it's versatile and can interact with many types of evil oxidants as well as other nice antioxidants. 

ALA seems to be a great choice for topical use as studies show it can penetrate the skin rapidly where it's converted to DHLA (dihydrolipoic acid), an even more potent antioxidant molecule.  A nicely designed (we mean double-blind, placebo-controlled) 12-week study from 2003 confirmed that 5% ALA cream can decrease skin roughness and improve general signs of photoaging statistically significantly.  A slight catch, though, is that burning and warmth in the skin was quite a common side effect, especially in the first 4 weeks. 

Also-called: Coenzyme Q10 | What-it-does: antioxidant

Thanks to Nivea, Q10 is a pretty well-known ingredient and the fame and Beiersdorf's (the parent company of Nivea) obsession with it are not for no reason. It's an antioxidant found naturally in human cells where it plays a big role in energy production.

In fact, it's so important for energy production that if taken as an oral supplement it has a caffeine-like effect and if taken at night you will probably not sleep very well (so you should take it in the morning). Q10 supplementation is not a bad idea: it not only gives you energy but research also shows that oral Q10 increases the Q10 level of the skin (of course, it decreases with age like pretty much every good thing in the skin) and may help to reduce wrinkles. If you are not for supplements, dietary sources include fish, spinach, and nuts.

Also-called: Acai Extract;Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Lemon Fruit Extract;Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

If life gives the cosmetic industry lemon, it makes lemon fruit extract.  As to why, we can write here extremely similar things to our shiny description of orange fruit extract.  Being both of them citruses, they contain very similar active compounds with very similar (potential) effects on the skin. 

Just like orange fruit, lemon fruit also contains citric acid so it is commonly used as a natural, mild exfoliating agent. If this is the case, it is usually combined with other AHA containing fruit extracts such as bilberrysugar cane, orange, and sugar maple in a super popular ingredient mix trade named ACB Fruit Mix.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Baobab Fruit Extract;Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract | What-it-does: emollient

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Camu Camu Fruit Extract;Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: perfuming

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

Also-called: Coconut Water, Coconut Liquid Endosperm;Cocos Nucifera Water | What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant

Coconut Water is the liquid inside the coconut and/or the juice pressed from the coconut fruit. It is a really nice and refreshing beverage loaded with good for the body and the skin things. It is about 95% of water and the other 5% are things such as skin-moisturizing sugars, skin nourishing amino acids, minerals, vitamins and phytohormones (kinetin)

This adds up to coconut water being a nice moisturizing and nourishing ingredient on the skin and it is also claimed to have some antioxidant and anti-glycation properties

Also-called: Goji Berry Extract;Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract | What-it-does: astringent

We don't have description for this ingredient yet.

What-it-does: viscosity controlling

A soft, white powder that can be used as a talc replacement in body powders or in pressed powders. It also has some oil absorbing properties and gives increased cushion and richness to emulsion-type formulas.  

Also-called: Alpha-Lipoic Acid;Thioctic Acid | What-it-does: antioxidant

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a great antioxidant that's also part of the body's natural antioxidant system. It's soluble both in water-rich and lipid-rich environments so it's versatile and can interact with many types of evil oxidants as well as other nice antioxidants. 

ALA seems to be a great choice for topical use as studies show it can penetrate the skin rapidly where it's converted to DHLA (dihydrolipoic acid), an even more potent antioxidant molecule.  A nicely designed (we mean double-blind, placebo-controlled) 12-week study from 2003 confirmed that 5% ALA cream can decrease skin roughness and improve general signs of photoaging statistically significantly.  A slight catch, though, is that burning and warmth in the skin was quite a common side effect, especially in the first 4 weeks. 

Coenzyme Q10] - goodie
Also-called: Coenzyme Q10;Ubiquinone | What-it-does: antioxidant

Thanks to Nivea, Q10 is a pretty well-known ingredient and the fame and Beiersdorf's (the parent company of Nivea) obsession with it are not for no reason. It's an antioxidant found naturally in human cells where it plays a big role in energy production.

In fact, it's so important for energy production that if taken as an oral supplement it has a caffeine-like effect and if taken at night you will probably not sleep very well (so you should take it in the morning). Q10 supplementation is not a bad idea: it not only gives you energy but research also shows that oral Q10 increases the Q10 level of the skin (of course, it decreases with age like pretty much every good thing in the skin) and may help to reduce wrinkles. If you are not for supplements, dietary sources include fish, spinach, and nuts.

You may also want to take a look at...

what‑it‑does moisturizer/humectant
what‑it‑does soothing | moisturizer/humectant
The famous aloe vera. A great moisturizer and anti-inflammatory ingredient that also helps wound healing and skin regeneration. [more]
what‑it‑does emollient
what‑it‑does antioxidant | skin brightening
Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi is a little plant with nice red berries that lives in the North and is also called bearberry or kinnikinnick. According to Wikipedia the uva-ursi part means “grape of the bear”. [more]
what‑it‑does perfuming
what‑it‑does surfactant/cleansing
what‑it‑does soothing | antioxidant | perfuming
Marigold extract - contains flavonoids that give the plant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. [more]
what‑it‑does antioxidant | soothing
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]
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 emollient
what‑it‑does colorant
A natural, oil-soluble colorant that gives olive-green shades. It can be found in all plants that photosynthesize but is commercially produced mainly from grass, alfalfa, and nettles.  [more]
what‑it‑does skin-identical ingredient | moisturizer/humectant
irritancy, com. 0, 0
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]
what‑it‑does soothing | moisturizer/humectant
The famous aloe vera. A great moisturizer and anti-inflammatory ingredient that also helps wound healing and skin regeneration. [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 emollient
irritancy, com. 0, 0
Sunflower Oil - it's a great emollient that protects & enhances the skin barrier. [more]
what‑it‑does emollient | emulsifying
It's quite the multi-tasker: an emollient and water-binding ingredient but also an emulsifier and can be used for stabilization purposes. It's also often used to create liposomes.  [more]
what‑it‑does skin-identical ingredient | moisturizer/humectant
irritancy, com. 0, 0
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]
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 soothing | emollient
what‑it‑does soothing | antioxidant | antimicrobial/antibacterial
With Hazel - loaded with active components (hamamelitannin, catechins, gallic acid) that have astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant or anti-bacterial properties. Also well-known vasoconstrictor and promotes skin healing. [more]
what‑it‑does soothing | antimicrobial/antibacterial | emollient | 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 antioxidant | soothing | antimicrobial/antibacterial | surfactant/cleansing
what‑it‑does skin-identical ingredient | moisturizer/humectant
irritancy, com. 0, 0
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]
what‑it‑does emollient | moisturizer/humectant
An extract that comes from one or more of the 20 000 kinds of algae out there. In general algae extracts serve as moisturizing, emollient and thickening agents, and many of them also have additional anti-aging properties. [more]
what‑it‑does viscosity controlling
what‑it‑does preservative
A preservative that works mainly against fungi. Has to be combined with other preservatives. [more]
what‑it‑does preservative
A not so strong preservative that doesn’t really work against bacteria, but more against mold and yeast. [more]
what‑it‑does viscosity controlling
A super commonly used thickener and emulsion stabilizer. [more]
what‑it‑does exfoliant | moisturizer/humectant | buffering
A superstar AHA that not only exfoliates skin but is also a very good moisturizer. In higher concentration (10% and up) it can even improve skin firmness, thickness, and wrinkles. [more]
what‑it‑does preservative
The sodium salt of salicylic acid. CosIng (the official EU cosmetic ingredient database) says that it's a preservative and helps to make the product taste bad (called denaturant), while some manufacturer claims that it has exfoliating properties and is antimicrobial. [more]
what‑it‑does perfuming
what‑it‑does moisturizer/humectant
Coconut Water is the liquid inside the coconut and/or the juice pressed from the coconut fruit. It is a really nice and refreshing beverage loaded with good for the body and the skin things. [more]
what‑it‑does viscosity controlling
A soft, white powder that can be used as a talc replacement in body powders or in pressed powders. It also has some oil absorbing properties and gives increased cushion and richness to emulsion-type formulas.  
what‑it‑does antioxidant
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a great antioxidant that's also part of the body's natural antioxidant system. It's soluble both in water-rich and lipid-rich environments so it's versatile and can interact with many types of evil oxidants as well as other nice antioxidants. ALA seems to be a great choice for topical use as studies show it can penetrate the skin rapidl [more]
what‑it‑does antioxidant
Q10 - an antioxidant found naturally in human cells where it plays an important role in energy production. As for skincare, it works as an awesome antioxidant that might also be able to reduce wrinkle depth. [more]
If life gives the cosmetic industry lemon, it makes lemon fruit extract.  As to why, we can write here extremely similar things to our shiny description of orange fruit extract.  Being both of them citruses, they contain very similar active compounds with very similar (potential) effects on the skin.  [more]
what‑it‑does emollient
what‑it‑does perfuming
what‑it‑does moisturizer/humectant
Coconut Water is the liquid inside the coconut and/or the juice pressed from the coconut fruit. It is a really nice and refreshing beverage loaded with good for the body and the skin things. [more]
what‑it‑does viscosity controlling
A soft, white powder that can be used as a talc replacement in body powders or in pressed powders. It also has some oil absorbing properties and gives increased cushion and richness to emulsion-type formulas.  
what‑it‑does antioxidant
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a great antioxidant that's also part of the body's natural antioxidant system. It's soluble both in water-rich and lipid-rich environments so it's versatile and can interact with many types of evil oxidants as well as other nice antioxidants. ALA seems to be a great choice for topical use as studies show it can penetrate the skin rapidl [more]
what‑it‑does antioxidant
Q10 - an antioxidant found naturally in human cells where it plays an important role in energy production. As for skincare, it works as an awesome antioxidant that might also be able to reduce wrinkle depth. [more]