Active Ingredients You Should Look For in Skincare Products:
With the explosion of new products coming to market, it’s sometimes difficult to know which active ingredients you should look for in skincare products.
Most men are tempted to skip reading the label and go for stylish or popular products, and that’s a big mistake. The ingredients label is the one thing in a package that tells you what the product does.
As a man, the first thing you should understand about skincare products is that anything you try on yourself will be absorbed into your body, whether it’s soap, shampoo, or lotion.
You should know the natural preservatives to look for in cosmetics. This will help you figure out products that are good for your particular skin type and which to avoid.
Most skin care products contain one or more active ingredients, so knowing what these ingredients are can give you an idea of the benefit you will get.
What Are The Active Ingredients You Should Look For in Skincare Products?
You may be wondering what an active ingredient is?
Well, an active ingredient is a component that makes a particular product work. For example, if you are purchasing a product meant to remove acne, then the ingredients in the product should clear acne when you use the product.
You should look for ingredients produced using methods such as cold pressing that are environmentally friendly and natural.
Our products adhere to these standards.
Our firming face serum and revitalising eye cream are cruelty-free, vegan, and Natural.
Active ingredients can be divided into three classes:
- Water-based active ingredients
- Oil-based active ingredients
- Combination of active ingredients.
- Water-based active ingredients
Water-based active ingredients for skincare products are the most popular because they can dissolve easily. They also penetrate better into the skin, which means that you will benefit more from them than oil or fat-based ones.
Some water-based active ingredients include:
- Retinol (vitamin A)
- Vitamin C
- Niacinamide
- Hyaluronic Acid
Water-based ingredients penetrate the skin more easily than oil- or fat-based ingredients. However, they don’t last as long on your face because of their water content.
If you try to wear water-based active ingredients in winter, you will find that they can dry out your skin.
- Oil-based active ingredients
Oil-based active ingredients are suitable for dry skin because they reduce water loss. Some of them can also help to keep other active ingredients on the surface of your skin longer. Oil-based products work better than water-based ones in wintertime.
Examples include:
- Squalene
- Jojoba oil
Oil-based active ingredients tend to be thick in texture. They are best for dehydrated skin because they reduce the amount of water lost from your body.
However, these products can be greasy and pore-clogging, which means if you have oily skin, then you shouldn’t purchase one.
- Combination of active ingredients:
These are the most popular skincare products because they can be adjusted to suit different skin types. Suppose you have oily skin in summer and dry skin in winter.
Then a combination of active ingredients will work best for your skin.
This is because they will work when your face needs an oil-based active ingredient and when it needs a water-based one instead.
Combination active ingredients are also suitable for sensitive skins because they can be adjusted to avoid breakouts.
Some combinations of active ingredients include:
- AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid). This ingredient gently exfoliates the skin and helps reduce wrinkles.
- BHA(Beta Hydroxy Acid). This ingredient is excellent for oily or acne-prone skin, as it helps to regulate oil production and clears out pores.
- Retinol (vitamin A). An anti-ageing powerhouse, retinol can help with wrinkles, uneven texture, and dark spots.
- Vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is a powerful antioxidant that reduces redness and inflammation in the skin.
Active ingredients in skincare and their benefits
Hyaluronic acid
This is a popular active ingredient in skin care products due to its ability to absorb moisture and retain it.
Hyaluronic acid is a super absorber with the ability to hold water up to 1000 times its weight, and you get to have super hydrated skin.
As an active ingredient in skincare, hyaluronic acid also has anti-inflammatory properties, promotes wound healing, and maintains healthy skin.
Hyaluronic acid is primarily used in products meant for people with dry skin or eczema.
Your body produces its own Hyaluronic acid to help your skin stay hydrated, but as you grow older, the production decreases.
Thus, it is essential to buy cosmetic products with this active ingredient.
Retinol (Vitamin A)
Retinol is a skincare ingredient that improves the skin’s texture. It also helps reduce scars, reduces enlarged pores, and is a suitable ingredient for acne.
Retinol prompts the cells on the skin’s surface to die to pave the way for new skin cells.
Retinol is an active ingredient in skincare that reduces the appearance of fine lines on your face and brown spots or liver spots often caused by sun damage to the skin over time.
It also helps increase cell turnover rate, which can help fade acne scars, reduce wrinkles, and prevent skin cancer.
Vitamin C
As an active ingredient in skin care products is essential. Vitamin C, also known as L-Ascorbic Acid, is a powerful antioxidant with many health benefits in the body.
Which include supporting collagen production, which helps in reducing fine lines and reducing inflammation.
Vitamin C protects skin against free radical damage and brightens skin. It helps to even out skin tone, treats dark spots, and reduces wrinkles.
Squalane Oil
Squalane oil as an active ingredient in skin care products is essential.
Squalane Oil helps soften skin and reduce flaking while also helping with acne because it promotes cell regeneration in the skin’s surface layer.
It is an excellent active ingredient because it also helps moisturise your skin and slows down the ageing process.
Hemp seed oil
This oil is an active skincare ingredient that contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin B, vitamin C, and other nutritional antioxidants.
Hemp seed oil as an active ingredient in skincare products is very important.
It can be beneficial for a wide variety of skin types, including dry and oily skin because it moisturises your skin’s top layer while also absorbing quickly into deeper layers to help reduce inflammation and redness.
Emulium Mellifera
Emulium Mellifera is an active ingredient with many benefits for the skin. It is a naturally derived emulsifier.
This ingredient is used in anti-wrinkle face creams or even to treat acne scars. It has been used for many years in the beauty industry.
This emulsifier adapts to different climates and is suitable for all skin types.
Vitamin A ( Beta-carotene)
Aloe vera contains this active ingredient. Vitamin A is a vital skincare ingredient as it helps moisturise the skin, prevents breakout, maintains healthy skin, and speeds up the skin’s healing.
Vitamin E
The Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your skin from the damage caused by free radicals. It’s also known for its ability to soften and smoothen dry, chapped, flaky skin while protecting it from further environmental damage.
Vitamin E protects your body’s cells from the effects of oxidation which is a chemical process that can damage cells and lead to diseases such as cancer. It also helps prevent wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of ageing while promoting healthy skin growth.
How To Choose The Right Active Ingredients For Your Skin
Quality skin care products contain active ingredients. The main active ingredient is the product itself, and the product’s formulation is the blueprint that dictates what it is supposed to do.
Choosing the right active ingredient to include in your skincare product is crucial. When selecting skincare ingredients, research is key. There are many active ingredients that you can choose from, and it’s important to know what each one does and how they work in the product you want to purchase.
Each active ingredient in skin care products should have a purpose and be beneficial to the skin. If you have sensitive skin, acne-prone, or dry skin, it is best to use natural products.
Our range of products contains aloe vera, which contains active ingredients such as Vitamins A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12, amino acids, among others.
Choosing the right active ingredients for your skin care product may be tricky. However, the following tips will help you select active ingredients that will be helpful for your skin.:
- Identify your skin type.
- Consider the stability of active ingredients in your product.
- Choose the right active ingredients for your skin.
- Keep in mind how much time you have to devote to caring for your skin each day.
- Consider the effects of climate on your skin and choose products accordingly.
- If you are prone to breakouts, consider using a gentle cleanser that is oil-free or non-comedogenic
- Be aware of any sensitivities or allergies before using new products containing fragrances, dyes, alcohols, oils, etc. They can cause irritation and lead to more severe conditions if misused.
Frequently Asked Questions About Active ingredients (FAQs)
What is a broad-spectrum active ingredient?
Broad Spectrum ingredients protect against UVA and UVB rays. This type of protection helps prevent premature ageing, sunspots, and skin cancer.
What are antioxidants?
Anti Oxidants fight free radicals that damage the collagen in our skin, causing wrinkles and darkening. It’s important to include antioxidants in your skincare products.
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid naturally occurs in the body and holds moisture well, making it an excellent moisturising ingredient. It helps reduce fine lines by keeping water in the skin, which plumps up any superficial wrinkles.
What is vitamin C?
Vitamin C protects skin against free radical damage and brightens skin. It helps to even out skin tone, treats dark spots, and reduces wrinkles. It also stimulates collagen production in the skin, which can help reduce fine lines.
What is the best natural active ingredient to treat age spots?
A potent antioxidant, vitamin C is believed to help stimulate collagen production and fade the appearance of age spots. A derivative of vitamin A called retinoic acid stimulates new skin cells, which helps reduce brown spots on the skin’s surface. Vitamin B3 stimulates cell turnover to help fade age spots.
What is the best natural active ingredient to treat wrinkles?
Topical retinoids are a group of vitamin A derivatives that can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by boosting collagen production, improving skin texture, and reducing pore size. Antioxidants like green tea extract protect skin against free radical damage that leads to wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid (HA) boosts the skin’s capacity to retain moisture, making it appear plump and smooth.
Our Takeaway
The active ingredients in skincare products that you should look for will depend on your skin type and what benefits you are hoping to get.
As a man, you want to look your best and you should therefore choose products that will help you achieve the desired outcome. Whether you are looking for face cream, cleanser, or eye creams, be sure to read what is written on the label.
If you are unsure which ingredients your skin needs, it would be best to consult with a dermatologist or other skin care professional before making any purchases.
We hope this post has provided you with valuable information about the active ingredients to look for in skincare products. The more informed you are, the better decisions you can make when shopping and finding what is right for you!
