Let’s have a skincare crash course on some of my favorite ingredients for skincare products! I love to know all the details of exactly what my products are doing for my face and body and then pass along the info to all of you. I find when you know the science and information behind your skincare it gives you a better understanding of what should be in your skincare routine. Let’s get started!

Popular, effective skincare ingredients:

Vitamin C

When you see this ingredient on your ingredient label, get excited! Vitamin C can benefit all skin types and rarely is known to cause reaction or irritation. Because of this vitamin’s antioxidant properties, it can help to prevent aging and damage from ultraviolet rays. Vitamin C also has brightening effects when a high percentage is in the product (10% or higher). This ingredient is great to look for in serums, masks, and moisturizers. Vitamin C won’t be listed as “vitamin C” on your ingredients label; you’ll want to look for L-ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl (THD) ascorbate, or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. If you don’t see any of these ingredients I suggest skipping that skincare item. There are other forms of vitamin C out there that don’t provide the best results.

You can learn more about this and a few other skincare vitamins in my blog post “Understand vitamins A,B, & C in skincare.”

Scrub me secret: Antioxidants are our skin’s best friend.  After the age of 25 collagen and elastin production greatly decreases.  We want to preserve as much as possible, antioxidants help do this for us.

Vitamin E

This vitamin is also an antioxidant but unlike vitamin C it also has moisturizing properties. Vitamin E is a great ingredient for cleansers, serums, and moisturizers. You will often see this in products that are for dry or aging skin. It can also help to soothe irritated skin, making it a wonderful candidate to be included in calming products as well.

Oatmeal

The most calming of all the ingredients. Oatmeal contains special lipid formation and calming properties that not only soothe skin but also provide light hydration. This ingredient is commonly seen in skincare products, especially ones that cater to sensitive skin. Products for dehydrated or dry skin will also be more effective with this ingredient.

Clay

This works best to detoxify by pulling impurities up and out of the skin. This ingredient is not ideal for all skin types and is best to be used in moderation. For best results use your products containing clay less than four times a week. I love clay because it is such a great natural spot treatment for pimples or blackheads. While detoxifying your skin it also soaks up all the oil from the surface and in pores. Overuse of clay can result in dryness or irritation so be careful not to overuse it. Clay is best to have in facial cleansers, spot treatments, or masks.

Scrub me secret: Products that contain organic ingredients tend to have a shorter shelf life because they do not contain chemical preservatives.  Refrigeration or keeping these products in a cool dark place could give your item a longer shelf life. I love having a cute mini fridge for my skincare!

Glycolic acid

This acid is a wonderful exfoliating treatment that can help the skin to look healthier and brighter. Glycolic acid can sink deeply into the layers of the skin and eat away dead cells and unwanted debris. In various products, this acid can come in different percentages. Items to use at home should have 10% or less glycolic acid. Any more than that and you can risk irritating and unbalancing your skin. Glycolic acid peels are also popular at spas and dermatologist offices to improve the tone and texture of the skin. This ingredient is best to look for in cleansers, serums, spot treatments, or as a professional treatment.

Salicylic acid

With a similar name as the item listed above, salicylic acid actually has a very different effect on the skin. You will see this ingredient in most products for acne and congestion. This acid eats away oils on the surface of the skin and stops excess oil production from the pores. In a low percentage (2% or lower), products with this ingredient can be used up to once a day. With anti-inflammatory properties along with oil clearing benefits, this is perfect for anyone with acne or excessively oily skin. Salicylic acid can be found in any skincare product but we like it best in spot treatments or lotions.

Hydroquinone

When you hear of “bleaching creams” or “skin lightening” agents this ingredient will most likely be seen on the label. Hydroquinone is often seen in skincare that is prescribed by a dermatologist but you can also find it occurring in small percentages in retailed items. The function of this ingredient is to lighten dark spots on the skin caused by sun, inflammation, or hormonal changes. Hydroquinone is highly effective but can have reverse effects if used too aggressively. This means if you use products that include this too much or too often your dark spots will not fade from your skin. We recommend that you only use this ingredient under the supervision of a professional and follow their specific instructions. Hydroquinone will commonly be seen in spot treatments, lotions, or as professional treatments.

scrub me secret: when choosing from non-organic products looks for ones with a small number of ingredients or ones that you recognize.  Try and stay away from anything scented as this can add a number of skin-irritating ingredients that are not needed in your product.

Now that you’ve been put through a crash course in skincare knowledge, go get to researching!  Start with the items that you use on your skin at home.  Read over the labels and see if there are any ingredients you might recognize.  Next time you are out shopping for your skin read over the ingredients instead of going by the name of the product or the promised results.  Scrub me is dedicated to skin wellness and we are so grateful to be able to share our ever-growing knowledge. 

If you’d like some more guidance on this topic, my blog post “Tips to navigating a skincare product label” is another great resource.