What Are Active Ingredients In Skincare?

As a consumer, whenever you go to a store, you find a new skincare product on the market. On top of that, most skin care brands put labels on their products to grab the audience's attention, like hydrating, clarifying, anti-aging, etc. While these labels should make getting the right product to address your skin concerns easier, unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, many people end up choosing the wrong product.

Many women are confused and overwhelmed when buying natural anti-aging skin care products. The best way to combat this problem is to know the ingredients used in the skincare products and how they function. Not only will understanding the ingredients help you choose an effective skincare product, but it will also help you achieve the desired results.

If you have looked at the label of your skin care products, you may have noticed a list of ingredients divided into two categories – active and inactive. You may sometimes wonder why the inactive ingredients are added to the product if they don't actually do anything. Well, inactive ingredients are typically the delivery method for other elements of the product formula, like water and oil-based components.

So, What Are Active Ingredients In Skincare?

The active ingredients in skincare are responsible for the product's primary effects. For example, a cream for anti-aging will have active ingredients known to have anti-aging properties.

Every product, including natural formulas, has active and inactive ingredients. However, their strengths may vary with the product. The most common active ingredients you may find in your skincare products include:

Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA): An Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) is a type of organic acid derived from sugar cane. Manufacturers often use it as an active agent in anti-aging skin care products because of its ability to exfoliate the skin.

The most common AHAs are glycolic acid, lactic acid, and malic acid. The concentration of AHAs in a product will determine how strong the exfoliating effect will be. Higher AHA concentrations will produce a more dramatic result but may also cause more irritation. It is essential to start with a lower concentration and increase as tolerated.

AHAs can also improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, reduce the appearance of age spots and other types of Hyperpigmentation, and improve the skin's texture by making it softer and smoother. AHAs are available in both over-the-counter and prescription strength formulations.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can help protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals, UV rays, and pollution. Vitamin C also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help soothe the skin.

When used in skincare products, Vitamin C can help to brighten the skin, improve its texture, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. This powerful antioxidant also helps in reducing inflammation. However, the most notable benefit of vitamin C is its ability to brighten your face and help you get an even skin tone.

Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid is a polysaccharide naturally occurring in the human body. It is responsible for the elasticity and plumpness of the skin. However, its production decreases with age. This decrease contributes to developing aging signs, such as fine lines and wrinkles. That is why manufacturers often use it as an active ingredient in anti-aging skin care products. As a result, it may also help improve wrinkles and the appearance of dry skin.

The Bottom Line

While these are the active ingredients often found in skin care products, there are many more, such as Bakuchiol, retinol, salicylic acid, ceramides, niacinamide, etc. All active ingredients help treat different skin care issues. So, make sure you know what product you are looking for and what active ingredients it should include.

My name is Ranny Watson. I'm a professional Digital Marketing Expert.