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.
Once inside the skin, it hydrates, but not from the outside - putting pure water on the skin [hello long baths!] is drying.
One more thing: the water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized [it means that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed]. Like this, the products can stay more stable over time.
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
A super commonly used 5 unit long, cyclic structured silicone that is water-thin and does not stay on the skin but evaporates from it [called volatile silicone]. Similar to other silicones, it gives skin and hair a silky, smooth feel.
It's often combined with the non-volatile [i.e. stays on the skin] dimethicone as the two together form a water-resistant, breathable protective barrier on the skin without a negative tacky feel.
A clear, colorless liquid that works as a solvent and viscosity decreasing ingredient. It also has great skin-moisturizing abilities.
- It's a super common and super debated skincare ingredient
- It has several benefits: great solvent, penetration enhancer, creates cosmetically elegant, light formulas, great astringent and antimicrobial
- It can be very drying if it's in the first few ingredients on an ingredient list
- Some experts even think that regular exposure to alcohol damages skin barrier and causes inflammation though it's a debated opinion [read more in geeky details tab]
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.
As for hair care, it is a non-volatile silicone meaning that it stays on the hair rather than evaporates from it and smoothes the hair like no other thing. Depending on your hair type, it can be a bit difficult to wash out and might cause some build-up [btw, this is not true to all silicones, only the non-volatile types].
- 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
A type of sugar that has water-binding properties and helps to keep your skin hydrated.
Adenosine is an important little compound in our body that has a vital cell-signalling role. Research on smearing it on our face is also promising and shows so far a couple of things:
- It can help with wound healing
- It’s a good anti-inflammatory agent
- It might even help with skin’s own collagen production and improve skin firmness and elasticity
- It helps with barrier repair and protection
- It might be even useful for the hair helping with hair thickness and hair growth
Also-called: Rosehip Oil | What-it-does: emollient
Though it says fruit oil in its name, the rosehip fruit contains the seeds that contain the oil. So this one is the same as Rosa Canina Seed Oil, or Rosehip Oil, known for its high omega fatty acid content [linoleic acid - 51%, linolenic acid - 19% and oleic acid - 20%] and skin-regenerative properties.
There is a common misconception that rosehip oil contains vitamin C as the fruit itself does, but vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin hence it is not contained in the oil. The antioxidant and regenerative properties of the oil probably come from the oil-soluble tocopherols [vitamin E] and carotenoids [pro-vitamin A]. Read more here.
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].
One of the biological activities of the centellosides is to be able to stimulate GAGs [glycosaminoglycans - polysaccharides that are part of the liquidy stuff between our skin cells], and especially hyaluronic acid synthesis in our skin. This is probably one of the reasons why Centella Asiatica Extract has nice skin moisturizing properties that was confirmed by a 25 people, four weeks study along with Centella's anti-inflammatory effects.
Madecassoside can also help in burn wound healing through increasing antioxidant activity and enhancing collagen synthesis. Asiaticoside was shown to increase antioxidant levels on rats skin when applied at 0.2%.
Centella Asiatica also often shows up in products that try to treat cellulite or striae. Of course, it cannot make a miracle but it might have some effect via regulating microcirculation and normalizing the metabolism in the cells of connective tissues.
Bottom line: Gotu Kola is a great plant ingredient with proven wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Nice to spot on any ingredient list.
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate is a stable, oil-soluble form of skincare big shot Vitamin C. If you do not know, why Vitamin C is such a big deal in skincare, click here and read all about it. We are massive vitamin C fans and have written about it in excruciating detail.
So now, you know that Vitamin C is great and all, but it's really unstable and gives cosmetics companies many headaches. To solve this problem they came up with vitamin C derivatives, and one of them is Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate [let's call it THDA in short].
It's a really promising candidate [see below], but while reading all the goodness about it in a minute, do not forget that derivatives not only have to be absorbed into the skin but also have to be converted to pure vitamin C [ascorbic acid or AA] and the efficacy of the conversion is often unknown. In addition, vitamin C's three magic properties [antioxidant, collagen booster, skin brightener] are all properly proven in-vivo [on real people], but for the derivatives, it's mostly in-vitro studies or in the case of THDA, it's in-vitro and done by an ingredient supplier.
With this context in mind let's see what THDA might be able to do. First, it is stable [if pH < 5], easy to formulate, and a joy to work with for a cosmetic chemist.
Second, because it's oil-soluble, its skin penetration abilities seem to be great. So great in fact, that it surpasses the penetration of pure vitamin C threefold at the same concentration and it penetrates successfully into the deeper layers of the skin [that is usually important to do some anti-aging work]. There is also in-vitro data showing that it converts to AA in the skin.
Third, THDA seems to have all three magic abilities of pure vitamin C: it gives antioxidant protection from both UVB and UVA rays, it increases collagen synthesis [even more than AA] and it has a skin brightening effect by reducing melanogenesis by more than 80% in human melanoma cell cultures.
So this all sounds really great, but these are only in-vitro results at this point. We could find Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate mentioned only in one published in-vivo study that examined the anti-aging properties of a silicone formula containing 10% AA and 7% THDA. The authors theorized that the 10% AA is released slowly from the silicon delivery system and probably stays in the upper layer of the skin to give antioxidant benefits, while THDA penetrates more rapidly and deeply and gives some wrinkle-reducing benefits. The study was a small [10 patients], double-blind experiment, and the formula did show some measurable anti-aging results. However, it is hard to know how much pure vitamin C or THDA can be thanked.
Bottom line: a really promising, but not well-proven vitamin C derivative that can be worth a try especially if you like experimenting [but if you like the tried and true, pure vitamin C will be your best bet].
Also-called: Olive Fruit Oil | What-it-does: antioxidant, emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0-2
You probably know olive oil from the kitchen as a great and healthy option for salad dressing but it's also a great and healthy option to moisturize and nourish the skin, especially if it's on the dry side.
Similar to other emollient plant oils, it's loaded with nourishing fatty acids: oleic is the main component [55-83%], and also contains linoleic [3.5-20%] and palmitic acids [7-20%]. It also contains antioxidant polyphenols, tocopherols [types of vitamin E] and carotenoids and it's one of the best plant sources of skin-identical emollient, Squalene.
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Titanium Dioxide is one of the two members of the elite sunscreen group called physical sunscreens [or inorganic sunscreens if you’re a science geek and want to be precise].
Traditionally, UV-filters are categorized as either chemical or physical. The big difference is supposed to be that chemical agents absorb UV-light while physical agents reflect it like a bunch of mini umbrellas on top of the skin. While this categorization is easy and logical it turns out it's not true. A recent, 2016 study shows that inorganic sunscreens work mostly by absorption, just like chemical filters, and only a little bit by reflection [they do reflect the light in the visible spectrum, but mostly absorb in the UV spectrum].
Anyway, it doesn't matter if it reflects or absorbs, Titanium Dioxide is a pretty awesome sunscreen agent for two main reasons: it gives a nice broad spectrum coverage and it's highly stable. Its protection is very good between 290 - 350 nm [UVB and UVA II range], and less good at 350-400 nm [UVA I] range. Regular sized Titanium Dioxide also has a great safety profile, it's non-irritating and is pretty much free from any health concerns [like estrogenic effect worries with some chemical filters].
The disadvantage of Titanium Dioxide is that it's not cosmetically elegant, meaning it's a white, "unspreadable" mess. Sunscreens containing Titanium Dioxide are often hard to spread on the skin and they leave a disturbing whitish tint. The cosmetic industry is, of course, really trying to solve this problem and the best solution so far is using nanoparticles. The itsy-bitsy Nano-sized particles improve both spreadability and reduce the whitish tint a lot, but unfortunately, it also introduces new health concerns.
The main concern with nanoparticles is that they are so tiny that they are absorbed into the skin more than we want them [ideally sunscreen should remain on the surface of the skin]. Once absorbed they might form unwanted complexes with proteins and they might promote the formation of evil free radicals. But do not panic, these are concerns under investigation. A 2009 review article about the safety of nanoparticles summarizes this, "to date, in-vivo and in-vitro studies have not demonstrated percutaneous penetration of nanosized particles in titanium dioxide and zinc oxide sunscreens". The English translation is, so far it looks like sunscreens with nanoparticles do stay on the surface of the skin where they should be.
All in all, Titanium Dioxide is a famous sunscreen agent and for good reason, it gives broad spectrum UV protection [best at UVB and UVA II], it's highly stable, and it has a good safety profile. It's definitely one of the best UV-filter agents we have today, especially in the US where new-generation Tinosorb filters are not [yet] approved.
A PEG-modified self-emulsifying crosslinked silicone elastomer surfactant that helps water to mix nicely with silicone oils, aka a water in silicone emulsifier. It creates highly stable micelle structures that break upon application of the product so it is ideal for “water drop” like cream formulations.
Sodium chloride is the fancy name of salt. Normal, everyday table salt.
If [similar to us] you are in the weird habit of reading the label on your shower gel while taking a shower, you might have noticed that sodium chloride is almost always on the ingredient list. The reason for this is that salt acts as a fantastic thickener in cleansing formulas created with ionic cleansing agents [aka surfactants] such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate. A couple of percents [typically 1-3%] turns a runny surfactant solution into a nice gel texture.
If you are into chemistry [if not, we understand, just skip this paragraph], the reason is that electrolytes [you know, the Na+ and Cl- ions] screen the electrostatic repulsion between the head groups of ionic surfactants and thus support the formation of long shaped micelles [instead of spherical ones] that entangle like spaghetti, and viola, a gel is formed. However, too much of it causes the phenomenon called "salting out", and the surfactant solution goes runny again.
Other than that, salt also works as an emulsion stabilizer in water-in-oil emulsions, that is when water droplets are dispersed in the outer oil [or silicone] phase. And last but not least, when salt is right at the first spot of the ingredient list [and is not dissolved], the product is usually a body scrub where salt is the physical exfoliating agent.
A little helper ingredient that is used to adjust the pH of the product. It also helps to keep products stay nice longer by neutralizing the metal ions in the formula [they usually come from water].
A little helper ingredient that works as a preservative. It works against bacteria and some species of fungi and yeast. It's often combined with IT-preservative, phenoxyethanol.
If you have spotted ethylhexylglycerin on the ingredient list, most probably you will see there also the current IT-preservative, phenoxyethanol. They are good friends because ethylhexylglycerin can boost the effectiveness of phenoxyethanol [and other preservatives] and as an added bonus it feels nice on the skin too.
Also, it's an effective deodorant and a medium spreading emollient.
Super common little helper ingredient that helps products to remain nice and stable for a longer time. It does so by neutralizing the metal ions in the formula [that usually get into there from water] that would otherwise cause some not so nice changes.
It is typically used in tiny amounts, around 0.1% or less.
Also-called: CI 77019 | What-it-does: colorant
A super versatile and common mineral powder that comes in different particle sizes. It is a multi-tasker used to improve skin feel, increase product slip, give the product light-reflecting properties, enhance skin adhesion or serve as an anti-caking agent.
It is also the most commonly used "base" material for layered composite pigments such as pearl-effect pigments. In this case, mica is coated with one or more metal oxides [most commonly titanium dioxide] to achieve pearl effect via the physical phenomenon known as interference.
A type of sugar molecule, that has water-binding properties and helps to keep your skin hydrated.
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.
It’s an ingredient whose safety hasn’t been questioned so far by anyone [at least not that we know about]. BG is approved by Ecocert and is also used enthusiastically in natural products. BTW, it’s also a food additive.
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Also-called: Iron Oxide Red;Ci 77491 | What-it-does: colorant | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0
Red Iron Oxide is the super common pigment that gives the familiar, "rust" red color. It is also the one that gives the pink tones in your foundation. Chemically speaking, it is iron III oxide [Fe2O3].
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
A handy helper ingredient [a polymer, i.e. big molecule from repeated subunits] that is used to stabilize emulsions as well as to thicken up products. It can also stabilize foam in cleansing products.
Also-called: Iron Oxide Yellow;Ci 77492 | What-it-does: colorant | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0
Yellow Iron Oxide is the super common inorganic [as in no carbon atom in the molecule] pigment that gives the yellow tones in your foundation. Blended with red and black iron oxides, it is essential in all "flesh-toned" makeup products.
Chemically speaking, it is hydrated iron III oxide and depending on the conditions of manufacture, it can range from a light lemon to an orange-yellow shade.
Also-called: Fragrance, Parfum;Parfum/Fragrance | What-it-does: perfuming
Exactly what it sounds: nice smelling stuff put into cosmetic products so that the end product also smells nice. Fragrance in the US and parfum in the EU is a generic term on the ingredient list that is made up of 30 to 50 chemicals on average [but it can have as much as 200 components!].
If you are someone who likes to know what you put on your face then fragrance is not your best friend - there's no way to know what’s really in it.
Also, if your skin is sensitive, fragrance is again not your best friend. It’s the number one cause of contact allergy to cosmetics. It’s definitely a smart thing to avoid with sensitive skin [and fragrance of any type - natural is just as allergic as synthetic, if not worse!].
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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.
Normal [well kind of - it's purified and deionized] water. Usually the main solvent in cosmetic products.
It's a super commonly used water-thin volatile silicone that gives skin and hair a silky, smooth feel.
A clear, colorless liquid that works as a solvent and viscosity decreasing ingredient. It also has great skin-moisturizing abilities.
Alcohol with some additives to make it unconsumable. It is great solvent, penetration enhancer, creates cosmetically elegant, light formulas, great astringent, and antimicrobial. In large amounts, it can be very drying to the skin.
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.
A multi-functional skincare superstar that has clinically proven anti-aging, skin lightening, anti-inflammatory and barrier repair properties.
A type of sugar that has water-binding properties and helps to keep your skin hydrated.
An important compound in our body that has a vital cell-signalling role. It is wound healing, anti-inflammatory and can help with barrier repair.
Though it says fruit oil in its name, the rosehip fruit contains the seeds that contain the oil. So this one is the same as Rosa Canina Seed Oil, or Rosehip Oil, known for its high omega fatty acid content [linoleic acid - 51%, linolenic acid - 19% and oleic acid - 20%] and skin-regenerative properties.
A stable, oil-soluble form of Vitamin C, that might have [in-vitro results] all the magic abilities of pure vitamin C [antioxidant, collagen booster, skin brightener].
Olive oil - an oleic acid-rich [55-83%] emollient plant oil that can moisturize dry skin. Also, it contains antioxidant polyphenols and vitamin E.
A physical/inorganic sunscreen with pretty broad spectrum [UVB and UVA II, less good at UVA I] protection and good stability. Might leave some whitish tint on the skin, though.
A PEG-modified self-emulsifying crosslinked silicone elastomer surfactant that helps water to mix nicely with silicone oils, aka a water in silicone emulsifier.
Sodium chloride is the fancy name of salt. Normal, everyday table salt. If [similar to us] you are in the weird habit of reading the label on your shower gel while taking a shower, you might have noticed that sodium chloride is almost always on the ingredient list.
A helper ingredient that is used to adjust the pH of the product. Also helps to keep products stay nice longer by neutralizing the metal ions in the formula.
A little helper ingredient that works as a preservative. It works against bacteria and some species of fungi and yeast.
It can boost the effectiveness of phenoxyethanol [and other preservatives] and as an added bonus it feels nice on the skin too.
Super common little helper ingredient that helps products to remain nice and stable for a longer time. It does so by neutralizing the metal ions in the formula [that usually get into there from water] that would otherwise cause some not so nice changes.
A mineral powder used to improve skin feel, increase product slip, give the product some light-reflecting properties, enhance skin adhesion or serve as an anti-caking agent. A real multi-tasker.
A type of sugar molecule, that has water-binding properties and helps to keep your skin hydrated.
An often used glycol that works as a solvent, humectant, penetration enhancer and also gives a good slip to the products.
Iron Oxide - a super common colorant with the color red.
A handy helper ingredient [a polymer, i.e. big molecule from repeated subunits] that is used to stabilize emulsions as well as to thicken up products. It can also stabilize foam in cleansing products.
CI 77492 or Iron Oxide is a common colorant with the color yellow.
The generic term for nice smelling stuff put into cosmetic products so that the end product also smells nice. It is made up of 30 to 50 chemicals on average.
Is donkey's milk good for your skin?
But there is evidence that donkey milk is good for your skin. Research shows that proteins in donkey milk attract and retain water. That makes skin care products that contain donkey milk extra hydrating. The anti-inflammatory effects may also be soothing to irritated skin.
How do you use donkey milk cream?
This donkey milk cream face will be your ideal beauty ally every morning. She will know how to take care of combination skin as well as mature skin. Apply the moisturizer donkey milk face in the morning on your skin [face and neck] previously cleansed. Penetrate by gently massaging with your fingertips.
What are the ingredients in donkey milk whitening cream?
Ingredients: Donkey Milk, Rice Bran Oil, Shea Butter, Emulsifying Wax, [Lactobacillus/Arundinaria Gigantea [Bamboo] Ferment Filtrate], Panthenol, [Water & Caprylyl Glycol & Hexylene Glycol & Wasabia japonica [Wasabi] Root Extract & Zingiber officinale [Ginger] Root Extract & Allium sativum [Garlic] Bulb Extract], ...
What are the benefits of donkey milk soap?
Donkey milk soap is good for all skin types, including sensitive and dry skin and is suitable for face and body. This is because donkey milk contains natural moisturizers that help keep your skin healthy, soft, and smooth. Donkey milk also has a high content of vitamin A which helps nourish your skin and prevent acne.