A
ALCOHOL (SD ALCOHOL)
Undrinkable ethyl alcohol has many uses in skin care. It delivers other ingredients into the skin and drives them deeper down. In toners and acne products, it can help dissolve oil and temporarily tighten pores. When added to certain moisturizers, like gel-based lotions, it makes them less tacky and helps them dry down faster on the face.
ALLANTOIN
Known for its soothing properties, this chemical moisturizes and encourages cell turnover.
ALOE BARBADENSIS
With the same pH as skin, this extract is extremely soothing. It’s also an effective healing agent.
ALPHA HYDROXY ACIDS (AHAS)
These chemicals loosen the fluid that binds surface skin cells together, allowing dead ones to be whisked away. This “glue” becomes denser as we age, slowing down the natural cell-turnover process that reveals younger skin—making AHAs a particularly useful ingredient in anti-aging creams and cleansers.
ALPHA LIPOIC ACID
This fatty acid found in all cells in the body contributes to skin’s smoothness. It dissolves in both fat and water, enabling it to penetrate well into all parts of skin cells.
AMINO ACIDS
The building blocks of the proteins that make up collagen and elastin—substances that give the skin its structural support. Aging and a combination of external factors (including UV light and environmental toxins) reduce the level of amino acids in the body; creams containing amino acids may help restore them.
ANTIOXIDANT
Any ingredient that reduces free-radical damage to the skin.
ARGIRELINE
This peptide is marketed as “Botox in a cream” because of its apparent ability to temporarily prevent tensing of facial muscles.
AVOBENZONE
A chemical found in sunscreens, it absorbs UVA rays to reduce their penetration into the skin, but does not protect against UVB rays.
B
BENZOYL PEROXIDE
An acne medicine that kills pimple-causing bacteria and exfoliates pores. It can be found in concentrations up to 10 percent in over-the-counter products.
BISABOLOL
From the chamomile plant, this anti-inflammatory extract helps heal and soothe the skin. It also has antibacterial properties.
BOTOX
The trademark name for one of the forms of botulinum toxin used in injections targeting facial wrinkles. Botox paralyzes facial muscles, such as those that cause frown lines, in order to soften wrinkles.
C
CAFFEINE
Produced in the leaves and seeds of various plants, it can also be made in a lab. Commonly used in cellulite creams and eye creams, it constricts blood vessels, reducing redness and puffiness.
CERAMIDES
Naturally occurring in sebum (skin’s oil), these fats hold together the cells of the epidermis to reinforce the skin’s protective barrier.
CETYL/STEARYL ALCOHOL
Fatty alcohols that stabilize creams and cleansers and create a silky feeling.
COENZYME Q10 (UBIQUINONE)
Levels of this antioxidant in the skin decline with age and UV exposure. CoQ10 is added to anti-aging products to preserve skin-cell function and improve skin texture
COFFEEBERRY
A strong antioxidant, this plant extract is an expensive, patented ingredient that is not widely available (you’ll find it in Priori Skincare and RevaléSkin).
COLLAGEN
This protein makes up 80 percent of the skin, and its fibers give skin its firmness and strength. Collagen naturally breaks down over time, but certain ingredients, such as retinol and peptides (including Matrixyl), can stimulate new collagen production.
D
DIMETHICONE
A slippery form of silicone that hydrates and protects the skin; often found in oil-free moisturizers.
DYSPORT
Like Botox, another injectable form of botulinum toxin that combats wrinkles by paralyzing underlying muscles.
E
ELASTIN
Stretchy structural proteins that allow skin to snap back into place, elastin is particularly vulnerable to sun damage.
EMOLLIENT
Any ingredient that increases water levels in the epidermis. Synonym: moisturizer.
EMULSIFIER
Chemicals such as cetyl alcohol that bind together ingredients in skin-care products.
F
FERULIC ACID
This plant-derived antioxidant reduces sun damage and helps stabilize vitamins C and E in skin-care products.
FEVERFEW
A plant extract, it reduces redness, fights free radicals, and calms inflammation.
FRAGRANCE
The generic term for natural and/or synthetic compounds used to scent products. Blends are typically considered trade secrets and can contain numerous ingredients (mainly oils and alcohols), none of which have to be revealed on the label. Fragrance is the number-one cause of allergic reactions to skin-care products.
FRAXEL
A laser that creates microscopic injuries to the skin that stimulate the body’s natural wound-healing process, producing new collagen.
FREE RADICALS
Highly unstable molecules created in the body by sunlight, cigarette smoke, and pollution that latch onto and damage cells in ways that can lead to roughness, sagging, and wrinkling.
G
GLYCERIN
It’s a humectant, meaning it pulls moisture from the atmosphere to hydrate skin. Commonly used in moisturizers and hydrating cleansers, this is an inexpensive ingredient.
GLYCOLIC ACID
An alpha hydroxy acid derived from sugarcane, it dissolves the gluelike substance between skin cells, aiding in exfoliation and improving skin texture. It’s commonly used in high-end anti-aging products, such as cleansers, creams, and peels.
GREEN TEA
Extracted directly from green-tea leaves, this potent antioxidant fights free radicals and quells inflammation. It’s typically used in face creams and lotions.
H
HELIOPLEX
Helioplex is the trademarked name of a sunscreen technology that combines avobenzone with a stabilizing ingredient called oxybenzone to offer protection from both UVA and UVB sunlight.
HUMECTANTS
This class of moisturizing ingredients pulls water from the atmosphere into the top layer of the skin.
HYALURONIC ACID
A sugar molecule found naturally in the skin, it increases skin’s moisture content and prevents water loss. It can hold 1,000 times its weight in water and is typically found in expensive creams and serums.
HYDROQUINONE
Available without a prescription in strengths up to 2 percent (4 percent in prescription formulas), it inhibits pigment production to lighten dark spots.
I
IDEBENONE
This synthetic antioxidant compound reduces inflammation and UV damage to skin cells that can cause wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. (It’s only found in Prevage products by Elizabeth Arden at a 0.5 percent concentration and in Prevage MD, available in dermatologists’ offices, at a 1 percent concentration.)
INTENSE PULSED LIGHT (IPL)
A machine that emits many wavelengths of light—as opposed to lasers, which use just one concentrated beam—to remove hair or erase acne, dark spots, wrinkles, spider veins, and more. While gentler and less expensive than lasers, it isn’t always as effective.
J
JOJOBA OIL
Similar in structure to skin’s natural oil, it penetrates skin to hydrate without clogging pores.
JUVEDERM
The trademarked name of a gel made from hyaluronic acid that’s injected into wrinkles and lips to restore lost volume.
K
KAOLIN
A claylike mineral that absorbs oil and tamps down shine.
KERATOSIS PILARIS
These red bumps on the legs and the backs of arms occur when sticky cells within the hair follicle clump together to form a plug, preventing them from being whisked away through routine exfoliation. This common condition, believed to be genetic, can be minimized but not cured with lactic acid creams or scrubs.
KINETIN (N6-FURFURYLADENINE)
In plants, this hormone regulates age-related changes in cells, slowing leaves’ deterioration. In anti-aging products, it’s an antioxidant known for being gentle to the skin.
KOJIC ACID
This skin lightener, especially popular in Japan, has been proven to be effective at blocking the production of new melanin in the skin, but it can also cause skin irritation when used in higher concentrations.
L
LACTIC ACID
Derived from fermented milk, this alpha hydroxy acid exfoliates dead skin cells and is gentle enough for people with sensitive skin or rosacea. Since it’s part of our natural moisturizing factor, it’s especially compatible with human skin.
LAMINARIA SACCHARINA
A type of sea algae that diminishes oil and soothes skin.
LASER
Intense, concentrated beams of a various colors of light used to treat a variety of skin problems, including dark spots, spider veins, wrinkles, and unwanted hair or tattoos.
LED
Light-emitting diode devices give off a narrow range of a specific wavelength of light. (Different wavelengths target different skin issues; for example, blue light kills the bacteria known to cause acne.) Much less intense than lasers or IPL, many LED devices are safe enough for hand-held use at home.
LICOCHALCONE
A molecule found in licorice-root extract, licochalcone has the ability to both soothe inflammation and help control the production of oil in the skin, making it an effective treatment for acne and redness.
M
MELANIN
The pigment that gives hair, skin, and eyes their color; patches of excess melanin can cause dark spots.
MEXORYL SX
This stabilizing sunscreen ingredient is a very effective chemical filter for protecting the skin from aging UVA light when used in combination with other ingredients. Originally sold only in Europe, Mexoryl SX was approved by the FDA in 2006.
MICRODERMABRASION
Performed by dermatologists and facialists, this treatment exfoliates the top layer of dead skin cells with a wand that sprays on and then vacuums off extremely fine aluminum-oxide crystals. A newer form of the technology uses a vibrating diamond tip in place of the crystals.
MMPI.20
An ingredient used in only a few high-end skin-care lines, this claims to inhibit the production of something called matrix metalloproteinase (or “MMPs”), enzymes that increase the breakdown of collagen and lead to skin damage.
N
NIACINAMIDE
A form of vitamin B3, it strengthens the skin’s outer layers, improves elasticity, and curbs redness and irritation.
O
OCCLUSIVES
Thick moisturizing ingredients, such as petrolatum, that slow the evaporation of water from the skin’s surface.
OXYBENZONE
Also known as benzophenone-3, this chemical sunscreen absorbs mainly UVB rays, which is why it is combined with UVA-absorbing filters (like avobenzone) to create broad-spectrum sunscreens.
P
PANTHENOL
A B vitamin that moisturizes and strengthens both skin and hair.
PARABENS
A class of preservatives used to protect cosmetics against the growth of bacteria and fungi. These controversial ingredients—including methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben—have been shown to possess weak estrogen-like properties, but the FDA deems them safe when used at very low levels (.01 to .3 percent) in cosmetics.
PEPTIDES
Tiny protein fragments that promote collagen growth and help repair skin.
PETROLATUM
A purified by-product of petroleum, this thick, odorless, and colorless substance coats the skin to hydrate and prevent water loss and is used in standard (i.e., not oil-free) moisturizers. It can clog pores and cause acne in those who are prone.
PHLORETIN
Found in apples, this chemical enhances the activity of other skin-care ingredients that reduce sun damage.
PHTHALATES
These common plasticizers, used some nail polishes to increase flexibility and in some shampoos and cleansers to carry fragrance, are controversial because of a possible link to disruption of the human endocrine system. Their role in a possible increase in breast cancers in women is currently being studied.
POMEGRANATE
Extracts of this fruit maintain moisture in the skin and act as an antioxidant, protecting against UV damage that can lead to wrinkles and skin cancer.
R
RESTYLANE
Filler made from hyaluronic acid that doctors use to replace lost volume in the skin; it is especially effective for plumping the lips.
RESVERATROL
An antioxidant found in grapes, it neutralizes free radicals to protect skin cells from damage.
RETIN-A
The brand name for the prescription vitamin A derivative tretinoin. First approved by the FDA for the treatment of acne, Retin-A was eventually found to fight signs of aging by speeding up exfoliation, repairing skin on a molecular level, and boosting new collagen production.
RETINOIDS
This is the catchall phrase used to describe all vitamin A derivatives used in skin care.
RETINOL
A derivative of vitamin A used in anti-aging products to stimulate the turnover of skin cells and increase collagen production. The maximum amount allowed in over-the-counter products is 1 percent. Retinyl palmitate and retinaldehyde are weaker, less-irritating forms of retinol.
S
SALICYLIC ACID
A beta hydroxy acid that removes excess oil and dead cells from the skin’s surface. It’s used in nonprescription cleansers, moisturizers, and treatments for acne-prone skin in concentrations of 0.5 to 2 percent.
SERUM
A skin-care product that contains high concentrations of active ingredients and claims superior penetration of the skin’s surface when applied.
SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE
A detergent agent that cuts through oil and generates lather. Sulfate-free shampoos have become popular because of a misconception that the foaming agent may cause cancer, but no link has ever been established.
SOY
Rich in proteins and vitamins, this natural, non-irritating extract is a mild skin brightener that blocks the transfer of pigment from pigment-making cells to surrounding skin cells.
STEARYL ALCOHOL
A fat that binds together the ingredients in creams and cleansers and gives them a silky texture.
SULFATES
These cleansing agents remove dirt and oil and are responsible for creating lather. There are more than 100 different varieties—some synthetic, others from natural sources, like coconut or palm oil. They’re found in facial cleansers, body washes, shampoos, and shaving creams. All types have the potential to dry and irritate the skin. They’ve come under scrutiny in recent years for their potential damage to the environment.
T
THERMAGE
A radio-wave machine used by doctors to penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin and generate heat that stimulates the formation of new collagen to firm skin.
TITANIUM DIOXIDE
A mineral in sunscreens that shields the skin from UVA and UVB rays.
U
UVA RAYS
The wavelength of ultraviolet light that leads to signs of aging by destroying existing collagen and elastin within the skin and undermining the body’s ability to create more of each. The rays cause skin cancer, and they are also generated in tanning beds. They are constant throughout the year, which is why sun protection should be worn daily regardless of season.
UVB RAYS
The high-energy wavelength of ultraviolet light that leads to darkened pigment in the form of tanning, freckles, and age spots—plus, of course, sunburns. They are strongest in summer months.
V
VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID)
An antioxidant that boosts collagen production and inhibits pigment formation. Like many antioxidants, it’s an unstable molecule that can break down quickly when exposed to light and air. Common derivatives, like ascorbyl palmitate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, tend to be more stable than pure ascorbic acid but slower acting.
VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL)
This moisturizing antioxidant protects against free-radical damage.
W
WATER
Deionized, distilled, or purified, it’s often used as a vehicle to deliver other ingredients into the skin.
Z
ZINC OXIDE
A mineral in sunscreen that prevents UVA and UVB light from entering skin and doing damage.