What is a skincare active ingredient?
An active ingredient is an ingredient while a skin care product is being developed, such as moisturizing creams, lotions, serums, beauty masks or hair products.
Active ingredients are key components in skincare products that perform specific functions to improve the skin’s appearance, texture, and overall health.
Their purpose is to target specific skin concerns, such as anti-ageing for mature skin, nourishing for dry skin, moisturizing for normal skin, etc.
They can be either natural, such as shea butter, or synthetic ingredients, such as hyaluronic acids. There are several types of active ingredients, each of them with specific purpose depending on the product type and the desired results. Let’s take a closer look at these types along with their properties.
What are the different types of active ingredients?
Cosmetic brands and cosmetics private label manufacturers select active ingredients for their significant impact on the skin. Active ingredients can be divided into two major types:
- natural active ingredients
- synthetic active ingredients
Natural active ingredients
They are derived from natural sources such as plants, fruit, vegetable, algae and minerals. They also include animals, such as bees, vegetable oils (olive oil, coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, etc.) and vegetable butters (shea butter, beeswax, etc.)
Natural active ingredients are usually organic and rich in vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants.
Some of them have moisturizing properties, others protect the skin from free radicals and environmental stressors such as UV rays and pollution. Some can help fight signs of premature skin ageing. Others are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial or seboregulating.
Synthetic active ingredients
They are derived from petrochemical processes, usually are man-made and are created in a laboratory. However, they can be derived from natural ingredients and modified or reconstituted into synthetic molecules to address a specific skin problem.
They come from minerals, organic acids, peptides, lipids and vitamins. Synthetic active ingredients are commonly used in skincare products for their nourishing, moisturizing, firming or soothing properties. Synthetic active ingredients include:
- Hyaluronic acid: these cosmetic ingredients penetrate the skin’s surface layer and retain water in the skin. They help to improve skin hydration and softness.
- Glycolic acid: this active ingredient is an exfoliating agent that helps to remove dead skin cells and promote skin renewal including its lipid barrier in order to prevent water loss.
- Retinol: it is derived from Vitamin A, which is a powerful antioxidant used to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone.
What are the properties of the main active ingredients in skincare?
The summary table below lists the main active ingredients’ properties according to their natural or synthetic category, their properties and the skin type they address.
SKIN TYPE |
PROPERTIES |
ACTIVE INGREDIENT |
CATEGORY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry skin | Nourishing/repairing | Sweet almond | Natural |
| Shea butter | |||
| Beeswax | |||
| Borage oil | |||
| Mature skin | Anti-ageing/reduction in mature fine lines/anti-oxidant | Collagen | Natural and synthetic |
| Royal jelly | Natural | ||
| Green tea | Natural | ||
| Retinol | Natural and synthetic | ||
| Vitamin C | Natural and synthetic | ||
| Normal skin | Moisturizing/softening | Acide hyaluronique | Synthetic |
| Aloe vera | Natural | ||
| Glycérol | Synthetic | ||
| Sorbitol | Synthetic | ||
| Oily skin / combination skin | Sebum regulator/reduction in sebum secretion | Clays | Synthetic |
| Jojoba oil | Natural | ||
| Kaolin | Natural | ||
| Salicylic acid | Natural | ||
| Vegetable charcoal | Natural | ||
| White nettle | Natural | ||
| Zinc | Synthetic | ||
| Sensitive skin | Soothing | Allantoin | Synthetic |
| Azulene | Synthetic | ||
| Cornflower | Natural | ||
| Chamomile | Natural |
In conclusion, active ingredients play a crucial role in the effectiveness of skincare products as they aim to deliver its intended benefits.
Whether you have a project of skincare products or you are looking for a tailored support in active ingredients, contact ALPOL Cosmetique’s expert teams.