Most skincare products will have dozens of ingredients listed on the back, and honestly, it can get a bit confusing when it comes to determining which ingredients have what effects. Are you looking for an anti-aging compound, or one that can soothe acne-prone skin? Are you trying to improve your skin’s tone, or your skin’s texture?
We’re digging into 14 of the ingredients found in skincare that deliver stand out performance. Each ingredient has a different super power, from soothing inflamed skin to boosting moisture to reducing signs of aging. Which is why you can find them in our Train Your Skin™ products.
1. Hyaluronic Acid:
Hyaluronic Acid is one of the primary ingredients used in serums and even some moisturizers and cleansers, thanks to its ability to help lock moisture into the skin without over-moisturizing or leaving a greasy trail behind. Many people shy away from heavy moisturizers that will leave greasy stains on your pillow or feel oily throughout the day, but Hyaluronic Acid feels light while providing the moisture you need, and none that you don’t.You can experience the benefits in our Hyaluronic Acid Serum.
2. Vitamin C:
Ascorbic Acid, better known as Vitamin C, isn’t just part of a healthy diet (or something you drink in your OJ in the morning). The antioxidants in vitamin C may help defend against the damage from free radicals - unstable molecules that can damage skin cells - that can be caused by UV light, and can help even out skin tone.
3. Vitamin A:
Often referred to as Retinyl Palmitate, Vitamin A contains retinol, a strong anti-aging compound. Retinols penetrate deep into the skin and neutralize free radicals, supporting skin’s natural collagen and elastin to help your skin fight back against the appearance for fine lines and large pores.
4. Vitamin E:
Otherwise known as Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitamin E is one of the most powerful natural rejuvenating compounds for your skin. Like Vitamin C, it helps reduce damage from free radicals due to UV exposure, and it also can moisturize and soothe dry skin.
5. Certified Organic Spirulina Maxima Extract:
Spirulina has been gaining popularity as a superfood for your smoothie, but it also has skin benefits when applied topically. That’s why we used it as one of the primary ingredients in our Moisturizer. It’s a powerful antioxidant, and research is showing that it may also help support collagen, which can reduce signs of aging.
6. Certified organic Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract:
Not just for your beer—hops are surprisingly great for providing sensitive skin with an antioxidant punch to help keep skin clear as well as improve signs of aging.
7. Hydrolyzed Elastin:
Marine Collagen—AKA hydrolyzed elastin—is a natural protein that's harvested from fish. It makes up the base of our Train Your Skin Hyaluronic Acid Serum because it’s a powerful humectant, which means that it traps moisture and holds it against the skin, allowing the other ingredients in the serum to better penetrate deeper into the skin while also creating a barrier from the environment outside.
8. Certified Organic Cucumber Fruit Extract:
Cucumber extract is a great one because it’s so similar to the properties you’d associate with the actual vegetable. There’s a reason cucumber slices get added to water in the summer, or why pictures of spas almost always feature cucumbers on the eyes of people as they get massages or other treatments. It’s soothing for the skin. It also smooths skin, thanks to its naturally-occurring ascorbic acid, so it can help those suffering from uneven or blotchy skin.
9. Certified Organic Tea Tree Leaf Oil:
Tea tree oil has been used for decades as a natural way to keep skin smooth and clear, and while it can be harsh on the skin when applied directly at full strength, as an ingredient in a well-balanced skin care product, it can be a useful tool for those dealing with oily skin.
10. Certified Organic Oat Kernel Extract:
If you ever had chicken pox as a child, you may remember being put in a cool bath with a colloidal oatmeal to help soothe that itchy feeling. The extract from those oat kernels can do what that cool bath did for you: It’s soothing and helps gently moisturize your skin while also helping your skin maintain its integrity to protect you from environmental stressors like air pollution.
11. Certified organic Lavender Extract:
The smell of lavender might call to mind your grandmother’s perfume, but despite having a more ‘mature’ smell to it, it’s actually a strong compound with a ton of benefits. It can help soothe irritated skin while also potentially diminishing the appearance of scarring from acne or other skin issues.
12. Certified organic Lemon Peel Extract and Oil:
While not everyone will be dealing with acne, most people do struggle with the occasional oily spot or acne flare-up, especially if you lead an extremely active lifestyle with plenty of sweat, or even just have a high-stress job. Lemon peel helps keep skin clear without being harsh, but it also can improve the appearance of uneven skin. If you deal with blotchy skin, lemon peel extract is a great ingredient to look for, especially if your skin tends towards the oily side.
13. Squalane:
Antioxidant-packed squalane mimics your skin’s natural oils, which is why we chose it as a primary ingredient in our Moisturizer. It helps naturally restore optimal skin levels by serving as a gentle emollient, without clogging pores or leaving you with a greasy feeling. It’s naturally derived from sugarcane, and can help soothe irritated dry skin while diminishing the appearance of fine lines.
14. Certified Organic Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract:
Otherwise known as green tea extract, it’s packed with catechins, L-theanine, and caffeine. That means it’s ideal for dealing with puffy skin—especially those areas that tend to show signs of tiredness and age (like under your eyes). Catechins also have been shown to have protective benefits for the skin, thanks to the ultra-high amounts of antioxidants they contain.
After reading this, you might be wondering: If all of these ingredients work so well, why not just use the extracts or the ingredients directly? While these ingredients are extremely beneficial to the skin, they’re also surprisingly strong, especially when used in their pure form. For example, tea tree leaf oil is great for acne prone skin, but used on its own, it can burn or irritate the skin instead of keeping skin clear. Because of this, skincare products typically use a few of these ingredients combined with water and other more neutral bases in order to allow these ingredients to work their magic without any of the harsh effects of direct usage.
And remember: These ingredients are powerful, which means that it’s important to use them in a smart way: Combining certain ingredients—even ones with great benefits—can result in irritated skin. That’s why we have the Train Your Skin™ system: Our Cleanser, Toner and Moisturizer (and Serum) are designed to work in concert with each other to simplify your skincare while delivering powerful results.
You'll find these ingredients used by many different skincare brands, but at The American Boxerä, we focus on using the best certified organic compounds and the right ingredients for each product to provide a simple, high performance skincare regimen that works for your active lifestyle—and skin. All the superstar ingredients you need, none that you don’t.
REFERENCES:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-hype-on-hyaluronic-acid-2020012318653
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976416/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6317665/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27769632/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6930595/https://biomeddermatol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41702-020-0057-8