Best Skin Care Ingredients

The Best Skin Care Ingredients to Look For

As our understanding of human skin evolves, so will our list of best skin care ingredients.

If you are considering using skin care products to achieve better, healthier, more youthful-looking skin, there are a few things you must know if you want to make an informed decision and avoid flushing your money down the toilet.

First thing you need to do is educate yourself about your skin and practice daily good skin care. Check out our basic good skin care tips to set a foundation that will make any further improvements to your skin all the more effective.

You might be interested in checking out our article on how to review skin care products yourself.  We also offer skin care product reviews and skin care eBook reviews, such as our eczema eBooks review.

Once you’ve established your foundation of good skin care and healthy living, you may want to start  looking around for skin lotions, creams, masks, etc. that will help rejuvenate and beautify your skin. That’s where being educated about your skin comes into play.

If you haven’t noticed (you have, I’m sure), not all skin care products are the same. Some come in gorgeous packaging and are promoted far and wide by astute and expensive marketing firms. Some come in modest packaging with little fanfare. Some cost a small fortune. Others are relatively low-cost.

A Skin Care Product Is Good Only If It Works for You

Those factors are actually irrelevant and should not sway you one way of the other. Everyone’s skin is different and reacts differently to various factors or substances.  Some products will help improve your skin, some will have no effect, and others may actually damage your skin.

You owe it to yourself to know what you will be applying to your skin, just as you owe it to yourself to know what it is you putting inside your body when you eat or drink something. Your health, beauty, and well being depend upon it.

That being said, you must make it a habit to know the skin care ingredients of any product you are considering purchasing and using. It is vital that you know what ingredients you do not want in your skin care product. See our article, Skin Care Product Ingredients to Avoid, which addresses those ingredients that have been shown or are suspected of producing harmful effects to your skin and health.

We’ve put together for you a list of some of the best skin care ingredients you will find in skin care products. Be aware that because a product contains some of these ingredients, it is not a guarantee that it will work for you. It may also contain some of those skin care ingredients to avoid that we mentioned above, or it may just not be the right combination of ingredients for your particular skin.

By the same token, our list of the best ingredients does not mean that a product has to include all of those listed here. That could lead to a very expensive proposition, or it could be highly impractical, as not all ingredients will work well together. Some highly effective skin care products may contain only a few of the following ingredients, along with others that may not be listed here. Oftentimes, a good skin care product is effective because it contains the right combination of ingredients, combined in the right way and in the most optimal amounts, and delivered to your body in a highly efficient and effective way. Some skin care product companies have proprietary formulations and delivery systems that no other company uses. That doesn’t mean one way is better than another necessarily.

Our Best Skin Care Ingredients List

But we do know that the following are some of the best skin care ingredients being used in skin care products today:

Acai Oil

The oil of acai berries is said to contain more antioxidants than most types of berries, and because we know antioxidants are good at fighting free radicals that cause cell damage, it is believed that acai oil is a natural for skin care products. Studies have yet to confirm this, but sentiment is growing that acai oil is an ingredient that will help smooth wrinkles and repair sun-damaged skin. You’ll find it used predominantly in certain skin creams, facial masks, cleansers, body butters, and exfoliating scrubs.

Aloe

Aloe is a wonderful ingredient to have in your skin care product, especially if you have sensitive skin, or a skin condition such as rosacea. Aloe soothes and calms inflamed, irritated skin. The gentleness of aloe can help people who are prone to breaking out with skin care products.

Alpha-hydroxy Acids (AHAs) 

AHAs, such as glycolic acid, are effective for exfoliating. They help make your skin smoother and more radiant by removing dead skin cells and encouraging the rejuvenation of your skin. The action of AHAs also helps reduce fine lines and age spots, soften acne scars, and create more evenly distributed pigmentation. Lactic acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid are other commonly used AHAs in skin creams and lotions.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

The dual water-soluble and fat-soluble properties of alpha-lipoic acid make it the so-called "universal antioxidant." This is significant because this versatility allows alpha-lipoic acid to penetrate skin-cell membranes at every level, ensuring protection them from free radicals, keeping the body and its skin strong. Promoted as a primary ingredient in many skin care products, alpha-lipoic acid can reduce wrinkles and fine lines, diminish pores, and give skin a healthy glow.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is a wonderful ingredient addition to any skin care ingredients list, not only for its antioxidant power, but also because it contains high levels of Vitamin E and Omega-3, as well as chlorophyll. Avocado oil is compatible with the natural oils of your skin and is a proven stimulator of collagen production, which helps keep your skin looking young and healthy.

Caffeine

Ever since a 2002 study of mice showing that caffeine applied to their skin provided cancer-fighting and skin damage-healing properties, some skin care companies have been adding caffeine to their skin care lotions and creams.

CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10)

The antioxidant power of CoQ-10 neutralizes free radicals in the body’s cells. The natural production of CoQ-10 by your body decrease over time, and one of the places this loss can be noticed is in the weakening of skin cells and their ability to resist damage caused by free radicals. The use of CoQ-10 in skin toners, creams, and gels helps improve the quality of your skin and has been especially effective in reducing wrinkles around the eyes, what we call crow's feet.

Cynergy TK™

Cynergy TK™ is an ingredient contained in all the skin care products of an anti aging skin care product company called Xtend-Life. It contains the protein keratin, which is the major component in human skin, hair and nails. Keratin stimulates the production of collagen, elastin and new skin cells and greatly improves skin hydration and elasticity, thus reducing wrinkles and inflammation of skin, and promoting firmer more radiant skin.

D-Panthenol (Vitamin B5)

Protects the skin from sun damage and repairs damaged skin tissue. It is a natural moisturizer and emollient (softens and soothes the skin) and enhances natural tanning.

Green Tea Extract

Polyphenols Like antioxidants, are effective in fighting free radicals. The polyphenols in green tea extract, in particular, when applied topically, may protect the skin from skin cancer. Polyphenols are also anti-inflammatory agents and are used in skin creams and lotions for their anti-aging effects on sagging and wrinkling. 

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is produced by the body naturally. It helps keep tissues cushioned and lubricated. It is also found in the skin, connective tissues and joint fluid. With age the body produces less hyaluronic acid. Smoking and poor diet also diminsih production of this essential substance. Hyaluronic acid helps keep your skin smooth and works well in combination with Vitamin C.

Kaolin

Kaolin is a green clay. Its extract absorbs oil and helps clear pores by drawing out grime and helps reduce brown spots on skin. This action helps establish the right balance of sebum (skin oil) and removes impurities from your skin, leaving it feeling refreshed.

Macadamia Oil

The high level of palmitoleic acid in macadamia nut oil makes it a highly effective antioxidant. Macadamia oil works well on dry or mature skin, but is suitable for all skin types. 

Manuka Honey Extract

The strong antibacterial property of active manuka honey extract makes it a powerful ingredient for healing and rejuvenating skin.

Nano-Lipobelle H-EQ10

This special nano-emulsion form of CoQ10 has produced significant anti-wrinkle effects in clinical studies. Nano-Lipobelle H-EQ10 has been shown to penetrate seven layers deep into the skin, extending its antioxidant free radical-fighting power deep into the skin.

Phytessence Wakame

Phytessence Wakame is an extract from a type of Japanese sea kelp. What makes this an especially powerful skin care ingredient is its ability to inhibit the activity of hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid in the skin, thus compromising the elasticity, tone, and smoothness of your skin and accelerating its aging. Wakame is also loaded with minerals (fifteen times more calcium than milk) and vitamins that help maintain the skin’s moisture balance and help sooth inflammation.

Seaweed

Seaweed in skin care products is especially helpful for people with combination skin, that is, people with skin that may be oily or dry or normal in certain areas only. The minerals and vitamins in seaweed are great for cleansing and clearing the skin of impurities without  drying out your skin, which may happen to some people who use tea tree oil.

Shea Butter

As a natural moisturizer, shea butter is tough to beat. It is loaded with essential fatty acids,  vitamin A, and vitamin E, and closely simulates the skin’s own natural moisturizers that are  produced by the sebaceous glands. It’s ability to be quickly absorbed without leaving you feeling greasy makes it an effective emollient as well, serving to soften and soothe inflamed skin, reduce brown spots, blemishes, wrinkles, stretch marks, and scars.  Shea butter absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling. It also aids in the alleviation of various skin conditions, among them eczema, insect bites, frost bite, skin allergies, and small skin wounds.

Shiitake Mushrooms

The antioxidants in shiitake mushrooms encourage faster skin cell renewal and also help  protect your skin from damage. They also block skin-aging proteins, giving you another anti-aging weapon for your arsenal.

Retinol

Retinol, with vitamin A and its derivatives, offers a very powerful set of proven anti aging antioxidants. Retinol, applied topically, helps promote collagen production, and its plumping action aids in the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles. Skin tone and color are improved with the use of retinol, and hyperpigmentation (mottled patches on skin) is reduced.

Retinol's stronger counterpart, tretinoin, is prescribed by some dermatologists to slow down the aging process of skin, to improve skin pigmentation, and to get rid of acne.

Retinol can cause the epidermis, or top layer of skin, to dry excessively and flake and may not be suitable for all skin types, especially for people who are prone to dry skin to begin with.

Salicylic Acid

You’ll find salicylic acid in many skin care products and prescription products that look to cure acne. Its ability to penetrate pores and reduce the incidence of whiteheads and blackheads while minimizing irritation make it a better choice for most acne sufferers than alpha hydroxy acids, for instance. Salicylic acid is also exfoliates the skin, which helps to rejuvenate the skin. People who are allergic to salicylates, as well as pregnant or nursing women, should stay away from products containing salicylic acid.

Tea Tree Oil

Skin care products containing tea tree oil, which is a natural antiseptic, are especially suitable for people with oily skin, blemishes, and acne. If you have dry skin, tea tree oil is not a good option, as it will result too harsh on your dry skin.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps to brighten your skin and give your skin a more radiant appearance. It is a natural antioxidant and, as such, combats free radicals which aim to damage your skin. Vitamin C is a good option for people with normal to dry skin. There are some indications that vitamin C could also stimulate the production of collagen, resulting in fewer fine lines and wrinkles, and less noticeable scars.

Vitamin E

Skin care products containing vitamin E are meant to slow down the aging of your skin.  Vitamin E contains antioxidants and nutrients that fight free radical damage that can be triggered  by outside factors such as sun exposure, pollution, and smoke. Vitamin has a very powerful healing capacity that can reverse the effects of skin aging, helping to prevent age spots and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It has been known to  reduce the severity of scars, the appearance of stretch marks, and has even proved helpful in alleviating skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and erythema.

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Best Skin Care Ingredients May Have Odd Names 

Please note, do not be alarmed by the long, strange-sounding names listed on the ingredients labels of skin care products. For example, Butyrospermum Parkii is actually shea butter. The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) code, required by international law, determines how skin care ingredient names will appear on product packaging.

If you're looking for skin care products that contain only the best, highest quality ingredients, you may want to read a review we wrote of an under-the-radar company that makes a very compelling case for its Xtend-Life Skin Care Product Line.

Click Xtend-Life for a longer, more comprehensive list, including both common and scientific (INCI) names, of the best skin care ingredients.