Ingredients

16 ingredients scored by clinical evidence. Each page breaks down how it works, who should use it, and what to pair it with.

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)

Niacinamide is the active amide form of vitamin B3. Skin cells convert it into NAD+ and NADP+, two coenzymes involved in ceramide synthesis, DNA…

Retinol (Vitamin A)

Retinol is an over-the-counter form of vitamin A that converts to retinoic acid in the skin through a two-step enzymatic process. Retinoic acid binds…

Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that the skin cannot produce on its own. In skincare, L-ascorbic acid is the most studied form. It interrupts…

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan naturally present in the skin's extracellular matrix, where it binds and retains water. Baumann classifies…

Centella Asiatica (Cica)

Centella asiatica is a perennial herb used in traditional Asian medicine for centuries. Modern dermatology focuses on four active triterpenoids in the…

Ceramides

Ceramides are a family of waxy lipid molecules that make up roughly 50% of the stratum corneum's intercellular matrix. They form lamellar bilayers…

Panthenol (Provitamin B5)

Panthenol is the alcohol form of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). Skin cells convert it to pantothenic acid after absorption, which then becomes…

Salicylic Acid (BHA)

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) derived from willow bark. Unlike alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) that are water-soluble, salicylic acid is…

Green Tea (EGCG)

Green tea extract comes from Camellia sinensis leaves that are steamed (not oxidized) to preserve their polyphenol content. The primary active…

Collagen (Marine + Plant-Derived)

Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in skin, accounting for about 75% of the dermis by dry weight. In skincare, topical collagen —…

Snail Mucin (Snail Secretion Filtrate)

Snail mucin — labeled as Snail Secretion Filtrate (SSF) in ingredient lists — is a complex mixture secreted by the Cryptomphalus aspersa (common…

Squalane

Squalane is the hydrogenated (stable) form of squalene, a lipid that human sebaceous glands naturally produce. Squalene makes up about 12% of human…

AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids)

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are water-soluble acids that exfoliate the skin surface by breaking the ionic bonds (desmosomes) between corneocytes in the…

Tranexamic Acid

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a synthetic lysine analogue originally developed as an antifibrinolytic drug to stop bleeding. In dermatology, it blocks the…

Azelaic Acid

Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid (C9) produced by Malassezia furfur yeast on human skin. At prescription concentrations…

Alpha-Arbutin

Alpha-arbutin is the alpha-glucoside of hydroquinone — a sugar molecule (glucose) bonded to hydroquinone. This glycosidic bond makes it stable and far…