← The back of the bottle
Ingredients, by What They Do
Twenty-two ingredients, grouped by what you’d actually want them for. What each one does, what it doesn’t, and who should skip it.
Acne & Oil The ones that clear a face
Salicylic Acid Oil-soluble, so it works inside the pore rather than on top. Niacinamide The one we’d hand a beginner. Almost nobody reacts to it. Benzoyl Peroxide Blunt, effective, and it will ruin your pillowcase. Azelaic Acid Quietly good at acne, redness and dark marks at once. Sulfur Old-fashioned, still works, smells like it means it. Tea Tree Oil Popular, and very easy to overdo.
Tone & Ageing Dark spots, dullness, fine lines
Retinol & Retinoids More evidence than anything else here. Also the most misused. Bakuchiol The gentler alternative, with weaker but real evidence. Vitamin C A morning habit. Brightens, and defends against sun and smog. Alpha Arbutin Slow, steady brightening without much irritation. Kojic Acid Effective on spots, and quick to irritate if you rush. Tranexamic Acid The one worth trying when melasma will not shift. Glycolic Acid The strong AHA. Starts working fast, and can go too far. Lactic Acid The gentle AHA. Exfoliates and hydrates at the same time.
Hydration & Barrier The quiet ones that hold it together
Hyaluronic Acid Everyone owns it. Half of them use it wrong in dry air. Glycerin Cheap, boring, and genuinely hard to beat. Ceramides What your barrier is made of. Useful when it’s broken. Squalane A light oil that does not sit greasy on the skin. Panthenol Calms a stressed barrier. Quietly in half your products. Centella (Cica) For angry, reactive skin that needs a break. Snail Mucin Hyped beyond reason, but not nothing. Zinc Oxide Mineral sun protection. Sits on top rather than soaking in.