10 popular skincare ingredients

Here's a list on 10 types of popular ingredients explained, which will give you a head start in creating your perfect skincare routine to achieve your skin goals!

1. Snail Mucin

Snail Mucin is one of the ingredients that is currently blowing up in the skincare industry. You might have seen or heard about it already.

Snail Mucin (Snail Secretion Filtrate) can be helpfull for various skin concerns. Components like glycoproteins, glycolic acid, copper peptides and hyaluronic acid can be found in Snail Mucin. It provides benefits for damaged skin, anti-aging, fading acne scars/darkspots and hyperpigmentation to also soothe redness or irritated skin. You can say it's a multi purpose ingredient!

Since it treats various skin concerns, it's an ingredient that is suitable for all skintypes including sensitive skin.

2. Propolis

Propolis, another ingredient that is currently on the rise is a resin produced by honeybees. 

It has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which can help treat and prevent acne. It also helps with increasing collagen production, soothing the skin, protecting the skin barrier and keeping skin nourished and hydrated.

With all these benefits it's an ingredient that any skintype can use.

3. Centella Asiatica

Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) is a herb based ingredient which has skin healing and anti-inflammatory properties.

It has properties to reduce inflammation, strengthen skin barrier, reduce wrinkles and lines, protecting your skin from UV damage. Centella can also help treat eczema and psoriasis because it will soothe  dryness, redness, roughness, inflammation and hydrate the skin.

This ingredient is the most beneficial for acne-prone and sensitive skin.

4. Hyaluronic Acid

You probably already have heard about Hyaluronic Acid. It’s a very common ingredient in the skincare industry, both korean and western.

Hyaluronic Acid provides intense hydration, it gets absorbed by the skin rather than staying on the surface. It strenghtens the skin's moisture barrier, helps with moisture retention, reduces appearance of fine lines and stimulates cell production.

This ingredient is suitable for all skintypes but most beneficial for combination skin as it balances out both oily and dry patches.

5. Mugwort

Mugwort (Artemisia Princeps) is a herbal ingredient, it has been used in Korean skincare for a long time already. 

It contains anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties which will nourish, soothe and heal skin. It has components like vitamin E and antioxidants that help to protect the natural skin barrier. Mugwort is also effective in treating skin concerns such as redness, irritation, itching, eczema, psoriasis, and many more.

Because of it's healing properties this ingredient is perfect for dry, sensitive and acne-prone skin.

6. Green Tea

Green Tea extract has antioxidant benefits. Besides hydrating and soothing the skin, it can treat skin concerns like acne, rosacea and fine lines or wrinkles.

Green Tea extract will help brighten skin and even skin tone. It also contains caffeine which will help reduce puffiness and minimize dark circles.

Other components which can be found are Polyphenols, which reduces inflammation, promotes healing, and fight certain types of bacteria. Which makes it effective for acne prone skin. 

Green Tea extract can be beneficial to all skintypes including sensitive skin.

7. Fermented Rice Water

Fermented Rice water is rich in Amino Acids, Vitamins, and a lot of Minerals. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

It is moisturizing, brightening, calming and helps with anti-aging which is why rice water is a very popular ingredient in both the Korean and Japanese skincare industry.

Rice water also helps to adjust oil production, hydrate skin whilst being gentle and soothing.

All skintypes can benefit from this ingredient, including sensitive skin.

8. Birch Juice

Birch Juice (also known as Birch sap) comes from birch trees, it's the liquid that can be tapped or extracted from. It contains vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes which reduces inflammation, purifies, hydrates and nourishes the skin.

It helps with moisture retention, protects the skin barrier, calms, soothes and treats sensitive, irritated, or freshly exfoliated skin.

This ingredient is suitable for all skintypes.

9. Yuzu

Yuzu is a citrus fruit from Asia. This ingredient is most beneficial for dry, dehydrated, dull and tired looking skin. 

It has antioxident and anti-aging properties. Yuzu helps firm the skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles by improving elasticity. It provides hydration without feeling heavy and restores your skin barrier and moisture balance. Yuzu is also rich in Vitamin C which neutralizes free radical production and prevent further damages on your skin, making your skin appear brighter, smooth and more youthful looking.

10. Hanbang

Hanbang is traditional Korean Herbal medicine like ginseng extract or green tea. It targets health symptoms but also nourish and strengthen the body. Nowadays it is implemented in skincare as well. 

Hanbang skincare focuses on skin’s health and strengthening the skin’s layers while using natural herbs. The most common ones for example are: ginseng, heartleaf, lotus.

Ginseng: Has anti-inflammatory benefits and is known to be a natural skin balancer. It boosts collagen production and circulation of blood vessels, calms the skin, reduces redness and puffiness, brightens/revitalizes the complexion and it can help with fading hyperpigmentation.

Lotus: Has skin balancing and anti-inflammatory properties. It assists in oil and pore control, gently exfoliates due to containing natural alpha-hydroxy acids, brightens and soothes, protects skin from radicals that damage and cause signs of aging and improves elasticity and firms plus thightens the skin.

Heartleaf: Has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, soothing and moisturizing benefits which makes it a great ingredient for dehydrated, oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. But if you have extremely sensitive skin it is recommended to first do a small patch test. Heartleaf helps balance skin's moisture barrier, calms and detoxifies skin, helps with oil and pore control, tones and balances skin for a healthy glow and eliminated blemishes and acne.