GHS Ingredients Glossary

AHAs, also known as alpha hydroxy acids, are popular chemical exfoliating ingredients used in anti-aging skin care products. The main benefits of AHAs for skin care are their ability to unclog pores, repair dry, aging and sun-damaged skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and help fade hyperpigmentation. AHAs also help other ingredients, treatments, and moisturizers penetrate your skin better. Using AHAs makes your skin more vulnerable to damage from the sun—so be sure to always wear sunscreen daily when using AHAs.

Antioxidants are an essential anti-aging ingredient that is widely used in skin care products. The main benefit of antioxidants for skin care is its ability to protect your skin from free-radicals - molecules that can cause severe damage to your cells (DNA, proteins, outer barrier, and the matrix) leading to premature aging, hyperpigmentation, inflammatory conditions like eczema and acne, as well as skin cancers. Environmental factors like radiation from the sun, pollution, cigarette smoke and other toxic chemicals are known to trigger the formation of free radicals. In addition to fighting off free radicals, antioxidants also help your skin repair itself and correct visible signs of aging.

Think “strength in numbers” - most skin care products use a combination of the antioxidants listed below. Keep in mind is that antioxidants break down when exposed to light and air (a.k.a. its chemical makeup changes and as a result it won't be beneficial for your skin anymore), so it’s important to make sure the products you buy are packaged in air-restrictive containers (no jar packaging), always put the cap on, and store in a cool, dark place. Lastly, don’t forget to wear sunscreen to help strengthen the antioxidants’ ability to fight off free radicals!

Consumer antiseptics reduce the growth of bacteria on the surface of your skin, but it does not cause bacterial resistance. Consumer antiseptics are popular ingredients used to fight acne and blemishes.

BHA, also known as beta hydroxy acid or more commonly known as salicylic acid, is a popular chemical exfoliating ingredient used in anti-aging and acne-fighting skin care products. The main difference between AHAs and BHAs is that AHAs are water soluble only, while BHAs are oil soluble. The main benefit of BHA for skin care is its ability to remove excess oil in your pores. Also, since BHA is a derivative of aspirin, it also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it great for treating acne-prone skin, oily skin and blackheads. Using BHA makes your skin more vulnerable to damage from the sun—so be sure to always wear sunscreen daily when using BHA.

Chemical exfoliants are popular ingredients for anti-aging and acne fighting skin care because they have the ability to go deeper into the layers of your skin, unlike physical scrubs, and gently dissolve dead skin cells within your pores. The main benefits of chemical exfoliants for skin care are to unclog your pores, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, smooth and brighten your skin, and help fade hyperpigmentation.

They vary in intensity —mild, medium, or intense exfoliation—depending on the strength of their main ingredients. Widely used chemical exfoliants for skin care are alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acid, and certain fruit enzymes. Peels can also be a form of chemical exfoliants. Using chemical exfoliants make your skin more vulnerable to damage from the sun—so be sure to always wear sunscreen daily when using chemical exfoliants.

Emollients are ingredients that soften and strengthen your skin without hydrating it. Emollients act as a lubricant (skin softener) and an occlusive (sealer) because they have the ability to fill in the gaps between your skin cells to make your skin more flexible and reduce the friction when anything rubs against your skin, softening and smoothing your skin; and they have the ability to seal in moisture and prevent water loss by forming a protective barrier over the epidermis (the outer layer of your skin). This dual function gives emollients the power to repair damaged skin cells and keep your skin moisturized and supple, making emollients essential ingredients for anti-aging and dryness. 

The most common way to classify emollients is by how oily they are. The more oil an emollient contains, the stronger of an occlusive agent it is, making it better at forming a protective layer on your skin to trap in moisture. Oil-based (also called lipid-based) emollients are ideal for dry skin types because they are heavier in texture and leave a slight greasy sheen on your skin. Water-based emollients don’t leave this residue behind, making them more suitable for normal to oily skin types.

Essential oils are popular in skin care because they are capable of doing a variety of things: reducing redness and irritation, fighting free radicals, and protecting hydration in your skin which helps minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Essential oils are able to protect hydration because they have the ability to form a barrier on the surface of your skin that prevents moisture from escaping. Remember - essential oils do not add hydration to your skin, they retain existing hydration in your skin.

Humectants are ingredients that hydrate your skin because they have the ability to draw water molecules from the air into the upper layer of your skin. Your skin naturally contains humectants such as hyaluronic acid, which are responsible for giving your skin its plump, youthful appearance. For this same reason, humectants are an essential anti-aging ingredient that is widely used in skin care products to hydrate dry skin, prevent fine lines and wrinkles, plump aging skin and temporarily smooth existing fine lines and wrinkles.

Note: if you are in a dry climate, humectants can cause your skin to become dehydrated by pulling moisture up from the dermis (deeper layer of your skin) up to the epidermis (surface layer of your skin) instead of drawing water molecules from the air. For this reason, use moisturizers and lip balms that combine humectants and occlusives (sealers) or emollients (softeners + sealers) to avoid worsening skin dryness. Both occlusives and emollients help prevent moisture being pulled into your skin from evaporating into the air because they form a “seal” on your skin to prevent water from escaping.

Topical keratolytics are ingredients that loosen your dead skin cells, helping facilitate the exfoliation of those dead skin cells. This helps improve the appearance of your skin, making keratolytics popular ingredients used in skin care products used for anti-aging and treating hyperpigmentation or acne and blemishes. Keratolytics offer deeper exfoliation than comedolytics (like salicylic acid), but can potentially be more irritating for sensitive skin.

Similar to emollients, occlusives are ingredients that strengthen your skin without hydrating it. However, they do not have the ability to act as a lubricant (skin softener) like emollients. Instead, occlusives focus on preventing your skin from losing moisture by forming a protective seal over the epidermis (outer layer of your skin). Occlusives are mainly oil-based (also called lipid-based), meaning they leave a slightly greasy sheen over your skin, which can clog your pores. As a result, it’s best to use occlusives with caution on oily and acne-prone skin types - we suggest those with oily and acne-prone skin avoid using essential oils high in oleic acid.

Plant extracts are ingredients derived from a plant. They are popular in skin care because they are capable of doing a variety of amazing things for your skin depending on which plant the ingredient was extracted from.

Tyrosinase inhibitors are ingredients that are essential to treating hyperpigmentation (i.e discoloration or dark spots) because they target tyrosinase, a crucial enzyme needed for the production of melanin (the pigment in your skin responsible for darkening skin that has been exposed to sunlight). Tyrosinase inhibitors work to directly prevent any tyrosinase enzyme activity. The majority of skin lightening agents commercially available are tyrosinase inhibitors.

Retinoids are ingredients that are chemical compounds derived from vitamin A and synthetically made to work at the cellular level in order to improve your skin's health and appearance. They are popular in skin care because they have the ability to increase your skin cell turnover, which is essential to fighting photoaging, preventing fine lines and wrinkles, and reducing acne breakouts caused by dead skin cells from clogging your pores. Not all retinoids are the same, and some (i.e differin/adapalene) are better for treating acne, while others (i.e. retinol) are better for treating fine lines and wrinkles.