When you hit the mall or cosmetic store to collect your favourite cosmetic products, do you also lookout for a few of the components present in them that can prove to be skin-friendly, i.e. extremely beneficial for your skin. Such components not only enhance your beauty externally, but also have the power to nourish you from within.
However, you might end up getting confused because you might have no specific knowledge about which product is good for your skin, and which is bad. There is no such official definition given by FDA or other such authorities, and the lack of regulation in personal care products is a huge problem. So, here is an exhaustive list of five of the best cosmetic ingredients which you should always try to look for in all categories of your cosmetic products.
AHA and BHA exfoliators respectively stand for ‘alpha hydroxy acid’ and ‘beta hydroxy acid’. The main purpose of these two exfoliators is to exfoliate your skin. Depending on the level of concentration in a specific beauty product, they are responsible in removing dead skin cells naturally. These exfoliators will resurface your skin with a significantly low risk of giving you any kind of irritation. When this ingredient is infused into your face or body cream, you do not need to use a skin exfoliator manually to clear off dead cells and keep your skin nourished.
What to look for in your product’s ingredients list: Salicylic acid, gluconlactone, glycolic acid, citric acid.
Many of us know that Vitamin E (‘Tocopherol’ – scientific name for organic chemical compounds with vit. E activity) is good for the skin and works in a number of ways. The most important function of this skin-friendly vitamin is protecting the skin cells from damage due to oxidation. Vitamin E is also anti-carcinogenic because it has the power to fight against free radicals. Hence, this ingredient is highly recommended in all your cosmetics, face/body lotions, makeups, etc.
What to look for in your product’s ingredients list: Tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate
Ceramides are natural compounds that are produced by an individual’s skin with each of them performing a special task. When ceramides are infused into your cosmetics, you can very easily note the difference (from other non-ceramide cosmetic products). The skin can very quickly metabolize the ceramides and the effects of this healthy ingredient can show up very quickly. For instance, among various types of ceramides, ceramide 1 and 3 prevent the moisture of your skin to get evaporated (so your skin does not dry up easily), whereas ceramide 9 helps the skin to retain its natural lipid content.
What to look for in your product’s ingredients list: Ceramide
A peptide is basically a substance that promotes cell communication, and indirectly helping the other active ingredients in the skin function effectively and more quickly. Though all peptides are beneficial in their own ways of functioning, polypeptides and oligopeptides are the two best form of peptides.
What to look for in your product’s ingredients list: Polypeptides and oligopeptides
Herbal oils extracted from different plant parts have been defined as Natural Moisturizing Factors. Each of these oils has molecular structure common to lipids in the human body. But you need to make sure that the oils you choose are non-fragrant so as to ward off the possibilities of the addition of any type of chemicals. All plant-based oils, including those of avocado, sunflower, safflower, jojoba, are equally good for your skin.
What to look for on your product’s label: Confirmation that no artificial colors and fragrance have been used.
