Because everyone knows, the quiet ones are often the best…
Attention everybody because this is an important public service announcement. Retinol, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C aren’t the ONLY ingredients in skincare that reap incredible rewards for your skin.
There we said it.
Now, don’t get us wrong, these skincare favorites are good. In fact, they're damn good and there are countless studies to prove it. However, there are many other humble ingredients, constantly going about their business and helping to keep your skin looking and feeling awesome, with little to no credit.
Well, we believe they deserve a shout out just as much as the big-hitters.
So, on that note, we’ve rounded up six of our favorite undervalued skincare ingredients you really need to know about. Spotlights at the ready…
1. Glycerin
When it comes to hydrating your skin, you might think hyaluronic acid is the be-all and end-all. Oh how wrong you would be. Of course, hyaluronic acid (HA) is fantastic and adores the limelight with its exotic-sounding name and ballsy accolades, but hiding in the shadows is an equally beneficial hydration powerhouse: glycerin.
Glycerin might sound like something that’s been knocking around in granny’s pantry for decades, but it’s an extremely important and very beneficial skincare ingredient that graces the ingredients lists of many of your favorite products. It just doesn’t like to boast about it.
So what is glycerin and why does it deserve a place here? Well, glycerin is a clear, colorless and odorless liquid that’s derived from vegetable oil or animal fat. (We only ever use the veggie stuff, of course.) Just like its cousin, HA, glycerin is humectant which means it works like a magnet to draw water into the top layers of your skin, helping to keep it hydrated and healthy.
It's effective, very well tolerated by all skin types and high time glycerin enjoyed a bit of love.
Find It In: Niacinamide (B3) Facial Serum
2. Cica
Known in the biz as centella asiatica (its full name), tiger grass or gotu kola, this medicinal, leafy green herb is one of the best ingredients for calming redness and soothing sensitive skin. It’s gained real momentum over the past few years, for sure, yet it still remains a mystery to some.
Used in Chinese medicine for centuries to treat wounds and help repair the skin, cica contains a whole bunch of amino acids, antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins which, together, have been proven to accelerate healing while soothing the skin and reducing inflammation.
Awesome for treating dry skin, calming sensitive skin, balancing oily skin and heck, even brightening dull skin, cica is a veritable master of all trades and so worth a place in your skincare routine.
Find It In: Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream
3. MSM
Mighty in name, even mightier in its benefits, methylsulfonylmethane is a big favorite here at TruSkin. Shortened to MSM because, well, methylsulfonylmethane is quite the mouthful, this naturally-occurring sulfur compound helps rebuild the most important building block of healthy skin – collagen.
But that’s not all. As well as its collagen-boosting benefits, MSM works to boost your skin’s production of glutathione – one of the body’s most important antioxidants. By doing so, it does a fine job of neutralizing environmental damage caused by free radicals. As you know, free radicals are produced by your skin when it’s exposed to things like UV radiation and pollution. And free radicals are bad news for your skin – visibly accelerating the formation of things like dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles.
Finally, MSM has some fine anti-inflammatory qualities to help decrease damage caused by stress and a poor diet. Actually, that wasn’t a 'finally' at all, because there's one further thing… MSM has also been shown to make the skin more permeable, allowing toxins to be drawn out more effectively (check) and any active ingredients in your skincare to be absorbed quicker and deeper (double check!).
Find It In: Vitamin C Facial Serum
4. Rice Milk
We predict milk to be big news for the future of your skin so get on the bandwagon now for some major bragging rights a few years down the line!
Brimming with exfoliating properties and packed with nourishing compounds, it turns out Egyptian queen, Cleopatra was onto something with her sour milk baths after all. And the main reason the white stuff is so good for your skin? Lactic acid.
An AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) like glycolic and salicylic acids, lactic acid helps dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells to accelerate cellular turnover and enhance the clarity of your skin. It’s also really gentle on your skin, unlike other AHAS, and naturally hydrates it at the same time.
Oat milk is the obvious choice and one that’s widely used in skincare formulations, but we’re also big fans of rice milk which has all the aforementioned benefits… plus a few more thrown in for good measure. Namely natural astringent properties which help even out your skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation.
Find It In: Soothing Cleansing Milk
5. Licorice Extract
Dealing with dark spots is no joke. And while hydroquinone might be a prescription-favorite for many dermatologists, it’s not without its downsides. Let’s just say it’s completely banned across Europe, Australia and Japan and leave it there for now, shall we?
Thankfully, you have other options when searching for effective ingredients to help fade dark spots. And licorice is one of the best.
Extracted from the root of the licorice plant (or glycrrrhiza glabra if you want to get fancy), this little gem is packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits to help combat oxidative stress and reduce premature aging.
Heard that one before? Valid. But hold on, because we’re not finished. Similar to vitamin C, licorice also decreases your skin’s production of tyrosinase, an enzyme that accelerates melanin synthesis – the pigment that makes your skin go darker when you tan. Oh, and it also helps fade existing dark spots, as well as dark circles under your eyes, thanks to active compounds called liquiritin and glabridin which, together, work hard to break down built-up melanin.
Find It In: Peptide Eye Gel
6. Vitamin B5
Topical vitamins are a given in most people’s skincare routine, but when the likes of C and E get lauded every second of the day, it can be hard for others to get a look in.
Take Vitamin B5, for example. Often referred to as panthenol or pantothenic acid, vitamin B5 is equally as awesome as its more famous counterparts and offers skincare benefits as long as your arm. Great for soothing and repairing minor skin irritation and sun-scorched skin, vitamin B5 has both humectant AND emollient properties which means it’s able to moisturize your skin on two different levels – drawing water to the top layers like a magnet and then holding it there by creating a smooth layer over the surface of your skin. This is excellent news for your barrier function, aiding repair while strengthening and softening your skin’s uppermost layers.
But soothing, repairing and moisturizing isn’t the only name of the game here. Vitamin B5 also has gentle exfoliating properties to encourage cellular turnover and promote the regeneration of healthier, brighter-looking skin. It also combines well with other active ingredients and hydrating powerhouses like glycerin and HA.
Love.
Find It In: Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer
