What are Active Ingredients?

What do you do when you’re a results focused consumer bombarded with hundreds of products claiming to be anti-aging, clarifying, resurfacing, etc?

You become well-versed in active ingredients, their effects, and how to combine them, of course!

But what are active ingredients anyway? Well, active ingredients are the components in a product tasked with the function of delivering the advertised results. Why are the inactive ingredients there? They aren’t as useless as their label of ‘inactive’ may indicate. The inactive ingredients are normally a water-based or oil-based delivery system for the active ingredients.

A comparable example is when it comes to essential oils, the main or active oils are mixed with a buffer oil, which serves to dilute and deliver the active oil.

Emily Newson, MD – board certified dermatologist at Ronald Reagan UCLA Med Center, told SELF magazine in an interview about Actives “An active ingredient has been proven in a lab by research to change the skin in some way; its an ingredient that has data behind it.”

This is an important point to remember when shopping for skincare! Look for actives that have research to back them – this is how you know you’re not buying “snake-oil”.

Some of the actives featured in Doctor Milagros skincare line are the naturally occurring salicylic acid in Aloe Vera, organic hemp-derived Cannabidiol, Niacinamide, and Sodium Hyaluronate.

Salicylic acid is an active ingredient which has been proven to benefit acne and psoriasis. Hyaluronic acid is an active which has been proven to combat dryness and the associated signs of aging such as fine-lines and wrinkles. CBD (Cannabidiol) boasts a host of antioxidant benefits which improve both the appearance and the health and integrity of the skin’s barrier.

The combination of salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) with niacinamide is a powerful skin beautifier. Niacinamide is a water-soluble B-3 derivative which strengthens the skin by rebuilding the ceramide lipid barrier. The two together will reduce acne and its associated inflammation, as well as restrengthen the skin and eliminate hyperpigmentation.

Quote by Dr. Newson: What Exactly Are ‘Actives’ in Skin-Care Products? | SELF