Bake Oil Free Ceramide Barrier Repair Moisturizer

Other compounds found in ashwaganda include Vitamin C, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid. These three acids are antioxidants but also provide other skin benefits as well.

Ongoing studies show ashwaganda to prevent damage from UV-B radiation.

Ashwaganda root powder has traditionally been used in Indian medicine.

Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.

One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.

While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.

The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.

Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.

Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.

By latching onto the copper that the enzyme tyrosinase needs to function, Kojic Acid prevents less pigment from being made. It's so well-established that researchers regularly use it as the go-to benchmark when testing new brightening ingredients.

Some other perks include documented antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) Expert Panel concluded Kojic Acid is safe for use in cosmetic products at concentrations up to 1% and the EU's SCCS (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety) considers it safe as a skin lightening agent at concentrations up to 0.7%.

One thing to know about Kojic Acid is that stability is its weak spot; it is sensitive to light, heat, and air exposure and will oxidize/turn brown in formulations. Its derivative, Kojic Dipalmitate, was developed as a stable alternative.

Some individuals have reported contact sensitization so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or sensitive skin.

Fun fact: It was first discovered in 1907 and naturally occurs in the production of sake, soy sauce, and miso.

A 12 week clinical study found that a moisturizer containing just 3 ppm of Matrixyl led to a significant improvement in fine-lines and wrinkles. Another study showed an 18% reduction in wrinkle depth, 37% reduction in wrinkle thickness, and a 21% improvement in skin firmness after just 28 days of twice-daily use.

The coolest part is that it works at incredibly low concentrations (like 0.0003%) and it plays well with other actives.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel found it to be non-sensitizing across multiple tests and human patch tests also showed no irritation or sensitization.

Due to its palmitic acid base, it may not be fungal acne safe.

Fun fact: Matrixyl was originally developed by French company Sederma and Procter & Gamble.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.

Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Tea tree may cause sensitivity and irritation for some people. This oil naturally contains fragrance such as linalool and limonene.

However, research shows irritation usually occurs when using pure tea tree oil and not in cosmetic products.

Tea tree oil was found to help relieve the symptoms of psoriasis in one study.

Tea tree oil is toxic when ingested. Another study showed it to caused damage to the nervous system of dogs and cats when applied to their skin or given orally.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.