Dr. Emi Arpa Serious C Complex Antioxidant Serum

Studies also show this ingredient to be a promising soothing ingredient for sensitive skin.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

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

This ingredient offers promising benefits, but it is relatively new and more evidence is needed to prove its efficacy. The manufacturer claims this ingredient:

A study from 2022 found this ingredient helped protect skin against damaged from UV exposure (though this should not replace your sunscreen!).

The lysate in the ingredient name refers to a fluid that forms from breaking down the cell membrane.

It helps with dark spot fading by interfering with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. Like other forms of vitamin C, this ingredient encourages the skin to create more collagen.

As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

One study found Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate to degrade in sunlight, but is stabilized when combined with acetyl zingerone.

Studies show inulin may help with controlling your skin's natural microbiota when applied topically.

The antioxidant potential of inulin varies depending on the source.

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.

Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.

The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5

This ingredient improves spreadability and helps thicken a product.

According to manufacturers, it usually comes from vegetable-based saturated fatty acids. Common bases for this ingredient are coconut oil, palm kernel oil, or both.

Due to the melting point being close to skin temperature, it is usually used in lip products.

Triglycerides are a main component of fat in the human body.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.

Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.

Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.

Ascorbyl Glucoside is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may damage skin cells.

It can help to reduce redness, improve skin texture, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, and brighten skin.

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

A study from 2018 found EGCG to help reduce melanin and melanoma cells.

Learn more about the skin benefits of green tea here.

Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules that may damage your skin's DNA. This may help with the signs of aging. Due to its antioxidant property, it is used to help treat chronic inflammation.

In cosmetics, SOD is usually obtained from marine phytoplankton, bovine liver, horseradish, cantaloupe, and certain bacteria.

The three major families of SOD include: Copper/Zinc, Iron/Manganese, and Nickel.

When eating SOD-rich foods, our bodies break it down into amino acids before absorption. Foods that contain SOD include: melons, citrus, spinach, broccoli, kale, almonds, sunflower seeds, and blue-green algae.

Besides anti-aging, this ingredient also helps with skin brightening and soothing.

The most effective forms of resveratrol are isobutyrate and butyrate. These have the strongest effect on increasing A1 collagen and reducing inflammation.

A note on it being a retinoid alternative: Despite it's amazing skin benefits, it is not a replacement for retinoids. However, it is recommended for people with sensitive skin or intolerance to retinoids.

Resveratrol is naturally found in grapes, peanuts, and berries.

Astaxanthin is also great at soothing skin due to its ability to block molecules that signal inflammation. It is currently being studied for preventing chronic inflammatory diseases.

Plus, a study from 2012 found Astaxanthin in liposomes protected mouse skin from UV-damage.

Fun fact: Astaxanthin is responsible for giving salmon a pink color.

This ingredient contains polyphenols, a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight off molecules that damage skin cells.

On top of that, the antioxidants in green tea neutralize free-radicals from the sun. This gives the skin some extra UV protection, but should not replace sunscreen.

Many components of tea have anti-inflammatory properties.

Polyphenols and L-theanine help soothe the skin and reduce irritation. The caffeine in Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract helps calm inflamed blood vessels.

Other compounds found in tea include: Vitamin Bs, linoleic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.

Research has shown both drinking Camellia Sinensis Leaf Tea and applying it to the skin can help boost skin elasticity and hydration. Studies also show using tea extract may reduce sebum, or oil, production.

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.

It also contains Vitamin E, a great moisturizing ingredient. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant and protects your skin against oxidative damage.

This ingredient humectant properties, meaning it helps draw moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

While jojoba has antibacterial properties, it is only able to kill some strains of bacteria.

Studies also show it helps in wound healing. In fact, Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.

Fun fact: Jojoba oil similar to natural human skin sebum, so it has a great effect on dry skin. It is also promising with helping to regulate sebum production.

Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

As an emollient, lecithen helps soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.

As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can also help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin.

This is because the phospholipids in lecithin produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.

Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that feeds fungal acne.

We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.

These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.

Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.

Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.

Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.

Antioxidants present in chondrus crispus include lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein has the ability to filter blue light from screens.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Not only does it help exfoliate the skin, it helps strengthen the skin's barrier. When applied, lactic acid helps the skin create ceramides.

Lactic acid is an over-the-counter chemical exfoliant that comes from the fermentation of lactose — a carbohydrate found in milk.

Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

On the other hand, emulsifiers prevent ingredients (such as oil and water) from separating.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

According to Cosmetic Ingredient Review, the highest amounts of sodium levulinate are found in mouthwashes at 0.62%.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient smells like caramel.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.