Skincare Ingredients 101: Actives Vs. Inactives

When creating your skincare routine, you must know what products will work for your type of skin — and that all comes down to understanding the ingredients.

To simplify the process a bit, you can always begin by looking at the active and inactive ingredients. When you’re evaluating a new face wash, toner, moisturizer, mask, or other items, check the label to see what’s inside.

The Difference Between Active and Inactive Ingredients

As the name suggests, active ingredients are those components that have been lab-tested and proven to have an identifiable impact on the skin, usually targeting a particular skin concern. Inactive ingredients, on the other hand, could impact the skin, but they have not been tested and proven to do so.

Examples of Active Ingredients

When you’re browsing ingredient lists on your prescription or over-the-counter skincare products, here are some of the common active components:

• Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid: If you’re using any kind of blemish-clearing product, it’s likely to have one of these ingredients inside. Both have been shown to treat acne.
• Retinoids (such as vitamin A): Anti-aging products will typically incorporate retinoids to smooth skin and make it look more youthful.
• Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs): Because of how they can improve skin texture and tone, AHAs are often found in a range of skin creams and ointments, including those that target pigmentation issues.
• Hyaluronic acid: This component is best known for its ability to hydrate and rejuvenate the skin, so you can expect to see it in products targeting dry skin.
• Vitamin B3: Shown to work against skin inflammation, vitamin B3 gets a lot of use in various beauty products, too.
  

Why Inactive Ingredients Matter

Given that certain ingredients have a demonstrable impact on the skin, what’s the point of the other, inactive ingredients? Do they do anything? Yes. These additives can improve skincare products in various ways, such as adding fragrance or making the product longer-lasting. Some ingredients even help deliver the active components to the skin.  

How to Evaluate New Skincare Products

Once you understand the lingo of active and inactive ingredients, how do you use that information at the store or while browsing online?

Here are a few tips:

1. Always read ingredients lists. Make it a common practice to turn a product over (or click through information online) to find out what it’s made from, and learn what active and inactive ingredients are included.
2. Know which combinations to avoid. Certain ingredients have been shown to not work well together. Acne-fighting components such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide should not be combined with retinoids. Neither should alpha hydroxy acids and retinoids. If a product uses these combos, skip it.
3. Sample products. If a product looks good, give it a try. If your skin has a reaction, stop using it right away, and be more cautious about using products with the same active components in the future.
   
   

Interested in learning more about evaluating skincare products? Look at the accompanying resource, by SeSpring, which details more about inactive versus active components and what to know.