0 items
Glossary of General Terms
Our head chemist tells you what all these confusing terms really mean
Sign Up to our Newsletter
Sign up to receive updates on products, trends and more!
Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA)
Antioxidants
Carotenoids
Emollients
Humectants
Lubricants
Polymers
Surfactants
AHA is a blanket term for a variety of fruit acids such as Glycolic, Citric, Lactic, Malic and Tartaric. These acids, when used correctly, help to smooth the skin, enhance the effects of other skin rejuvenation treatments, keep problem skin under control, attract moisture to the skin, even texture and complexion of skin and reverse some of the effects of UV damage.
They can be used to achieve these goals over a period of time or in quick sessions. When included in a product at an effective concentration AHAs help disintegrate the "glue" that hold dead, dry skin cells to the surface of the skin. By doing so, the epidermis is exfoliated leaving a silky texture. Removal of this external barrier enables easier, deeper penetration of other skin treatments as well.
We are finding more and more antioxidants present in our skin care these days, and for good reason. Our environment can severely damage our skin by oxidizing and deteriorating our cells, like rust on a car, in the form of free radicals. Antioxidants fight free radicals, and prevent much of this damage.
Caraotenoids are organic pigments that are naturally occurring in the chloroplasts and chromoplasts of plants and some other photosynthetic organisms such as algae.
Carotenoids are efficient free-radical scavengers, and can therefore assist in reducing the signs of ageing.
Emollients are liquid substances which help prevent drying of the skin by providing a barrier to trans-epidermal water loss. Some emollients are humectants: they attract water from their surroundings. In dry conditions, they can draw moisture away from the skin if not balanced with suitable barrier ingredients.
Certified organic base oils are always cold-pressed (crushed under low-heat conditions) from fresh fruit and seeds or nuts to preserve the beneficial phyto-nutrients that are vital to human health. Humans have safely used cold-pressed oils and natural waxes for thousands of years.
In contrast, synthetic emollients are modern chemicals and most are created under very energy-intensive conditions (high usage of fossil fuels with resulting air and/or water pollution) that involve extremely high temperatures of 500 to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit for twelve to twenty four hours, along with very high pressure and/or vacuum. (Many synthetic emollients also require toxic or carcinogenic catalysts or reactive agents in their manufacture.) These conditions are required to transform or split the natural vegetable oil molecules into new molecules that are typically not found in nature. This is hydrogenation. New research shows that these industrial processes can cause the formation of trans-fatty acids or trans-isomers which have been linked to the creation of free radicals and prostaglandin inhibitors.
Emulsion
A blend of oils and water into a single smooth cream or lotion.
Substances that can attract water, usually out of the air. By definition, all humectants are also moisturisers.
Liposomes
Liposomes can transfer and deliver active ingredients directly into intended cells and encourage absorption over a long period of time. The liposome wall is very similar, physiologically, to the material of cell membranes. When a cosmetic containing liposomes is applied to the skin, the liposomes are deposited on the skin and begin to merge with the cellular membranes. In the process, the liposomes release their payload of active materials into the cells slowly over time keeping up the good work.
Lubricants are substances that make skin feel smoother to the touch by reducing friction.
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance that is formed through geological processes and that has a characteristic chemical composition, a highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, Minerals range in composition from pure elements and simple salts to very complex silicates with thousands of known forms.
Polymers are large molecules (macromolecule) composed of multiple repeating units. While polymer in popular usage suggests plastic, the term actually refers to a large class of natural and synthetic materials with a wide variety of properties which play an essential and ubiquitous role in everyday life, ranging from familiar synthetic plastics to natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins that are essential for life.
The backbone of DNA is in fact based on a phosphodiester bond, and repeating units of polysaccharides (e.g. cellulose) are joined together by glycosidic bonds via oxygen atoms. Natural polymeric materials such as shellac, amber, and natural rubber have been in use for centuries. Biopolymers such as proteins and nucleic acids play crucial roles in biological processes. A variety of other natural polymers exist, such as cellulose, which is the main constituent of wood and paper.
Preservatives
Preservatives are substances that kill detrimental and harmful bacteria, yeast and/or moulds, thus preventing spoilage. Preservatives are used in minute quantities and are a good thing, keeping your cosmetics clean and safe.
Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lowering of the interfacial tension between two liquids, or between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as: detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants.
