Why should you care about active ingredients in skincare?

Read Time: 6 Mins

Fuelled by influencers, pocket-money prices and a pandemic that subjected us all to hours of staring at ourselves on screen, the rise of “active” skincare has been dramatic. But for every dazzling “before” and “after”, there’s a skin barrier product promising to undo damage. So, do actives live up to the hype? We get the facts.

What are active ingredients used for in skincare?

“Actives” is a marketing term that is not legally defined in the cosmetics industry, but used by companies to mean ingredients that have a specific effect or target a concern. It’s a term that’s been borrowed from the pharmaceutical industry. In paracetamol, for example, the “active” ingredient is N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, as opposed to the binders and preservatives that help deliver the medicine in pill form.

While almost any ingredient applied to the skin will have some effect, in cosmetics, “actives” are marketed as distinct from “filler” or “carrier” ingredients that make up the rest of the formula and support the key ingredients in delivering desirable effects.

Does Lush use actives?

While the industry trend is to use isolated actives in products, many actives are components of the raw materials we work with. In our tradition as herbalists, Lush has always worked with plenty of naturally derived and naturally beneficial materials, serving them as freshly and simply as possible. Over the decades, we’ve worked out how to get the best of an ingredient into a product and onto the skin or hair, ensuring you can benefit from the beautiful minerals and vitamins inside, actives and all.

What’s the difference between synthetic and natural actives?

Because there is no regulatory clarity around what actives are or are not in cosmetics, how they are described may be ambiguous.

However, active ingredients used in cosmetics can be sourced in a variety of ways:

• Extracted from plants (such as essential oils and infusions you’ll find in your Lush products)
• Synthetic (such as vitamins or ceramides)
• Fermentation and cell culture (like enzymes and polysaccharides), or extracted from marine sources like algae. 
• Naturally occurring components of a raw material include many bioactive compounds found in plants, such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. When found in nature these compounds act as a defence against predators, sunlight or disease. 

Are active ingredients good for your skin?

A basic principle of toxicology is that it’s the dose that makes the poison. And the same concept applies to actives. After all, humans have been utilizing plants for their active components for thousands of years in folk medicine and as cosmetics. But, generally speaking, these materials are available in small quantities within the plant.

In recent years, concentrated actives have been isolated from plants or synthesized from bacteria and used to treat skin conditions such as acne. These would typically be used with guidance from a medical professional or by prescription.

With higher levels of isolated active materials now available in cosmetics for general home use, it is easier for customers to misuse them, to overuse them and to use multiple strong formulas in their routines. Of particular concern in the media recently, is their adoption by young consumers, whose skin is particularly delicate. Use of actives can also have side effects such as increased susceptibility to UV rays, which consumers may not be aware of and take appropriate steps to manage.

What are common active ingredients, and what does Lush use?

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is the main molecule involved in skin moisture. As a humectant derived from fermentation or, unpleasantly, rooster combs, it is used to draw moisture back into the surface layers of the skin. Rather than use hyaluronic acid, Lush prefers to use vegan glycerine, for a number of reasons: it's a highly effective humectant, and our source is GMO and palm-free. The glycerine we use is usually derived from rapeseed oil, but sometimes other vegetable oils like sunflower.

At 92 daltons, glycerine also has a lower molecular weight than most forms of hyaluronic acid. Ingredients that have a molecular weight lower than 500 daltons can more easily reach the lower levels of the skin to work their magic. In contrast, hyaluronic acid can have a molecular weight as high as 50,000 daltons depending on whether it is derived from animal or bacterial sources and how it is then processed and purified. This will impact how effectively it penetrates the skin.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid (or vitamin C) is an essential vitamin that we are unable to synthesize ourselves and so we intake from citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables.

Traditionally, vitamin C-rich foods like lemons were carried by sailors on long journeys to avoid scurvy, a disease of bleeding gums. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant, and on the skin, it can have a brightening action for a healthy glow. A persistent reservoir of vitamin C in the skin is important for adequate sun protection (though it is not a substitute for sunscreen!). Our skin’s reserves of vitamin C are also depleted by sun exposure.

Lush’s Bright And Beautiful Vitamin C Exfoliating Facial Scrub contains 10% vitamin C (ascorbic acid) combined with powdered charcoal and castor sugar and is the most vigorous exfoliating product we offer — serving up the appearance of glowing skin for those whose complexions love a good scrub. We were surprised to find that we could have used double the amount of vitamin C if we liked but erred on the side of caution to deliver great results with minimal risk of irritation when used as directed. 

Retinol

Vitamin A derivatives like retinol can help support normal desquamation and help to unclog pores, making them commonly prescribed treatments for acne. They are increasingly used to counteract sun damage and diminish the appearance of fine lines. Overuse of retinol, however, can lead to irritation and peeling, and can also increase the skin’s propensity to sun damage. While many vitamin A-rich ingredients (or derivatives your body can convert into vitamin A) are animal-based, some plant-based sources include papaya, found in Enzymion Moisturizer; rosehip oil, found in Argan Naked Facial Serum and Happy Skin Enzymic Facial Exfoliator, and sacha inchi oil, found in Biomic Body Lotion and Aduki Washing Grains Facial Exfoliator so these ingredients are good gentle alternatives for customers looking for the appearance of bright, glowy skin.

Exfoliating acids

This group of acids removes older skin cells from the surface of the skin by disrupting how cells bond together. It means they exfoliate without a physical action — please note that Lush products do not do this. Many exfoliating acids can be found in foods, like malic acid from apples, lactic acid from fermented foods, and glycolic acid from sugarcane. Acids with smaller molecular size, like glycolic acid and lactic acid, penetrate the skin more efficiently, while those made of larger molecules, like mandelic acid, are less effective and so marketed towards more sensitive skin.

At Lush we have a beautiful selection of physical and chemical exfoliants that are proven non-irritating in use, and balanced with a selection of softening butters and oils to protect the skin from abrasions. You’ll also find us making use of papain-rich papaya in our Enzynamite Enzymic Cleanser, which is made with over 20% fresh fruit; bromelain-rich pineapple in Kalamazoo or Pineapple Facial Wash as well as carefully harvested physical exfoliants like ground almonds in Angels On Bare Skin Fresh Cleanser and fine sea salt in Ocean Salt Face And Body Scrub. Our (U.K. patent pending) Biomic Fresh Cleanser is made with wholesome fresh and fermented foods, harnessing the goodness of naturally prebiotic and probiotic kefir and white miso. All of this means we are ready to serve up exfoliation that’s perfectly suited to your needs. Learn more about how to exfoliate your skin here.

Can I mix actives when building my skincare routine?

Some actives are marketed as safe to use alongside others. This would depend on the concentration of the active and its action on the skin. However, mixing and matching actives can increase the risk of overstimulating the skin and causing irritation or damage, especially if used without guidance from a dermatologist. This can perpetuate the very concerns a consumer is trying to avoid! With that in mind, it is preferable to avoid damaging the skin rather than trying to undo that damage later.

At Lush, we advocate simple, gentle routines to care for the skin barrier, and offer tailored consultations to ensure you have the right products for your complexion or skin type.

Because our skincare products are non-irritating or very mild, there are no combinations you absolutely cannot use. However, we do recommend patch testing before use, taking careful note of the ingredients and/or consulting a medical professional if you have any sensitivities and are pregnant or breastfeeding.

It is good practice to pair our more vigorous products like Ocean Salt or Bright And Beautiful with moisturizing and soothing products to ensure balance. We know that everyone’s skin is unique, and so your routine will be too.

Pop in-store or speak to our friendly Customer Care team — we’re just as eager to hear about what you have to say about your skin as we are to tell you about our beautiful products.