The back of the bottle, explained one ingredient at a time, with the picks that carry it.
Vitamin B3. In a serum at 4 to 10 percent it evens tone and takes the shine down; in a moisturizer at 2 to 4 percent it is a barrier helper. Higher than 10 percent buys nothing and flushes some people.
20 picks →CeramidesThe skin barrierCeramides are the fats that hold skin cells together. A cream that lists three of them (NP, AP, EOP) with cholesterol is copying the skin's own mix, which is why the CeraVe tub is the reference.
11 picks →Salicylic acidPores and bumpsThe oil-soluble acid, so it gets into pores. Two percent, two or three times a week, is the dose with the longest record. Daily is where the stinging starts.
7 picks →Retinol and retinalTexture, first stepsVitamin A derivatives. Retinol is the gentle form; retinal is one step closer to the prescription. Start three nights a week, pea-sized, over moisturizer if you are sensitive.
5 picks →Sulfate-freeGentler shampoosSulfates are the detergents that make a shampoo lather hard. They are fine on healthy hair and useful once a week as a clarifier; on bleached, curly or coily hair they strip too much.
90 picks →Fragrance-freeFor skin that stingsFragrance is the most common cause of a reaction to a product. Fragrance-free means none was added; unscented can still mean a masking scent.
54 picks →