The Reliable Skin Dictionary for Today's Essential Ingredients

We’ll let you in on a secret all beauty insiders know: the key to actually seeing results from your skincare routine is understanding what ingredients you’re putting on your face, and how they can help your skin concerns. When you know exactly how an ingredient works, you stop wasting money on hype and start investing in your skin's health. To help you take control of your routine, we’ve put together a simplified K-beauty ingredient dictionary. From pore-clearing powerhouses to ultimate radiance-boosters, here is your quick guide to decoding labels like a pro.

Centella Asiatica

What is Centella Asiatica?

Centella Asiatica is a plant native to Southeast Asia, Africa and Australia. As a medicinal herb, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners have used it to support cognitive function, reduce inflammation and strengthen circulation within the body.

What does Centella Asiatica do?

On the skin, Centella Asiatica is known to be an excellent calming and healing ingredient. It’s rich in asiaticoside, a compound that stimulates collagen production to quickly repair damaged barriers, making it a go-to skincare ingredient for soothing irritation and redness.

We Recommend: SKIN1004 - Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF50 PA++++

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - SKIN1004

Centella Asiatica is blended with Hyaluronic Acid in the bestselling Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum SPF50 PA++++, providing calming hydration and lightweight yet heavy-duty UV protection to all skin types without any white cast.

Collagen

What is Collagen?

Skincare Collagen refers to animal or plant-derived sources of Collagen that are applied topically to support skin hydration. It’s a great ingredient to moisturize the surface of the skin and give it a plumped appearance.

What does Collagen do?

Collagen helps to form a moisture barrier on the skin’s surface, locking in essential moisture while preventing trensepidermal water loss. As a result, you achieve a smooth and bouncy complexion with a visible improvement in skin elasticity.

Our Recommendation: medicube - PDRN Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - medicube

Swipe on a healthy dose of Collagen, PDRN and Volufiline with the medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm. This all-in-one balm supports a voluminous complexion by supplying hydration and nourishment, showing hollow features and sagging skin abundant TLC.

Hyaluronic Acid

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant skincare ingredient that holds up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. As the body’s natural production of Hyaluronic Acid declines over time, incorporating Hyaluronic Acid into your routine assists with keeping skin sufficiently hydrated.

What does Hyaluronic Acid do?

Hyaluronic Acid delivers intense hydration to the top layers of the skin, alleviating dryness and balancing oil-water levels. As hydration levels rise, the complexion gets plumped up to temporarily smooth out fine lines and exude a dewy glow.

Our Recommendation: haruharu wonder - Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner (Fragrance Free)

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - haruharu wonder

Silky-smooth skin is only one benefit of the haruharu wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner (Fragrance Free). It sinks into the skin to maintain optimal hydration levels throughout the day, fortifying your complexion against external aggressors while luminising skin tone.

NAD

What is NAD?

NAD, aka Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, is a coenzyme that exists in all living cells. It converts nutrients into cellular energy that is used for repairing damaged cells. Over time the body’s NAD levels will naturally decline, so using NAD in your skincare routine can support these skin processes for healthy, youthful skin.

What does NAD do?

NAD skincare can boost hydration levels, as well as collagen and elastin synthesis, allowing the skin to heal more quickly from damage. A resilient skin barrier can fend off irritants and external aggressors more effectively.

Our Recommendation: numbuzin - No.9+ NAD+ PDRN Glow Boosting Toner

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - numbuzin

NAD+ (an oxidised form of NAD) and PDRN join forces to create the numbuzin No.9+ NAD+ PDRN Glow Boosting Toner. This essence-like toner lifts sagging skin and refines the appearance of enlarged pores, giving your skin a pearlescent glow.

Read more: Ingredient 101: What is NAD and Why It's Your Secret Weapon to Combat Aging

Niacinamide

What is Niacinamide?

Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3, an essential nutrient that the body is unable to produce on its own.

What does Niacinamide do?

Niacinamide has long been touted as a muti-talented skincare ingredient for its many uses: it’s able to balance excess sebum, even skin tone, brighten hyperpigmentation, improve hydration levels and more. It’s generally well-tolerated by various skin types, and will appear in many skincare formulas to maintain overall skin health.

Our Recommendation: Jumiso - Niacinamide 20 Serum

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - Jumiso

The Jumiso Niacinamide 20 Serum is your secret weapon straight to a dewy, clarified complexion. It zaps hyperpigmentation and discoloration at multiple levels with the help of Tranexamic Acid and Glutathione, creating a bright and radiant complexion.

PDRN

What is PDRN?

Salmon PDRN is an ingredient derived from salmon sperm, used in skincare for its genetic similarity to human DNA. As PDRN became more popular and widely used in the beauty landscape, brands have also developed various types of vegan PDRN derived from botanicals.

What does PDRN do?

PDRN signals the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid within the skin, stimulating repair. As the skin starts to heal, you’ll notice a stronger skin barrier and inflammatory effects, leading to fewer fine lines and a plump, glowy appearance.

Our Recommendation: Dr.Reju-All - Advanced PDRN Rejuvenating Cream

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - Dr.Reju-All

Developed by doctors and pharmacists who noticed a gap in the beauty market for reliable science-backed skincare, the Dr.Reju-All Advanced PDRN Rejuvenating Cream restores skin health by providing hydration and calming irritation. This daily cream uses 99% pure PDRN with particles smaller than the pores for optimal absorption.

Peptide

What is Peptide?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that make up proteins within the body. They send signals to kickstart certain processes, for example inducing wound healing or producing specific hormones.

What does Peptide do?

Skincare peptides signal barrier repair, stimulating the production of collagen to recover the skin. They’re useful for repairing damaged skin or producing proteins for skin firmness and elasticity, particularly useful for tackling signs of aging.

Our Recommendation: COSRX - The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - COSRX

Awaken your skin with the COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum. Containing 6 Peptides that boost collagen, smooth skin texture and soothe overwhelmed skin, this weightless serum gets your skin bouncing back from dullness and fatigue.

Retinol

What is Retinol?

Think of Retinol as your ultimate multitasker. A derivative of Vitamin A, it’s a Holy Grail ingredient for anyone wanting to hit the refresh button on their skin.

What does Retinol do?

Retinol speeds up skin renewal processes by encouraging collagen production. The result? It smooths out rough texture, softens fine lines, and helps fade those stubborn post-acne marks so you wake up glowing.

Our Recommendation: CELIMAX - The Vita-A Retinol Shot Tightening Serum

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - CELIMAX

The CELIMAX The Vita-A Retinol Shot Tightening Serum is essential to a firm, poreless complexion. It targets sagging skin and stretched-out pores at multiple levels with the help of pure Retinol and innovative A-Shot™ micro-spicules, creating a smooth and bouncing texture.

Salicylic Acid

What is Salicylic Acid?

Salicylic Acid, a type of BHA, is a skincare ingredient effective against excess sebum. While some ingredients only work on the surface of the skin, this one dives deep into the pores to do its job.

What does Salicylic Acid do?

Getting right down to the pores, Salicylic Acid is in charge of excess sebum and dead skin cells that can cause texture and acne breakouts. If blackheads, inflamed pimples and enlarged pores are of concern, exfoliate with Salicylic Acid to clear away all impurities and restore a clarified complexion.

Our Recommendation: ANUA - Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - ANUA

Complexion feeling congested? Turn to the ANUA Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam to whisk away excess oil and stubborn impurities without stripping your skin. The cleanser relies on a soothing blend of Heartleaf and Salicylic Acid to keep breakouts at bay and your skin beautifully balanced.

Vitamin C

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is a powerhouse antioxidant that acts like a protective shield for your face. With its ability to boost the effectiveness of sunscreen when applied beforehand, it helps you achieve that effortless, lit-from-within look.

What does Vitamin C do?

Vitamin C fights off environmental stressors, including pollution and UV damage, to block the triggers of hyperpigmentation and kick up your skin’s radiance. It also encourages the body to produce collagen and stave off wrinkles from forming.

Our Recommendation: EQQUALBERRY - Vitamin Illuminating Serum

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - EQQUALBERRY

The EQQUALBERRY Vitamin Illuminating Serum is a total game-changer for achieving a glass-skin, hyper-radiant complexion. It targets stubborn dark spots and dullness using a potent mix of Acerola Fruit Water, Tranexamic Acid, and Niacinamide, unveiling a bright, lit-from-within glow.

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