Experts Agree, These 15 Clean Skincare Ingredients Are Just What Your Skin Needs
Your skin is sensitive. Even if you don’t “technically” have sensitive skin, your complexion is at the mercy of many factors—the environment, beauty products, skincare products, and more. You can’t control the elements, but you can control what you put on your face. Avoiding ingredients such as fragrances, parabens, sulfates, and the like can ensure you avoid skin irritation from these harmful chemicals. But when these ingredients pop up in ingredient lists on numerous personal care products, where are you supposed to turn? Clean skincare products, of course!
What makes an ingredient clean? “A clean ingredient can be naturally derived or manufactured, as long as it’s safe, non-toxic, and cruelty-free,” licensed esthetician Aly Mac tells IPSY. Yet Omer Ibrahim, MD, FAAD, does note that “it’s not a regulated term with any definitions to it. However, truly harmful and toxic ingredients are not used in conventional beauty formulations either because the FDA has a list of banned ingredients.” There are clean formulations you can incorporate into your skincare routine that even the board-certified dermatologist recommends.
No matter your skin type, there’s a clean ingredient the experts recommend for you. Discover 15 the experts swear by below!
Meet the Expert
Omer Ibrahim, MD, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist at Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology.
Sonia Touri is a clean-skincare content creator who offers anti-aging and hydration tips for glowing skin.
Aly Mac is a licensed esthetician and co-owner of Mod Skin Los Angeles.
15 Clean Skincare Ingredients Your Skin Will Love
1. Hydroxytyrosol
Sonia Touri, a clean-skincare content creator who shares anti-aging and hydrating tips, is a huge fan of hydroxytyrosol, which is naturally found in olives. The antioxidant is best at protecting the skin from harsh elements, including pollution, free radicals, and UV rays. Not only that, hydroxytyrosol offers anti-aging properties. It supports the production of collagen to help deliver firmer, smoother skin. To support your skin barrier, try the DRUNK ELEPHANT F-Balm™ Electrolyte Waterfacial, which contains hydroxytyrosol, along with niacinamide, sodium PCA, plant squalane, five forms of ceramides, omega fatty acids, and powerful antioxidants.
2. Hyaluronic Acid
Another clean skincare ingredient Touri swears by is hyaluronic acid—one we’re assuming many of you use already. We’re happy to report this is, in fact, a clean ingredient that delivers hydration for those who struggle with dryness as a major skin concern. The GRACE & STELLA Hyaluronic Acid Serum is excellent for boosting your skin’s hydration levels, and it helps leave your skin looking plump and dewy. We love using it morning and night and mixing it with our favorite moisturizer to keep our thirsty complexion quenched.
3. Peptides
You may have heard about peptides before but may be unfamiliar with what they actually are and the benefits they offer. Essentially, peptides are amino acids, and amino acids are the building blocks for protein. Collagen and elastin are two of the main proteins that make up your complexion, so adding these natural ingredients to your skin topically can help you keep fine lines and wrinkles at bay. An easy way to incorporate the clean ingredient into your routine is with the KEYS SOULCARE Firm Belief Smoothing Peptide Cream, which goes skin deep to help you maintain a smooth complexion.
4. Vitamin C
You’ve likely reached for this immunity-boosting vitamin when fighting off a cold. When applied topically to your skin, it helps to retexturize, restore radiance, and even skin tone. It’s also an anti-aging ingredient and one of the most effective antioxidants out there. To reap vitamin C’s brightening benefits, we love the CLARA'S NEW YORK Brightening Vitamin C Facial Serum. We also love a good vitamin C moisturizer, like the REN CLEAN SKINCARE Radiance Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream. Designed with sensitive skin types in mind, it brightens and reduces hyperpigmentation with each use. Apply after you’ve used a cleanser and before you put on sunscreen.
5. Niacinamide
Touri loves niacinamide for oily and acne-prone skin, and so does Mac, who says, “For every toxic product out there, I can assure you there is a safe alternative that is just as effective, if not even better” to deal with breakouts. And that safe ingredient would be niacinamide. One fave clean beauty product of ours is the URBAN SKIN RX Smaller Pores 10% Niacinamide Oil Control & Smoothing Serum, because it clears our pores better than any other product. If you have body acne or dryness, one of these niacinamide-based body lotions will help bestow you with the even skin texture you crave.
6. Green Tea Extract
Mac is a huge fan of this powerful ingredient. “Camellia sinensis, aka green tea extract, is one of my absolute favorite naturally derived ingredients,” she says. “I daydream of creating a skincare line in the future, and you can bet I wouldn’t make a single product without this powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredient.” Dip your toe into the world of green tea extract with the FEMMUE Camellia Elixir Oil Anti-Oxidants. After you’ve applied a toner, massage a few drops of the oil into your complexion to experience a smoother, softer, more radiant complexion.
7. Bakuchiol
Scared to try retinol? Bakuchiol may be for you. This plant-based antioxidant is commonly used as an alternative to retinol. “Bakuchiol is a wonderful anti-aging ingredient that can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and improve skin elasticity and firmness,” emphasizes Mac. Her go-to is the CLEARSTEM Hydraglow™ Stem Cell Cream for Acne + Anti-Aging because it “helps speed up cell turnover and keeps the pores clean. It’s an extremely hydrating formula that contains zero pore-clogging ingredients and is amazing for combination or oily skin types.”
Dr. Ibrahim is also a fan of the ingredient, recommending the CREDO SKINCARE Rewinder Vetiver Root + Bakuchiol Moisturizer for Aging Skin.
8. Shea Butter
Nature’s original moisturizer—there’s a reason shea butter is one of the most popular skincare ingredients out there. In its natural and pure form, it has multiple benefits beyond just moisturizing, like reducing premature facial lines and wrinkles and soothing skin conditions like eczema. Shea butter’s fatty acids and vitamins help support soft, healthy skin. We’re pretty much obsessed and love slathering it all over our bodies with help from the SHEABRAND Raw Organic Shea Butter.
9. Vitamin E
Vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin C are two of the most talked-about vitamins when it comes to skincare ingredients and cosmetic products, but we need to put some respect on vitamin E. The antioxidant has long been lauded by dermatologists for its anti-inflammatory properties—and the experts we spoke to all love it. We find ourselves constantly stocking up on the PISTACHÉ SKINCARE Hydrating Face Moisturizer With Vitamin E because of its ability to deliver smooth, baby-soft skin.
Apart from skincare benefits, vitamin E also boasts some hair care benefits as well. It can help keep oil in check, help prevent hair loss, and even make your strands shinier. The OGX BEAUTY Healing + Vitamin E Penetrating Oil is always there when we need a boost.
10. Ceramides
Ceramides are the ultimate nutrient for your skin cells, helping to promote a healthy skin barrier. Better yet, they’re naturally occurring, making them a clean ingredient. The best ceramide-based product we’ve ever used is the COCOKIND Ceramide Barrier Serum, which keeps our skin hydrated and soothes any irritation that might pop up when life gets messy.
11. Hypochlorous Acid
You may have heard of this ingredient by way of the viral TOWER 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray, as hypochlorous acid is the hero ingredient in this fan-fave face spray. Dr. Ibrahim is also a fan of the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial clean skincare ingredient.
12. Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is a go-to for clearing up breakouts and blemishes, so it’s good to know this BHA is a clean ingredient. Derived from willow bark, salicylic acid deeply cleanses pores to push all the bad stuff out and leave you with clearer skin. Vegan and cruelty-free, the BEST FACE FORWARD Balancing Serum contains salicylic acid and a blend of AHAs and BHAs to help leave you with a pimple-free complexion.
13. Honey
Mac tells us that honey is “antimicrobial, healing, and hydrating”—aka all things you want in a clean skincare ingredient. The key is to avoid any product that contains preservatives such as parabens, phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, and others. We love using the HEY HONEY Be Clear Skin Purifying Bee Propolis Drops as a spot treatment for blemishes, and have even used it as an all-over face oil on days when we need an extra dose of moisture.
14. Lactobionic Acid
A polyhydroxy acid, lactobionic acid is “derived from a sugar found in milk,” says Mac. She appreciates how gentle the natural ingredient is for sensitive skin types while also offering exfoliating properties. The SERUMKIND Muscat Clearing Drop features the acid, along with vitamins C and K, to help remove dead skin cells to improve skin texture.
15. Aloe Vera
It’s not just for sunburns. This plant is rich in vitamins, amino acids, and minerals, and its fast-absorbing moisture helps to soothe and moisturize skin. Exfoliating enzymes and antibacterial properties are a bonus for overall skin health. We highly recommend investing in some BENTON Aloe Soothing Masks to help reduce inflammation and redness, whether they’re caused by the sun or something else.