colibri skincare ABC: Skincare terms and their meaning

As in many areas of life, a specialized jargon has also established itself in the skincare world. And – we readily admit it – when we skincare nerds really get going while creating our content, we use all these technical terms largely without reflection. Yet it would only be fair to the reader not to assume they will intuitively understand all the terms. We aim to rectify this with this article.

Derivative, pH value, and emulsion sound very much like chemistry class. Since the interactions between skin and active ingredients are biochemical processes, and chemistry plays a major role in product composition, such terminology is only logical. Fortunately, most chemical terms are very easy to explain. Other words like acid mantle and skin barrier are used quite naturally, but defining them is a completely different matter. And then there are our favorites: the abbreviations. Who exactly are INCI, TEWL, and NMF? Spoiler alert: When spelled out and explained, these terms sound far less fancy than their abbreviated versions. So let's dive into our colibri skincare ABC – from A for anti-inflammatory to Z for cell proliferation.

anti-inflammatory:

It means the same as anti-inflammatory. So why don't we just write "anti-inflammatory" instead? Anti-inflammatory sounds cooler and makes the text more varied.

antioxidant/antioxidant/antioxidants:

Antioxidants are active ingredients that protect against the effects of free radicals. These free radicals would otherwise oxidize important substances in the skin, rendering them unusable for their intended function. Antioxidant agents prevent this.

If you would like to learn more about antioxidants, we have also dedicated an entire blog article to the topic here .

Derivatives:

Derivatives are substances that have been derived from a basic chemical form or represent a further development or precursor of this basic form. Therefore, derivatives have similar properties to their parent substances.

For example, retinol esters, as well as the substances retinol and retinal, are all precursors and therefore derivatives of pure retinoic acid. They exhibit a similar effect to retinoic acid but are gentler on the skin. This article includes a clear graphic illustrating retinoic acid and its derivatives.

Double Cleansing:

We love it and recommend it often: double cleansing. Many of you may already be familiar with it. The key to double cleansing is quite simple and actually already in the name: it involves using a facial cleanser twice in a row. We recommend using an oil-based cleanser first, followed by a cleanser tailored to your skin type. Theoretically, you could even use the same oil-based cleanser twice. The important thing about double cleansing is that the first step removes stubborn build-up, allowing you to then wash away the finer particles in the second step.

Emollients:

The term derives from the Latin word "emollire," which means "to soften" or "to make soft." It therefore refers to ingredients in skincare products that leave the skin feeling soft, smooth, and velvety, thus creating a pleasant sensation after application.

Emulsion:

A term from chemistry describing a liquid mixture of both water-soluble and fat-soluble elements. Normally, these two forms do not mix and would form separate phases. However, it is possible for tiny droplets of one liquid to essentially float within the other. Depending on whether the carrier liquid is water-soluble or fat-soluble, emulsions are classified as water-in-oil or oil-in-water mixtures. Perhaps the most familiar everyday example of an emulsion is milk. Some skincare products, such as our Vitamin C 20 Booster and Revival Toner, are also emulsions.

exfoliate/exfoliation/exfoliant:

This refers to the process of removing dead skin cells from the skin's surface. Chemical acid peels, which can be used for this purpose, are also known as exfoliating peels. It's worth noting that you don't need visibly flaky skin for such a peel to be effective. Exfoliating peels remove both larger, visible flakes of skin and microscopic ones. The goal of these peels is to gently loosen the flakes adhering to the skin's surface so that they don't build up over the pores and obstruct the flow of sebum.

fat-soluble:

Unlike water-soluble substances, fat-soluble substances can penetrate deeper into the skin and exert their effects down to the second layer of skin, the dermis.

(Hair) follicles:

The word follicle also derives from Latin and means something like "blister". A hair follicle is the tissue immediately surrounding the hair root, which encloses it.

Skin barrier:

The skin barrier fulfills a dual function: firstly, it retains water within the skin, and secondly, it keeps bacteria, germs, and pollutants out, thus protecting against their effects. It consists of two components: corneocytes (the outermost layer of cells) and ceramides and fatty acids, which are deposited between the corneocytes. Together, they form a protective layer on the skin's surface.

skin-identical/skin-like:

Active ingredients are often described as skin-identical or skin-like. This means that they either occur on or in the skin in exactly the same form as used in the cream, or in a slightly modified form. The major advantage of skin-identical or skin-like active ingredients is that they are particularly well absorbed upon application and are very well tolerated, as they are already naturally present in the skin. The reserves of many substances that occur naturally in the skin decrease over time and with age. Therefore, it is beneficial to replenish these reserves by using skincare products with skin-identical active ingredients. Examples of skin-identical substances commonly used in skincare products include: ceramides, squalene, hyaluronic acid, amino acids, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, cholesterol, and urea.

high molecular weight:

Hyaluronic acid is often categorized as either high-molecular-weight or low-molecular-weight. High molecular weight simply means that the substance consists of large molecules. In practical terms, this means that high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid penetrates the skin only minimally and instead forms a protective film on the skin's surface. There, it has a slight lifting effect on wrinkles and moisturizes the outermost layer of skin, thus improving the skin's feel. However, all these effects are short-term. To achieve long-term results, high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid is often combined with its low-molecular-weight counterpart in skincare products (see also the entry "low molecular weight" in this article).

hydrophilic:

The term "hydrophilic" is usually translated as "water-loving". Hydrophilic substances are those that attract water or moisture in general and dissolve well in water.

Hyperpigmentation:

Hyperpigmentation refers to pigment spots; that is, areas on the skin that appear darker than the surrounding skin due to increased melanin production.

INCI:

The abbreviation stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients . Essentially , it's simply a list of ingredients. Because of the "international" part of the name , the ingredients are always listed with their English names. This also makes it easier to compare different products from brands in different countries. Similar to ingredient lists in food products, the INCI list is designed to simplify the search for specific ingredients. This allows allergy sufferers, for example, to better avoid potentially harmful substances.

colloidal:

Colloidal is one of those words that sounds much more complicated than it actually is. It simply means that a substance exists in a very fine distribution.

comedogenic/comedones:

Comedones are blackheads. The term "comedogenic" describes products based on their tendency to promote the formation of blackheads. Accordingly, comedogenic products can lead to more blackheads, while non-comedogenic products do not. People with oily or combination skin are naturally prone to blackheads and should therefore ensure they use non-comedogenic products in their skincare and makeup routines.

You can learn more about blackheads and the best way to deal with them in this article .

Corneocytes:

Corneocytes are the technical term for keratinocytes. The outermost layer of skin is the stratum corneum, which consists of dead cells. Having dead cells on your skin might not sound very pleasant at first. However, the stratum corneum and its cells serve an important purpose and protect the skin (see also the entry "Skin Barrier" in this article). The constant renewal of cells and the process of cells aging, dying, and then serving to protect the skin until they are finally shed and replaced by a "new generation" of keratinocytes is completely normal and promotes healthy skin. Regular exfoliation helps the skin get rid of old keratinocytes and make room for a layer of newer ones.

Lipids:

These are fats or oils. Some of them occur naturally on the skin. Skin lipids protect the skin from drying out. They form a film and sometimes bind to the corneocytes to create a layer that prevents water from easily diffusing outwards. Some of the better-known skin lipids include cholesterol, ceramides, and squalene.

lipophilic:

Analogous to the term "hydrophilic", the word "lipophilic" refers to fat-loving substances that dissolve particularly well in fats.

liposomal encapsulation:

Liposomal encapsulation is a special delivery method for active ingredients. The active ingredient is encapsulated in liposomes, which act as carriers. This allows it to be transported more effectively into the skin and exert its effects there over a longer period. Another advantage of liposomal encapsulation for skincare is that the resulting textures are particularly pleasant to apply.

Microbiome:

The microbiome describes the entirety of microorganisms on the skin's surface. A multitude of beneficial bacteria, fungi, and viruses colonize the skin and help to keep harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses at bay. They act, in a sense, as a protective shield against pathogens. A disrupted skin barrier is often accompanied by an imbalance among the microorganisms themselves.

low molecular weight:

As already described in the entry on "high molecular weight," hyaluronic acids, for example, are divided into high and low molecular weight. Unlike their high molecular weight counterparts, low molecular weight hyaluronic acids consist of small molecules. This allows them to penetrate deeper into the skin. There, they can plump up wrinkles from within and help the skin retain moisture. This creates a long-term effect that leads to permanently improved skin hydration.

NMF:

This abbreviation stands for Natural Moisturizing Factor . These are natural moisturizers or moisture-retaining factors of the skin; that is, hydrophilic substances that attract water and integrate it into the skin.

occlusive/Occluses:

Occlusive substances are water-repellent lipids. They form a film on the skin's surface that prevents moisture from escaping. Occlusive therefore means that the moisture is locked into the skin. In skincare, squalane is a particularly popular occlusive due to its structural similarity to the skin's own squalene. Other well-known occlusive lipids include plant oils and other natural oils.

Photoaging:

This English term describes the effect that unprotected skin can age significantly due to exposure to sunlight. Typical effects of photoaging include wrinkles, dryness, and age spots.

You can read more about the different types of UV radiation and their effects on the skin here .

PH value:

You might remember pH from chemistry class. On a scale of 0 to 14, it indicates how acidic or alkaline something is. The exact middle of the scale, a value of 7, is considered neutral. All values ​​below 7 are acidic, and all values ​​above 7 are alkaline. Because the skin has an acid mantle (see next entry), it prefers a slightly acidic environment. The skin's natural pH is between 4.5 and 6. This is the value meant when a skincare product is labeled "pH-neutral." Since the skin likes a slightly acidic environment and certain acids are naturally present on the skin anyway, it's beneficial to care for your skin with certain acids. These include hydroxy acids such as AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs, about which you can learn more here .

Acid mantle:

Along with the microbiome and the skin barrier, the acid mantle is one of the most important protective factors for our skin. With a pH value of 4.5 to 6, it is slightly acidic. This creates an environment in which harmful germs and bacteria don't thrive and cannot survive for long. This is one aspect of its protective function. The other important aspect is that the acid mantle also helps prevent excessive water evaporation from the skin. Because it is composed of both water and fat, the acid mantle is also known as the hydrolipid film. Its aqueous components are primarily sweat and natural acids on the skin. The oily component is simply sebum. A healthy mix of sweat and sebum on the skin keeps it healthy, which is also visible. An over- or underproduction of these components leads to an imbalance, which should be corrected to maintain skin health. You can read more about this in our detailed post on the four different skin types.

SPF:

The abbreviation stands for Sun Protection Factor , the English equivalent of our German LSF or Lichtschutzfaktor (sun protection factor). In the skincare world, the phrase "Apply an SPF" is often used synonymously with "We recommend you use a sunscreen product." Linguistically, this is incorrect, as you can't actually apply a factor. If you were to translate this into German, no one would tell someone to apply a sun protection factor; instead, they would recommend using sunscreen. So why do we say it this way, even though we're well aware of the absurdity? That's a good question, and there isn't really a right answer. It's probably a combination of factors: it's become common usage, it's a nice, short phrase, and it simply sounds cool to skinfluencers. Nevertheless, we don't have to encourage every linguistic quirk and Anglicism, so we really make an effort to use the terms "sunscreen products" instead of "SPF."

If you are interested in how the sun protection factor is theoretically calculated, we have a short explanation of this in the following article: UV radiation and its effect on the skin .

Surfactants:

Throughout the day, various tiny particles accumulate on both skin and hair. Surfactants are substances that break down the surface structures of these particles. This makes it possible to effectively wash away these residues from skin and hair, rather than just superficially. Surfactants are found in cleansers and shampoos. They are also the reason why these products lather so nicely. To protect skin and hair and avoid unnecessary irritation, it's important to ensure that the product manufacturer specifies that the surfactants used are mild.

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL):

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is a natural process in which water evaporates from the skin or is released into the environment. If too much moisture is lost, it can lead to skin dehydration. Articles on this topic often use the abbreviation TEWL , which stands for Transepidermal Water Loss .

Underlay:

Subcutaneous blemishes are impurities found in deeper layers of the skin rather than on the surface. They usually appear as patches but have only slight raised areas on the skin – unlike other types of blemishes. Like regular pimples and blackheads, subcutaneous blemishes can be accompanied by redness. However, with appropriate skincare products (e.g., those containing salicylic acid/BHA), these blemishes can be brought to the surface, allowing the sebum plug to dissolve and the blemish to heal.

water-soluble:

The term "water-soluble" for ingredients in skincare means that the active ingredient – ​​unlike fat-soluble substances – has only a shallow penetration depth and therefore unfolds its effect in the uppermost layer of skin, the epidermis.

Cell proliferation:

The term refers to cell growth or simply the multiplication of cells.