Welcome to the Skincare Literacy Glossary
Skincare is science, and science has its language. This glossary is your go-to reference for decoding the terminology used throughout this resource.
Explore clear definitions of key terms, ingredients, and concepts essential to understanding your skin’s structure, function, and needs.
- 500 Dalton Rule
- Acid mantle
- Acnegenic
- Acne-prone skin
- Active Ingredients (Actives)
- Adipocytes
- Aging (Chronoaging and Photoaging)
- Allantoin
- Aloe vera
- Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)
- Amphoteric surfactants
- Ampoules
- Androgens
- Anionic surfactants
- Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs)
- Antioxidant
- Apocrine sweat glands
- Arbutin
- Arrector pili muscles
- Astringent
- Atrophic scars
- Avobenzone
- Azelaic acid
- Bacterial overgrowth
- Balancing
- Bar Cleansers
- Barrier function
- Barrier repair
- Basal keratinocytes
- Beige adipocytes
- Benzoyl peroxide (BPO)
- Beta-glucans
- Beta hydroxy acid (BHA)
- Beta-lipohydroxy acid (BLHA)
- Biocellulose mask
- Biotech Beauty
- Blackhead (Open Comedone)
- Blemish
- Breakouts
- Brightening agents
- Broad-spectrum protection
- Brown adipocytes
- Carbonated water
- Cationic surfactants
- Cellulite
- Centella asiatica
- Ceramides
- Chemical barrier
- Chemical (Organic) UV filters
- Chemical sunscreen
- Chronological Aging (Chronoaging)
- Circadian rhythms of skin
- Clay mask
- Cleansers
- Cleansing balms
- Clogged Pores (Pore Congestion)
- Closed comedone
- Collagen
- Combination skin
- Comedogenic
- Comedone
- Corneocytes
- Cosmetic skin type
- Cream
- Critical wavelength
- Cystic acne
- Dalton
- Dehydrated skin
- Dehydration
- Dendrites
- Dermal appendages
- Dermis
- Desquamation
- Double cleansing
- Dry skin
- Eccrine sweat glands
- Eczema
- Elastin
- Emollient
- Emulsion
- Environmental pollution (skin impact)
- Epidermal melanin unit
- Epidermal turnover rate
- Epidermal Water Loss
- Epidermis
- Essence
- Essential Oils
- Eudermic skin
- Eumelanin
- Exfoliants (Exfoliating Acids)
- Exfoliation
- Extracellular Lipid Matrix
- Facial Mist
- Facial oil
- Facial Sebum Zones
- Fatty Acids
- Fatty Alcohols
- Ferulic acid
- Fibroblasts
- Filaggrin
- Flare-up
- Foaming agent (surfactant)
- Foaming cleanser
- Gallic acid
- Gel cleansers
- Gel cream
- Gel sunscreen
- Gluconolactone
- Glycerin
- Glycolic acid
- Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)
- Hair follicle
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL)
- Humectant
- Hyaluronic acid (HA)
- Hybrid sunscreens
- Hydrating
- Hydrating toner
- Hydration
- Hydration status
- Hydrocarbons
- Hydroquinone
- Hyperpigmentation
- Hypoallergenic
- Hypodermis
- Hypopigmentation
- Immune barrier
- Inflammatory acne
- Inorganic (mineral) UV filters
- Irritation threshold
- Jojoba oil
- Keratin
- Keratinization
- Keratinocytes
- Keratolytics
- Kojic acid
- Lactic acid
- Langerhans cells
- Lanolin
- L-ascorbic acid
- Lipid barrier
- Lipodystrophy
- Lipolytic enzymes
- Lotion
- Lymphatic circulation
- Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP)
- Maltobionic acid
- Mandelic acid
- Massage cream
- Mast cells
- Matrikines
- Mattifying
- Mechanical exfoliation
- Melanin
- Melanin transfer
- Melano-competent skin
- Melano-compromised skin
- Melanocytes
- Melanocytes
- Melanosomes
- Melanosomes
- Merkel cells
- Metabolic syndrome
- Micellar water
- Micelles
- Microbiome (skin biota)
- Microneedling
- Micronized/nano particles
- Microvascular circulation
- Mineral oil
- Mineral sunscreen
- Mineral UV filters
- Moisture barrier
- Moisturizer
- Montmorillonite (French green clay)
- Natural moisturizing factor (NMF)
- Neural barrier
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Noncomedogenic
- Nonionic surfactants
- Normal skin
- Occlusive
- Occlusive ingredient
- Oil cleansers
- Oil-free
- Oil-in-water emulsion (O/W)
- Oily skin
- Open comedone (blackhead)
- Organic UV filters
- Over-exfoliation
- Overnight mask (sleeping pack)
- Over-the-counter (OTC)
- O-zone
- Panthenol (provitamin B5)
- Papule
- Patch test
- Percutaneous absorption
- pH balance
- Pheomelanin
- Photoaging
- Photoaging
- Photodamage
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
- Photoprotection
- Photosensitivity
- Photosensitizing
- Photostability
- pH (Potential of hydrogen)
- Pilosebaceous unit (pilosebaceous follicle)
- Pollution-Triggered Acne (Urban Acne)
- Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs)
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
- Pore congestion
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- Powder sunscreens
- Prescription-strength
- Propolis
- Purging
- Pustule
- Qualitative sebum changes
- Reactive Sebum Production (Reactive Oiliness)
- Reactivity
- Rebound oiliness
- Retinal (retinaldehyde)
- Retinoids
- Retinol
- Retinyl esters (e.g., retinyl palmitate, acetate)
- Salicylic acid
- Sebaceous glands
- Seborrhea
- Sebum
- Sebumeter®
- Sensitive skin
- Sensitivity
- Sensitized skin
- Serum
- Sheet mask
- Silicones
- Skin barrier
- Skin Cell Turnover (Skin Cycle)
- Skin (cutaneous) microbiome
- Skin Dehydration
- Skin pH (Skin acidity)
- Skin texture
- Skin type
- Skin type fluidity
- Slugging
- Snail Mucin
- Soap-free cleanser
- Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP)
- Sodium PCA
- Squalane
- Squalene
- Squames
- Stratum basale (basal layer)
- Stratum corneum (horny layer)
- Stratum granulosum
- Stratum lucidum
- Stratum spinosum
- Sunburn
- Sun-Induced Skin Damage (Photodamage)
- Sun protection factor (SPF)
- Sunscreen (broad-spectrum)
- Sunscreen sprays and aerosols
- Sunscreen Sticks
- Surfactants
- Sweat glands
- Syndet bars
- Synergistic effect
- Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD)
- Thermoregulation
- Tightness (skin sensation)
- Titanium dioxide (TiO2)
- Tolerance
- Toner
- Tranexamic acid
- Transepidermal water loss (TEWL)
- Tretinoin
- Trifarotene
- Trigger
- Tyrosinase
- Tyrosinase inhibitor
- T-zone
- Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
- Unscented
- Urea
- Urocanic acid
- UV filters
- U-zone
- Vascular hub
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
- Vitamin C derivatives
- Vitamin D synthesis
- Wash-off mask
- Water-in-Oil emulsion (W/O)
- White adipocytes
- Whitehead (closed comedone)
- Zinc oxide (ZnO)