Glossary of Ingredients in Your Best Face Skincare products

Active Ingredient Glossary

Glossary Introduction A message from founding partner, Darrell Owens:
I’ve wanted us to have a glossary on ybf-Skincare.com for quite some time, but felt it had to be more useful than what you may be accustomed to seeing in a typical glossary. I wanted it to be more than just a list of ingredient definitions thrown together. >> read more

Featured Ingredient: Spin Trap
This is a skincare formulator's dream ingredient. When I first read about spin traps in skincare, the thought of possibly using it in one of our formulas felt like a dream. Who knew it would become a foundation of the entire brand! It's an extremely costly ingredient, but is literally THE cutting-edge in skincare, so we had to use it.

Spin trap functions as an antioxidant, but not in the traditional manner. Instead of destroying free radicals, it restores balance to unstable molecules and does a better job of protecting our cells from damage.

Scroll down the page to read more about ingredients used in Your Best Face Skincare products.

ingredient

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alpha arbutin	The idea of minimizing pigmentation spots on the skin and brightening overall tone is an appealing one that has really grown on me within the last two years. In the past, I was all about getting a tan…it was the thing to do and I always thought I looked healthier with it. Even with everything I’ve learned about damaging effects tanning and the sun can have on the skin, I have to admit, when I first realized I’d be moving to Florida I thought, “Oooo the tan I’ll be able to get!” I came to my senses though and am growing to see that for me, un-tan is how I choose to look my best. Especially here in Florida, where I can go to any mall and see the negative effects of the sun all around me. These days, I’ll gladly take cream-colored, unblemished and wrinkle-free over that “healthy orange glow.” Alpha arbutin was an exciting choice of skin brightener for a couple of reasons. First, many skin brighteners achieve their effect by bleaching or removing pigmentation from the skin. Though the potential is there for a quick fix, it’s not exactly safe to be bleaching one’s skin and the results I've read about scare me. Rather than directly removing pigment, alpha arbutin tells the skin to not so aggressively produce melanin (our skin pigment) resulting from sun exposure. It takes more time than bleaching, but the results can be astounding. In a way, it’s as if arbutin speeds up the natural fading process our skin goes through that causes our tans to fade. It’s the best way I’ve found so far to nearly eliminate so-called age spots. I learned more about tanning itself and our skin's response to UV exposure and that with select ingredients you can, in essence, turn down this tanning response to UV. This knowledge led the decision-making process when selecting ingredients that would safely brighten the skin.	Brightens Skin Reduces tanning after UV exposure Improves tone and evens complexion Is an ultra-safe method of skin lightening	Correct Restore
alpha lipoic acid	Long before a skincare interest, alpha lipoic acid was an ingredient I had read up on and knew had a multitude of benefits to our bodies. It is an important anti-oxidant that is both water and fat soluble, which means when consumed, all parts of the body could use it to protect the cells. In skincare, alpha lipoic acid applied topically has powerful skin toning, protecting and synergistic effects, especially when combined with other vitamins and antioxidants. It is known to increase cell metabolism and energy levels. According to experts, this can have an anti-aging effect.	Antioxidant that is both water and fat soluble Synergistically works with other vitamins and antioxidants	Control Correct
argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-3)	Everyone has by now heard of Botox - the hammer approach, if you will, to eliminating expression line wrinkles. Argireline goes after halting those same type of wrinkles addressed by Botox injections, but does so in a much simpler way…and of course, without needles or a doctor office visit. Argireline is derived from plants and delivers results by blocking the transmitter between the muscle and the skin that’s responsible for facial expression contractions. It in essence tells the skin to stay smooth and relaxed. Clinical studies with solutions containing 20% Argireline resulted in a 27% wrinkle reduction after 30 days of use and new wrinkles were also inhibited. YBF’s Control formula contains over 25% Argireline.	Reduces expression line wrinkles Creates a smoother look	Control
ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate	Vitamin C is awesome and I knew we needed to use the vitamin in at least one of our products. Based on research and personally trying some of the best vitamin C products out there, I knew sensitivity would be an issue for many people. I also wasn’t a fan of how typical vitamin C products would age (quickly), turn brown and take on an interesting smell. I also noted some manufacturers of vitamin C products would state that even though their product would turn color, the C would still be as effective and others would tell you it HAD to be fresh or it wasn’t effective at all…as a consumer, these mixed messages were confusing. It didn’t matter though, because there was still the issue of sensitivity. Happily, we found an alternative; one that is just fantastic. The long name is ascorbic tetraisopalmitate, but we call it stabilized vitamin C. Turns out, there are several stabilized forms of vitamin C on the market, but this one is the Rolls Royce of C’s. It’s super stable…doesn’t turn brown or take on a strange smell, is better absorbed by the skin and best of all, doesn’t irritate the skin like other C’s do. Including this form of vitamin C in our products adds many benefits. It synergizes with the other vitamins to increase their effectiveness, is a VERY powerful anti-oxidant, helps to brighten and clarify the skin (inhibiting excess melanin formation) and boosts collagen production to decrease appearance of wrinkles. You’ll find us using ascorbic tetraisopalmitate in Control product and in our greatest concentration in Restore.	Antioxidant protection Stable form of Vitamin C Skin brightening / lightening	Control Restore

licorice root extract	Anti-inflammatory with powerful skin lightening properties.	Natural skin brightener	Correct
l-proline	Amino Acid, strengthens cell envelope, strengthens skin and is derived from various plants.	Improves elasticity of the skin	Correct

nutmeg butter	Contains Tetradecanoic Fatty Acid	Moisturizing Soothing and relaxing qualities	Correct
nylon 12	When we began formulating to help balance oiliness, we considered natural clays first. The problem we found was that depending on the other ingredients in a formula and even varying humidity, sometimes the clay worked and sometimes it didn't. When it didn't work, it not only did a poor job of handling oil, it just looked odd. Nylon 12 was a superior alternative. It is a synthetic ingredient that is more consistent than clay, doesn't break down and has a LOT of slip...so it feels great and holds up beautifully.	Diffuses light for more even appearance Absorbs many times its weight in oil, thus reducing shine Contributes to a time-release effect of active ingredients	Defend Control

palmitoyl pentapeptide-3	Stimulates collagen production and reduces appearance of wrinkles.	Encourages collagen stability and reduces wrinkles	Defend
paraben du	Preservative that is widely accepted and the most used method in the skincare industry of protecting product freshness.	Ensures product freshness Proven effective and safe Low irritation record	Defend Control Correct Restore
pepha-timp (polypeptide)	This is another great skin protector and helps you combat sun damage by protecting the skin at a cellular level.	Reduces degenerative damage resulting from excessive UV exposure Protects and strengthens collagen	Correct
provitamin B5	Most widely known for use in brand name hair products, but also works wonders on the skin.	Moisturizes Soothes irritated skin Increases elasticity Heals minor wounds	Correct Restore

raspberry seed extract	An excellent emollient oil that helps protect the skin.	Powerful antioxidant due to ellagic acid content Soothing Has antibacterial properties	Correct
reverse osmosis water	ULTRA-purified water like no other.	Does not contain irritants or chemicals like regular water may	Defend Control Correct Restore

sepilift DPHP (palmitoyl-1, palmitoyloxy-4 proline)	plant-derived lipid agent consisting of hydroxyproline (natural amino acid essential for skin collagen synthesis) & palmitic acid (natural fatty acid).	Increases skin firmness Assists in moisture retention Helps smooth wrinkles	Correct
sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid)	Pure, elegant hydration...that's what this ingredient brings to the table. I first used a product containing sodium hyaluronate about 10 years ago and was amazed at how hydrated my skin felt. It literally helps draw moisture into your skin and helps in delivery of the other ingredients so you get their full benefit.	Highly moisturizing Helps to continually draw moisture to the skin Helps plump up the skin to reduce appearance of wrinkles	Defend Control Correct Restore
snap-8 (acetyl glutamyl hexapeptide-3)	An octapeptide, Snap-8 is molecularly an elongated version of Argireline and believed to be more effective than Argireline at reducing fine wrinkles.	Reduces depth of facial contraction wrinkles, especially around the forehead and eyes	Correct
spin trap	This is a skincare formulator's dream ingredient. When I first read about spin traps in skincare, the thought of possibly using it in one of our formulas felt like a dream. Who knew it would become a foundation of the entire brand! It's an extremely costly ingredient, but is literally THE cutting-edge in skincare, so we had to use it. Spin trap functions as an antioxidant, but not in the traditional manner. Instead of destroying free radicals, it restores balance to unstable molecules and does a better job of protecting our cells from damage.	Cutting-edge antioxidant Reduces skin's response to the damaging effects of UV	Defend Control Correct Restore
syn-ake (tripeptide)	Hissss....those afraid of snakes need not fear. Syn-ake gets its witty name because it was modeled after snake venom, but is NOT venomous. Scientists were simply able to identify the component of a particular venom that could be used to reduce repetitive muscle contractions....think topical Botox. It works on the same muscles that benefit from those scary injections, just no needles, and it's safe.	Reduces expression line wrinkles, quickly	Correct

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vitamin a	Encourages cellular renewal when used in small amounts. Speeds natural exfoliation process.	Anti-wrinkle properties by encouraging skin renewal	Correct
vitamin e	Is a free radical scavenger of pollutants and protects and nourishes the skin. Works well in combination with other vitamins and is highly moisturizing. Also promotes healing of the skin.	Soothes and heals Powerful antioxidant	Defend Control Correct Restore