The Top 10 Best Cosmetic Ingredients for Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is a tissue damage and physiological dysfunction caused by the body being stimulated by antigenic substances such as prolonged sun exposure, cosmetic allergies, foreign substances, etc. In theory, it refers specifically to a state of hyperresponsiveness of the skin under physiological or pathological conditions. It includes some subjective symptoms, such as burning, tingling, itching, and tightness, with or without objective signs such as erythema, telangiectasia, and desquamation.

Figure. Schematic diagram of the current mechanism of sensitive skin

Nowadays, there are many ingredients that help to relieve sensitive skin. They can be roughly divided into skin barrier repair, inflammation inhibition, and skin nerve sedation. The followings are some ingredients for sensitive skin.

1. Ingredients for Anti-inflammation

1.1 Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate

Dipotassium glycyrrhizinate is a potassium salt of glycyrrhizinate extracted from licorice. It has good water solubility, safety and non-toxicity. Dipotassium glycyrrhizinate can inhibit the release of inflammatory factors such as NO and IL-6, and reduce the occurrence of inflammation. Also, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate has similarities with Cortin. By acting on the hormone receptors on the cell membrane, it reduces the permeability of cell membranes and capillaries and reduces inflammatory exudation. Meanwhile, it inhibits the formation and release of histamine and other toxic substances, so as to play a good anti-inflammatory role.

1.2 Centella Asiatica Extract

Centella asiatica extract, also named gotu kola extract, has potent anti-inflammatory properties because of its active ingredient asiaticoside. Asiaticoside can help inhibit the release of inflammatory factors such as IL-6, TLR-2 and MMP-1, thereby helping the skin to inhibit inflammation. In addition, asiaticoside can also help improve the skin’s water capacity, promote the synthesis of collagen, and strengthen the skin barrier. It is a multi-functional ingredient such as anti-inflammatory, soothing and repairing.

1.3 Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Portulaca oleracea extract can reduce the secretion of inflammatory factors interleukins, thus to relieve skin inflammation and soothing skin itching caused by dryness. At the same time, portulaca oleracea extract has a significant improvement effect on skin allergies caused by long-term use of hormone cosmetics. It is an effective anti-allergic ingredient. Additionally, portulaca oleracea extract has obvious inhibitory effect on hyaluronidase, thereby achieving the effect of inhibiting skin allergic reactions.

1.4 Baicalin

Baicalin is an effective component extracted from dried root of scutellaria baicalensis. A study result shows that baicalin topically applied on skin can significantly reduce the permeability of mouse skin capillaries, and significantly antagonize guinea pig isolated ileum contraction induced by histamine phosphate. It indicates that baicalin has an anti-allergic effect, which may act by preventing the release of allergic reaction mediators and stabilizing cell membranes. In result, baicalin can be used for treatment of sensitive skin. In addition to its anti-inflammatory and skin soothing effects, baicalin also has a certain antibacterial effect, thereby alleviating acne caused by Propionibacterium.

1.5 Paeoniflorin

Paeoniflorin is an active ingredient extracted from dried root of plant white peony. Paeoniflorin can exert an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the production of TNF-α and IL-1β, and promoting the expression of IL-10. According to the study, the results show that paeoniflorin can antagonize the production of chemokines induced by TNF-α, and inhibit the migration of white blood cells, The effect is related to the inhibition of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. Therefore, paeoniflorin shows broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory properties.

2. Ingredients for Skin Barrier Repair

2.1 Ceramide

Ceramide is an important component for keratinocytes to maintain each other. It accounts for 40% to 65% of epidermal lipids, and is generally known as intercellular lipids. If the ceramide in the skin is sufficient, it will be enough to resist external stimulation to the skin; but few or without ceramide, the skin will lose its natural protective effect and lose its defense against all physical and biological damages from the outside world. Studies have shown that ceramide plays a leading role in the regulation of skin barrier function. Ceramide can help thicken the stratum corneum, improve the tolerance of skin, reduce skin sensitivity, and have the effect of repairing skin redness and dryness.

2.2 Allantoin

Allantoin has a very good emollient effect, especially for cracked and rough skin. It can restore skin smoothness and moisture, and enhance the water absorption capacity of the outermost layer of skin. More importantly, the damaged stratum corneum can be repaired by using allantoin. Moreover, allantoin can effectively reduce the irritation of soap, detergent, acid-base materials, etc. on the skin. It eliminates skin redness, roughness, rash and other skin allergies, so as to achieve the role of repairing the skin barrier.

3. Ingredients for Nerve Sedation

3.1 Kava Pepper Extract

Kava pepper extract is a powerful anti-inflammatory material that can instantly relief skin irritation. The active ingredient in kava pepper extract is kavalactone, which can act on GABA receptors and exert its powerful skin soothing effect by regulating neurotransmitters. Addition to its inflammation inhibition function, it is reported thatkava pepper extract inhibits 90% of PGE2 prostaglandins, a kind of inflammatory mediator.

Plamed develops Kava pepper extract, named as DCR516. DCR516 is a super cosmetic ingredient for sensitive skin. It can instantly relieve skin sensitivity, reduce redness and itching, and enhance skin’s self-healing ability. We have proved DCR516’s skin benefits by test on arm skin.

Plamed DCR516 is white powder, and it’s 100% water-soluble. The water solution is transparent and clear.

More importantly, study has demonstrated DCR516’s skin irritation relif effect by comparing with asprin. The result shows that DCR516 has a better skin irritation relief than asprin.

3.2 Crithmum Maritimum Extract

Crithmum maritimum extract has a special mechanism of action for sensitive skin. It is mainly to soothe the irritating feeling of skin, because it can promote the release of β-endorphins in the skin, and inhibit the release of neuropeptide CGRP. Thus,  crithmum maritimum extract quickly relieves the tingling and itching sensation caused by inflammation. Crithmum maritimum extract itself also has a certain antioxidant effect. Although other anti-inflammatory ingredients can also alleviate the tingling and itching sensation by inhibiting inflammatory factors, Crithmum maritimum extract is better than most anti-inflammatory ingredients in terms of mechanism to relieve irritation.

3.3 Bisabolol

Bisabolol is abundantly present in Compositae plants, such as chamomile. As an anti-inflammatory ingredient, bisabolol can effectively inhibit the release of various inflammatory factors. Also, it improves the skin’s ability to resist irritation, and help relieve skin allergy induced by sodium hydroxide and SDS. Meanwhile, bisabolol has a certain antibacterial activity. Bisabolol has good stability and great skin permeability, so it’s a proper anti-allergy ingredient for skincare.

All above ingredients are natural. They can be applied in skincare products for sensitive skin. As professional cosmetics raw material manufacturer, Plamed aims to produce best sensitive skin soothing ingredients. The followings are product list for sensitive skin ingredients.