What are active ingredients?

Immediate Answer: Active ingredients are skincare components that produce measurable changes in your skin—not just surface moisturising, but actual structural or biological changes. They're the ingredients doing the work; everything else is support.

The Science: Skincare ingredients fall into two categories:

Active ingredients are designed to produce specific changes in your skin:

• Retinol (supports collagen)
• Vitamin C (promotes collagen, brightens)
• Niacinamide (improves barrier, helps reduce sebum)
• Hyaluronic acid (binds water, plumps skin)
• Peptides (signal collagen production)
• Kojic acid (inhibits melanin)
• Retinoids (accelerate cell renewal)

Supporting ingredients enable active ingredients to work:

• Humectants (glycerin, propylene glycol) draw moisture
• Emollients (oils, silicones) seal moisture
• Preservatives (prevent bacterial growth)
• PH buffers (maintain optimal pH for actives)
• Emulsifiers (mix water and oil)

Active ingredients require supporting cast to work effectively. A powerful retinol without moisturising support damages your barrier. A brightening serum without sun protection loses efficacy because UV exposure causes new pigmentation.

How Nordic Formula Structures Products: Each Nordic Formula product targets specific active ingredients while including barrier-supporting components:

• Power Glow Serum: Active ingredients include peptides (collagen signaling) and niacinamide (barrier + melanin control). Supporting ingredients enable absorption and barrier support.
• Advanced Face Repair: Active ingredient is retinol. Supporting ingredients include peptides and niacinamide to prevent irritation and barrier damage.
• Dark Spot Treatment patches: Active ingredients include kojic acid, tranexamic acid, and vitamin C. The patch format (225 micropoints) is the supporting technology enabling deeper penetration.
• Daycream Defence Repair SPF 50: Active ingredients include broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection and bio-retinol (Revinage) for daytime skin renewal without photosensitivity.
• Gentle Cleansing Foam: pH-balanced formula that cleanses effectively without stripping your skin's natural protective barrier—the essential first step for all active ingredients to work properly.

Pro Tip: When evaluating skincare, look for active ingredients first. If a product's marketing focuses on botanical extracts or brand story but doesn't clearly identify active ingredients and their concentrations, it's likely a moisturiser masquerading as treatment. Real skincare addresses specific concerns through proven active ingredients.