According to Statista, the global skincare market is expected to surpass $200 billion by 2030, with natural skincare growing at an annual rate of more than 8%. Understanding ingredients is not only the foundation for consumers to make informed choices, but it is also the key for skincare brand entrepreneurs to create high-quality products and win the market's trust.
To lift the veil on this vast array of skincare ingredients, we consulted with the formulators at Xiran Skincare Labs to select the best and hottest conventional and natural ingredients that are time-tested, reliable, and worthy of adding to your skincare regimen.
These top 10 common skincare ingredients cover their key benefits, applicable product types, and usage, helping you be more judicious in your skincare choices and brand development and creating a more scientific, safe, and effective regimen.
Ingredient Analysis: Hyaluronic acid is a polysaccharide that occurs naturally in the skin and has a strong ability to absorb water. It can absorb hundreds of times its weight in water, helping to keep skin moisturized. INCI's name “Sodium Hyaluronate” is the sodium salt form of hyaluronic acid, which is a smaller molecule that is more easily absorbed by the skin.
Main effects: Hydrates and moisturizes, improves skin elasticity, reduces fine lines, and strengthens the skin barrier.
Suitable for: Serums, creams, masks, toners, sprays, eye creams, etc.
How to use (detailed expression): Hyaluronic Acid-based products should be used after cleansing and applying lotion, so the ingredients can better absorb and lock water. They are more effective when used with a cream or lotion sealer.
They can be used in the morning and evening, and they are especially suitable for the dry season or long-term use in an air-conditioned environment.
Ingredient Analysis: Niacinamide is the active form of vitamin B3. It is water-soluble and highly stable, and it has multiple skin benefits. Several authoritative organizations in Europe and the United States have recognized it as a safe and efficient whitening and anti-inflammatory ingredient.
Main effects: Brightens skin tone, reduces melanin deposition, improves dullness, regulates sebum secretion, and strengthens the stratum corneum barrier.
It is suitable for whitening serums, oil-control emulsions, light spot creams, anti-aging products, and sensitive repair products.
Usage (detailed expression): Concentration in the range of 2% ~ 5% for daily use of the safest and effective. Suitable for use in the morning and evening skin care process, especially in the essence stage. It is recommended to start with a low concentration. Avoid concurrent use with high concentrations of Vitamin C. Stagger use between morning and evening (e.g., C in the morning and B in the evening).
Ingredient Analysis: Centella asiatica is rich in active molecules, such as asiaticoside, hydroxyasiatic acid, and asiatic acid, which have significant anti-inflammatory, calming, and restorative effects.
Main effects: Soothes sensitivity, promotes wound healing, strengthens the skin barrier, and acts as an antioxidant.
It is suitable for Repair creams, after-sun gels, calming sprays, sensitive skin serums, and after-sun care products.
How to use (details): It can be used in daily morning and evening skin care, especially suitable for redness, dry, itchy skin, and a sensitized state of use. It can be used with ceramides and panthenol to enhance barrier repair.
Ingredient Analysis: Ceramide is an important component of stratum corneum lipids, accounting for more than 50% of the skin's barrier lipids. It is responsible for water locking and protection and is an essential core ingredient in skin care for sensitive and dry skin.
Effects: Repairs the skin barrier, reduces water loss, and strengthens skin's resistance to irritation.
It is suitable for barrier repair creams, moisturizing lotions, aftercare products, and baby and children's skin care products.
Usage (detail): Hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen, cholesterol, etc., are usually used after essence or directly after toner to form a bionic sebaceous membrane barrier. It is suitable for use in the morning and evening and is especially recommended to strengthen the repair at night.
Ingredient Analysis: Derived from the kernel of the African Shea tree, it is rich in fatty acids and vitamins A and E and is both moisturizing and antioxidant.
Effects: Deeply moisturizes, softens cuticles, repairs dryness, and prevents moisture loss.
It is suitable for moisturizing cream, lip balm, body lotion, hand and foot cream, and baby cream.
How to use (detailed expression): Suitable for dry skin at night, can be used as a sealing cream after the moisturizing essence. It can be used on dry areas such as elbows, knees, and heels. Oily skin or summer use requires careful rationing to avoid a greasy feeling.
Ingredient Analysis: Panthenol is a precursor of Vitamin B5. It has good hydrophilicity and can penetrate the stratum corneum and be converted into Vitamin B5 in the body, which has a restorative and soothing effect on the skin.
Effects: Moisturizes, reduces redness and swelling, promotes wound healing, and increases skin's tolerance.
Suitable for: Repairing serums, moisturizing sprays, baby skincare, post-medical products, and facial masks.
How to use (detailed expression): It can be used in any daily skin care step, but a concentration of 1% ~ to 5% is more common. It is suitable for use after sun exposure on sensitive, dry, cracked, or red itchy skin. It is ideal for use in the morning and evening to stabilize the skin for a long period.
Ingredient Analysis: Glycerin is a natural moisturizing factor with strong moisture absorption. It can be drawn into the skin to hydrate the skin in the air, and it has good skin affinity and hypoallergenic properties.
Main effects: Hydrates and moisturizes, stabilizes emulsification systems, maintains skin suppleness.
Suitable for: Cleansers, Toners, Moisturizers, and Creams.
Directions for use (expressed in detail): It is suitable for almost all skin care products. It can be combined with hyaluronic acid and panthenol for synergistic moisturizing. It is very safe for sensitive skin and baby skin. High concentrations leading to a sticky feeling should be avoided, usually controlled at 3% ~ 10%.
Ingredient Analysis: Rich in polyphenols, catechins (EGCG), caffeine, and vitamins, with good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Main effects: Oil control, astringent, free radical removal, calming and soothing, and acne prevention.
Suitable for: Oil control essence, refreshing toner, anti-acne lotion, and sunscreen products.
Directions for use (expressed in detail): It is recommended to use it in the morning to help protect against oxidative stress during the day. For oily skin, it can be used as the main ingredient of the serum; for sensitive skin, it is recommended to use it with soothing ingredients (e.g., panthenol) to balance the formula.
Ingredient Analysis: Oat extract contains beta-glucan, oils, and polyphenols, which have soothing, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and barrier-protecting properties.
Key Benefits: Relieves dryness and redness, soothes allergic reactions, and calms the skin.
Suitable for: Cleansers, soothing sprays, moisturizers, masks, and sensitive skin repair creams.
How to use (detailed expression): It can be used in the morning and evening, daily, and is especially suitable for the change of season, allergies, or use of efficacy products after the stimulation of the reaction. It can be used as a wet compress to enhance the immediate soothing effect. 10.
Ingredient Analysis: A fat-soluble natural antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, protects cell membranes, and slows skin aging.
Main effects: Antioxidant, moisturizing, reducing photoaging, improving skin roughness.
Suitable for: Anti-aging serums, sunscreen products, moisturizers, body care products, and lip balms.
Usage (detailed expression): Usually used in the last stage of the skin care process (such as cream or sunscreen), it can also be used as an added essential oil. It can be combined with Vitamin C to form an antioxidant combination, but sensitive skin needs attention to the concentration control. Ideal for nighttime use to enhance repair
Natural skincare ingredients not only fit in with the current “Clean Beauty” trend but also have a high level of market acceptance. Consumers prefer products that are free of harmful chemicals, environmentally friendly, and gentle on the skin when making purchasing decisions.
The following natural ingredients are currently in high demand in the skincare market. They cover efficacy, INCI names, and regulatory compliance highlights.
| Ingredient Name | INCI Name | Key Benefits | Skin Type | Suggestions for Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyaluronic acid | Sodium Hyaluronate | Highly effective hydration and moisturization, improve skin elasticity | All skin types, especially dry skin | Can be used daily, suitable for morning and evening skincare programs |
| Niacinamide | Niacinamide | Reduce pigmentation, brighten skin tone, oil control and anti-inflammatory. | Combination, oily, acne-prone skin | Concentration of 2%~5% is recommended for time-sharing with Vitamin C. |
| Centella asiatica extract | Centella Asiatica Extract | Soothes and repairs, strengthens skin barrier | Sensitive, redness | Can be used daily with restorative creams |
| Ceramides | Ceramide NP / EOP / AP | Repairing the cuticle, locking in water and moisturizing | Dry, Barrier-Damaged Skin | Recommended to be used with creams or restorative lotions |
| Shea butter | Butyrospermum Parkii Butter | Hydrates and moisturizes, improves dryness and cracking | Dry skin, fall and winter | Can be used at night, recommended to be combined with essence |
| Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) | Panthenol | Anti-inflammatory and calming, repairing the barrier | All skin types, especially sensitive | Widely used in toners, essences and masks. |
| Glycerin | Glycerin | Moisturizes and locks in water, maintains stratum corneum hydration | All Skin Types | Regular moisturizer, better with other ingredients |
| Green tea extract | Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract | Antioxidant, Astringent, Anti-inflammatory | Oily, acne-prone skin | Used in daily serums and lotions |
| Oat extract | Avena Sativa Kernel Extract | Soothes itching, calms redness | Dry, Sensitive Skin | Effective in daily cleansers and creams |
| Vitamin E | Tocopherol | Anti-Oxidant, Delayed Aging | Mature, dry skin | Often used in combination with oils to slow down oxidative reactions |
Taking Europe and the United States as an example, in the European and American markets, the compliance of skin care ingredients is the core foundation of whether a product can be legally marketed and operated in the long term. The European Union has adopted the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 to regulate all formulation ingredients strictly.
Ingredients must be listed in the INCI International Nomenclature System, evaluated for safety, and comply with the list of banned and restricted substances (e.g., Appendix II and III).
In addition, products are required to complete the Product Information File (PIF) and CPNP online registration to ensure that the source, concentration, and efficacy of the ingredients are true and consistent with the label claims.
In the U.S., it is regulated by the FDA under the FD&C Act, and although it is relatively lenient on cosmetic formulations, any ingredient that involves pharmacological effects (e.g., anti-acne, whitening, and anti-inflammatory) may be categorized as an OTC drug, and additional registration is required.
For OEM/ODM OEM customers, choosing the right OEM partner is the first step to building a successful skincare brand. A professional and reliable skincare manufacturer can not only provide stable product quality, but also assist in formula development, regulatory compliance, packaging design, and marketing strategy landing. Here are our recommendations:
Choosing a factory with GMP (e.g, ISO 22716), ISO9001, and other certifications is the first step in ensuring product quality and regulatory compliance. Especially for the European and American markets, factories need to have experience in dealing with CPNP registration (EU), FDA filing (US), etc., and be able to cooperate with the provision of MSDS, COA, INCI lists, and other documents required for export.
Excellent ODM factories usually have independent R&D laboratories and professional formulators, which can customize skincare solutions for different skin types and efficacy according to brand positioning. Examine whether they can develop popular ingredients such as peptides, Centella Asiatica, hyaluronic acid, A alcohol, etc., and check whether they can provide a stable and mature base of explosive formulas for rapid sampling.
Reliable foundries should have a clear service process, from formula development, sample testing, regulatory consulting, to packaging design, and have a standard operating system. The ideal partner can complete the initial sampling within 7 days and support multiple rounds of adjustments to ensure that the ingredients, texture, odor, skin feel, etc, align with expectations.
Depending on the brand's stage, it is especially important to choose a factory that can support small-lot ordering (e.g., 1,000-3,000 pieces). It is also important to understand whether the annual production capacity is sufficient to support future order growth and ensure the stability of the subsequent supply chain.
One-stop OEM/ODM cosmetics factories are usually able to help connect with suppliers of packaging materials, labels, and color boxes, and even provide basic visual design services. For start-up brands, this kind of “full chain integration” service can greatly reduce communication costs and time consumption.
Whether the English communication is smooth and the feedback is timely will also affect the progress and final effect of brand development.
Find out whether the factory has experience in working with European and American brands, and whether it is familiar with natural, organic, vegan, sensitive skin, and other market preferences. Successful factories often have several mature export cases, which can be used as a direct reference for quality and experience.
Choosing the right OEM/ODM foundry partner is the foundation for skincare brands to become professional and internationalized. If you are looking for a high-quality OEM/ODM partner, you may try cooperating with Xiran to quickly open the market for your skincare products in the corresponding region.
