The Ingredient Library
Know what you’re
putting on your skin.
Explore the science, history, uses, and practical considerations behind ingredients found in modern skincare — and in the kitchen.
27 entries
- Humectant
- Barrier lipid
- Vitamin
- Antioxidant
- Retinoid
- Botanical
- Soothing
- Bioactive
- Ferment
- Peptide
- Tonic herb
- Food
- Herbal tea
Applied to the skin
Actives, lipids, botanicals, and ferments found in modern skincare formulations.
Soothing
01Aloe Vera
Aloe barbadensis
A succulent whose inner leaf gel has been used for soothing and hydration across many cultures.
ReadSoothing
02Calendula
Calendula officinalis
A marigold flower with a long history in European herbalism, used for its soothing, skin-conditioning properties.
ReadSoothing
03Centella Asiatica
Centella asiatica (cica, gotu kola)
A herb used in Asian traditional medicine for centuries and now one of the most studied soothing botanicals in skincare.
ReadBarrier lipid
04Ceramides
Ceramide NP, AP, EOP and others
Lipids that make up a large share of the skin barrier's 'mortar', helping keep water in and irritants out.
ReadFerment
05Fermented Extracts
Various (bifida, lactobacillus, saccharomyces, rice, ginseng ferments)
Botanical and microbial ferments that break ingredients into smaller, potentially more bioavailable components.
ReadFerment
06Galactomyces
Galactomyces ferment filtrate
A yeast ferment filtrate, famous from sake brewing, used in essences for hydration and a smoother-looking surface.
ReadBotanical· Skin & kitchen
07Ginseng
Panax ginseng
A root used for centuries in East Asian tradition, now studied for antioxidant and skin-conditioning properties.
ReadAntioxidant· Skin & kitchen
08Green Tea
Camellia sinensis
Rich in polyphenols, especially EGCG, green tea is studied for antioxidant and soothing effects both consumed and applied.
ReadHumectant
09Hyaluronic Acid
Sodium hyaluronate / hyaluronan
A water-binding molecule found naturally in skin that helps hold moisture in the upper layers.
ReadVitamin
10Niacinamide
Nicotinamide (vitamin B3)
A well-studied form of vitamin B3 associated with barrier support, more even tone, and reduced appearance of pores.
ReadBioactive
11PDRN
Polydeoxyribonucleotide
A DNA-derived compound, typically sourced from salmon, studied for tissue repair and now emerging in topical skincare.
ReadPeptide
12Peptides
Signal, carrier, and neurotransmitter-inhibiting peptides
Short chains of amino acids that act as messengers, studied for supporting firmness and the appearance of fine lines.
ReadRetinoid
13Retinoids
Retinol, retinaldehyde, retinoic acid and esters
Vitamin A derivatives with the strongest evidence base among topical ingredients for supporting skin renewal and the appearance of aging.
ReadBotanical· Skin & kitchen
14Rice
Oryza sativa
Rice water and rice bran have been used in East Asian beauty rituals for centuries, valued for softening and brightening.
ReadBioactive
15Snail Mucin
Snail secretion filtrate
A filtrate of snail secretion popular in Korean skincare, valued for its hydrating, skin-conditioning texture.
ReadBotanical
16Tea Tree
Melaleuca alternifolia
An essential oil with antimicrobial properties studied for blemish-prone skin — effective for some, irritating for others.
ReadAntioxidant· Skin & kitchen
17Vitamin C
L-ascorbic acid and derivatives
An antioxidant vitamin involved in collagen synthesis, studied for brightening and photoprotective support.
ReadEaten and brewed
Foods, teas, and tonic herbs from the Asian beauty kitchen — the subject of Book II.
Food· Kitchen
01Black Sesame
Sesamum indicum (black variety)
A small seed with a large reputation in Chinese medicine — for hair, skin, and healthy aging — and a rich source of lignans, minerals, and healthy fats.
ReadFood· Kitchen
02Bone Broth
Seolleongtang, tori paitan, and long-simmered stocks
Long-simmered broths such as Korean seolleongtang — the traditional 'collagen from the source' — rich in gelatin, glycine, and minerals.
ReadHerbal tea· Kitchen
03Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum morifolium (júhuā, gukhwa)
A cooling floral tea used across China and Korea to 'clear heat' — traditionally chosen for redness, tired eyes, and flushed skin.
ReadBotanical· Skin & kitchen
04Ginseng
Panax ginseng
A root used for centuries in East Asian tradition, now studied for antioxidant and skin-conditioning properties.
ReadTonic herb· Kitchen
05Goji Berry
Lycium barbarum (gǒuqǐzǐ)
A bright red berry used in Chinese medicine to nourish the liver and kidneys, now studied for its antioxidant polysaccharides and carotenoids.
ReadAntioxidant· Skin & kitchen
06Green Tea
Camellia sinensis
Rich in polyphenols, especially EGCG, green tea is studied for antioxidant and soothing effects both consumed and applied.
ReadFood· Kitchen
07Job's Tears
Coix lacryma-jobi (yulmu, yìyǐrén)
A gluten-free grain used in Asian medicine to 'clear heat and drain dampness' — the traditional brightening grain of Korea and China.
ReadTonic herb· Kitchen
08Jujube
Ziziphus jujuba (red date, daechu)
The red date of Chinese and Korean tradition — brewed as a calming, blood-nourishing tea and simmered into broths and porridges.
ReadFerment· Kitchen
09Kimchi
Lacto-fermented vegetables (Lactobacillus spp.)
Korea's living side dish — salted, seasoned, and fermented vegetables rich in lactobacillus — and the most studied fermented food in gut-skin research.
ReadFerment· Kitchen
10Miso
Fermented soybean paste (koji, Aspergillus oryzae)
Japan's foundational ferment — soybeans, salt, and koji — a daily source of live cultures, umami, and the gut-skin axis in a bowl.
ReadHerbal tea· Kitchen
11Omija
Schisandra chinensis (five-flavor berry)
The five-flavor berry — sour, sweet, bitter, pungent, and salty in one bite — brewed as a cooling, hydrating tea in Korea and China.
ReadBotanical· Skin & kitchen
12Rice
Oryza sativa
Rice water and rice bran have been used in East Asian beauty rituals for centuries, valued for softening and brightening.
ReadFood· Kitchen
13Tremella
Tremella fuciformis (snow fungus, yín'ěr)
Snow fungus — prized in Chinese cuisine for deep hydration and often described as a natural counterpart to hyaluronic acid.
ReadAntioxidant· Skin & kitchen
14Vitamin C
L-ascorbic acid and derivatives
An antioxidant vitamin involved in collagen synthesis, studied for brightening and photoprotective support.
ReadThe Radiance Letter
A better way to think
about beauty & health.
A thoughtful letter exploring skin, nutrition, wellness, ingredients, longevity, and the science behind everyday rituals.
Thoughtful ideas. Useful science. No noise.