Home / Glossary
Skincare Glossary NZ: Every Word on the Label, Explained Plainly
PDRN, PN, salmon DNA, humectant, occlusive, INCI, non comedogenic and thirty more. What each word means, what it means on a label, and what it does not mean.
Active ingredient
In skincare talk, an ingredient included to do a specific job for the look of skin, as opposed to the water, thickeners and preservatives that make the product possible.
AHA
Alpha hydroxy acids: water soluble exfoliating acids such as glycolic, lactic and mandelic, used for the look of brighter, smoother skin.
Ampoule
A small sealed container of a concentrated serum, opened when you start using it. The seal keeps air out of the formula until then.
Antioxidant
An ingredient that neutralises free radicals, the unstable molecules produced by sun and pollution. Vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea and resveratrol are the common ones.
BHA
Beta hydroxy acid, in practice salicylic acid: an oil soluble exfoliant that gets into pores rather than sitting on the surface.
Ceramides
Fats that occur naturally between the cells of the outer skin, added to creams to replace what washing and weather remove.
Cruelty free
The product and its ingredients were not tested on animals. Certifications exist, and the logo carries more weight than the words.
Dermaroller
Another name for a microneedle roller. Dermaroller began as a brand name and became the generic word, the way many product names do.
Dermatologist tested
A dermatologist was involved in some test of the product. It says nothing about what was tested, how many people, or what the result was.
Emollient
An ingredient that smooths and softens the surface by filling in between flaky cells. Most oils, esters and fatty alcohols.
Essence
A watery hydrating layer used after cleansing in Korean routines, thinner than a serum, patted rather than rubbed.
Exfoliation
Removing the dull, dead cells at the very surface of skin, either with a physical scrub or a chemical acid.
Fragrance free
No added perfume, natural or synthetic. Different from unscented, which can mean a masking scent was added to hide the smell of the formula.
Glass skin
A Korean skincare term for skin that looks so smooth and hydrated it reflects light like glass. It is a look, mostly of hydration and even texture.
Glycerin
A humectant that has been in skincare for over a century. It draws water to the surface and holds it, and it is in almost every serum and cream.
Humectant
An ingredient that draws water to the surface of skin and holds it there. Glycerin, hyaluronic acid and PDRN serums all work this way.
Hyaluronic acid
A sugar molecule that holds water, occurring naturally in skin and made for skincare by fermentation. In a serum it is a humectant.
Hypoallergenic
A claim that a product is less likely to cause a reaction. There is no legal standard for it in most countries, including New Zealand.
INCI list
The standardised ingredient list on the back of a product, in descending order of amount down to one percent, then in any order.
Microneedle roller
A small head covered in very fine points on a handle, rolled across clean skin. Home versions have short points meant to carry a serum evenly across the surface.
Niacinamide
A form of vitamin B3, water soluble and well tolerated, used for the look of a more even skin surface.
Non comedogenic
A claim that a product is unlikely to clog pores. There is no regulated definition and no standard test behind the words.
Occlusive
An ingredient that sits on the surface and slows water leaving the skin. Petrolatum, waxes, dimethicone, heavier oils and butters.
Patch test
Applying a new product to a small, out of the way patch of skin for a day or two before using it on your face, to see whether your skin objects.
PDRN
Polydeoxyribonucleotide: DNA cut into short fragments, in skincare almost always sourced from salmon. It is the ingredient behind the salmon DNA serums that have moved from Korean clinics to New Zealand bathroom shelves.
Peptides
Short chains of amino acids, sold under many trade names, usually for the look of firmer, smoother skin.
pH
A measure of acidity. Skin's surface sits mildly acidic; products range from acidic exfoliants to alkaline soaps.
PN (polynucleotides)
Polynucleotides: longer chains from the same DNA fragment family as PDRN. In clinics the word usually means an injectable; on a serum it means a topical cousin of PDRN.
Propylene glycol
A humectant and solvent that helps other ingredients dissolve and spread, and adds a little hydration of its own.
Retinoid
The family name for vitamin A ingredients. Retinol and retinal are over the counter members; tretinoin is prescription.
Salmon DNA
The everyday name for PDRN and PN, because the DNA fragments are extracted from salmon, usually the milt. It sounds like science fiction; it is one purified ingredient.
Serum
A light, usually water based product that carries the ingredients you buy it for, applied after cleansing and before moisturiser.
Skin barrier
The outermost layer of skin, cells and the fats between them, that keeps water in and the outside out. When people say their barrier is damaged they mean skin that looks flaky, feels tight and stings.
Skin cycling
Rotating active nights with plain hydrating nights, typically exfoliant, retinoid, then two nights of nothing but moisture.
Slugging
Sealing the face with a thin layer of petrolatum overnight so nothing evaporates. Named for how it looks.
SPF
Sun protection factor: how much longer skin takes to redden with the product on. Broad spectrum means it covers UVA as well as UVB.
Squalane
A light, stable oil that closely resembles one skin makes for itself, now made from olives or sugarcane. It softens the surface and slows water leaving it without feeling greasy.
TEWL
Transepidermal water loss: water leaving skin through its surface into the air. Higher in dry air, wind and heated rooms.
Toner
A liquid used after cleansing. Old toners were alcohol and stripped skin; modern ones are mostly hydrating waters, sometimes with a mild acid.
Vegan skincare
Products with no animal derived ingredients. Beeswax, lanolin, collagen, snail mucin and salmon DNA are the common ones that rule a product out.