## Skincare ingredients guide: which active does what

Choose one active for your main concern: salicylic acid to unclog pores, a retinoid for breakouts and uneven texture, vitamin C as an antioxidant, niacinamide for a well-studied all-rounder, and hyaluronic acid for hydration. Start one at a time, slowly, and keep wearing sunscreen.

### Which ingredient for which concern

Match the ingredient to the concern you most want to change. Salicylic acid and retinoids help with clogged pores and breakouts. Retinol, vitamin C and azelaic acid are used for uneven tone. Hyaluronic acid hydrates. You do not need all of them, and most people only need one.

- Salicylic acid: Helps unclog pores and prevent new breakouts; can be too harsh for some skin
- Retinoid or retinol: Unclogs pores, helps fade dark spots and improves texture by speeding up skin cell turnover
- Niacinamide: One of the better-studied cosmetic ingredients
- Vitamin C: An antioxidant used on skin against sun-related ageing
- Azelaic acid: Used in dermatology for several skin concerns; ask a pharmacist or doctor about strengths
- Hyaluronic acid: Hydrating rather than exfoliating; useful in dry weather

### How to start an active safely

Introduce one active at a time, and test it first. Use it a few nights a week, and build up only if your skin stays calm. If it stings, burns or peels, use it less often or stop. Irritation can leave dark spots on darker skin tones, which is the opposite of the goal.

1. Patch-test on a small area before using it on your face
2. Start with a few nights a week
3. Wait several weeks before judging it, and before adding anything else
4. Keep wearing sunscreen every morning

> If you are pregnant or planning to be, ask a doctor before starting any active, especially a retinoid.

- [Sensitive skin routine](https://www.saundaryaai.com/sensitive-skin-routine)

### Do you need to layer them?

Usually not. Using several actives at once is a common way to irritate skin, and irritated skin makes it harder to tell what is working. A cleanser, a moisturiser, sunscreen and one active is a complete routine. Add a second only after the first has settled, if you still need it.

- [Budget skincare routine](https://www.saundaryaai.com/budget-skincare-routine)

### Get a routine for your own skin

Saundarya AI is an AI skin analysis and grooming app that reads a single selfie and returns a personalised report: face shape, skin type, detected skin concerns with the visual evidence behind them, a morning and night skincare routine, product picks at three budgets, and an 8-week improvement plan.

Generic advice is a starting point. A scan reads your main concerns, so that you can pick one active on your own face, shows the visual evidence and a confidence score, and builds a morning and night routine around it. The first full analysis is free.

> This is general cosmetic guidance, not medical advice. See a dermatologist for skin that is painful, spreading, scarring or not improving after 8-12 weeks.

### Sources

- [10 tips for clearing acne in darker skin tones - American Academy of Dermatology](https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/diy/skin-color)
- [How to control oily skin - American Academy of Dermatology](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/oily-skin)
- [Dermatologist-recommended skin care for your 20s - American Academy of Dermatology](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/skin-care-in-your-20s)
- [Your winter skin survival kit - American Academy of Dermatology](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/winter-skin-survival-kit)
- [How much do we really know about our favorite cosmeceutical ingredients? - Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (2010)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2921764/)
- [Vitamin C in dermatology - Indian Dermatology Online Journal (2013)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3673383/)
- [The multiple uses of azelaic acid in dermatology (2024)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10809820/)


Source: https://www.saundaryaai.com/skincare-ingredients-guide. Cosmetic and grooming guidance only; not medical advice.