My Scheming 5% Super Algae Hydrating Serum

This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.

The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water. When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job: aphanizomenon flos-aquae extract, betaine.

This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: chondrus crispus extract, pentylene glycol.

The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: palmitoyl tripeptide-5

This product contains palmitoyl tripeptide-5. This ingredient might be able to help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness, but there is not enough evidence that it actually works.

This product contains antioxidants (aphanizomenon flos-aquae extract) that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin to lessen the damage it gets from the UV light (sun). There is not enough evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin though.