Payot Masque Clarte Lightening & Redensifying Mask

Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin

Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function

A good moisturizing plant oil. Due to the high linoleic acid content, it helps soften the upper layer of the skin, reduce water loss and support skin barrier function

An amino-acid. There is not strong evidence of a particular beneficial effect for skin in topical applications, beyond attracting water to the upper layer of the skin

A plant extract that helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin. It might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals in skin, but is less potent than the extract from the seeds

A plant oil that can help soften the upper layer of the skin

A plant extract that might contain a compound baicalin that could be helpful in neutralizing free radicals and reducing inflammation in skin. The baicalin concentration in skincare products is often too low for an effective action. Can be used for its fragrant properties

Helps oil and water mix together and can enhance the penetration of other ingredients into the skin. It can be irritating

A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin

Three steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. To have an effect in the skin, it first needs to be converted twice to become the retinoic acid. This means it is less potent than retinol, but could also be less irritating. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, it helps against all signs of aging, improves skin cell turnover and helps fight blemishes and clogged pores. However, in many cosmetic formulations, it is used in a concentration that is too low to have the full effect

A stable derivative of vitamin C. It is oil-soluble which means it is more likely to penetrate the skin compared to the pure form of vitamin C (which is water-soluble), but it is less bio-available and is way less effective in stimulating collagen and reducing wrinkles compared to the pure form of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) and its other derivatives (for example, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate). At the same time, this vitamin C derivative has been shown in studies to be effective in reducing acne, blemishes and clogged pores. It is less irritating then the pure form of vitamin C

Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable and can penetrate the skin better than L-Ascorbic acid. It is effective in protecting the skin from free radicals, as well as evening the skin tone, but is less effective in stimulating collagen production compared to L-Ascorbic acid.

Three steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. To have an effect in the skin, it first needs to be converted twice to become the retinoic acid. This means it is less potent than retinol, but could also be less irritating. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, it helps against all signs of aging, improves skin cell turnover and helps fight blemishes and clogged pores. However, in many cosmetic formulations, it is used in a concentration that is too low to have the full effect

A plant extract that might contain arbutin, a compound that has skin-lightening properties. Might have some anti-oxidant activity. Is unlikely to be effective though in the concentrations typically used in skincare products