Skincare ingredients can get a little... much.

Every five minutes there's another ingredient we're apparently all supposed to know about (and pronounce), and it can be hard to work out what's genuinely useful and what's simply having a very good PR moment.

At Oh Natural, we're much more interested in whether an ingredient actually earns its place in a formula.

So if you've ever wondered what ingredients to look for in skincare, here are four you'll find in the Oh Natural range, what they actually do, and why we chose them.

Niacinamide: the brilliant all-rounder

Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3 and one of those ingredients that does a surprising amount without needing to make a huge fuss about it.

It can help support the skin barrier, balance skin, calm the appearance of redness and support a more even-looking skin tone.

You'll find niacinamide in our Glow Script Serum and Main Character Energy Face Cream, where it works alongside other skin-loving ingredients rather than trying to be the star of the entire show.

Vitamin C (SAP): for brightness and glow

Vitamin C is probably one of the better-known skincare ingredients, but there are actually several different forms of it.

In our Glow Script Serum, we use Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP), a stable, skin-friendly form of Vitamin C. It provides antioxidant support and helps support brighter, more even-looking skin and collagen over time.

Basically, all the reasons we love Vitamin C, in a form designed to play nicely with your skin.

Kakadu Plum: naturally rich in Vitamin C

Kakadu Plum is an Australian native fruit known for being exceptionally rich in naturally occurring Vitamin C.

You'll find it in our Main Character Energy Face Cream, where it's included to support brighter, more even-looking skin alongside niacinamide, CoQ10 and nourishing plant oils.

And yes, putting two excellent Vitamin C-related ingredients in the same skincare routine is allowed. Nobody is policing this. 😂

Marula Oil: nourishment without the drama

Marula Oil is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants and helps support soft, comfortable-feeling skin and the skin barrier.

It's one of the oils you'll find in our Soft Launch Oil-to-Milk Cleanser, which was very deliberately formulated to cleanse without leaving your face feeling like someone has removed the top three layers along with your makeup.

Because "squeaky clean" has never been our skincare aspiration.

So, which skincare ingredients do you actually need?

Probably fewer than the internet would have you believe.

Rather than trying to collect every trending active, we'd rather formulate products where each ingredient has a reason for being there and the whole formula works beautifully together.

Because ultimately, skincare isn't an ingredient-collecting competition.

You want products that work, feel beautiful to use and make looking after your skin something you actually enjoy.

That's what we're trying to make.

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