Understanding Your Ingredients

Every Mary Kay® skin care product is the result of innovative technology combined with proven-effective ingredients. That’s why you can trust the products you use to deliver the real results you want. But understanding the specific benefits each ingredient provides can be confusing. Here’s a helpful glossary of ingredients in some of our favorite products.

To make products women love, it matters what goes into our products. Ingredients are critical to our innovation. From age-fighting to acne solutions and everything in between, our team sets out to find ingredients that are effective. Through the latest research methodologies, our scientists look for new technologies and new ingredients, and then we tirelessly test each innovation to ensure we deliver real results.

 

These key ingredients make our skin care effective. We want women everywhere to feel confident about the science behind their skin care and love the real results they experience.

Dr. Lucy Gildea, Mary Kay Chief Scientific Officer

ACTIVATED CHARCOAL

Activated charcoal can act like a magnet to withdraw dirt and debris from pores.

Clear Proof® Deep-Cleansing Charcoal Mask

BOTANICAL EXTRACTS 

Botanical extracts are derived from plants, flowers or fruits that are rich in elements like vitamins and minerals that are good for your skin. Packed with nutrients, dragon fruit is a standout superfruit containing fatty acids, several B-complex vitamins and antioxidants. Aloe is shown to help maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and has high vitamin E content, a popular antioxidant in skin care.

Botanical Effects® Invigorating Scrub

Botanical Effects® Cleansing Gel

Botanical Effects® Refreshing Toner

Botanical Effects® Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 Sunscreen

Botanical Effects® Moisturizing Gel

 

GLYCOLIC ACID

A highly effective exfoliant and the most widely recognized alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), the power of glycolic acid enhances skin’s own renewal process.  

TimeWise Repair® Revealing Radiance™ Facial Peel

TimeWise Body™ Smooth-Action™ Cellulite Gel Cream

HYALURONIC ACID 

Hyaluronic acid (HA) occurs naturally in the skin, but its amount decreases with age. HA provides essential cushioning, holding onto moisture that can actually plump skin from within.

TimeWise Repair® Volu-Fill™ Deep Wrinkle Filler

PEPTIDE

Peptides can act as signals in the skin to help support processes important for skin health.

TimeWise Repair® Volu-Firm® Set 

PLANT STEM CELLS 

Plant stem cells, which come from a very specific portion of a plant, have the remarkable ability to make other plant stem cells while maintaining their original form. Utilizing advanced technology, plant stem cells are cultivated and used in skin care formulas to deliver advanced age-fighting benefits. 

TimeWise Repair® Volu-Firm® Set 

RETINOL

Retinol is an age-fighting superstar, known to encourage cell turnover and renewal. It’s also known to support collagen and elastin that can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

TimeWise Repair® Volu-Firm® Night Treatment With Retinol

TimeWise Repair® Volu-Fill™ Deep Wrinkle Filler

 

SALICYLIC ACID 

Salicylic acid helps clear up existing blemishes and prevent future breakouts. It acts like an exfoliant to promote the easy removal of dead skin cells, keeping pores unclogged and reducing the buildup of bacteria.

Clear Proof® Pore-Purifying Serum

Clear Proof® Clarifying Cleanser 

Clear Proof® Blemish Control Toner 

SUNSCREEN 

Two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, damage the skin, age it prematurely and increase your risk of skin cancer.  If you’re serious about age-fighting, an effective sunscreen product should be part of your daily beauty regimen. 

TimeWise® Day Solution Sunscreen SPF 35 

TimeWise Repair® Volu-Firm® Day Cream With SPF 30

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C can do amazing things for skin. It’s known to help improve skin radiance and even skin tone, in addition to playing a role in supporting natural collagen and elastin that can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.    

TimeWise® Vitamin C Activating Squares™ 

TimeWise® Replenishing Serum+C®