You’ve probably heard or read the phrase “key ingredients” in advertisements for personal care products, but what exactly are they?

Key ingredients are the compounds in a product formulation that are specifically linked to a desired benefit. For example, some ingredients may be linked to benefits like moisturizing your skin or reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Key ingredients are the heart and soul of cosmetic formulations. And although many key ingredients are not commonly known, they serve as the powerhouse of skin care formulations to deliver results to your skin.

Key ingredients are sometimes mistakenly called “active ingredients.” While these terms may seem synonymous, they actually are quite different. Active ingredients are ingredients that are biologically active in a pharmaceutical or over-the-counter drug (OTC) and are regulated by the FDA or similar government agency depending on the market. OTC active ingredients are included in cosmetic products in order to make certain specific claims such as sun protective, anti-acne or anti-bacterial. These active ingredients are also key ingredients, but not all key ingredients are active ingredients.

To view the ingredients in any of Nu Skin’s products, visit www.nuskin.com, select your market, and click Product Information Page listed under the RESOURCES drop down menu: