the skincare terms worth knowing.
MEAGA GLOWSSARY
An easier, smarter guide to ingredients, skin goals, and routine terms — made to help you understand what your skin actually needs.
Active Ingredients
The ingredients in your routine that are actually doing the targeted work — treating specific skin concerns rather than just supporting the surface.
Allantoin
A gentle, well-studied compound that softens, calms, and supports skin healing — ideal for reactive or sensitive skin.
Aloe Vera
One of skincare's most trusted calming botanicals — hydrating, soothing, and instantly comforting on irritated or sensitive skin.
AM Routine
Your morning skincare routine — focused on protecting and defending skin throughout the day.
Antioxidants
Protective ingredients that help neutralize free radicals — unstable molecules from UV, pollution, and other environmental stressors that contribute to visible skin aging.
Broad-Spectrum SPF
A sunscreen that protects against both UVA (aging) rays and UVB (burning) rays — the two types of UV radiation that affect skin.
Centella Asiatica
Helps soothe the look of redness + irritation, supports hydration + barrier function, and helps stressed skin look calmer + more resilient.
Ceramides
The skin's own structural lipids — replenishing them helps seal in moisture and keep irritants out.
Chemical vs. Physical Exfoliation
Two fundamentally different approaches to removing dead skin cells — understanding the difference helps you choose the right method for your skin.
Chromabright™
An advanced brightening molecule that helps visibly fade discoloration and support a more even complexion — without the sensitivities of traditional fade ingredients.
Comedogenic
A term used to describe the potential for an ingredient or product to contribute to clogged pores or comedones.
Copper Peptides
A potent form of peptide complex known for supporting the visible appearance of skin regeneration and resilience.
CoQ10 (Ubiquinone)
A cellular energy molecule that doubles as a powerful antioxidant — helping defend skin against environmental aging and supporting a more even-looking tone.
Dehydrated Skin vs. Dry Skin
Two skin conditions that look similar but have different causes — and different solutions.
Double Cleansing
A two-step cleansing method — an oil-based first cleanse, followed by a water-based second cleanse — for a genuinely thorough clean.
Ectoin
A rare, next-generation super-ingredient sourced from extremophile organisms that helps support hydration and defend against environmental stressors.
Emollients
Ingredients that fill the gaps between skin cells to soften, smooth, and support the barrier.
Essence
A lightweight, water-based prep step applied after cleansing to hydrate, balance, and prime skin for serums and actives.
Exfoliation
The process of removing dead skin cells from the surface to reveal smoother, brighter, more receptive skin.
Facial Oil
An oil-based skincare step typically used near the end of a routine to add emollience, softness + nourishment.
Ferulic Acid
A plant-derived antioxidant that doubles as a stabilizer for Vitamin C and E — making both work harder and last longer.
Glycerin
One of skincare's most reliable humectants — draws moisture into the skin and helps support a smooth, comfortable feel.
Glycolic Acid
An alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps visibly resurface, brighten, and smooth skin texture.
Green Tea Extract
A potent botanical antioxidant that helps calm the look of redness, support clearer-looking skin, and protect against environmental stressors.
Humectants
Ingredients that attract and draw water into the skin — the first building block of any hydrating routine.
Hyaluronic Acid
A naturally occurring molecule found in skin that helps attract and hold moisture for a plumper, more hydrated appearance.
Hydrocolloid
Hydrocolloid is an absorbent patch material that helps protect a spot + absorb surface fluid while creating a covered environment for healing.
Introducing New Actives
A strategy for adding new active ingredients to your routine without causing irritation or confusing your skin.
Jojoba Oil
A lightweight liquid wax that closely resembles the skin's own sebum, helping to condition and support a balanced skin feel.
Kaolin Clay
A gentle mineral clay that absorbs excess oil, helps draw impurities from pores, and supports a clearer-looking complexion.
Lactic Acid
A gentle alpha-hydroxy acid that helps support visible exfoliation while also acting as a hydrating humectant.
Layering Skincare
Applying products in the right order — lightest to heaviest — so each step absorbs and performs as intended.
Licorice Root Extract
A brightening botanical that helps fade the look of dark spots and supports a more even complexion — without the irritation of stronger actives.
Lipochroman™
One of the most powerful antioxidants available in skincare — a triple-action molecule that protects against oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon free radicals.
Marula Oil
A luxurious facial oil rich in oleic acid that helps nourish, condition, and support a radiant-looking complexion.
The Moisture Sandwich
A layering technique that traps water in the skin by applying humectants on damp skin, then sealing them in with an emollient or occlusive.
Niacinamide
A multi-tasking vitamin B3 that helps visibly brighten, support the skin barrier, and improve the look of uneven tone.
Occlusives
Ingredients that form a protective layer on the skin's surface to help seal in moisture and prevent water loss.
Panthenol (Vitamin B5)
A pro-vitamin of B5 that hydrates, helps calm irritation, and supports barrier repair — found across nearly every Meaga Glow formula.
Papaya Enzymes
A naturally derived enzyme exfoliant that helps gently dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells for a brighter, smoother surface.
Patch Testing
Applying a new product to a small area of skin before your full face to check for reactions before committing to regular use.
Peptides
Short chains of amino acids that act as signals in the skin, supporting the appearance of firmness, resilience, and a youthful-looking texture.
pH in Skincare
The acidity or alkalinity of a product — and why it determines whether your actives are actually working.
PM Routine
Your evening skincare routine — the time when skin shifts from protection mode to repair and renewal.
Red Algae Extract
A marine-derived extract clinically shown to support skin firmness, boost long-lasting hydration, and provide antioxidant protection.
Retinol
A gold-standard Vitamin A derivative that helps visibly improve skin texture, minimize the look of fine lines, and support an even-toned complexion.
Salicylic Acid
An oil-soluble exfoliating acid that helps support clearer-looking pores and visibly improve the look of congestion.
Serum
A concentrated, fast-absorbing treatment formula designed to deliver a high dose of actives to the skin.
Skin Barrier
The outermost protective layer of skin — responsible for keeping moisture in and environmental aggressors out.
Skin Cycling
A routine method that rotates actives across nights — with recovery nights built in — to get results without irritation.
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