Ingredient Spotlight: Alpha Lipoic Acid

Remember Alpha Lipoic Acid? We do.

The fixations of the skincare marketing industry shift so rapidly, it can be hard to keep up sometimes. In the shadow of buzzworthy ingredients such as epidermal growth factor, hyaluronic acid and magnesium ascorbyl palmitate, we might have forgotten about our old friend alpha lipoic acid (ALA).

Should you be using ALA? Yes, of course, and if you are using Skin Actives products you probably already are as it features in an absolutely huge percentage of our ready-made catalog. 

But as with any ingredient Skin Actives puts into one our products, temper your expectations. There are no silver bullets, magic wands or fountains of youth, and the magic 5% ALA cream isn’t a real thing.

So what should you be looking for?

Alpha Lipoic Acid Basics

Some resources on ALA talk about it as “vitamin-like.” This is because ALA is created by your body naturally, so it can’t be a vitamin, but you still benefit from getting more of it from other sources. Food sources that contain beneficial amounts of alpha lipoic acid are liver, kidney, spinach, broccoli and potatoes, but ALA can also be synthesized in a lab.

Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant so it can both prevent some free radical damage in a very minor way and also scour your cells to purge accumulated free radicals. Free radical removal is key to reversing fine lines and wrinkles, so ALA is here to help! Alpha lipoic acid is also noted for its anti-inflammatory properties.

One of the ways in which ALA gets marketed all the time is in this concept of the 5% cream.

You’ll see this concept out there: “make sure you are using a 5% cream!”

We’re not convinced about this idea of 5% and what makes this number so magical. The concept seems to be that 5% protects against photoaging, but as members of the Skin Actives family are well aware, the best skincare you can use to address the sun is to limit your exposure and wear sunscreen every day!

In our experience, alpha lipoic acid functions at its peak as an antioxidant and when it gets to team up with other antioxidants that are working to do the same job. The whole of such a fusion is greater than the sum of its parts. This is the theory that Skin Actives operates on. 

As our founder, Dr. Hannah Sivak says:

“If you want to protect yourself more effectively, try our lipophilic Antioxidant Serum containing lipoic acid, astaxanthin, vitamin E, tocotrienol, and tetrahydrocurcuminoids.”

The science of skincare continues to evolve and right now, we’re convinced that the best way to use ALA is as an antioxidant, combined with others. Below we’ll showcase some products that make use of this great synergy.

Maximizing Alpha Lipoic Acid

So what Skin Actives Products feature Alpha Lipoic Acid? Lots of them! You may have some already. Here are some of our favorites that will emphasize the complex synergies you are looking for to get the most out of your ALA experience.

Triple Correction Eye Cream - The area around our eyes is one we can be very sensitive about, and one that can be very sensitive! Erase fine lines and wrinkles with ALA, astaxanthin and tocotrienols.

Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer - HA creams are getting a lot of attention these days. And Skin Actives’ Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer is especially good at skin hydration, but with the added potency of alpha lipoic acid, astaxanthin, and tocotrienol for antioxidant action.

Ultimate Moisturizing Cream - Packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, Ultimate Moisturizing Cream is a feast for your skin. Alpha lipoic acid, astaxanthin and tocotrienols work together for antioxidant coverage while nurturing your skin.