Ingredients, explained
What each one does, who it suits, what to pair it with, and how Bangladesh's weather changes the answer.
Niacinamide
The gentlest useful active, and the one most routines should start with.
Vitamin C
A morning antioxidant for uneven tone — powerful, and fussier than its reputation suggests.
Hyaluronic Acid
A humectant, not a moisturiser — and the difference is why it sometimes backfires.
Salicylic Acid (BHA)
Oil-soluble, so it works inside a pore rather than only on the surface.
Retinol and Retinoids
The best-evidenced ingredient for texture and fine lines. The whole skill is going slowly.
Azelaic Acid
Despite the name, not an exfoliating acid — and unusually kind to reactive skin.
Centella Asiatica (Cica)
The calming ingredient Korean skincare built a category on.
Ceramides
What holds water in. The reason a moisturiser works rather than just feels nice.
Tranexamic Acid
One of the few topicals with evidence behind it for melasma.
Zinc Oxide (Mineral Sunscreen)
The filter that sits on the surface — and the one reactive skin usually gets on with.