Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · Last reviewed · 6 min read · Assessed personally by Dr Sin Yong · Jump to questions
Every ingredient on this list gets the same treatment: what it actually is, what the peer-reviewed evidence supports, what it cannot do, and when it belongs in a physician's plan rather than a shopping cart. No sponsorships, no affiliate links — a working library that grows as patients ask.
WhatsApp Dr Sin Yong →The library so far — each entry covers mechanism, evidence, limits and cautions:
Exosomes — the most hyped regenerative ingredient in aesthetics, and what the evidence versus the marketing actually says.
Tranexamic acid — the melasma-modulating active with genuine meta-analysis support, in creams and in clinics.
Arbutin — the gentler tyrosinase inhibitor: how it lightens pigment and where it plateaus.
Hydrocortisone (incl. Xepacort) — the pharmacy steroid cream Singapore reaches for too readily: real uses, and the facial-skin trap.
Azelaic Acid — a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid used for acne, rosacea and pigmentation, with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and pigment-modulating effects.
Benzoyl Peroxide — an antibacterial acne treatment that kills acne bacteria and helps clear blocked pores without promoting antibiotic resistance.
Centella Asiatica — a medicinal plant extract used in skincare to calm irritation and support skin repair, often labelled cica.
Ceramides — waxy lipids that make up a large part of the skin barrier, used in moisturisers to restore barrier function and reduce dryness.
Chemical Sunscreen Filters — carbon-based molecules in sunscreens that absorb ultraviolet light and release it as a small amount of heat.
Cysteamine — a naturally occurring aminothiol used in short-contact creams to reduce excess pigment, mainly in melasma.
Glycolic Acid — the smallest alpha hydroxy acid, used to loosen dead surface cells and improve texture, dullness and uneven tone.
Hyaluronic Acid (Topical) — a water-binding sugar molecule used in serums and moisturisers to hydrate the skin surface and improve its smooth, plump feel.
Hydroquinone (prescription) — a prescription depigmenting medicine that strongly inhibits melanin production, used under medical supervision for melasma and hyperpigmentation.
Kojic Acid — a fungal-derived tyrosinase inhibitor used in skincare to reduce uneven pigmentation and dark spots.
Lactic Acid — a gentle alpha hydroxy acid that exfoliates the skin surface and also acts as a humectant, drawing water into the skin.
Minoxidil (Topical) — a topical medicine applied to the scalp to slow hair loss and support regrowth in male and female pattern hair loss.
Niacinamide — a water-soluble form of vitamin B3 used in skincare to support the skin barrier, calm redness and reduce the transfer of pigment.
PDRN / Polynucleotides — purified DNA fragments, usually from salmon, used in injectable and topical products to support skin repair and hydration.
Peptides — short chains of amino acids used in skincare as messengers intended to support collagen, firmness and skin repair.
Retinol — a cosmetic form of vitamin A that the skin converts into retinoic acid, used to improve fine lines, texture and uneven tone.
Salicylic Acid — an oil-soluble beta hydroxy acid that exfoliates inside the pore, used for blackheads, whiteheads and oily, acne-prone skin.
Tretinoin (prescription) — a prescription retinoid that acts directly on skin retinoid receptors, used medically for acne and for sun-related skin ageing.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) — an antioxidant vitamin used topically to help neutralise free radicals, support collagen production and brighten uneven pigmentation.
Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide (Mineral Sunscreen Filters) — inorganic mineral particles used in sunscreens to filter ultraviolet light, mainly by absorbing it, with some scattering and reflection.
Ingredients are tools, and tools serve diagnoses. An active that transforms one condition irritates another — tranexamic acid earns its keep in melasma but does nothing for red vascular marks; hydrocortisone calms a flare and quietly maintains perioral dermatitis. Start from the condition (the condition library covers 52), then ask which ingredient serves it — not the other way round. That single reversal saves more skincare money than any discount code ever written.
“Ingredients are tools, and tools serve diagnoses — start from what your skin actually has, not from what the aisle is selling this month.”
— Dr Sin Yong
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Every entry is physician-written and cites the peer-reviewed literature it relies on. Where evidence is thin or marketing outruns data, the entry says so — that honesty is the point of the library.
No. Nothing in this library is sold, sponsored or affiliate-linked. Where an ingredient belongs in clinical care, the entry says how it is used in-clinic.
Yes — the library grows from what patients ask in consults and what Singapore searches. Suggestions are welcome via WhatsApp.
Explained, never dosed. Prescription-class actives get mechanism and cautions, with supervision stated plainly — this library informs conversations with doctors, it does not replace them.
Sometimes — and the entries say when. Skincare has real jobs; so do devices and injectables. Matching the tier to the problem is what the assessment is for.
Because the limits are what marketing omits, and knowing them is what protects your money and your skin. An honest ceiling beats an inflated promise.
Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong, MBBS (NUS), MRCS (Edinburgh) · Last updated 7 September 2026 · Editorial policy