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Ingredient Glossary

Every ingredient in the FARQ system is here because it serves a specific, evidence-backed function. This glossary covers every ingredient across all four products - what it is and why it's in the formula.

Fragrance FreeParaben FreePhthalate-FreeCruelty-FreeHypoallergenicMade in CanadaDermatologist TestedClinically Studied Ingredients

Filters

Aa

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Evenness & dullness · Damage protection

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A stable, gentle form of vitamin C that converts to its active form at the skin's surface. Helps even out tone and soften the look of marks — including the ones shaving irritation leaves behind.

Ingredient type: Solvent
Target: Base / carrier

Appears in following products

Why we use it

The base that carries and dissolves everything else.

Ingredient type: Soothing agent
Target: Soothing & comfort · Hydration

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Hydrates and soothes, including the surface irritation that comes after a close shave. At 20% of the formula it's doing real work, not sitting on the label.

Ingredient type: Soothing agent
Target: Soothing & comfort

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Calms irritated skin — useful for the redness and micro-irritation daily shaving leaves behind.

Ingredient type: Texture agent
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A thickener derived from algae that gives the formula its body.

Bb

Ingredient type: Preservative
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A preservative that protects the formula against bacteria and mould.

Ingredient type: Humectant
Target: Hydration

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A lightweight humectant that draws moisture into skin and helps other ingredients absorb.

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Hydration · Soothing & comfort

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A soothing, moisture-binding ingredient that calms skin. Part of why a 15% vitamin C formula doesn't behave like one.

Cc

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Damage protection · Evenness & dullness

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Helps visibly reduce morning puffiness and leaves skin looking less tired. An antioxidant in its own right. This is the ingredient you'll notice first.

Ingredient type: Texture agent
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A plant-derived texture agent that helps the product spread smoothly and absorb without residue.

Ingredient type: Texture agent
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A thickener that gives the formula its gel-cream texture.

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Skin's protective layer · Hydration

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A lipid of the same type your skin already makes. Helps replenish the moisture barrier — the layer daily shaving wears down, and the one retinoids can leave feeling thin.

Ingredient type: Emollient
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A fatty alcohol — not the drying kind. It thickens the formula and gives it a creamy texture.

Ingredient type: Emulsifier
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

An olive-derived emulsifier that softens skin and keeps the formula stable.

Ingredient type: Colourant
Target: Colour

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A plant-derived colourant from the annatto seed.

Ingredient type: pH adjuster
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Why we use it

From citrus fruit. Used in small amounts to balance the formula's pH so it sits comfortably on skin.

Ingredient type: Cleansing agent
Target: Cleansing

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A gentle, coconut-derived cleansing agent that creates a light foam without stripping — which matters on skin already stressed from shaving.

Ingredient type: Texture agent
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A ring-shaped molecule derived from sugar. It holds the retinoid inside its structure, which keeps it stable in the formula — so the last pump works as well as the first.

Dd

Ingredient type: Preservative
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Ingredient type: Emollient
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A lightweight emollient that smooths skin without feeling greasy.

Ingredient type: Emollient
Target: Texture & feel · Skin's protective layer

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A silicone. It sits on the surface, smooths texture and slows water loss. It doesn't absorb into skin and it doesn't clog pores.

Ingredient type: Cleansing agent
Target: Cleansing

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A mild cleansing agent derived from coconut and an amino acid. Cleans thoroughly without harsh detergents.

Ee

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Hydration · Skin's protective layer · Damage protection

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Found in bacteria that survive in desert salt flats by building a shell of bound water around themselves. Helps skin hold hydration and buffer everyday environmental load — wind, cold, pollution, dry office air.

Ingredient type: Emollient
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A lightweight emollient that softens skin and improves how the product spreads.

Ingredient type: Preservative
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Boosts the performance of other preservatives, which means less of them is needed. Also conditions skin.

Gg

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Damage protection

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A plant-derived antioxidant that helps protect skin against environmental stress.

Ingredient type: Humectant
Target: Hydration

Appears in following products

Why we use it

One of the most reliable hydrators there is. Draws water into skin and holds it.

Ingredient type: Emollient
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A coconut-derived emollient that also helps the preservative system work.

Ingredient type: Emulsifier
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Keeps oil and water blended so the formula stays smooth and doesn't separate.

Ingredient type: Emulsifier
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A self-emulsifying version of glyceryl stearate, used to stabilise the night cream's richer texture.

Hh

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Hydration · Lines & texture

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A humectant that holds a large amount of water relative to its weight, keeping the upper layers of skin hydrated and looking plump. Vitamin C also works better on hydrated skin.

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Lines & texture · Evenness & dullness

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A next-generation retinoid that works without the conversion step conventional retinol needs — which is why the adjustment period is shorter and gentler. With consistent use, supports smoother-looking texture and softer-looking fine lines.

Ll

Ingredient type: Cleansing agent
Target: Cleansing

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A mild, coconut-derived cleansing agent.

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Skin's protective layer · Oil & clogged pores

Appears in following products

Why we use it

An omega-6 fatty acid. Supports the skin's protective layer — one of the fats skin uses to build it.

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Skin's protective layer · Soothing & comfort

Appears in following products

Why we use it

An omega-3 fatty acid that supports the protective layer and helps calm irritation.

Mm

Ingredient type: Cleansing agent
Target: Cleansing

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A mild cleansing and conditioning agent.

Nn

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Evenness & dullness · Oil & clogged pores · Skin's protective layer

Appears in following products

Why we use it

One of the most studied ingredients in skincare. Helps refine the appearance of pores and reduce the look of oil, and supports the skin's protective layer. Particularly useful on men's skin, which tends to run oilier.

Oo

Ingredient type: Texture agent
Target: Texture & feel · Oil & clogged pores

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Absorbs excess oil and smooths the finish so a night cream doesn't sit shiny on the skin.

Pp

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Lines & texture

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Half of the Matrixyl 3000 peptide complex. Helps calm skin and supports a firmer-looking surface.

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Lines & texture

Appears in following products

Why we use it

The other half of Matrixyl 3000, one of the most documented peptide systems in cosmetics. Supports firmer-looking skin over time.

Ingredient type: Preservative
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Why we use it

The most widely used and best-studied preservative in modern skincare. Keeps the formula safe from the day you open it to the day you finish it.

Ingredient type: Emulsifier
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Helps oil- and water-based ingredients blend evenly.

Ingredient type: pH adjuster
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Used in very small amounts to bring the formula's pH to where skin is comfortable.

Ss

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Oil & clogged pores · Lines & texture

Appears in following products

Why we use it

An exfoliating acid that's oil-soluble, so it works through the oil on skin rather than sitting on top of it. That's what makes it useful for skin that gets shaved daily: it keeps the surface clear and smooth. At 2%, the maximum permitted in a cosmetic in Canada.

Ingredient type: Emollient
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A lightweight, non-greasy form of shea butter that softens and conditions without the heaviness.

Ingredient type: Texture agent
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Used in small amounts to thicken the cleanser's gel.

Ingredient type: pH adjuster
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Why we use it

Balances pH and helps stabilise the formula's texture.

Ingredient type: Emulsifier
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A mild emulsifier derived from an amino acid, which also conditions skin.

Ingredient type: Preservative
Target: Stability & preservation

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A naturally derived preservative that protects against mould and yeast.

Ingredient type: Emulsifier
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

An olive-derived emulsifier that keeps the texture smooth and stable.

Ingredient type: Emollient
Target: Texture & feel · Hydration

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A lightweight oil similar to one skin makes naturally. Softens and moisturises without adding shine — which matters on skin that's already oilier.

Ingredient type: Emollient
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A fatty acid that thickens the formula and helps hold its texture together. Not an exfoliating acid.

Tt

Ingredient type: Active
Target: Evenness & dullness · Damage protection · Lines & texture

Appears in following products

Why we use it

An oil-soluble form of vitamin C that moves through the skin's lipid layer to work deeper. Gentler than plain vitamin C — which matters on skin dealing with regular shaving irritation. One of the most expensive raw materials in skincare.

Xx

Ingredient type: Texture agent
Target: Texture & feel

Appears in following products

Why we use it

A plant-derived thickener that gives the formula its texture and keeps everything evenly mixed.

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