Skincare Terms That Sound Made Up But Aren’t (And What They Actually Mean)

Let’s be honest — skincare marketing is full of words that sound like someone typed with their eyes closed and said “that’ll do.”
You’ve seen them. You’ve googled them. Let’s break them down, real-talk style.

pH balanced lotion with humectant, non-comedogenic oils, and occlusive shea butter (did you catch all that?!)

1. Sebum

No, it’s not a villain from Star Trek. It’s your skin’s natural oil. Too little? Your skin’s dry. Too much? Your forehead’s a Slip ’N Slide. Argan Oil is awesome because it absorbs quickly. Jojoba oil is great because it mimics your sebum without being a jerk about it.

2. Comedogenic

Fancy word for “might clog your pores.”
Coconut oil? A little comedogenic. Jojoba? Usually not.
Translation: Know your skin type, and don’t panic if your bestie swears by something your face absolutely hates.

3. Occlusive

Sounds like a wizard spell. Actually just means it forms a barrier that locks in moisture. Think candelilla wax or shea butter. Occlusives are your winter skin’s best friend (unless your skin says “nah,” in which case we listen to her).

4. Humectant

Not a space alien. Just an ingredient that pulls moisture into your skin from the air. Glycerin and snow mushroom extract are both humectants. They're like little hydration magnets.

5. pH-balanced

This just means it won’t mess with your skin’s natural acidity. Your skin has a pH around 5.5 — just a bit on the acid side of things. All our leave-on products are pH balanced to 5.5 (because the fact of the matter is that the nature of a bar soap is that it is alkaline. To get around this, we “superfat” our formula with extra shea butter to leave skin soft and hydrated)

At Lavish Earth, we try to keep the jargon light — and the skincare legit.
But hey, if you ever need a glossary with a side of sass, we’ve got you.