Common skin care ingredients -- L

Lactic Acid: alpha hydroxy acid used in dermatology to hydrate and smooth dry, flaking skin. May occasionally be used in high concentrations as a chemical peel.

Lanolin: emollient and moisturizer; obtained from sheep; a sensitizer like other wool derivatives, in eczema-prone individuals

Lecithin: emollient and emulsifier.

Licorice Extract: skin lightener; believed to be more potent than kojic acid.

Linoleic Acid essential fatty acid, emollient and emulsifier.

Liposomes: active ingredient delivery system; hollow spheres made from phospholipids (such as lecithin) that are up to 300 times smaller than skin cells. Liposomes are filled with active agents which they carry into the skin and then gradually release.

Lysine amino acid important for colagen sysnthesis; possibly ineffective topically for that purpose.