Even the most casual of beauty users can rattle off a list of well-known skincare ingredients. Green tea, retinol, berries, exfoliating acids—we just can’t get enough of their complexion perfecting powers. But, since we’re always on the hunt for the newest and coolest products, we’ve found some new extracts you’re going to want to meet. From the latest pollution fighter to a cleansing herb that can make your skin and your spirit feel reborn, here are the new kids in skincare.

PHA

We love alpha-hydroxy and beta-hydroxy acids as much as the next person, but our latest acid crush is PHA (short for poly-hydroxy acid). Unlike AHAs and BHAs, this gentle acid stays on the skin’s surface, rather than penetrating below, to keep it from being overly irritating. It also helps draw moisture into the skin, so you don’t have to deal with dryness and peeling that’s usually associated with chemical exfoliation. One of our fave PHAs is lactobionic acid, which comes from the lactose in milk. Find it in Make P:rem’s Radiance Peeling Sleeping Pack ($30), a gel-cream that dissolves away dead skin cells to uncover dewy radiance and give skin a firm, plumped look and feel.

Centella Asiatica 

If you do have sensitive, easily irritated skin then you also need to be on the lookout for anti-inflammatory ingredients. The most promising addition to our skincare lineup? The ancient Chinese herb, centella asiatica (also known as Tiger Grass, because legend has it that tigers used to roll around in it to heal their wounds). Inflammation is the culprit behind everything from eczema to sunburns, so adding this naturally reparative extract to your routine will calm things down, making you look less red and irritated. Anytime it feels like our faces are flaking off—be it from general dryness or self-induced irritation from too many products—we turn to Make P:rem Cicapro Cream ($37). The healing cream is packed with centella asiatica, in addition to other super healers like moisture-locking glycerin, nourishing probiotics, and ultra-hydrating bamboo water to strengthen and soothe damaged skin.

Apricot

Watch out vitamin C: There’s a new brightener in town. Rich in vitamins A and C and packed with antioxidants, apricot has emerged as the new way to make you glow. Just a little bit of this fruit will help fade any discoloration, leaving your skin smooth and even-toned. For the most effective results, look for products with a potent amount of apricot extract like Blithe Gold Apricot Pressed Serum ($49), which infuses 31% cold-processed apricot to maximize brightening. This innovative whipped oil doubles up on antioxidant power—thanks to the addition of berries and turmeric—while olive and sunflower seed oils give skin an almost otherworldly glossiness (without the stickiness) that we’re totally hooked on.

Watermelon

What’s fruity, juicy, and absolutely dripping with good-for-skin antioxidants? It’s everyone’s favorite warm-weather fruit—watermelon. Packed with vitamins and amino acids, it’s the ultimate in soothing and hydrating relief. Get your fruit fix 24/7 with the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer ($39), a weightless formula that drenches skin in dewy hydration morning and night, and the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask ($45), a twice-weekly exfoliating-hydrating hybrid that delivers a fresh-faced glow overnight. Both are chock full of melon to help soothe stressed-out skin and infused with a ton of hyaluronic acid to keep skin fully hydrated for hours.

Tomato Leaf

Speaking of antioxidants, have you checked out tomato leaf extract? No? Then you are missing out on one of the best sources of pollution protection on the planet. The plant naturally fights free radicals, including environmental aggressors from smog, dirt, and  other not-so-nice particles in the air. That’s why we’re obsessed with how Blithe InBetween Makeup Prep Essence ($38) uses tomato leaf in their formula to create a barrier on the skin that literally shields it from all that junk. But that’s not all: Combined with rice and fermented soybeans—and the hyper-hydrator squalane—this lightweight serum also boosts radiance, primes your face for smooth makeup application, and even helps makeup slip off more easily at the end of the day. Talk about the total package.

Sage

This fragrant herb is good for so much more than just cooking: You can burn a bundle of it to clear away bad energy from your home or you can have an equally clarifying experience by using a sheet mask infused with sage oil to even out discoloration and purify skin. That’s right: Those deliciously scented leaves also happen to be a natural alternative to harsh brightening and detoxifying creams. The Make P:rem Safe Relief Moisture Mask ($5), specifically geared towards those with sensitive skin, is infused with it, the moisturizing powerhouse hyaluronic acid, and a nourishing Nordic berry extract to soothe, heal, and gently brighten reactive skin naturally.

Hydrolyzed Soy, Wheat, and Corn Proteins

We know that keratin amino acids are great for hydrating, firming, and building collagen in your skin but they are also derived from animals—something many of us aren’t okay with. Which is probably why we’re starting to see products that are using plant-based alternatives. Three such proteins are hydrolyzed soy, wheat, and corn. They’ll keep your skin barrier strong and help trap moisture without the guilt. The Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer ($39) features all three proteins to give you the best collagen-boosting results. It drenches your skin with oil-free, refreshingly cool moisture while nourishing and protecting against damaging free radicals. Like you needed any more reasons to love watermelons.

Which skincare ingredient can you not live without? Leave your answer in the comments below!