Chaé Skincare Regimen – 4 Simple Steps for all skin types
Chaé’s four-step routine (cleanse or exfoliate, mist, serum, moisturize) with the products to reach for at each step, whatever your skin type.
CoQ10 for Skin: What It Does in a Face Cream and How to Choose One
CoQ10 is one of the few skincare ingredients your own body makes. Here is what it is, what it actually does in a face cream, how ubiquinone and ubiquinol differ, and what to look for when you choose a CoQ10 moisturizer.
Coenzyme Q10 shows up on supplement shelves and in face creams, and the two get mixed up all the time. One is something you swallow for the rest of your body. The other is something you put on your face for how your skin looks and feels.
This guide is about the second one: what CoQ10 does in a cream or lotion, what the research does and doesn’t show, and how to read a CoQ10 moisturizer’s label so you know what you are getting.
The short version
- CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) is an antioxidant your body makes. It is found in nearly every cell, where it helps produce energy, and levels in skin drop with age and sun exposure.
- In a face cream it is an antioxidant: it helps skin look radiant and refreshed. Studies show it can raise skin’s own CoQ10 level when applied.
- Most creams use ubiquinone, the stable form. Ubiquinol, popular in supplements, is less stable in a jar.
- CoQ10 works best with partners: a stable vitamin C, a peptide and hydrators such as hyaluronic acid.
- Look for CoQ10 listed by name, in opaque packaging, from a brand that tells you everything else in the formula.
What Is CoQ10?
Coenzyme Q10 is a fat-soluble molecule made by the body and found in almost every cell. Its main job is in the mitochondria, the parts of the cell that turn food into energy. It is also an antioxidant, one of the molecules that help neutralize the unstable oxygen molecules that build up from sunlight, pollution and everyday wear.
Skin makes its own CoQ10, but researchers have found that levels in skin decline with age and with sun exposure. That is the idea behind putting it in skincare: give skin a little more of an antioxidant it already uses.
What Does CoQ10 Do in a Face Cream?
In a moisturizer, CoQ10 is there for antioxidant support, to help skin look radiant, refreshed and more awake. The research is promising, and it is worth knowing what it covers:
- A 1999 review by researchers at Beiersdorf, the company behind Nivea’s Q10 creams, reported that CoQ10 applied to skin reached the living layers of the epidermis and reduced signs of oxidation there.
- A 2015 study by the same company, a randomized two-week trial in 73 women, found that a CoQ10 cream and serum raised the skin’s own CoQ10 level and improved its antioxidant capacity.
Those are encouraging results, and they come from a company that sells CoQ10 creams, which is worth keeping in mind. What they support is CoQ10 as an antioxidant ingredient that skin can take up. That is how we use it: as one part of a moisturizer built to help skin look brighter, smoother and better hydrated.
Ubiquinone vs. Ubiquinol
CoQ10 exists in two forms, and you will see both names on labels:
| Ubiquinone | Ubiquinol | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The oxidized form of CoQ10 | The reduced form of CoQ10 |
| Where you see it | Most face creams and lotions | Mostly supplements |
| Stability | More stable in a formula | Converts back to ubiquinone easily when exposed to air |
| On our label | Yes: “Ubiquinone (CoQ10)” | No |
Your body switches between the two forms all the time, so neither is “fake” CoQ10. In a cream that sits in a jar on your counter, ubiquinone’s stability is the practical advantage.
CoQ10 Lotion, Cream or Serum?
The CoQ10 is the same; the texture is what changes. A lotion is lighter and spreads easily, which suits oily skin, warm weather or the body. A cream is richer and better for dry skin and nighttime. A serum is the lightest and is meant to go under a moisturizer.
Ours sits in between: a velvety moisturizer that feels cushiony and silky, absorbs well and leaves skin soft and bouncy, not oily. It works morning and night, and over a serum.
What to Look For in a CoQ10 Moisturizer
- CoQ10 named on the label, as ubiquinone or coenzyme Q10. Brands rarely give the percentage, and “highest strength” claims are hard to check, so look at the whole formula rather than one number.
- Good partners. CoQ10 does more alongside a stable form of vitamin C, a peptide, and hydrators such as hyaluronic acid and squalane.
- Opaque packaging. CoQ10 is sensitive to light, so a clear jar on a sunny windowsill isn’t ideal.
- A full, readable ingredient list, and an independent certification. Ours is Certified ToxicFree® and Leaping Bunny certified.
What’s in Our CoQ10 Moisturizer
Our CoQ10 Revitalizing Moisturizer blends CoQ10 with a stable vitamin C, a peptide, nutrient-rich oils and deep hydrators. Here is the formula, grouped by what each part does:
- The actives: CoQ10 (ubiquinone) for antioxidant support; ethyl ascorbic acid, a stable form of vitamin C, for a brighter, more even-looking tone; tripeptide-2 for smoother, firmer-looking skin.
- Hydration: organic aloe leaf juice is the first ingredient, ahead of water, with sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid), vegetable glycerin, sodium PCA, sodium lactate and glyceryl glucoside.
- Oils and barrier support: squalane, organic jojoba oil, avocado oil, plum seed oil and organic coconut oil, with safflower oleosomes.
- A botanical boost: extracts of bamboo, pea, lentil, oat, apple, wild pansy, watermelon and African birch bark.
- Vitamin E: mixed tocopherols and tocopheryl acetate.
- The base: olive-derived emulsifiers (cetearyl olivate and sorbitan olivate) give it its velvety texture. The scent is light and botanical, with a touch of grapefruit oil.
How to Use a CoQ10 Moisturizer
- When: morning and/or night, on clean skin.
- After your serum: apply it over a serum if you use one. We pair it with Perfection or Eracer for uneven-looking skin, NuAge for mature skin, or INFUSION for dull, tired-looking skin.
- Where: gently massage it onto your face, neck and the backs of your hands, taking care around the delicate eye area.
- In the morning: finish with sunscreen. Antioxidants and sun protection work best together.
- New to it? Try it on a small patch for a few days first.
What a moisturizer can and can’t do
A good moisturizer can help skin look more radiant, smoother and firmer and feel better hydrated, and the right ingredients make a visible difference. In the U.S., a product sold to treat a skin condition, or to change the skin’s structure, is regulated as a drug. Our CoQ10 moisturizer is a cosmetic, and our claims are about how skin looks and feels. If you are concerned about a skin condition, talk with a dermatologist.
The Bottom Line
CoQ10 is an antioxidant your skin already uses, and the research shows skin can take it up from a cream. On its own it is one helpful ingredient; in a well-built moisturizer, alongside a stable vitamin C, a peptide and real hydrators, it becomes part of a routine that helps skin look more awake. Look for it by name, in opaque packaging, with a full ingredient list, and wear sunscreen in the morning.
FAQ: CoQ10 for Skin
What does CoQ10 do for your skin?
It is an antioxidant. In a face cream it helps skin look radiant and refreshed, and studies show skin can take up CoQ10 applied to it, raising its own CoQ10 level.
Is a CoQ10 lotion the same as a CoQ10 cream?
The CoQ10 is the same; the texture differs. Lotions are lighter, creams are richer. Ours is a velvety moisturizer in between, cushiony but never oily.
What’s the difference between ubiquinone and ubiquinol?
They are two forms of CoQ10. Ubiquinone, the form in most creams including ours, is more stable in a formula. Ubiquinol is common in supplements and converts back to ubiquinone easily in air.
Can I use CoQ10 with vitamin C?
Yes. They work well together, and our CoQ10 moisturizer contains both: CoQ10 and ethyl ascorbic acid, a stable form of vitamin C.
Can I use a CoQ10 moisturizer every day?
Yes. Ours is made for morning and/or night use. In the morning, follow it with sunscreen.
Is CoQ10 cream good for sensitive skin?
CoQ10 is generally well tolerated, but every formula is different. Patch test any new moisturizer on a small area for a few days before using it all over your face.
Sources
- Hoppe U, Bergemann J, Diembeck W, et al. “Coenzyme Q10, a cutaneous antioxidant and energizer.” BioFactors 9(2–4), 371–378 (1999).
- Knott A, Achterberg V, Smuda C, et al. “Topical treatment with coenzyme Q10-containing formulas improves skin’s Q10 level and provides antioxidative effects.” BioFactors 41(6), 383–390 (2015).
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health — Coenzyme Q10.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration — Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?)
Product spotlight
Our CoQ10 Revitalizing Moisturizer is Certified ToxicFree® and Leaping Bunny certified. Pair it with the serum that fits your skin.
CoQ10 Revitalizing Moisturizer
Firming, brightening moisture that makes skin look more awake—fast.
$59.95 · save 15% with Subscribe & Save
Shop now
INFUSION Advanced Serum - Visible Skin Radiance
Glow, bounce and all-day moisture for skin that looks dull, tired or stressed.
$59.99 · save 15% with Subscribe & Save
Shop INFUSION Advanced Serum
NuAge Peptide Serum
Lift, smooth, and restore—skin that looks as strong as it feels.
Original price was: $65.95.$32.98Current price is: $32.98. · save 15% with Subscribe & Save
Shop NuAge Peptide Serum
Perfection Brightening Serum
Vitamin C glow—without the sting. Brighter tone, calmer skin, and a smoother look.
$59.95 · save 15% with Subscribe & Save
Shop now
