Skincare protects South American (4)
I believe the answer is:
inca
'south american' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'skincare protects' is the wordplay.
'protects' says the answer is hidden in the clue (I've seen 'protecting' mean this).
'INCA' is hidden within 'skincare'.
(Other definitions for inca that I've seen before include "Andean culture" , "Pre-conquest South American people" , "lived in Peru" , "Pre-conquest Andean" , "S. Am native, lord in Quechua" .)