Selecting products designed specifically to address your skin concerns will lead to healthier skin. When searching for cleansers and moisturizers that meet these criteria, be wary.
This cleanser effectively combats daily dirt and pollution build-up with its blend of microbiome-friendly tremella mushroom extract and vitamin C, and moringa and shea butter hydrators.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are one of the few beauty ingredients that have long proven their worth, protecting against many common complexion concerns, from uneven skin tone to blotchiness and dullness, to dryness and flakiness. Antioxidants have also proven highly effective at reducing wrinkles and fine lines as well as stimulating collagen production for better overall skin health.
Antioxidants are molecules that act to neutralize free radicals (highly reactive particles that can damage DNA or trigger oxidative stress, leading to premature aging) by providing their electrons for stabilization, thus protecting against potential harm caused by free radicals.
Although antioxidants are abundant, some of the most sought-after in skincare products include vitamin C (known for enhancing and brightening collagen production), coenzyme Q10 (which can improve elasticity and reduce lines and wrinkles) and vitamin E – each offering moisturizing and anti-inflammatory benefits. You’ll also find these beneficial compounds found in various plant-derived extracts such as green and white tea (with its soothing properties), pomegranate juice, grape seed extracts, sea buckthorn extracts etc.
Ceramides
Ceramides help prevent moisture loss from the skin. By adding a ceramide product to your routine, ceramides will help soothe dry patches, irritation and inflammation while healing the skin at the same time.
Ceramide lipids play an integral role in creating our natural skin barrier, accounting for half of all epidermal lipids. This ‘brick and mortar’ structure consists of cholesterol and free fatty acids as a glue base and corneocyte cells as bricks – together forming the essential skin protection.
Ceramides can help replenish skin. You can find them in moisturizers, toners and serums to replenish lost ceramides that have broken down over time due to exposure to sunlight. Make sure that their packaging is airtight so as to limit direct sun light exposure which could potentially deplete them over time.
Many have shared compelling testimonials of how including ceramide products into their skincare routine has led to healthier and radiant skin. You will experience improved hydration as well as reduction in signs of aging over time when used regularly.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid, a sugar-based substance produced naturally by your body to cushion and lubricate skin, plays an essential role in skin health and beauty. Unfortunately, over time hyaluronic acid levels decrease leading to dryness and visible signs of aging.
Hyaluronic acid serum or moisturizer products can help replenish lost levels, leaving skin feeling plump, smooth, hydrated and soft. When shopping for such products, pay attention to both concentration and molecular weight of hyaluronic acid; its size should be measured using unification atomic mass units (kDa).
Smaller molecules–such as those found in The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 –can easily penetrate through the skin barrier and be absorbed by cells, leaving your complexion nourished and hydrated. While larger molecule sizes (like sodium hyaluronate) are effective as well, larger ones have difficulty penetrating deeper layers of your skin which may cause irritation; Paula’s Choice offers products with lower molecular weight for this reason.
Collagen
Collagen is an integral component of connective tissue in humans, providing strength and elasticity to skin tissue. Collagen accounts for 30% of proteins present in our bodies. Composed of various amino acids glycine, proline and hydroxyproline that form left-handed polypeptide chains that criss-cross with each other to form right-handed superhelix structures, collagen provides strength and resilience that keeps people looking their best!
Cosmetic preparations containing natural CLG (native collagen or tropocollagen) penetrate the epidermis and actively bind water molecules, helping maintain moisture in the outer layers of skin. [5]
Hydrolysate of CLG injection has also been proven to protect skin collagen and elastin against UV damage, while topical application has shown to increase hydration and elasticity through multiple mechanisms including reduced irritation, increased water content in skin tissues, promotion of fibroblast proliferation and wound healing. [67]
