There’s nothing simple about skincare, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth working it out. On the contrary, once you know which ingredients are best for which skin condition, you’ll never look back.
The problem is, there is so much conflicting information available about what products to use and what order to use them in. And since most of the information contains so much scientific jargon, it’s impossible to understand if the product it’s talking about is right for you and your skin. Oh, and that’s before we’ve even got down to the ingredients themselves. Argh!
There’s arguably no area of skincare more confusing than 'anti-ageing' (which we like to call 'youth-boosting' – as we're not 'anti' anything and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the natural ageing process). The only aim as far as we're concerned is preventing premature cellular ageing (which is a very separate thing to the mindless pursuit of youth for aesthetic reasons).
When our cells, including our skin cells, are exposed to things like stress, UV rays, and toxins, the cells become damaged and can age prematurely. If all of you is ageing prematurely, you won't live as long, which we can all agree is a bad thing. While there are things that are within our control to avoid, like smoking and fast food, there are other things that are part and parcel to everyday life, which we are unable to avoid like stress and sun. It's these factors that we need to counteracted with things like regular exercise, eating a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals, and when it comes to our skincare, we can include certain ingredients and add specific products into our everyday routines to prevent damage.
We’ve called upon the experts to break it down and strip skincare back to its basics with a simple list of proven ingredients to keep your skin cells in prime health. Phew.
1. RETINOIDS
While commonly referred to as ‘retinol’, the correct umbrella term is ‘a retinoid’. Retinoids are largely considered to be the ultimate anti-ageing ingredients and are clinically proven to increase cell turnover as well as stimulate collagen and elastin production within the skin, which leaves it looking and feeling plumper and smoother. Plus, they improve skin tone and can even help with breakouts and acne.
“Retinoids have been shown to have a number of beneficial effects on the skin, including helping to repair photo damage, damage from the sun, to stimulate collagen production, and to help with the improvement of the tone and texture of the skin,” explains Dr Martin Wade, Medical Director and Consultant Dermatologist, of London Real Skin.
However, there are a number of different types of retinoids and they are available in different strengths, so it can seem a little confusing if you’ve never come across the ingredient before.
All of the different types are derived from Vitamin A - the difference between them lies in the concentration. Reinoic acid (also known as Retin-A or Tretinoin) is the strongest, prescription-level retinoid that’s often used to treat acne as well as ageing. All other retinoids from strongest to weakest include retinaldehyde, retinol and then retinol esters (such as retinyl palmitate).
“My preferred choice is a prescription retinoid and we generally prescribe Tretinoin 0.025 to 0,05 % depending on what the skin can tolerate,” says Dr Wade. “The best retinol serum formulations have become very popular because they are a weaker derivative of a retinoid and they can be incorporated in a cosmeceutical way and are available to people who haven’t seen a dermatologist.”
While retinoids are amazing youth-boosting ingredients, they can also cause unwanted side effects, like dryness, peeling and irritation. “That is, except for retinal (known as retinaldehyde), which has terrific evidence and unlike other retinoids is exceptionally well tolerated,” explains Dr Ginni Mansberg, founder of ESK Skincare. If you go for a retinoid other than retinal, it’s important to start with a low concentration and work your way up depending on how your skin copes.
2. VITAMIN C
You’ve probably heard the term antioxidants bandied around the skincare world, and while it sounds technical, all it really means is an ingredient that cancels out damage caused by environmental aggressors like pollution, UV rays and stress.
Vitamin C is a highly effective antioxidant that’s especially good at preserving skin’s resilience against these environmental sources of ageing and reducing the signs of fine lines and dullness. “It also helps fight age spots and hyperpigmentation,” says Mansberg.
But, whilst vitamin C is a fantastic ingredient to prevent and repair sun-related skin ageing, it's an ultra pernickety ingredient, says Dr Mansberg. So, why's that? Well, “the only form of vitamin C with good evidence is ascorbic acid, which is notoriously unstable and only dissolves in water. In order to stabilise it (so it doesn’t oxidise/go off and turn orange), it has to be well formulated,” she adds.
“That means it needs to have more oil than water, not use too many other ingredients alongside it and be in a serum or cream with a pH of less than 3.5," Dr Mansberg further explains. "Being oil based, it can sometimes be a problem for acne prone skin and it can also occasionally irritate, so if you have sensitive skin, you may want to patch test it.”
3. SUNSCREEN
Sunscreen is not only essential in protecting skin against sun damage, but it is also one of the best tools we have to prevent skin-ageing. "Ultraviolet rays from the sun are extremely harmful to the skin and cause more than 90 per cent of the visible signs of ageing including wrinkles, sagging, rough patches and skin discolouration," confirms Dr Shirin Lakhani, advanced aesthetic doctor at Elite Aesthetics.
To make sure you are receiving adequate protection from your sunscreen, you should always choose one that has broad-spectrum protection, or specifically states that it protects against UVA and UVB rays.
UVA rays are able to penetrate down into the skin, reaching the deeper dermis and cause cellular damage and collagen loss and are the main cause of skin ageing. UVB rays reach the uppermost layer of the skin, called the epidermis, and cause sunburn.
4. ALPHA HYDROXY ACIDS
Known for their exfoliating, glow-giving properties, Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) are an important component of an anti-ageing skincare regime. While there are many different types of AHAs, including Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid and Mandelic Acid, their main role is to breakdown the bonds between dead skin cells, preventing dullness and revealing luminous, fresh skin.
Glycolic Acid is arguably the most well known AHA, and when used correctly, it can have impressive results. Ideally, it should be used as an intensive treatment for a short period of time, rather than a staple in your regime. Also, unless your dermatologist says otherwise, always opt for a product that contains less than 10% glycolic acid.
Mandelic acid is a more gentle AHA due to the fact its made up of slightly larger molecules that can’t penetrate the skin quite so deeply. This means it can be safely incorporated into your skincare regime in the long run. "You can use it in slightly higher concentrations and it gets great results," said Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme, medical director of Adonia Medical Clinic.
5. CERAMIDES
Ceramides are often referred to as the fundamental building blocks of skin, and make up 50% of the skin’s composition. They play a vital role in protecting the skin from external aggressors and helping to maintain a plump, smooth and healthy complexion.
“Ceramides help support the skin’s barrier layer for moisture retention and help hold healthy cells together. This is what keeps skin hydrated, smooth, and healthy,” says Elizabeth Arden's Consulting Dermatologist, Dr Dendy Engelman.
While the skin naturally produces ceramides, as we age the skin becomes less efficient at doing so. Plus, things like stress, sun damage and dehydration can make the skin even less efficient to produce ceramides, so topical application becomes vital.
6. HYALURONIC ACID
Known as the miracle hydration molecule, hyaluronic acid can hold over 1000 times its own weight in water, meaning it plumps like no other ingredient available. “It’s what we call a humectant, as it draws moisture from the environment into the skin to create a highly hydrating effect,” explains Dr Wade.
The skin produces hyaluronic acid naturally, but as we age, our natural reserves begin to deplete, making topical top ups necessary. When it’s applied to the skin, it behaves a bit like a sponge, absorbing all the moisture from the air and subsequent skincare products.
It’s for this reason that skin experts recommend investing in the best hyaluronic acid serum formulas that contain multi-molecular weight of the ingredient. Essentially, this just means different sizes of hyaluronic acid, so it’s able to penetrate deeper into the skin as well as sit on the surface, for deep hydration as well as a dewy complexion.
7. NIACINAMIDE
“Vitamin B3 or niacinamide is the ultimate allrounder in skincare with evidence for a wide range of benefits,” says Dr Mansberg. The ingredient can help to reduce pigmentation, blotchiness, skin yellowing and minimise fine lines and wrinkles. On top of this, it helps improve skin barrier function, “which not only improves the moisture content of the skin but also makes it a great ingredient to help with a range of conditions including rosacea and eczema,” she adds.
If that wasn't enough, niacinamide also helps reduce excess oil secretion and is antimicrobial which helps control acne. “All this and it's very well tolerated making vitamin B3 one of the most versatile skincare ingredients."
8. PEPTIDES
Peptides are everywhere in skincare when it comes to youth-boosting and for good reason. They are fragments of proteins that work in a number of different ways. “The first is by creating signals that our cells respond to (e.g. signalling to fibroblasts in our skin to make more collagen),” says Dr Mansberg. “The second is carrying or stabilising trace elements (like copper) which helps with processes like wound healing,” she adds. “The third is instigating muscle contractions or relaxations and the forth is by suppressing ”bad" enzymes responsible for prematurely ageing skin." Sounds pretty nifty, right?
The most common peptides found in skincare are Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide 7 (anti inflammatory), Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (stimulates collagen) and Palmitoyl Tripeptide 1 (stimulates collagen). There is still quite a bit of work to be done on concluding the effectiveness of peptides in use at home for concrete youth-boosting evidence due their the ability to penetrate the skin. However they have great promise and are likely an ingredient we'll see more studies about in the future.
