June 18, 2020
We all want to age gracefully, sure. But that doesn’t mean we can’t get a little help from our beauty friends, does it? If your skin is missing some of the perk of its former life, here are a few of the ingredients and products you might want to fold into your routine for plumper, dewier skin. And better yet, most of them are either plant based skincare or natural face care, so if you’re looking for a natural option to anti-aging it IS possible.
The ingredients:
Hylauronic Acid: This sugar molecule is actually a substance found naturally in our own body, and it’s a powerful one. Renowned for its ability to hold 1000 times its own weight in water, it’s the one you look for for plumping, firmness, hydration, and basically anything anti-aging. And, it’s also great for all skin types.
Peptides: These strings of amino acids help establish and build some of the essential proteins we need for healthy skin – like collagen and elastin. As you probably know, these are the ones that help with the strength and texture of our skin, both of which we start to lose as we age. They’re also known for being the “building blocks” for new collagen and elastin, so by incorporating peptides into skincare, it encourages skin cells to rebuild collagen and elastin to help with the skin’s structure, firmness and elasticity.
Retinol: Often considered the “gold standard” of anti-aging, retinol is actually a form of vitamin A. It accelerates cell turnover, refines the skin texture and aids collagen production, but can be harsh on skin and you need to build a tolerance to it. Oh and it makes you sun sensitive too
Vitamin B3: Also known as niacinamide, this guy has an impressive roll call of skin benefits including reducing pigmentation, helping with uneven skin tone, improving redness and fine lines and it’s also an antioxidant
Antioxidants: As far as ingredients go, these won’t be labeled on the back of your product as “antioxidants” but rather it’s a term used for a group of substances that work to fight against “free radicals” that compromise the skin. Free radicals are essentially highly reactive oxygen molecules which cause damage to the skin, and accelerate ageing. Antioxidants stop the free radicals from causing the damage. Look for things like vitamin C, A and E, resveratrol and green tea
The protection: It’s one thing to know all the goodies that will help fight the signs of aging, but as we all know prevention is better than cure. So what products will help protect your skin? First and foremost is sunscreen. The sun is actually the number one factor that contributes to ageing. So daily sunscreen (yes, even in winter) is a must. Next up is to choose both food and products rich in antioxidants (berries are especially good for this) as they help fight off the free radical damage. And lastly, a barrier cream will not only hydrate your skin (as dry skin is one of the side effects of ageing), it will also help strengthen a compromised skin barrier so it appears firmer and younger.