Photo: skinjolie / Instagram
Getting your skincare game right is straight up confusing, with the myriad of ingredients that are so readily available, all professing to be the ONE to change your skin. Here’s our ultimate guide to the world of skincare ingredients, and which you should be using for your skin concerns. This time we put the focus on skin ageing.
Azelaic acid, coenzyme-Q10, AHAs, retinol, salicylic acid – it sure can be confusing trying to make sense of the different ingredients available in the beauty aisle, and deciding which are the right ones for your skin. These days, it almost feels as though you need a degree in chemistry to understand what’s going on in your serums and moisturisers! We know how daunting that can be, especially when you’re facing the prospect of dropping major bucks.
Which is why it’s crucial to understand which ingredients you should be looking out for, and exactly how they work to improve your skin. We tackle 3 top skin concerns in Singapore – oily, acne-prone and ageing – in a 3-part guide and highlight the best ingredients to add to your regime for flawless skin.
ALSO READ: 15 ANTI-AGEING SERUMS YOU NEED TO ADD TO YOUR SKINCARE REGIME
Ageing skin
Photo: hotsootuff / Instagram
Anti-ageing skincare is best introduced when you are in your mid-twenties, because it is one of those situations where prevention is definitely better than the cure. However, it’s never too late to get started, and if you are starting to get alarmed by the appearance of age spots, fine lines and dull skin, these are the ingredients you should definitely include in your regime.
Best ingredients for ageing skin
Photo: Sephora
Retinol – you’re probably no stranger to this powerful antioxidant. A form of vitamin A, retinol helps to fight free radicals and reduce the signs of aging while encouraging a rapid cell turnover, sweeping the dead skin cells that cause dullness. It also helps to improve your skin texture and reduces fine lines by boosting collagen and elastin. It is a powerful ally to have in your ant-aging arsenal, and concentrated formulas like this Peter Thomas Roth serum is best used in the evening as retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Photo: Sephora
Coenzyme Q10 – fun fact: your body actually produces this antioxidant to zap free radicals in cells, but as you age, your body produces less, leaving your skin more vulnerable to damage. When applied regularly, your skin becomes more plumped, reducing the appearance of fine lines. This gel mask contains not just coenzyme Q10, but also bio-peptides to restore skin’s structure and encourage collagen and elastin synthesis.
Photo: Sephora
Ceramides – this ingredient isn’t new, but the beauty world has been abuzz with it of late thanks to its impressive ability to help skin main moisture levels by binding with water to keep skin hydrated. Ceramides are natural lipids that our skin produces, and play a key role in our skin’s barrier protection. The thing is, the amount of ceramides in our skin naturally declines as we age, causing not just dry and dull skin but also redness and irritation. This is why it’s important to include this ingredient in your skincare products as you age. We like Mario Badescu’s AHA & Ceramide Moisturiser for this, as it also contains lemon extract to help reduce sun spots and pigmentation and aloe vera to soothe redness.
Sunscreen – like it or not, sunscreen is a must in your skincare regime as 75% of the signs of aging is actually caused by unprotected sun exposure. It is non-negotiable – you should be applying a broad spectrum sunscreen with a rating of SPF30 or higher daily, rain or shine. If you find it tedious (or have the habit of forgetting) to apply an extra layer of sunscreen, opt for moisturisers that already have SPF protection.
Photo: Sephora
Hyaluronic acid – there is no such thing as too much moisture, especially if youthful, glowing skin is what you’re after, and no ingredient is better for that than hyaluronic acid. A quality of youthful skin is its ability to hold water, and since we can’t stop time from ticking, the next best thing we can do is emulate this by including hyaluronic acid in our skincare. Did you know that 1 gram of hyaluronic acid has the ability to hold up to 6 liters of water? Even more impressively, new studies have shown that hyaluronic acid also provides antioxidant defense against environmental aggressors, truly making it a multi-tasking anti-aging ingredient. If your skin is in serious need of moisture, opt for a moisturiser that lists hyaluronic acid as an active ingredient, instead of a pure serum which is more suitable for oily and combination skin.
ALSO READ: WHAT TO DO TO PREVENT YOUR EYES FROM SHOWING SIGNS OF AGEING
