Is it just us, or do skincare products screaming ‘anti-aging’ sound more alluring than those that simply say ‘for moist skin?’ Anyone? No? Okay.
Well, if you’re like us and are constantly striving for an anti-fine lines look, you know how daunting it can be to find a product that can permanently nix the wrinkles and lift sagging skin.
It doesn’t also help that skincare products today are a bit like pop stars. New sensations keep grabbing headlines with much-vaunted prospects, but as soon as you get into the groove, they quickly vanish into obscurity.
Fortunately for you, we decided to take up the mantle and conducted extensive research on the best anti-aging ingredients. (For the record, we’re defining anti-aging ingredients as products that can help prevent or reverse signs of aging like dark spots, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles.)
So keep paginating and discover the only anti-aging ingredients that actually work, according to skincare experts.
The Hydrating Heroes: AHAs & BHAS
These are some of the most popular skincare ingredients in the 21st Century – and thats for a reason.
According to research, alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids are some of the most effective anti-agers. These ingredients work to clear off the dead outer layer of your skin and ushering the new.
In doing so, your skin appears more toned, fine lines and dark spots are minimized, and your once dry skin becomes hydrated. Plus, they are some of the best collagen simulators.
The Glow Getter: Hyaluronic Acid
It’s nigh impossible to sift through the skincare shelves without coming across a product that claims to feature hyaluronic acid.
A naturally occurring humectant, hyaluronic acid retains up to 1,000 times its weight in water. The result is smooth, hydrated skin that’s supple and bouncy. It’s like a sister to collagen.
To use the ingredient, imbibe it through serum or moisturizer and apply it when your skin is damp to stimulate the hydrating effect.
The MVP of Anti-Aging Ingredients: Niacinamide
The relationship between vitamin B3 and the skin has been recognized since the 1900s, when it was found that a deficiency of the nutrient triggers skin irritation.
Fast forward to the 21st Century, and now, Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 has become one of the essential skincare ingredients to have in your arsenal.
The product helps calm inflamed skin and is generally well-tolerated for all skin types. Niacinamide also offers you the added benefit of brightening your skin and targeting unwanted pigmentation.
Additionally, Niacinamide has been proven to boost ceramide, improve microcirculation, and enhance elasticity.
So, if you’ve been worried about fine lines and wrinkles, this is the ingredient for you.
The Peerless Pore Blaster: Retinol
How many times have you seen beauty bloggers deeming retinol the ‘black card of anti-aging ingredients?’ Well, there’s a reason for that.
You see, the vitamin A derivative – both in its potent form, retinoic acid, as well as its mild OTC iteration, which your boy converts into retinoic acid – works significantly to help increase cell-cycle turnover.
As a result, retinol helps boost skin texture, minimize pore size, and reduce hyperpigmentation. It also features powerful antioxidant properties that protect your skin from free radicals damage and help in collagen production.
However, since it’s one of the most potent skincare ingredients, many dermatologists recommend using it in small doses. You also have to ensure that you use zinc and titanium sunscreens (they’re free of synthetic chemicals) when using the product.
The Unrivalled Plumper: Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of those skincare ingredients worth stashing into your beauty arsenal. It features potent antioxidant properties that help reduce the intensity of dark spots.
You see, most skincare products feature molecules that are too big to penetrate your skin, but Vitamin C’s are small enough to have that effect.
According to experts, the best form of Vitamin C is Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate since it penetrates the skin more effortlessly. Once in your system, the product slowly transforms into ascorbic acid to help reduce inflammation, get rid of age spots, and prevent melanin production.
For the science nerds out there, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate works by ‘blocking melanin formation by reducing precursors to melanin and inhibiting free radicals damage.’ It also inhibits melanin formation triggered by UVA-irradiation, reducing dark spots and age spots over time.
The Skincare Must-Have: Sunscreen
Sunscreen might not be an ingredient, but it’s one of those products that are integral to your daily skincare routine.
Sun exposure triggers hyperpigmentation, dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles. Therefore using sunscreen with a high SPF (35 to 50) can help reverse aging and allow you to enjoy that dewy and youthful look.
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