Six effective ingredients you must know for your anti-ageing routine

I was around 25 when standing in front of the mirror, disappointed and maybe shocked, I noticed the first wrinkle coming out on my face. There is no magic button or pill to slow down the time – I searched a lot! Sooner or later you will have to fight with the small laugh lines, the crow’s feet, the deep wrinkles and the dark spots that will start appearing one after the other, without even asking you.

After promising to myself that I will wear sunscreen every single day, I searched for the best anti aging products on the market. It seems people don’t like getting old; there were tons of them with dozens of active substances, making claims sometimes persuasive and sometimes more than fraudulent. Taking a closer look on recent researches I found some active ingredients that can actually help drop a decade off your skin:

Q10

Q10 is an enzyme that is responsible for producing the energy our skin cells need in order to renew and regenerate. Moreover, it is a very potent antioxidant; it fights the free radicals reducing the cellular damage and keeping our skin flawless and healthy. Although it is naturally produced in our body, its levels drop significantly as we age letting the first signs of time come out. What can we do? One of the best solutions is to enhance its presence on the skin by using a serum or a cream that includes Q10. 

Vitamin C

You have probably heard about its beneficial effects on the common cold but the queen of antioxidants is very potent also when applied directly to the skin. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid is a powerful warrior against free radicals caused by UV rays, cigarettes smoke, pollution, etc. It acts by neutralizing them, preventing our skin from their harmful effects on its proteins such as collagen and elastin. It was also shown that Vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen in the skin. If you think that collagen is one of the most important proteins when it comes to skin firmness and elasticity, you will definitely give Vitamin C a chance.

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is essential for cell energy production and lipid synthesis of the skin; it stimulates the creation of ceramides which are responsible for holding skin cells together, forming a protective layer that locks the moisture in. It is also one of the vitamins that take part in DNA reparation, preventing, therefore, the signs of aging at their source. At the same time it is a very effective skin whitening agent, with results very similar to hydroquinone.

Phytoceramides

Another option for keeping your ceramides at healthy levels as you grow is phytoceramides. These are the plant-derived analogs of the human ceramides and have the ability to replace them protecting our skin from environmental assaults and keeping it hydrated and fresh.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

The British Journal of Dermatology recently reported that a 5% cream of this powerful antioxidant can improve the appearance of the skin damaged from photoaging. Alpha Lipoic Acid is unique in that it is both water and fat soluble, obtaining access to the deeper layers of the skin. It has great moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, skin tightening and whitening effects aiding our skin in looking rejuvenated and flawless.

Hyaluronic acid

Much ado about nothing? This is not the case for hyaluronic acid. This natural polysaccharide is present in a plethora of antiaging products due to its extraordinary ability to retain great amounts of water (approximately 1000ml per gram). One of the qualities of young skin is its ability to hold water. Unfortunately, when we age this ability is lost and a visible loss of firmness and pliability follow. Thankfully, hyaluronic acid can easily penetrate the skin, boosting its natural elasticity and hydration letting it regain its youthful appearance.