I just realised that while I’ve been beauty blogging for 10 years, I haven’t written a guide on the skincare ingredients you need to have in your beauty products for the concern you’re trying to target.
There are so many products out there, and it gets overwhelming when you’re trying to find something that works. Instead of looking at the brand or product type, you really need to be focusing on the ingredients instead.
Here are my fail-proof skincare ingredients – by beauty concern – that you must have high up on the list. Also, I have researched and tried all of them over the years (amongst other ingredients) so I know they work.
ANTI-AGEING
Rosehip. More specially, rosehip seed oil. I love this so much because of how potent it is. It’s not the same as rose. What I love to do is buy a bottle of rosehip seed oil, then depending on whether it needs to be diluted, make my own concoction of face/body oil or anti-ageing scrub.
BRIGHTENING & RADIANCE
Vitamin C. This prevents the formation of melanin on the skin by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase. In doing so, it lightens dark spots but leaves the rest of your skin alone. As a well-known anti-oxidant, it also protects the skin from sun and UV damage.
MOISTURISING
Hyaluronic acid and its derivatives. Your moisturiser needs this, your skin needs this if it’s going to feel plump when you wake up in the morning. It works because it can penetrate the topmost layer of your skin, and also hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. Let me give you an image: 1 gram of this amazing ingredient can hold 6 litres of water!
ANTI-ACNE
Retinoids/Retinol/Retin-A. To be honest, this ingredient cures almost every skincare concern: clogged pores, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, pigmentation… However, it also comes with its unwanted side effects: dry skin, skin irritation and sun-sensitivity. That’s why I only recommend this as a once-daily nighttime product to counter acne, as it works great to not only reduce inflammation but also prevent new acne from forming by getting rid of dead skin cells.
DEEP CLEANSING
Clay masks! If you don’t use a daily exfoliation tool like the Clarisonic or Nu Skin’s LumiSpa and rather just do a deep cleanse once a week, clay masks work wonders. Don’t do this too much, or you risk breaking out.
ANTI-CELLULITE
Caffeine. Yes, there is a lot of debate on whether we can actually get rid of cellulite. I don’t have an answer but if you’re looking for any kind of topical anti-cellulite product, it needs to have caffeine in it. Caffeine helps promote blood circulation under the skin and pulls out water from fat cells on the skin’s surface. This helps to reduce the dimply appearance by promoting a more even surface but doesn’t actually get rid of cellulite itself. I use ground coffee beans in my home made body scrubs, which makes them smell amazing.
Want to find out more about skincare? Read my blog post on the right steps and product order for your nighttime beauty routine.