From A to Zinc: Skincare ingredients and their benefits
Understanding or even being able to pronounce tricky ingredient names on the back of your skincare products can be challenging. People often ignore the list of ingredients and their effects on the skin altogether, leaving their skin health to chance.
However, taking the time to unpack skincare ingredients and determine how each one meets skin needs is crucial, and it can save you a great deal of time, money, and hassle in the long run.
Here is a summary of some common ingredients used in skin care products today and how they interact with the skin to achieve specific results. If you’ve never considered looking up the ingredients used in your go-to skincare products currently sitting on your vanity, this is your sign!
Antioxidants—Retinoids, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Zinc are all examples of antioxidants used in skincare. They can be applied to the skin as a moisturiser or serum or taken orally as a supplement.
“The scientific definition of antioxidants is that they prevent or delay cell damage in the skin by acting as a shield against free radicals and oxidative stress. In simple terms, this means that they can help slow down the appearance of ageing on the skin,” says Dr Wagemaker at Lamelle Pharmaceuticals, creators of the Nia-Sol skincare supplement.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid—Also known as ‘AHAs’, Alpha Hydroxy Acid is a naturally occurring exfoliating acid usually found in sugarcane, milk, and certain fruit sources. Its properties are harnessed in skincare products such as serums, toners, and peels to help smooth out wrinkles and improve acne, scarring, and hyperpigmentation.
Ceramides – Ceramides are the fatty lipids usually found between the skin cells and are essential for maintaining and restoring the skin’s healthy barrier function. In skincare products, the use of ceramides helps to prevent water loss and lock in moisture, which is especially useful during cold, dry winter months and for dry skin types in general.
Hyaluronic Acid—This sugary compound has become exponentially popular in the skincare industry for its skin-hydrating properties. Capable of extracting up to 1,000 times its weight in water, hyaluronic acid is a useful moisturising agent for people with dry skin, those experiencing the symptoms of ageing, or people who simply want plump and more radiant-looking skin.
Nicotinamide—Also known as niacinamide, this B vitamin is commonly used in the skincare supplement industry to help enhance collagen production and strengthen the skin’s barrier and ability to lock in moisture by promoting the natural production of ceramides. Nicotinamide diminishes the appearance of ageing signs and promotes a clear complexion. As a result, they offer more benefits to the skin and its longevity than hyaluronic acid.
Photolyase—Products containing photolyase are typically advised for people with rosacea and pre-cancerous skin lesions. Still, this enzyme is helpful for all skin types and helps repair damage caused by UV radiation and environmental damage. It achieves this through’ photo-reactivation’, binding the damaged DNA molecules in the skin to restore its correct structure.
Gone are the days of adopting a skincare regimen based on how pretty the packaging is or how much it costs. Living in the age of information, people are far more likely to do their homework on the ingredients used in each product’s formulation and the long-term impact on skin before using it, and we in the skincare industry encourage more people to get familiar with the products they are using on their skin, adds Dr Wagemaker.
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