The Actives That Your Skin Therapist Wants You To Use In Between Appointments
Seeing your skin therapist for a regular results-driven, bespoke skin treatment using all of the amazing technology at her disposal is a sure-fire way to achieve your best skin possible. But sometimes we can’t get to the treatment bed for some time, does this mean we lose that beautifully healthy skin we credit our magical skin therapist for? Not necessarily.
You no doubt will have heard of the following active ingredients from a number of sources, including the mouth of your therapist as she wants to maintain those treatment results she works so hard to deliver! If our skin clinic is our gym then homecare is our diet, you can’t expect awesome skin without doing your part at home and that means using high quality skincare with active ingredients that really perform.
Let’s take a look at the actives your skin therapist knows will keep your skin in peak condition;
Retinol
This Vitamin A derivative is the Holy Grail as far as anti-ageing goes. First used in the 70s to treat acne, dermatologists noticed that along with amazing results with their acne, patients also developed remarkably smooth, plump and line-free skin. This discovery has led to Retinol’s long-standing reputation as the number one anti-ageing ingredient in the world of skincare.
When we use an active form of Retinol on our skin, it converts to Retinoic Acid which has the following effects on our skin cells; a speeding up of our cell renewal, stimulation of collagen and elastin production, an evening-out of skin tone and regulation of oil production. All of this means healthier, clearer, younger looking skin that’s also less prone to breakouts and congestion. Retinol can be found in differing strengths and incorporated into varying types of formulations. It’s important to note that as this is a very active ingredient which can cause irritation in skins not acclimatized to it, the rule of thumb here is to start slow. Begin with a lower strength Retinol product and use every second or even third night to begin with. You can work your way up from there when you will really see a dramatically healthier skin emerge! Dermalogica’s Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum is an excellent option if you’re looking at getting started on your Retinol journey. This hydrating formula includes peptides and vitamin C to really up your youth-boosting results!
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is truly a multi-tasker, capable of producing a myriad of wonderful results. This super-vitamin is naturally occurring in our skin but depletes over time, with sun exposure accelerating this decline. What does Vitamin C do? Well, what doesn’t it do? Firstly, it activates our fibroblasts which in turn produce more collagen and elastin which is of course responsible to our skin’s firmness and plumpness. Vitamin C then protects this skin structure with its potent antioxidant powers, a process we will explain soon. It’s well known that Vitamin C helps to lighten and brighten our skin, making it an effective tool in the treatment of pigmentation. The reason it does such a great job here is that it interrupts the formation of Tyrosinase which is an essential ingredient in the production of pigment in the deeper layers of our skin. Due to it’s amazing skin benefits, Vitamin C can be seen on the ingredients list of almost all skincare products claiming to have anti-ageing benefits. Unfortunately, Vitamin C is a tricky ingredient to stabilize and make available to our skin so not many vitamin C formulations will actually deliver the aforementioned results. The key is to find a product that actually includes an active form of Vitamin C. Dermalogica’s Biolumin-C Serum gives you just that! Its unique form for Bioavailable Vitamin C (meaning it’s actually delivered to our skin cells) makes it the do-it-all serum you’ve been looking for!
Peptides
We are becoming increasingly aware of just how clever peptides are as a skincare ingredient and what they can do for our skin. Peptides are fragments of protein, made up of amino acids and when they are formed in a certain way they make particular proteins. Skin is made up of the proteins collagen, elastin and keratin and these give skin its rigidity and strength. Different peptides work in specific areas of our skin, giving it firmness and building skin structure, explaining why skincare products often contain a combination of various peptides to really produce an impact and create a more resilient skin. You’ll find Biomimetic Peptides in Dermalogica’s Phyto Nature Firming Serum, meaning that they very closely resemble our own peptides. For this reason, they are recognized and accepted by our skin to quickly add a boost of firmness to your skin!
Hyaluronic Acid
Our skin functions better in every area when it’s adequately hydrated so this is certainly something to focus on. There’s one clear champion when it comes to hydrating skins and that’s our beloved Hyaluronic acid. This sugar compound is found naturally in our skins and as a humectant it’s capable of holding 1000 times its weight in water! As with many of our skin’s own little helpers, Hyaluronic Acid declines with age but thankfully it’s one we can easily supplement through skincare. This glycosaminoglycan (fancy scientific name) works to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day, giving it that dewy and plump look that you love while helping your skin to behave in a healthier way also. Try Dermlaogica’s Skin Hydrating Booster formulated with this superstar ingredient. It’s like a big drink of water for your skin!
Antioxidants
These naturally occurring vitamins and minerals are your most powerful line of defense against pesky free radicals. Ones you will have heard of are Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Green Tea but there are loads out there. Free radicals are also everywhere; in pollutants, cigarette smoke, food, UV rays…we’re surrounded! What makes them so damaging to our skin? Here’s the scientific explanation: Free radicals are unstable molecules. In short, they have a missing electron and so they cruise around looking for electrons to steal to make them happy and balanced. This is bad news for our skin as when they scavenge from our skin cells they cause major damage and breakdown. These superhero antioxidants work by neutralizing these free radicals, so they are no longer on the loose looking to steal from our skin health. Dermalogica’s Antioxidant Hydramist can be misted over your skin throughout the day so you’re able to keep topping up your antioxidant protection with active Vitamin C and it also contains our firming favorites peptides as an added skin-treat!
AHA’s
Our skin is designed to renew itself, replacing dead, dry skin cells at the surface of the skin with fresher, plumper cells which migrate from the lower skin layers. This process slows down as we age, resulting in dull, rough, uneven texture and colour. The answer here is AHAs or Alpha Hydroxy Acids. These natural and synthetic ingredients exfoliate the upper layers of our skin by loosening the glue-like substance that holds surface cells together which can then be easily sloughed away. Exfoliating this way allows for effective renewal and smoothing of the skin without the risk of damage from harsh mechanical scrubs. AHAs also offer additional skin benefits such as brightening and hydrating, making them another great multi-tasking active! Clearing Liquid Peel combines Alpha Hydroxy Acids with enzymes to dramatically smooth the skin along with Salicylic Acid to combat blackheads and breakouts, making this an awesome skin enhancer for use in between professional treatments.
