TOP INGREDIENTS TO GIVE YOUR SKIN SOME LOVE 🙌 🔝

Retinol

It produces visible anti-aging benefits, smooths your skin, stimulates the production of collagen and elastin (both great for your face), improves uneven skin tones, pigmentation, and cystic acne. Your mid-twenties are the best time to start with it. You can use it for three months and then have a three months break and so on. Research suggest that cell turnover does not increase after three months of retinol usage.

Avoid it if you have rosacea, eczema or psoriasis, delicate skins don’t react well to it, but retinol can be found in different strengths in different skin products so if you see a product that contains retinol but it’s made for sensitive skins then it has a very little amount of it and it's safe to use. It is also recommended to use retinol in a small amount, starting with a product that is mild and then go stronger. Or use a normal retinol product, but just once or twice a week and then start using it more. If you have oily to combination skin, you will be able to handle retinol just fine.  

Retinol is prone to increase photosensitivity, so make sure you use a high spectrum sunscreen. All retinol comes from vitamin A, but there are different kinds: retinoic acid or also called retin-A is the strongest (ideal for acne and ageing); then comes retinaldehyde, retinol and retinyl palmitate, which is the softest. Retinol can be found mostly in eye creams, moisturizers, serums, and ampoules. 

Salicylic acid

It can go deep into your skin and fight acne, blackheads, and whiteheads. It acts as an anti-inflammatory, and helps red inflamed pimples and pustules to leave your face. It breaks down the connection of skin cells making it exfoliating and able to unclog pores. Without going too deep into a scientific explanation, let’s say there are two kinds of acids you usually see: AHA and BHAs. Salicylic acid is a BHA that has some specific characteristics that make it more oil soluble so it can penetrate deeper into the pores of the skin.

It is strong and you shouldn’t over use it, depending on the concentration it can cause irritation and dryness so people with sensitive or dry skins that are very damaged should avoid it, also women who are pregnant and people who take certain medication such as blood thinners.

Centella asiatica

Now moving to something a little bit more Korean, centella asiatica has antioxidants and soothing properties, gives hydration to your skin, mitigates the effects of sun damage, and is often featured in moisturizers and serums. This is a great ingredient for all skin types and a really good choice for hydrating dry and sensitive skins, particularly since it is so natural and soft.

Hyaluronic acid

This ingredient attracts and holds up to 1000 times its weight in moisture over the skin, it is particularly beneficial for dry skins, it revitalizes the outer layer of your skin so that it feels softer and smoother.

Honey

We all know honey, but it also helps smoothing your skin and even clearing it, honey has antibacterial properties and fights the bacteria that cause acne; manuka honey is particularly great for skin issues, this ingredient is mild and can be used by any skin type without problems.

Benzoyl Peroxide

It is famous for treating acne, it reduces the number of bacteria on the surface of your skin working as an antiseptic. Benzoyl peroxide at 5% takes around four weeks to start working so you have to be a little patient, it can produce irritation so people with sensitive skin can only use this ingredient if recommended by a dermatologist.

Snail Mucin

This ingredient is natural and works perfectly on any skin type. It provides hydration and nutrients and can be found in many products, essences, moisturizers, and serums are the best to take advantage of it. This ingredient was used in ancient Greece, it improves blemishes, renews the skin, and evens your skin tone.

Aloe

Aloe has been used since forever and it is a great source of hydration for the skin, it’s rich in antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E. It contains seven of the eight essential amino acids and has calming properties. So, it is never a bad idea to have this ingredient by your side.

Collagen

Collagen is naturally produced by our body, it is the most abundant protein in the human body, but with time we tend to produce less of it, collagen gives your skin elasticity and smoothness.