Having Great Skin is as Simple as ABC

The choices for rejuvenating (sounds much nicer than “anti-aging” doesn’t it?) ingredients can be overwhelming.

Claims are indistinguishable for even a cosmetic chemist, so I can
only imagine how consumers must feel at the beauty counter or pharmacy
facing a wall of products in an attempt to pick the best solutions for
your needs.

Red algae, brown algae, pentapeptide, tripeptide, oligopeptide, plant
leaf extract, plant flower extract, plant stem cells—the list goes on
and on.

Our lives are complicated enough as it is. We don't have to include
an equally complex skincare routine. It is possible to achieve beautiful
skin with simple ingredients. It’s as easy as ABC!

Vitamin A

If you ask a dermatologist to name the gold standard for skin rejuvenation,
nine out of ten would say retinol, and for good reason! In the early
1980’s All Trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA) was shown to reduce signs of
photoaging (premature aging due to overexposure to sunlight). The
original study showed that ATRA was not only able to slow down
photoaging but actually reversed some of the damage as well. The notable
benefits were reducing rough and scaly patches, evening out skintone,
increasing collagen synthesis and increasing skin cell turnover.

MORE: Skincare: The Vitamin A Controversy

Retinol
is a close cousin to retinoic acid; it’s commonly used in skincare
because it performs in a similar way. However, retinol does have its
drawbacks. It can be irritating and extremely drying; it’s notoriously
unstable and quickly turns brown once exposed to the air. Luckily,
manufacturers and chemists have figured out ways around these issues and
while not as glamorous as some of the newer ingredients, it is one of
the best available to make your skin look more youthful.



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