Do you know your ABC of Skin Care?

With so much skin care products out there to choose from it can become overwhelming to know what ingredients to look out for when choosing a product, but if you want to make serious improvement to your skin fast it may be as simple as knowing your ABC!

So what am I referring to when discussing the ABC of skincare? I am referring to my go to active cosmeceutical ingredients that will not only help to keep your skin healthy and looking better for longer but topical nutrients essential to getting the most bang for your buck when you start an intensive skin program incorporating treatments that are designed to wake the cells up and get the skin producing more collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid to keep it looking plump and hydrated.

So lets start with the big guns- Vitamin A, you may know this one as Retinol and is often referred to as the conductor of the symphony by those in the industry. Vitamin A not only normalises cellular behavior within the skin but it also has the ability to repair cellular DNA damage. Think of DNA as the instruction manual for not only cellular reproduction but also for all the important functions the cell needs to do during its lifetime.

Vitamin A is a regulator, so if there is dysfunction within your skin that you want to correct then this will be your go to night time serum. Why night time? Because most forms of Vitamin A except retinyl palmitate are light sensitive and will start to degrade within your skin if worn during the daytime and exposed to the sun. It is for this reason it is also important to cleanse our skin the next morning to remove any residual traces within the skin.

Next up but definitely not to be looked at as second best we have Niacinamide or Vitamin B3 which is another ingredient I believe most skins should be using, especially in the harsh Australian climate due to it’s protective properties against cellular UV damage.

Essential to help maintain the immune system of the skin, amazing for enabling the skin to maintain hydration and create a strong healthy barrier, Niacinamide also is beneficial in preventing or lightening pigmentation on the skin as well as helping to alleviate acne. A definite ‘Hero Ingredient’.

Up next comes Vitamin C, now for those that smoke or are undergoing any rejuvenating treatments then this ingredient is non negotiable! I’m not here to come down on those that choose to indulge in a cigarette or 2, but what I do want you to know is that unfortunately smoking depletes the body of Vitamin C and this here ingredient is a precursor to collagen so if you want to keep your skin firmer for longer than you need to make sure it is getting the Vitamin C required to keep on making lots of collagen which is like the scaffholding for our skin as well as being used for wound healing.

Of course if you want to achieve amazing results from your collagen stimulating treatments such as Dermapen, whether you are a smoker or not then this is a daily must, but to be honest as a female in her 40’s Vitamin C is part of my skin care routine day in, day out regardless, as I know to keep my skin younger for longer and to help minimise pigment as I get older then this is an essential plus it is full of antioxidant goodness.

As a Dermal Clinician I get to work with so many more great ingredients that can help correct and maintain the skin and you may often find these in combination with our ABC hero’s, fomulated in a serum or cream to help address specific skin concerns. And it is for this reason I recommend seeking out trained clinician who can assess your skin and your needs and design a program that is bespoke to you.

I hope you enjoyed this article, if you have any questions about skin care ingredients please don’t hesitate to ask here by leaving a comment.

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