Everyone wants perfect skin. Imagine waking up to a soft, dewy complexion every morning. When my skin is glowing, I have so much more confidence in how I look and feel. That’s why it’s so important to use the best ingredients for your skin type.
Using targeted, specialized products for your specific skin issues will help resolve problems and help you get that beautiful complexion!
Curious about what type of skin you have? Take the Skincare Quiz!
Oily/Acne Prone Skin
If your face always seems to be shiny or you’re always battling another pimple, you have oily skin. Sebum (your skin’s natural oil, which is critical for keeping your complexion moisturized and soft) can be overproduced. The excess sebum can clog pores and cause your skin to look greasy. You may have whiteheads, blackheads, or zits, especially in your T-Zone. The good news is, you can fix oily and greasy skin!
By using the best ingredients for your skin type, you can banish the acne and excess oil for good. It’s important to learn about these ingredients so you can check all your skincare products. Look into the active ingredients of the products you use and you may find the source of your oily skin. Some ingredients can make the issue worse instead of better!
The following ingredients are proven to help decrease excess sebum, clear up existing acne and scars, and prevent new pimples.
Retinol
Retinol is known as one of the best ingredients for skin that shows signs of aging. But did you know it is also effective for oily skin?
Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A that helps build collagen and firm skin. This tightens your pores, which means they can produce and release less oil. With less oil, your skin looks less shiny! Worried about redness caused by acne? Retinol is an anti-inflammatory, which can cut down on redness and the appearance of acne.
Retinol also helps clear our pores by extracting dead skin cells. Removing clogs from pores can help prevent future pimple. By removing cell buildup, pores look smaller, decreasing the appearance of dark marks left behind by acne.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is commonly used in acne products because it helps accelerate the body’s natural healing process. Our body works hard to repair acne scars and little cuts.
Using a product with vitamin C speeds along the work and allows your skin to clear scars and blemishes quickly and effectively.
Zinc
Acne is an inflammatory skin problem. It affects everyone uniquely, but common issues are redness, raised bumps, and itchiness. Zinc is an effective treatment against inflammatory acne and is safe to use in topical treatments. It is an essential trace element that can be found in lots of foods, such as beans, nuts, dairy products, whole grains, poultry, and red meat.
Zinc is an essential part of our diet and can be helpful for inflammatory skin disorders. Topical zinc treatment is used for acne, rosacea, and eczema.
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is one of the best ingredients for skin that is prone to acne because it is drawn to oil. When used topically, salicylic acid goes deep into the pores of your skin and draws the oil out. This removes excess sebum and gets rid of shine on your face.
For those of us that have an oily T-Zone, salicylic acid makes the difference between an oil slick and a naturally dewy complexion. We don’t want to remove all sebum from the skin, because that’s what keeps our complexion moisturized, flexible, and protected against harmful bacteria. But we can remove the excess oil so our face isn’t shiny!
Removing oil also unclogs pores and reduces the appearance and occurrence of acne. Pores fill with sweat, oil, and debris. By cleansing your face regularly and decreasing the amount of oil sitting in your pores, you can get rid of pesky pimples and blackheads.
Radiant Rejuvenator is a comprehensive kit that includes the best products, made of the most effective ingredients to treat your acne! This dynamic kit includes a cleanser, exfoliator, treatment serum, and spot treatment. These products use the ingredients listed above, such as salicylic acid, to pack a powerful punch to your existing acne and fade old acne scars.
Dry/Sensitive Skin
Does your skin feel tight, dry, or itchy? Is your skin flakey or cracked? While oily and acne-prone skin is due to an overproduction of sebum, dry skin is due to an underproduction of sebum. Some amount of oil is necessary to keep your skin moisturized and supple.
Fortunately, there are ingredients that can give your skin the nourishment it needs through topical treatment. Here are the best ingredients for skin that is dry and/or sensitive.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps skin cells hold onto moisture and keep the skin’s protective barrier intact. By refreshing the lipids in your skin, vitamin E helps close up any tiny cracks in your skin’s natural barrier. All of these tiny cracks let moisture escape, which leaves the skin dry. By closing the cracks and reinforcing the barrier, vitamin E keeps skin hydrated.
Niacinamide
Have you heard of niacinamide? It is a form of vitamin B3 that can help with your dry skin.
When used in topical lotions and serums, it can add to moisturizing power of the products. Niacinamide can help skin resist moisture loss for a softer, smoother, more hydrated complexion. That’s what we all want!
Glycolic Acid
It’s possible that your skin may be dried out because it needs exfoliating. It’s true! Gentle exfoliation can clear away the dead skin cells and environmental debris (like dirt, smog, and smoke) on the surface of your skin.
Once buildup and debris is removed, your topical treatments will have an easier time reaching your skin cells. Instead of having to penetrate through a pile of dead skin cells, hydrating products can work faster and more effectively on exfoliated skin.
I recommend glycolic acid because it’s a gentle exfoliator that won’t overly dry out skin.
Natural/Combination Skin
Perhaps your skin isn’t oily or dry, but both! You’re totally normal. Many people don’t characterize their skin as one way or the other, but experience different facets of oiliness and dryness.
Your forehead and chin may be prone to acne and shine, but your cheeks may experience flakiness and tightness. Here are some of the best ingredients for skin with this combination of factors.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is already found naturally in our skin. It’s the substance that retains water and keeps our skin hydrated. The hyaluronic acid molecule actually holds a thousand times its own weight in water! Wow! It keeps our skin cells plump by not allowing water to be evaporated into the air.
We can use this ingredient in creams and serums to further add moisture-retaining power to our skin. If you have dry skin or dry areas of skin, hyaluronic acid helps soothe tightness and flakiness by boosting hydration.
Because of its ability to retain hydration and the fact that hyaluronic acid works well with other skincare ingredients, I highly recommend buying a product with this ingredient. You’ll find it in various skincare products paired with vitamins, retinols, peels, and other ingredients. Buy products with active ingredients that work in tandem to deliver maximum benefit for your skin!
Ferulic Acid
Ferulic acid is an antioxidant found in nature that helps protect and preserve plants. We can use the same protective power of ferulic acid on our own skin.
By helping create a barrier, ferulic acid protects against free radicals that cause aging and preserves skin against wrinkles and fine lines. This powerful antioxidant works to support skin, making it strong, firm, and rejuvenated.
Mature Skin
As we age, our skin can change in reaction to our environmental factors like sun exposure, slowdown of collagen production, and other factors. We never stop taking care of our skin, but our routine may change as we notice changes. While acne might have been a big concern in your 20s, as you enter your 50s your concern may shift to fine lines and other signs of aging. That’s why you need to know the best ingredients for skin that is mature.
Retinol
You might have heard it before, because it’s true: retinol is the top fighter against signs of aging. Retinol and retinoid ingredients are dynamic ingredients that work on skin cells in a variety of ways.
As we age, our systems slow down. We produce less collagen and elastin, which leads to slackness and sunken features. Our skin cells turn over less, which leads to buildup and a tired looking complexion.
Oftentimes dark marks appear in the form of brown, black, or grey spots on our face and hands. And even if you had oily skin in your teenage years, your skin can become dry and flaky, which only exacerbates wrinkles. Retinol can be used to combat all of these issues!
Topical retinol treatment works wonders; this includes stimulating collagen and elastin production, promoting cell turnover, fading hyperpigmentation, and boosting skin’s hydration. It does all of this without irritating the skin!
Hyaluronic Acid
I mentioned hyaluronic acid above, but I am mentioning it again in regards to mature skin because of its amazing hydration powers.
By drawing and retaining moisture, hyaluronic acid helps your skin hold hydration longer and helps hydration skin deeper into the skin’s layers. Deep moisturization not only decreases tightness and flakiness, it helps reduce signs of aging like fine lines.
Vitamins C and E
I’ve mentioned the power of vitamins C and E before. They are both dynamic antioxidants that can be used for multiple purposes to perfect your complexion. They work together to protect your skin against free radicals and to strengthen your skin’s lipid barrier.
The skin’s barrier is a natural protection against environmental damage like sun exposure, dirt, debris, wind, smog, and more. By keeping your skin protected, these vitamins can help you reduce the signs of aging and have more youthful skin!
Now you know the best ingredients for skin like yours! Use this information to find products that treat your specific skin issues. We all want a beautiful, glowing complexion. Using the right skincare products can make it happen!