Many skin care products claim to contain certain substances or ingredients that can do wonders for your skin. Some have natural fruit and vegetable extracts while others boast about containing a breakthrough mineral complex.
How well do you know your skin care products? Do you just pick the most popular one off the shelf or do you take the time to read through the ingredients list?
Many skin care products claim to contain certain substances or ingredients that can do wonders for your skin. Some have natural fruit and vegetable extracts while others boast about containing a breakthrough mineral complex. But before you fall for the temptations of these fancy names,
it is very important to know what they are and if will they are good for your skin?
Here is a list of some common ingredients and their facts:
Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Commonly known as AHAs, this is a very popular ingredient in skin care products. AHAs help treat various signs of aging like fine facial lines, wrinkles, age spots, pigmentation and enlarged pores. It contains 4 acids:
• Lactic acid
• Citric acid
• Glycotic acid
• Tartaric acid
Though they are sold and used extensively, it may cause mild irritation in some people which can be aggravated by exposure to the sun. Thus you should always use sunscreen while using skin care products that contain AHA. After you apply your skin care products that contain alpha hydroxy acids, slather on a layer of sunscreen on top of it.
Always apply sunscreen 15-20 minutes before venturing out in the sun. this gives it ample time to be absorbed and protect the skin.
Salicylic Acid
This is a beta hydroxy acid that is a common ingredient in skin care products. It has exfoliating properties and aids in improving skin texture and color. Salicylic acid can penetrate skin pores and oil laden hair follicles. Thus it is very effective in combating acne blemishes and pimples.
Though they are less irritating than alpha hydroxy acids, the level of relief is more or less the same. sunscreen should always be applied in the morning regularly.
Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone acts as a bleaching agent in a variety of skin care products. It is an active ingredient that is used to lighten pigmentation spots, pregnancy masks, age spots, liver spots and the like. This makes it a prime ingredient in anti-aging and acne scar removal products.
According to FDA reports, prolonged and regular use of hydroquinone may have associated risk factors. Thus, always consult with your dermatologist or Skin Care Professional before using skin care products that contain hydroquinone.
Kojic Acid
Kojic Acid plays a crucial role in skin care products that aim to combat skin pigmentation and age spots. Though the effects are similar to that of hydroquinone, there are no risk factors associated with this product at this point. This fact makes it a popular ingredient in many skin care products. It is derived from a fungus and acts as a lightening agent and also hinders the production of melanin in the body. It is an active ingredient in skin lightening creams and lotions.
Retinol and Tretinoin
A derivative of Vitamin A, Retinol is a major ingredient in several over-the-counter skin care products. Tretinoin, a counterpart of Retinol is very strong and contains ingredients like Renova and Retin-A. It is extremely effective in treating aging signs like wrinkles and fine lines.
Vitamin C
Being a powerful anti-oxidant, Vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis within the body and boosts collagen production. As collagen fibers deplete during the aging process, Vitamin C can helps regenerate the collagen fight the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Apart from using skin care products that contain Vitamin C, also make sure you include Vitamin C rich food in your diet. This will guarantee you intrinsic benefits as well.
While choosing your skin care products, make sure you know their ingredients and are making informed choices.
