Nourish Your Skin with These 3 Active Ingredients

During the chilly winter months, our skin may appear drier than usual. Dry skin not only appears flaky, but it also makes fine lines appear more prominently as well. The good news is, you can nourish and hydrate your skin with the right skin care products that contain these three active ingredients: antioxidants, natural moisture factors, and peptides.

Products that contain these ingredients may say so specifically on the label. Additionally, there are natural ingredients that contain them as well.  If it sounds confusing, don’t worry, we have you covered with this guide. Read it before you make your next big skin care purchase.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants protect cells from damage from free radicals. Free radicals cause inflammation and premature ageing. Antioxidants protect skin cells from this damage, so you can create and maintain a healthy complexion. Not only do antioxidants protect the cells from harmful UV damage, they also help reduce inflammation and slow premature ageing. 

Although the body is able to make some antioxidants on its own, most must be applied to the skin or ingested in the foods you eat. In addition to having a diet full of antioxidant-rich foods, such as berries, vegetables, leafy greens, and even tea, also make sure your go-to skin products contain them as well.  

What to look for

On the label, you’ll want to look for the following ingredients:

• Vitamins C & E
• Retinol - a form of Vitamin A
• Coenzyme Q10
• Niacinamide, or Vitamin B3
• Resveratrol
• Curcumin
• Phytoextracts
• Ferulic Acid

Many CosMedix products contain antioxidants, including Affirm Antioxidant Firming Serum. Affirm is a lightweight, Chirally Correct antioxidant serum that is formulated with 10 skin-specific antioxidants, including Resveratrol, L-Glutathione and L-Superoxide Dismutase. It also contains peptides to help firm the skin and restore its healthy glow. In addition to powerful antioxidants, Affirm also contains peptides and ingredients that increase the skin’s natural moisture factors. 

Natural Moisture Factors 

If you’re like most people, you slather moisturiser on your face every day, more in the winter months. However, did you know that your skin care products, including moisturiser, may be stripping hydration from your cells and may make your skin drier? 

Whenever you apply moisturiser to your skin, the skin gets the signal that it must stop producing moisture on its own. Over time, your skin stops creating its own moisture, making it feel tight, especially after cleansing. As we age, the skin naturally stops producing as much oil and moisture. As a result, older skin feels drier than younger skin. 

What to look for

However, with the right moisturiser, you can boost your skin’s ability to produce its own moisture. On the label, you’ll want to look for the following ingredients:

• Shea butter
• Jojoba
• Hyaluronic acid

Try:

Humidify Deep Moisture Cream is formulated to provide hydration to the skin and boost its barrier function. It protects the skin from dehydration and can make the skin appear smoother, softer and firmer with continuous use. It contains Shea Butter to heal and protect the skin, as well as Trehalose and Niacinamide, which protect and improve the skin’s barrier function. Apply it after cleansing day and night to deliver hydration to thirsty skin.

Peptides

If premature ageing is a top skin concern, look for peptides in your products. As we age, fine lines and wrinkles begin to appear, especially in women, whose skin tends to be thinner than men’s, because our bodies produce less collagen. Collagen and elastin increase the production of younger cells, which is essential to a youthful complexion. 

Peptides are amino acids that serve as the building blocks of protein. Although the body produces them naturally, it produces less as you age. However, peptides are also produced in the lab and are added to skin care products to apply topically to the skin. Once applied, peptides stimulate the production of collagen and encourage the skin to heal itself. 

Try:

Pepoxide Antioxidant Peptide Serum is a concentrated serum that prevents free radical damage stemming from environmental and UV damage. It contains bio-peptides to firm and tighten the skin, as well as 16 skin-specific antioxidants to nourish and protect your complexion. Growth factors and pigmentation regulators even out and smooth skin tone and texture. Apply it after cleansing in the morning or evening. 

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