What to Look For in an Advanced Skin Care Product
If you are interested in advanced skin care, you may have already heard about some of the latest trends in anti-aging skin care. For example, researchers have discovered that aging skin becomes less elastic as we age. As a result, wrinkles and fine lines appear more often, and our skin loses its natural protection against environmental aggressors. Our skin also loses its ability to rejuvenate itself. That's why advanced skin care usually involves the use of a variety of substances. One of these is called retinol.
Retinol is actually a form of vitamin A, which is found in many common fruits and vegetables. (Other forms of vitamin A are also sometimes referred to as retinol, including beta-carotene, lycopene, desatuba and retinoic acid.) Advanced skin care products usually contain potent synthetic vitamins and compounds that act together to repair damaged skin by promoting collagen renewal.
Collagen is a protein that is produced by our skin cells. As we age, our skin cells become less plentiful, and the collagen they produce slows down or even breaks down. This leads to sagging, wrinkles and stretch marks. The introduction of retinol to skin care products slows down the breakdown of collagen so that the skin can renew itself.
But what exactly is retinol? Retinol is a combination of two different acids, both of which are naturally present in the skin. These are known as retinoids. (Related to collagen, these substances can also be called exfoliants.) An advanced skin care product that contains exfoliant ingredients such as retinol also contains vitamin A. The combination of these two skin nutrients allows them to do much more than just moisturize and repair skin cells: they also promote the growth of new skin cells and collagen and improve elasticity at the same time.
Another important aspect of advanced skin care product is antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent damage to skin cells caused by free radicals, which are molecules that are very unstable, but capable of causing damage to skin cells through oxidation. Free radicals, in addition to being released through exposure to environmental pollutants like smoke and ultraviolet rays, are also produced by many of the activities that people do on their bodies, including tanning, sunbathing, drinking coffee or wine, and eating foods that are high in preservatives. By supporting skin cell health, antioxidants provide a second protective layer to skin, slowing the development of wrinkles and improving the overall look and feel of skin.
The final aspect of an advanced skin care product that makes a difference is the inclusion of ingredients that help skin stay young and beautiful for longer. One of the most effective is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid has the ability to gently draw moisture from the deep layers of your skin, replenishing it as you age. Along with this, extracts from green tea have been shown to increase hyaluronic acid in the skin tissue. Japanese sea kelp has also been shown to inhibit the activity of a form of a chemical called hyaluronidase, which breaks down HA in skin tissue. These and other ingredients are what make up an advanced skin care product that works to keep the skin looking younger and more beautiful for as long as possible.
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