Which Anti-Aging Ingredients Actually Work?
The Rolling Stones may have thought time was on their side – and to a certain extent, it was true for them, having survived many situations we mere mortals might not. However, most things about time and aging apply to all of us, and unless you prefer to take beauty and health advice from Keith Richards, let’s go ahead and talk about some of the things we can do to slow the signs of aging. What are some anti-aging ingredients that may work best for your skin?
Certain skincare products work wonders in fighting wrinkles. But before we get to those, let’s talk about what contributes to wrinkles, dark spots, sagging skin, and other issues that appear as we get older. As we age, our skin is on the frontline. As the largest organ, and the one on the outside of our bodies, it faces harsh winds, harmful sun (UVA and UVB) rays, and is often the first to show the negative effects of our bad habits.
Sun exposure is the biggest bully when it comes to messing with the health of your skin. The sun’s UVB (ultraviolet B) rays cause sunburns and can lead to some of the more common forms of skin cancer. The UVA rays penetrate skin more deeply and cause premature wrinkles. These rays can also cause damage to our DNA. Regardless of skin type and color, you still need to do what you can to prevent sun damage whenever you’re in the great wide open. Another habit that seems to have it out for your skin is smoking. Smoking has been shown to produce free radicals, which damage skin cells and lead to an earlier appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Pollution can contribute to that free radical action as well, and chips away at your skin’s youthful appearance.
Other changes happen to your skin pretty much regardless of outside conditions. We all produce less collagen and elastin as we get older, which makes the skin become slack and less supple and taut. In addition, a loss of fat below the skin around the cheeks, chin, eyes, and a few other areas may contribute to loosening skin because there is less tissue to provide support.
Now that we’ve basically bummed out a whole generation, let’s make our way to the pep talk, and go over some of the actions you can take to help nature slow her roll. It’s good to know which anti-aging products really fulfill their promises. What exactly are the best ingredients to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of aging?
1. Glycolic Acid and other AHAs
Alpha-hydroxy acids, also known as AHAs, are animal-derived or plant-derived acids, which exfoliate and remove dead skin cells to reveal a new layer of skin underneath. Viviane Woodard’s Natural Exfoliator Skinodyssey with Glycolic Acid helps pick up the pace of this renewal process. Since Glycolic Acid belongs to the alpha-hydroxy acid family, it brings new skin to the surface, which brightens your overall tone and revives aging skin.
As mentioned above in our Debbie Downer introduction, our body slows down its production of collagen and elastin as we age. Collagen is a protein our body produces that provides structure to our skin, so when we have less of it, we lose a little bit of that bounce back and support. Studies have found an increased production of collagen and elastin when using products with AHAs like Glycolic Acid, so that’s a big beauty bonus right there.
Just as Odysseus longed to return home in Homer’s Odyssey, Viviane Woodard’s Skinodyssey will help your skin along on a journey to return to its more youthful roots.
2. Green Tea is good inside and out
Green tea has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which means it knows how to fight those free radicals and address some of the sun damage your skin may have suffered. Green tea can absorb UV rays, and while it does not replace sunscreen, it can complement it. Because of the powerful antioxidant properties that help skin resist some of the UV damage and accompanying aging effects, you can apply it before using broad-spectrum sunscreen as a sort of second layer of defense.
Drinking green tea and applying it to your skin may actually aid your skin in dealing with the aging process better, if this 2005 study is any indication. Participants (80 women) in the study showed an improvement of skin elasticity when treated with a regimen that combined topical and oral green tea. It’s a good thing green tea is great for all skin types, even sensitive skin.
If you’re wondering about the best way to get the tea to your face, there are a few options. First off, you obviously don’t want to pour scalding hot tea on yourself. You can use a refreshing face spray like Viviane Woodard’s Intensive Hydration Mist. It infuses moisture and anti-aging benefits into the skin and penetrates into the deepest layers. You can spritz it all over before or after moisturizer and massage it in for a thoroughly hydrating experience. When skin is moisturized and fed the nutrients and antioxidants it needs, it will improve the appearance and help with overall skin health.
3. Hooray for Hyaluronic Acid
While we’re on the subject of this skin-pleasing Intensive Hydration Mist, let’s talk about another one of the anti-aging ingredients it contains: Hyaluronic Acid (or HA). Even though you may see it listed as HA in anti-aging products, it’s no laughing matter. Actually, go ahead and laugh and don’t even worry about the laugh lines because Hyaluronic Acid can help with those. It’s especially helpful to hydrate aging, dry skin in order to bring it back to life.
An important attribute of many anti-aging products is the ability to bring moisture to the skin. Maintaining a moisture balance helps the uppermost layer of skin (the skin barrier in the epidermis) defend against the damaging effects of the elements. To keep your face looking fabulous, you do need to protect skin as you care for it. Hyaluronic Acid, a naturally occurring sugar in our bodies, is a humectant, which means it draws moisture from the humidity in the surrounding environment. Moisture keeps the whole show running smoothly and will improve skin tone and texture.
Hyaluronic Acid is also one of the ant-aging ingredients in Viviane Woodard’s EyeRenue Complex Anti Aging Eye Cream. It contains sodium hyaluronate, which is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It’s even more easily absorbed into pores because it has a lower molecular weight. Science! The under-eye area often reveals our age without our permission, so we should take any help there that we can get. Also, since that part of our skin doesn’t have the oil glands to keep it sufficiently moisturized, anti-aging skin care is essential.
4. Gimme a C, Vitamin C!
Your skin, just like the rest of your body, benefits from taking its vitamins. Vitamin C products vary in their quality, and any form of vitamin C is unstable (not in the way that a lot of us feel right now given the world in which we live, but) in that it will degrade over time, and lose its efficacy. Vitamin C interacts with heat, light, and the atmosphere and speeds up the process of degradation. This is why it’s important to have such products in opaque, airtight containers and store them in a cool place where there is little to no sun exposure.
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, which as we’ve already established, plays an important role in working against signs of aging. It also brightens dark spots without lightening skin overall. Dermatologists have noted that vitamin c works well, and has improved anti-aging effects when combined with moisturizing ingredients. That bodes well for a product like Viviane Woodard’s Nutri-Cell Complex, which in addition to vitamin C, has humectants and emollients galore. It contains emollients like vitamin E and Jojoba oil, both of which smooth and soften the skin. This anti-aging cream that can be used morning or night also contains Clover Honey Extract. The sugars in this honey act as both humectants and emollients, which increase the water content and reduce dryness in the skin, respectively.
There is also a link between vitamin C and collagen synthesis, and whatever your skin type or age, that’s a good thing. By boosting our skin’s ability to make collagen, Vitamin C can begin to lessen existing lines and wrinkles and help prevent new ones from forming. That’s definitely something you’ll want to incorporate in your skincare routine and start to use more regularly as you move along in years.
5. Peptides deserve a pep rally
Peptides like Argireline and Matrixyl 3000 are the superstars of many skincare products. You may have heard them mentioned but don’t know much more than that they seem to work, or maybe you haven’t come across them at all.
Argireline is the brand name for acetyl hexapeptide-3, which is a peptide, and a peptide is a short chain of amino acids. This particular chain of amino acids has been known to decrease the signs of aging in many people. How does it work this magic, you may wonder. Well, for one, there’s a reason that some people refer to it as a much safer (and more subtle) version of Botox. It is said to relax muscles so that lines on the face aren’t formed as easily. When we frown or raise our eyebrows, those muscles that make our face move might be relaxed just a smidge so we’re not contorting our face in quite the same way we normally would. Argireline also helps to create small blood vessels that nourish tissue and stimulate fibroblasts. This process can lead to the production of collagen, which (I probably don’t need to remind you again) is excellent for a more rejuvenated look.
Matrixyl 3000 (also known as palmitoyl-pentapeptide 3) is another powerful peptide. Just like Argirilene, they often use it in skincare creams because it also stimulates collagen production. Matrixyl helps with skin tone and texture, creating a softer, smoother surface.
Lucky for you, and anyone else who catches wind of this not-so-secret beauty tip, Viviane Woodard’s Advanced Anti-Aging Night Cream has both Matrixyl and Argireline in its list of ingredients. It also has Green Tea, which we’ve already noted has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that work to make skin more radiant. Smoothing on this cream at the end of a stressful day is a great way to replenish what’s been lost and let the ingredients go to work while you sleep.
The ingredients above are just a few of the most highly recommended ones when it comes to reducing the outward signs of aging. You may not want or need to incorporate them all, but this can provide a starting place for your research until you come across that fountain of youth. And just in case it needs to be repeated, using sunscreen (or a big hat, or spending some time in the shade) is one of the best ways to keep skin looking younger. Of course, a good dose of vitamin D is necessary for your overall health and the proper functioning of your cells, but just be sure not to overdo it.
I’ve often stated what any good doctor, mom, or friends says, which is what you put in your body is just as (if not more) important than what you put on your body. How you take care of yourself – what you eat and drink, the amount of sleep you get and how much you move your body – plays a huge role in your overall health and appearance. In order to look and feel your best, you should use all the tools, tips, and tricks at your disposal. Feel free to peruse this previous post that focuses on eye cream and shares some thoughts about getting enough sleep.
You can also watch this short video from The Mayo Clinic about a healthy diet that may be as helpful as any skincare secret. You can bon appétit and buenas noches yourself to a younger you.
For over 60 years, Viviane Woodard has represented “The Purity of Skincare”. We are the leading beauty brand for water-based skin care products and promote the importance of good skin hydration. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest for skin care tips, product discounts and more.