8 New Year, New You Health, fitness & beauty Ingredients 101


A look at the components any good skincare routine should include, and the best times to use them. Words: Mattie Lacey-Davidson


Promotional Content • Saturday 9th January 2021


all day, dermatologists recommend wearing sunscreen even when indoors. It’s UVB rays that burn skin, as they can’t go deep, so cause surface damage — think A for ageing, B for burning. If you have sensitive skin (or plan


to visit Hawaii, where chemical SPF is banned as of this year due to negative effects on coral reefs), you might benefit from trying a mineral sunscreen. Look for ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.


PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY


MORNING Antioxidants Te first step in your skincare routine (after washing your face), antioxidants fight free radicals that damage skin cells and cause premature ageing and dullness. Te most popular antioxidant


skincare ingredient is vitamin C; the scientific name you’ll find listed will usually be ascorbic acid — but


there are many other variations so just look for variations of the word ‘ascorbic’. It’s also been shown to increase collagen when used long- term. Vitamin C can be drying, so if that’s a concern then other highly effective antioxidants include vitamin E, ferulic acid (both go very well with vitamin C and are sometimes found together in one product) and resveratrol.


Sunscreen Te very last step in your morning routine, SPF should be applied every day, regardless of the weather or season. Tis might sound odd, but UVA rays are present year-round and penetrate deep into the skin, causing damage — UVA is one of the main causes of the visible signs of ageing — and can even pass through windows, so if you sit next to one


EVENING Anti-ageing As we get older, our skin cell cycle slows down — this is the main genetic cause of ageing. Vitamin A comes under the umbrella term ‘retinoid’, with retinol being the most popular over-the-counter ingredient. It increases skin cell turnover and is best used in the evening because it can cause sensitivity (making SPF a must). Best applied after cleansing to dry skin, beginners should start with a product containing less than 1% and only use it twice a week, then slowly increase frequency until the product ends. Ten move up to a slightly stronger percentage and start the process again. Originally developed as an acne treatment, retinol will also help with spots and breakouts.


Hydration has nothing


to do with whether your skin is dry or oily but relates to the amount of


water in the deeper layers of your skin


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Exfoliate Do your skin a favour and chuck away any face scrubs and replace with an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or beta hydroxy acid (BHA). Known as chemical exfoliators, they help shed dead skin and are extremely effective exfoliators, also helping with breakouts, pigmentation and dullness. Te most common types of AHA


are lactic acid and glycolic acid, which work on the surface of the skin, while the only BHA is salicylic acid — this can exfoliate deep in your pores and break down oil so is fantastic for spots and oily skin types.


BOTH Hydrate and moisturise Whether your skin is dry, combination or oily, everyone needs to moisturise morning (before SPF) and evening (last step, only to be followed by a facial oil such as rosehip, which is great for all skin types). Hydration has nothing to do with whether your skin is dry or oily but relates to the amount of water in the deeper layers of your skin. Dehydrated skin can be caused by a number of things, including diet, and will leave skin looking lax and dull, with fine lines deepened. Te best ingredients to fight this are glycerin, hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 (also known as pantothenic acid). Niacinamide (vitamin B3) was one


of the most popular ingredients of 2020. It is great for all skin types as it helps to balance oil production, minimise the appearance of pores (which can’t be shrunk, that’s a myth!), improve skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen the skin barrier. It can be used morning an evening and, while you can buy dedicated serums, you’ll often find it in serums or moisturisers.


T: 01539 622322 E: info@comfyballs.co.uk For more information, visit comfyballs.co.uk


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