The Only 3 Skincare Ingredients You Need For Glowing Skin

Hello, lovelies, and welcome back. In today’s post, I will be sharing with you guys the Top 3 skincare ingredients for glowing skin. This is a minimalist guide to glowing skin. If you have to pick just 3 skincare products to build that skincare routine then read on.

Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or something… and let’s dive in

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Top 3 Skincare Ingredients for Glowing Skin

My guess is that you are reading this blog post because you are a skincare enthusiast like myself and you are always on the lookout for more skincare tips to help get you a step closer to your skincare goals. Well, look no further.

1. Vitamin C

If there is just one serum you need in your skincare routine then I think that should be a vitamin C serum. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect the skin from oxidative stress that arises from exposure to UV rays and environmental pollutants.

So it’s wonderful to have in your morning skincare routine as this would work hand in hand with your sunscreen to prevent skin damage.

Vitamin C also induces collagen. Collagen keeps our skin firm and youthful-looking. But as we age, the ability of the body to produce this reduces. In addition to this, the sun rays cause the breakdown of collagen leading to sagging skin, fine lines, and wrinkles.

Another awesome benefit of vitamin C is that it is a tyrosinase inhibitor( tyrosinase is needed in the synthesis of melanin which is the pigment responsible for our skin color)) and so it’s a skin brightener. Vitamin C also promotes wound healing

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2. Sunscreen

This is more like a skincare product than an ingredient. Sunscreens are a MUST in skincare. The use of sunscreen is not an optional step in your skincare routine. Sunscreens protect the skin against UV radiation. The sun causes photoaging of the skin.

There are two forms of UV rays. UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays have a longer wavelength so they penetrate deeper into the skin and are able to cause changes to the collagen structure of the skin. UVA rays are simply responsible for premature signs of aging while UVB rays cause superficial damage like sunburns.

Sunscreens should be broad-spectrum to ensure it protects against the two types of UV rays. Like I always like to say sunscreens should be the last step of your morning skincare routine every day.

There are two types of sunscreens, you could get either mineral or chemical sunscreens. Mineral sunscreens contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and are better tolerated by those with sensitive skin but they tend to leave a white cast. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, contain either oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, homosalate,octocrylene, and octinoxate and are usually lightweight and easier to apply.

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3. Retinoids

The third skincare ingredient for glowing skin is retinoids. Retinoids are a fancy name for vitamin A derivatives. There are a lot of them, some are natural and some synthetic, some over the counter, and others prescription only.

When it comes to reversing signs of aging then look no further. They increase the rate at which the skin renews itself, they induce collagen production and reduce their breakdown. Due to the increased cell turnover rate, they also treat acne and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It’s just a bomb skincare ingredient to have in your skincare routine.

There are so many retinoids, amongst the over-the-counter retinoids, retinol is the most popular, others are retinaldehyde, adapalene, retinyl palmitate, and the prescription retinoids include tazarotene and tretinoin.

Retinoids may have an initial period of purging when the increased cell turnover rate causes clogged pores and gunk under the skin to get to the surface. So your skin may actually get worse before it gets better. In addition to this, retinoids can downright irritate the skin. So start slow with milder retinoids and then gradually move upwards.

Because retinoids are light-labile they should be used at night. They leave your skin sensitive to the sun and so sunscreens should be your best friend in the morning.