Just like our body and mood in general, our skin also has moments when it’s tired and needs more care than usual, and these lockdowns are certainly one of those times. If we don’t pick up on the signals, the result can be that our skin gets weaker and so ages more quickly than it ought to.
Wrinkles, blemishes and all other signs of ageing skin can be attributed to two different processes. The first is linked to our genetics and depends on our natural chronological ageing. The second is linked to our environment and the external factors we’re exposed to, such as stress, worry, tiredness and a hectic lifestyle: all factors that weaken our skin’s natural defences.
Over time, the result of these processes is a progressive reduction in the thickness of the dermis, leaving our face looking less full and our skin less elastic and hydrated.
To avoid this, it’s important to give our skin the substances it needs most and when it needs them most.
There’s a beauty routine for every season – now’s the time to give it an extra boost
To keep your skin healthy and looking great, your beauty routine shouldn’t be the same all year round. Instead, it should be adapted to the season, potentially giving it an extra boost with periodic intensive treatments to help revitalise your skin by stimulating deep regeneration.
Just like all of us, our skin also has moments when it needs a little more care usual.
We can take care of our skin from both inside and out. Remember that we can provide our skin with the nutrients and active ingredients that it needs most, both with cosmetic treatments and through targeted dietary supplements.
Protecting our ‘building blocks’ from inside and out
To effectively prevent ageing, we need to stimulate the regeneration of the natural ‘building blocks’ that make up our skin and protect them from external threats.
The first building block is hyaluronic acid, which is able to bind to and retain water equal to twenty times its own weight. Hyaluronic acid is an excellent active ingredient for cosmetic products, and its anti-wrinkle, filler and moisturising properties have all been proven in clinical trials. Taken orally, it’s digested and absorbed in the intestines and then distributed to connective tissue, improving skin elasticity and hydration throughout the body.
The second building block is collagen, which (together with elastin) forms the scaffolding that supports our skin, giving it its firmness. Collagen is also widely used as an active ingredient in cosmetics for its elasticising and pumping effects. Hydrolysed collagen, which can reach our connective tissue and stimulate the regeneration of the collagen already found naturally in our skin, is also used in nutraceuticals. Clinical studies have shown an increase in skin density and elasticity following the intake of collagen, resulting in reduced wrinkles and a return to a more youthful appearance after only four weeks.
The third building block is made up of proteoglycans, which act as bridge molecules between the fibres found inside the cellular matrix. They have special bonding sites for hyaluronic acid and collagen, helping them to carry out their role in revitalising our skin.
Taking care of our skin from inside and out using the same building blocks that it’s made up of is definitely a winning strategy for preventing ageing, but it’s not enough.
We need to go further and protect it from internal and external threats so that we can keep it as healthy and vitalised for as long as possible. To do that, let’s meet a few more important substances.
Tireless helpers for tired skin
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant found in our bodies which stimulates collagen synthesis, inhibits enzymes from breaking it down and helps to regenerate vitamin E (another key antioxidant for protecting against free radicals).
Vitamin A can be divided into two categories: retinoids and carotenoids. Retinoids stimulate deep cell regeneration, increase collagen synthesis and reduce the depth and width of wrinkles.
Bakuchiol is a natural ingredient that has recently come onto the cosmetics scene. It’s a retinol-like molecule that provides a deep regenerating effect, restoring tone and elasticity to the skin. Clinical studies have demonstrated that it has similar effectiveness to retinol, making it suitable even for the most sensitive of skin types.
When your skin needs a little extra care, a great option is to find an intensive treatment that can provide the right balance, combining all of these substances from both inside and out, choosing the right active ingredients to keep your skin moisturised, bright and smooth during the day, and the right ingredients to repair, rejuvenate and nourish your skin at night.
Remember that your pharmacist is always there to provide you with practical and trustworthy advice that can help you to take care of your health and beauty, even (and especially) during these difficult times.