Top Time-Tested Ingredients for Great Skin

When it comes to skin care lotions, potions and ingredients, the sheer amount available on the market can be overwhelming. There seems to be a product to cure nearly anything that ails you…or your skin. How do you cut through the clutter, and get to the ingredients and formulas that actually make a difference?

It’s a lot like cars. Though new research and development have led to some amazing advancements in the automobile industry, cars still rely on a few basic (tried and true) components to operate. In skin care, there are some ingredients that have stood the test of time and continue to produce results.

The Tried and True

There are a number of ingredients that have been used throughout the decades to target acne, skin aging and even discoloration. While there are some tremendous new advanced ingredients that have improved the efficacy of a number of formulas, often they are used in tandem with many of these tried and true ingredients. So what are these time-tested skin care ingredients?

• Salicylic acid – works as an exfoliant, preventing pores from clogging while stimulating cell renewal. It also fights bacteria, which it does from within the pore, constricting the pore size to prevent future clogging.
• Boldine – also seen as D-Boldine, it prevents free radicals steal from damaging cells (aka aging). Boldine also inhibits intra-cellular oxidants, fights bacteria and enhances the body’s natural “killer cells” when fighting certain cancers and tumors.
• Vitamin A – the most common forms of vitamin A are retinols, which also include retinal, retinoic acid and retinyl ester. These work to help prevent build-up, prevent breakouts, and increase cell turnover and collagen production to reduce the visual signs of aging.
• Resveratrol – found in the skin of red grapes and some other fruits, it is a potent antioxidant and packed with polyphenols to promote more youthful looking skin.
• Zinc Oxide– a natural mineral from the Earth’s crust. It works to form a protective physical barrier over the skin to block UV rays. It’s one of the best anti-aging (preventative) ingredients.

A few others include epidermal growth factor, vitamin C, peptides and sodium hyaluronate. So if you’re on the fence about skin care products or ingredients to use, go for the tried and true. Be sure to read formula labels though. Ingredient combinations and levels make a big difference in the effectiveness of a product. If the ‘good’ ingredients are buried at the bottom of the ingredient listing, chances are the product only contains minuscule amounts of it. And, when in doubt go with a trusted brand whose ingredients you trust. Happy hunting.