AGING GRACEFULLY | 19 Effective Anti-Aging Ingredients to Look for in Skin Care Products

Hey everyone! Age is just a number. It’s a pet-peeve of mine when someone asks your age as an ice-breaker. But ironically I appreciate it when they say “Uy you look a 10 years younger“. Yes I do. It’s because I’m obsessed with taking care of my skin. Everyone will get old at some point, why not age gracefully? (aka slow it down LOL)

Without further ado, here are the 20 best anti-aging ingredients and how they work

1. Alpha-Lipoic Acid

• Alpha-lipoic acid helps prevent the signs of aging in the skin while soothing it at the same time.
• Also known as thioctic acid
• Alpha-lipoic acid improves cellular energy production and reduces inflammation, a major cause of aging.
• It also provides your skin with superior antioxidant protection, further activating antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10.

Example product: Derma-E Alpha Lipoic C Ester Cleanser Toner

2. Vitamin K

• Vitamin K can help to reverse the appearance of aging in skin because of its role in blood circulation, making it perfect for under-eye creams.
• Vitamin K reverses the calcium that is deposited in your skin’s elastin fibers, which harden and lead to wrinkles

Commonly found in:  Eye Creams

3. Biotin

• Biotin helps cells reach their full growth cycle, promoting stronger hair, skin and nails.
• Natural sources of biotin include nuts, soybeans, eggs, avocado and cauliflower.

4. Vitamin E 

A powerful source of antioxidants, vitamin E helps fight wrinkles and fine lines caused by pollution, UV rays and free radicals by neutralizing the oxidant effect of free radicals. Your body cannot naturally produce it, so it’s vital to get it from a supplement.

Vitamin E reduces inflammation both within your body and on your skin, helping you to maintain healthy and youthful skin.

5. Caffeine 

Many believe caffeine reduces the appearance of cellulite by constricting the blood vessels, giving skin a firmer appearance. According to a study in the Skin Pharmacol Physiol journal, “Caffeine has potent antioxidant properties. It helps protects against UV radiation and slows down the process of photo-aging in the skin.”

6. Vitamin C 

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the skin from environmental pollutants, including UV exposure. Vitamin C increases skin’s collagen, making it appear plumper while reducing signs of wrinkles and fine lines.

7. Ceramides 

Ceramides help your skin to maintain its moisture levels, preventing dry or irritated skin. Ceramides are natural lipids that your skin produces. They are crucial components of the epidermis and play a key role in barrier protection of the skin, allowing it to capture and bind water to stay hydrated. Because ceramides naturally decline as we age, you may want to use a ceramide skin care product to prevent redness or itchiness.

Kikaysikat Says: I haven’t tried any Ceramide-based anti-aging product yet, any recommendations?

8. Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 deficiency can result in an inability to properly produce collagen and elastin, two of the main building blocks of healthy skin. Unfortunately, most people over the age of 30 are deficient if they don’t take a supplement with the enzyme. “Also known as ubiquinone, coenzyme Q10 is present in every cell of the body,” according to Gargiulo. “It provides powerful antioxidant protections and collagen-boosting capabilities.” (OMG I NEED TO TAKE THIS MORE NOW!)

Product you can try: Oxiglow Glutathione with Coenzyme Q10

9. Resveratrol 

Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant essential to neutralizing free radicals, improving the appearance of skin and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. “It’s a natural antioxidant compound found in high amounts amongst the skins of grapes and in red wine. Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant that fights free radical damage (which leads to aging skin).

Where to find it? Red Wine! 

10. Retinol 

Retinol is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals and reduces the signs of aging. “It’s a form of vitamin A that when in concentrations of 0.25 percent or higher can increase cell turnover, helping to improve skin texture, fine lines and brown spots,” says Heather D. Rodgers, MD of Modern Dermatology in Seattle. “You want to apply this to cleansed skin before your moisturizer.”

Find It In: The Ordinary Retinoid Serum

11. Glycolic Acid 

Glycolic acid, a popular chemical exfoliant, is a derivative of sugarcane and is found naturally in foods. It’s been known to boost the production of collagen and elastin in the body, reducing the signs of aging in the skin. “It is an alpha hydroxy acid that’s used as an exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and smoothes skin texture,” says Gargulio. “Glycolic acid can reduce the look of fine lines and aging.”

12. Green Tea

Green tea has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-aging benefits of green tea are attributed to polyphenols, a type of flavonoids found in plants. Early studies have shown that green tea can reduce sun damage, protect skin from cancer and decrease collagen breakdown. The polyphenols are thought to influence biochemical pathways that lead to cell regeneration.

Find It In: Skinny Coffee

14. Malic Acid 

Malic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid naturally found in the body that can boost the immune system and balance pH levels in the body. Malic acid is excellent to improve the appearance of fine lines, large pores and improve the overall texture of skin. Malic acid, usually derived from apples, is glycolic acid’s gentle cousin—so it’s a better choice for sensitive skin types.

15. Niacinamide 

Niacinamide (aka vitamin B3) can help the body perform critical functions, like cell signaling, DNA signaling and converting carbohydrates into fats and proteins. “This vitamin B3 derivative suppresses melanin from reaching the surface of the skin, thus lightening areas of dark spots that plague mature skin,” says Mauter. “Niacinamide is a more ‘natural’ way of dealing with hyperpigmentation compared to something like hydroquinone.”

Find It In: QuickFX Sunblock with Niacinamide

16. Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is a powerful moisturizer and is one of the main contributors to keeping your skin supple and hydrated. It can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, is naturally found throughout your entire body and can be used as a natural alternative to synthetic fillers. “Compared to other polymers, hyaluronic has the greatest ability to hold water,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Fayne Frey. For maximum anti-aging effects, Dr. Frey recommends the use of topical hyaluronic acid twice per day (day and night).

17. Hydroquinone 

Hydroquinone is a lightening agent for skin that’s widely used for its fast results.“Monitored use of hydroquinone quickly lightens tough age spots on the skin,” according to skin care therapist Paula Mauter. “Hydroquinone is especially helpful for discoloration related to a disorder called melasma caused by hormone fluctuations leftover from pregnancy or birth control use.”

Find It In: MaxiPeel

18. Kojic Acid

Kojic acid limits melanin production in the skin, which is the substance that gives skin its color. According to esthetician Renee Gilanshah, “Kojic acid lightens pigmented skin, which is usually the result of sun exposure. Kojic acid is also an antioxidant that helps with the premature damage or malfunction of skin cells.”

Find It In: Gluta-C Skin Whitening Products

19. Lactic Acid 

Lactic acid provides general exfoliation and skin lightening for skin types too sensitive for glycolic acid. Studies show it can increase firmness and thickness of skin while also reducing the signs of aging. “Lactic acid has the amazing ability to attract and hold moisture since it is a humectant,” according to Gilanshah. “This helps bring additional moisture to dry or dehydrated skin.”

Find It In: Jinju White Skin Lightening Toner

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