Serums have become the hottest addition to the skincare regimen. Those mini bottles crammed with the sublime ingredients does major miracles to the skin. However, to reap the full-fledged benefits of the serums and the active ingredients, it is important to understand their uses and benefits so you could address your skin with the right one. And there, to help you learn and understand better, we’ve compiled a list of four active ingredients to hunt for when shopping face serums.
In This Article
Hyaluronic Acid:
Hyaluronic acid is one ingredient that is making to most of the skincare products these days. It is a potent and highly effective ingredient for dry skin types. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant with an ability to attract and retain water and add moisture to the skin. Do you know the magical part about hyaluronic acids? Well, it has an incredible ability to bind up to 1000 times its weight in water! Thereby, it supports new collagen formation, helping achieve plump, radiant, and rejuvenated skin. Also, with the new collagen formation, hyaluronic acid would also support combating the sign of ageing. Add hyaluronic acid serums to ensure that your skin stays hydrated, moisturized, soft and supple.
It is always recommended to ensure that the concentration of Hyaluronic Acid is below 2 per cent. A molecular weight as low as 5 kDA Hyaluronic Acid holds the ability to penetrate deep in the skin, thus, most probably carrying other unwanted ingredients, chemicals, and bacteria too deeper in to the skin. And, if the skin is compromised, this could be the bad news. Well, the added good news to Hyaluronic Acids is that it does not tend to trigger any allergic reaction since our bodies to create it naturally.
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid, is a powerful water-soluble vitamin. Also known as L-ascorbic acid, it is a powerhouse antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties that helps neutralize free radicals that leads to the oxidative damage. It supports the combined reduction of redness, dark spots, and irritation. Vitamin C is potent ingredient that would also amp up the collagen formation, fight the signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles, and help keep the skin from sagging. If you look forward to one-stop solution addressing your skin woes, a quality Vitamin C serum is what you need, making your way for a clear and smooth skin tone.
Niacinamide:
Niacinamide is a versatile skincare ingredient that addresses almost any skin woes. It is an active form of Vitamin B3, and is also known as Nicotinamide. Niacinamide is a clinically proven ingredient ideal for active acnes, acne scars, acne marks, blemishes, hyperpigmentation or uneven skin texture. It helps construct skin protein/ keratin that promotes healthy and firm skin. Furthermore, it helps grow a lipid (ceramide) barrier, which in turn helps retain the moisture. Niacinamide also creates a shield against environmental damage such as pollution, UV rays, and toxins. It also helps improve the skin barrier, repair and reverse the skin damage. Niacinamides are packed with anti-inflammatory properties that regulates sebum production, improve the appearance of large pores, and promote a visibly improved skin texture.
Several studies suggest a potent role of 5 per cent Niacinamide concentrations in lightening dark spots. This is perhaps due to the increased collagen production.
Hexylresorcinol:
If you’re calling for a skin-brightening agent, you can count on hexylresorcinol. Hexylresorcinol holds antioxidant and astringent properties that helps deal with the free radicals, and promotes even skin tone and enhanced skin texture.
Ceramides:
Ceramides are a class of lipids or fatty acids. They usually are found in the skin and makes up to 50 per cent of the epidermis, approximately. With the growing age, skin begins to lose these fatty acids / ceramides. Low level of ceramides in skin makes space for the natural moisture escaping through, while letting in the irritants, air pollution and also the infectious agents.
Signs of ageing like fine and wrinkles become more prominent and visible when the skin is dry. While a skin with sufficient moisture locked-in, appears youthful. And, here lies the fundamental reason to supplementing the skin with ceramides.
Ceramides helps skin form a barrier to prevent permeability. In lieu of adding moisture to the skin, ceramides avert moisture loss by reinforcing the skin’s barrier function. It supports the natural ceramide production in skin and locks the moisture, thus, keeping dryness, dullness, signs of ageing and skin irritations at bay. It also helps shield the epidermis against environmental damage.
Retinols:
Retinol is a synthetic derivative of Vitamin-A and are clinically proven ingredient to help preserve the collagen stores, stimulate new collagen formation, and plump the skin for reduced signs of ageing. Retinols neutralizes the free radicals and supports skin cells turnover, promoting the growth of new skin cells underneath. Thus, a rejuvenated skin with reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Retinols also stimulates the production of new blood vessels in the skin which further improves the skin color. The additional benefits of retinols encompass fading age spots and softening flaky and rough patches of skin.
AHAs:
AHAs stands for Alpha Hydroxy Acids. They’re a group of organic carboxylic compounds, also naturally found in several foods and plants, that puts a strong effect on the top two skin layers. AHAs are chemical exfoliants that helps quickly get rid of the dead skin cells from epidermis. They’re water-soluble acids derived from sugary fruits. AHAs help peel away the skin surface, making space for the generation of evenly pigmented new skin cells. After chemically exfoliating with AHAs, you’ll notice smoother and clear skin. Although AHAs are marked safe and suitable to all skin types, you still need to proceed with caution if you’ve a dry or sensitive skin. AHAs are used to address skin concerns like mild hyperpigmentation, scars, melasma, and age spots.
AHAs works more effective than most physical exfoliators and scrubs. This feature of AHAs makes them to almost any skincare product that addresses skin woes like aging, scars, brown spots, wrinkles, and lightening discolorations. It supports skin tightening, and improves the overall appearance of skin. The anti-inflammatory properties in AHAs amps up the blood circulation in skin, Resultantly, the skin cells are blessed with an accessibility to more nutrients via the oxygen-rich blood cells. Thus, helping correct pale and dull skin tone.
BHAs:
BHA stands for Beta Hydroxy Acids. They’re oil-soluble and penetrates a little deeper to the dermis as well. BHAs support removal of dead skin cells and excess sebum. BHAs are mainly used for acne and sun damage. BHAs would effectively function by penetrating deeper into the dermis to dry out the excess sebum / oils and dead skin cells. Thereby, unclogging the skin pores. BHAs are ideal for people with oily or combination skin types. They would best tackle the acne issues, blackheads, whiteheads, et cetera. Also, BHAs helps calming and reducing any inflammation or rosacea-related redness.
