Quick. Name one thing in your skin care routine you couldn’t live without? When asked, most of our Team Reflect members emphatically agreed that they wouldn’t be caught dead without their favorite serums. There’s good reason for that kind of devotion. Serums are packed full of active ingredients (not inactive fillers), can stand in for moisturizer, and provide targeted results for all sorts of skin issues. We covered the basics about what these powerhouse products do in part one of our series on serums, so now it’s time to get serious about helping you find the perfect product for your anti-aging needs.
Grab Those Growth Factors
There are so many serums on the market that claim to have anti-aging benefits that it’s impossible to list every potential ingredient in a single article. Epidermal Growth Factors (EGFs), however, are a worthy place to start. If this term is new to you, then focus on the first two words. You already know that the epidermis is the outer layer of skin, and “growth” obviously means some sort of generation is taking place. Add the two together, and you’ll learn that EGFs encourage your skin to create new collagen, which keeps the skin looking firm and feeling more elastic or bouncy. Serums with growth factors improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and, when properly formulated, provide immediate as well as long-term effects. IS Clinical Youth Serum contains hyaluronic acid, which increases the skin’s ability to retain moisture and plumps up little lines instantly. The “bio-identical growth factors” stimulate skin’s sluggish collagen production (that begins in our 30s), so skin repairs and rejuvenates itself more quickly.
Perk Up with Peptides
Another way to target waning collagen production is to incorporate a peptide-rich serum into your routine. Protein is necessary for muscle growth and also keeps your skin firm and taut. Peptides help that process along by telling the body to produce more collagen. If you’re using an EGF serum, then adding peptides to it is like having an extra player on the field. Sometimes, more truly is better. The most common peptides for firming skin while softening the appearance of wrinkles include palmitoyl tripeptide, palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl pentapeptide-3, and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7. Citrix’s C.R.S. 15% L-Ascorbic Acid Serum contains palmitoyl tripeptide in addition to vitamin C, so you can also lighten dark spots simultaneously.
Get Real Results with Retinol
No anti-aging routine would be complete without retinol. This workhorse product has benefits for every single skin type and has been clinically proven to improve skin texture and (yes, we’re repeating ourselves) increase collagen production. If you decide to add retinol to your routine, we recommend using it in the evening. Of all the anti-aging serums, retinol has the longest track record, but using it also means committing to wearing sunscreen whenever you’ll be outdoors (which you do anyway, right?). The faster your skin cells turn over, the more vulnerable your skin will be, so baby it with a good moisturizer and protect it with the insurance that sunscreen provides.
~ ~ ~
Any or all of these serums can deliver quality results over time, but it’s important to be realistic. Your skin issues didn’t happen overnight, so be patient and stick with your new serum for at least 90 days. We’ll be happy to make recommendations for other products if you have questions. Just ask. That’s what we’re here for, after all.
To aging gracefully,
Team Reflect
Did you enjoy our post? If so, please share it with friends on Facebook or via email. Thank you for reading!
Share Email