While your best bet is to be happy in your own skin, some of us still seek a little something extra to smooth out those lines, fade scars, or just keep our skin protected from the environment.
As the summers get hotter and the winters get colder, we go from oily to dry and chapped over the course of a few weeks and the products start to pile up on our bathroom shelves leaving us wondering what really works best. Here, we’ve compiled 20 products that just don’t live up to the hype and 35 that are worth the splurge.
Just remember that every person is different – we have different genes, diets, home and work environments, stressors, and habits, and all of these have an effect on our skin. So when someone tells you there’s an $80 must-have serum, there’s always a chance it just won’t be right for you.
A lot of finding the right products is trial and error (which is why free samples are so great!). But as you experiment, keep in mind that there are some things that just aren’t worth the hype. So maybe take a pass on the first 20 products and save your money for the 35 that follow.
1. Pricey eye creams
There’s almost no difference between eye creams and all-over face creams, except you tend to pay much more money for a much smaller amount of product. If you’ve found something that really makes a difference, that’s great, but if you’re testing out various $50-$200 eye remedies, try dabbing a bit of what you’re using on the rest of your face under your eyes and see if that doesn’t help just as much.
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GIOCONDA Centru de Frumusete via Flickr
2. Coconut oil for your face
Coconut oil seems to be everywhere these days and is a darling of the natural health and wellness world. Unfortunately, this oil is comedogenic, which means it blocks your pores. Luckily, there’s a scale that measures how pore-blocking an oil is, so if you like the feeling of oil on your face to deal with dry skin, try to use one with a lower ranking, such as argan oil or castor oil.
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Dầu dừa via Wikimedia Commons
3. Skin care pills
According to the popular skin care blog The Klog, not all skin care pills are created equally. There’s very little good research (that hasn’t been funded by the companies selling the pills) that show that they have any effect at all. It’s cheaper and better for you overall to just get the vitamins and nutrients that contribute to healthy skin through a good diet. So save your money for fruits and vegetables.
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Pixabay
4. Face mists
It’s easy to think that keeping a little mister in your bag will help cool you off on muggy days or add some moisture to your skin in the winter, but according to Refinery 29, most of these are just water and fragrance. Used incorrectly, facial mists can actually make your skin dryer by evaporating off of your face and taking some of your skin’s natural moisture with it. If you still love a good mist, be sure to find one with a humectant such as glycerin, propylene glycol, hyaluronic acid, or aloe that will actually penetrate the skin instead of sitting on top of it waiting to dry up.
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MaxPixel
5. At-home chemical peels
The thought of applying peeling chemicals to your face without supervision should give you pause, but there are plenty of items on the market that promise a spa-worthy glow for a fraction of the price. Unfortunately, many people have learned the hard way that these ingredients are best chosen and applied by professionals and trying a chemical peel at home can lead to serious burns and other skin irritations and injuries. If you’re going to apply an at-home acid peel, use very low concentrations of active ingredients and do your research (or a patch test) first.
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Image by chezbeate on Pixabay
6. Ab creams
If we could buff up our abs by simply applying a cream, the world would be a much different place. Any product that promises a miracle in a tube without any of the hard work should raise red flags. If you want to remove fat, you’re going to have to do it the old-fashioned way – through diet and exercise. We’ll grant you that the action of massaging in a cream might make a temporary difference in the way skin looks, but you’re really not breaking up or removing fat.
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Image by Mizianitka on Pixabay
7. Cellulite cream
We don’t yet know how to permanently remove cellulite, but that’s not what the pricy creams would have you believe. Cellulite is often genetic or the result of a sedentary lifestyle. A good massage or ingredients like caffeine might occasionally reduce its appearance, but the results will be temporary. Again, this is one where you might see a slight difference after a vigorous massage, but you can use any lotion or oil for that.
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Kendra Goering via Flickr
8. Random sheet masks
Plenty of people swear by sheet masks and they range in price from $1 to almost $45. But don’t count on a miracle from just any product. Your best bet to get results is to understand your skin and what it needs and do some research on the ingredients in the mask you choose. And you can’t expect results if you don’t follow the directions, so make sure you read the back of the package. Despite the wide range of masks available, some experts still think they don’t do much good at all. While there’s probably no harm in indulging in a mask on girl’s night, just make sure there aren’t too many active ingredients you’re not familiar with first.
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Photo via CushySpa
9. Blackhead removers
It might be gratifying to peel off that nose strip and see all the gunk that came out of your pores, but the truth is that these products can sometimes do more harm than good. Occasionally, they can lead to scarring or even more clogged pores if you don’t protect your face after use. Unfortunately, the new pore vacuum products designed to suck the gunk out of your pores can have even more serious side effects. Save your cash and use a gentle exfoliant on your pores instead, and give it a few weeks to see a difference.
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TrickedWest via Wikimedia Commons
10. Oral or topical collagen
Collagen supplements, creams, and even drinks are all over the place these days, but there’s very little chance that they’ll act like the miracle product the packaging claims. Collagen is a large protein molecule, so applying it topically won’t benefit our skin since it’s not able to penetrate the top layer. Ingesting collagen is even more useless since it will simply get broken down in your stomach before your body can absorb it.
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Zeyus Media via Flickr
11. Jade rollers
There’s nothing inherently useful about facial rollers. While you might put them in the fridge to tighten up your undereye area in the morning, that’s nothing an ice cube can’t do for free. The real power of the rollers is in massaging your face and stimulating the skin, which you can do just as easily with your fingers while you wash your face.
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Screencap via Vimeo
12. Stretch mark creams
Stretch marks are a fact of life for anyone who has lost weight, but a product in a tube isn’t going to make them go away. The marks are made far enough under the skin that no topical cream can sink in deep enough to affect them. If they’re really bothering you, you’ll need to talk to a dermatologist about your options.
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sunshinecity via Flickr
13. Lip primer
Lip primers promise to lock in your color and prevent smudging throughout the day, but you should spend your $10-45 elsewhere since these rarely live up to the hype. You’re better off swiping an extra bit of foundation across your lips while you’re applying it to the rest of your face. Just make sure your lips are moisturized, especially if you wear dark lip color, or else you’ll be rocking that cracked and flaky look all day.
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AdinaVoicu via Pixabay
14. Brow setting gel
Brow kits are all the rage right now and we can’t argue that a good set of brows is the perfect way to frame your face. But there’s no need to invest $20 or $30 in a simple setting gel if you’re already getting your brows waxed or threaded because your aesthetician should be shaping and trimming them into their best shape. Even if you do your own brows, a bit of hair spray on a spoolie brush is a much cheaper alternative. (But note, this is different than a brow pencil, which plenty of us need to add extra shape and color.)
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Screencap via Vimeo
15. Hair masks
No little plastic package is going to solve your hair woes long-term if you’re not taking care of it. If your hair is dry, a mask might be a one-day solution, but you can save a lot of money by washing it less, using a good conditioner (one formulated for your hair type, especially if it’s color treated) on your ends, and letting hair air dry as much as possible. And while many of us love our styling tools, keeping them at a low heat and skipping them a few days a week is the only thing that’s going to save those ends from the scissors.
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Public Domain Pictures
16. Lip scrub
Lip scrubs seem to have taken over the Etsy homemade cosmetics crowd, but there’s really no need to buy a special product to exfoliate your lips. You can get the same results with a washcloth or even a toothbrush – just don’t press too hard and try to apply some lip balm or petroleum jelly if you feel like your lips are dry.
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knnshop_nookid via Instagram
17. Cuticle cream or oil
Granted, it’s important to take care of your cuticles, but special cuticle creams and oils don’t do anything that a lip balm, some vaseline, or any other oil you have around can’t do. And like many products, it’s often the massaging that really helps soften your cuticles. So save your money unless you’re really into the cute packaging.
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stux via Pixabay
18. Foot cream
If you own a hand cream or body lotion that’s not too pricey, there’s no reason you can’t use the same thing on your feet too. If your feet are in really bad shape, you likely need to exfoliate or invest in a peel, but first, just apply some regular lotion in a larger dollop than usual, put on some socks, and let it soak in for a while.
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Photo by Abby Asam from Pexels
19. Split end repair products
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the only way to get rid of split ends is to cut them off. No serum is going to glue those ends back together permanently. Worse yet, if you don’t take care of split ends properly, they’re going to travel up your hair shaft and require an even more drastic cut. Skip the money for the serum and cut down on the styling tools instead.
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Image by Monsterkoi on Pixabay
20. Shaving cream
Shaving cream is designed to soften your hair follicles and help your razor slide across your skin gently to prevent irritation. However, almost all body washes now contain the same softening ingredients, so there’s no reason to fill up your shower with extra bottles when just one will do.
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Karolina Mis via Flickr
It’s not all bad news!
Think of it this way – now you can save your money on products that were just taking up space and get some stuff that might really make a difference. The next 35 items are either general ingredients with lots of evidence or specific products with evidence AND great reviews. It’s still the case that some things might not work for your unique skin type, but these are generally safe to try. And remember, if you’re in the market for a high-end product, many big cosmetics stores can give you a sample to take home first. While it takes a few weeks for any product to really show it’s stuff, a sample can at least tell you if your skin might have a bad reaction.
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Image by chezbeate on Pixabay
22. Vaseline
Let’s start with a tried and true classic. Even though I love expensive beauty products and have no shame about dropping $100 for a serum, I could never give up Vaseline for lips and any part of my face, lips, hands, and feet that get that stubborn winter dryness. It’s great to have a cheap buy to count on when things get rough – literally! (Of course, any generic petroleum jelly will work just fine.)
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Vaseline.com
23. Lash growth serums
You’re going to spend some money on these serums, which start at around $50, but you will more than likely get results. Products like Latisse (which requires a prescription) and Grande Lash will extend the life of your individual eyelashes, making them grow longer before they fall out. They will also spur the growth of new lashes (and brows, if you need to fill those in as well). The key ingredients to look out for in the pricey products are biotin, peptides, and bimatoprost. But if you don’t have the cash, there plenty of people who swear by simple castor oil too. You can get a bottle of that and a couple of spoolies for application (just go easy on it unless you like oil in your eyes) for well under $20. Whatever you get, give it about a month to show results.
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Grande Cosmetics
24. Vitamin C serum
Lots of people swear by Vitamin C serums and they range in price from under $10 to well over $100. You can easily find one you like in your price range as long as you make sure it’s in a dark bottle to protect it from the sun (which can wreak havoc on all sorts of active ingredients). Vitamin C is great because its antioxidant properties help fight the free radical damage caused by UV radiation and some say it also boosts your skin’s collagen production which smooths out fine lines and wrinkles. As with any product, give it a try for a couple of weeks before you deliver a verdict and don’t expect miracles, just some improvements. My favorite is Asterwood Naturals Vitamin C serum.
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Asterwood Naturals
25. Beauty blenders
I’m always surprised by how much my friends love those little egg-shaped sponges to apply their foundation, especially the original beautyblender. While they do suck up (and therefore waste) more of the product than your fingers would, there’s no denying that they do allow for a more even application and less streaking than brushes or hands. Just make sure you keep them clean so you don’t get any acne-causing bacteria in there.
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beautyblender
26. Makeup remover
We’re going to buck the trend of bashing makeup remove here based on lots of experience. If you wear makeup (especially in these days of long-lasting products), your cleanser is likely not going to be up to the task of getting off your long-wear lipstick, eyeliner, and waterproof mascara. Even if you like to keep your routine minimal, a makeup removing wipe, balm, or oil is going to do the magical work of removing that first layer of day off your face. Then you can use a gentle cleanser on your skin and follow up however you like. My personal favorite is Clinique’s Take The Day Off Balm.
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Clinique
27. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
This product was introduced back in 1947 and is still recommended by dermatologists today when skin is overworked and needs a break. While this won’t get your makeup off, the mild formula will cleanse your skin after the makeup removing step without leaving it dry. It’s soap- and fragrance-free and is considered safe even for sensitive skin. Better yet, you can get it for under $15. There’s a reason it’s a classic.
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Cetaphil
28. Caffeine serums
This will not replace your morning coffee (though, who among us would even try?!). Topical caffeine works as a vasoconstrictor (meaning it narrows the blood vessels) and dehydrates fat cells so it can often result in smoother looking skin, though just temporarily. You’ll sometimes see it in de-puffing eye gels as well to reduce dark circles. While it’s not a long-term solution to not getting enough sleep, it’s great to have around for those mornings when the skin under eyes betrays you. Tea bags will work the same way if you’ve got extra time.
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Garnier USA
29. Hyaluronic acid
Acids sound a bit scary, but many of them have made their way to cosmetics stores around the world because they really do work. It bears repeating that there’s no miracle in a bottle, but hyaluronic acid is a key molecule involved in skin moisture and has the unique capacity to retain water and keep skin hydrated throughout the day. Of course, plenty of products now claim to have this ingredient just to capitalize on the fanfare, so it might be best to stick to well-known brand names that have been around a while. Any time you’re looking for a budget option, you can check out the ultra-cheap and well-reviewed line of products from The Ordinary, otherwise, anything by Dr. Dennis Gross is usually a good investment.
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Dr. Dennis Gross
30. The Ordinary
Here’s a whole line of skin care products worth mentioning. If you’ve done your research and want to try some trendy ingredients with great reviews, this company offers very budget-friendly options. They’re available online and now back in Sephora stores, so they’re also easy to get your hands on. This article from Refinery 29 gives a good run-down of their products (and also a bit of the drama that formerly surrounded the company but is now in the past with the death of its founder).
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The Ordinary
31. Pitera
While we’re talking about great skin care lines, here’s one at the other end of the price spectrum that has great reviews. SK-II is a high-end Japanese skincare company that uses a specially formulated yeast that they call “Pitera” in their products. Their facial treatment essence is the best among the line but will run you about $100. If you’ve got the cash, I don’t know anyone who hasn’t noticed a difference in the brightness of their skin after using it for just a few days. Unfortunately, you’re only going to find Pitera in this product line since it’s patented by the company and a closely guarded trade secret.
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SK-II
32. “Buffet” serums
“Buffet” products pack in a bunch of active ingredients hoping that at least one will have an effect on skin’s brightness, fine lines, or hyperpigmentation. While you obviously need to be careful, there are some products with great reviews, such as The Ordinary’s Buffet or the cult classic Shark Sauce, the latter which has 5-star reviews from every corner of the Internet. It’s packed with niacinamides, N-Acetyl glucosamine, hyaluronic acid, and green tea extracts and users agree that it does wonders for hyperpigmentation, especially if you have acne scars. And don’t worry, there aren’t any shark parts in it.
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Deciem
33. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is a popular natural product for treating any kind of facial discoloration, acne, or other swelling and inflammation. It has both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and can be found in face washes, moisturizers, and spot treatments. The Body Shop has been doing tea tree oil as long as they’ve been around and found sustainable sources.
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The Body Shop
34. Tiger grass
Tiger grass, also known as cica, is filled with chlorophyll and nutrients like zinc, selenium, copper, amino acids, and beta-carotene. The Korean company Dr. Jart+ is the front-runner in using this ingredient in their products and claims it stimulates cell growth (to renew skin faster) and can treat conditions like rosacea, eczema, sensitive skin, and acne. It’s definitely part of the standard lineup for people who occasionally experience redness and a staple on my bathroom shelf. Better yet, it comes in serums, overnight masks, and moisturizers, so you can pick your favorite application.
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Dr. Jart+
35. Lactic acid
Ok, we did say that using acids at home could be tricky, but plenty of products have low enough concentrations that they don’t count as a peel, but simply a good revitalizing product that you can use a couple of times a week. According to Marie Claire, lactic acid is one of the most popular alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and in small doses can gently exfoliate skin to clear clogged pores, plump up fine lines, and fade dark spots and acne scars. While some products can have 30% or more of the active ingredient, it’s best to start small (maybe around 5%) and see how your skin reacts. Sunday Riley’s Good Genes is a fan favorite for those with $105 to spare, while The Ordinary has a 5% solution for under $7.
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Sunday Riley
36. Argan oil
Most people are pretty hesitant to add oil to their faces unless their skin is incredibly dry, but the truth is that if you choose a non-pore-clogging oil such as argan oil, it can actually help improve oily skin and acne. Argan oil can penetrate far enough to balance your sebum levels (sebum is the oily residue you see on your skin) and it’s packed with vitamin E, antioxidants, and fatty acids. While there are dozens of products containing argan oil at every price point, the most popular by far is Josie Maran’s line of 100% pure argan oil.
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Josie Maran
37. Micellar water
Micellar water is now on every drug store and high-end beauty store shelf. While it was only available in European pharmacies a couple of years ago, its ability to gently remove makeup without drying skin or clogging pores has led just about every cosmetics company to invent their own take on it. While it won’t get off the most stubborn long-lasting makeup, it’s a great option for days when you just have on a tinted moisturizer and a swipe of lipstick.
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cherry via Flickr
38. Pimple patches
Whether they’re glorified stickers with active ingredients or tiny patches with microneedles to deliver the goods straight into your blemish, pimple patches are a great overnight skin tool. The best part is that once you put them on, you’re much less likely to get your dirty hands on the area, so even if all they do is provide a barrier, this cheap solution is, in fact, better than nothing. If you have serious cystic acne, these aren’t going to do much for you, but they’re a great solution to the occasional inconvenient zit that inevitably pops up the day before a big event.
Source:
COSRX
39. Retinol
Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, can be tricky. Because it does work to reduce the signs of aging for so many people, we tend to think more is better, and that’s typically not the case. This is one product that can easily backfire and cause skin redness, burning, or itching if you don’t start off with a low concentration (think less than 1% – the highest concentration on the market right now is 2%). The best way to apply it is to spread a pea-size dab over your whole face about 15 minutes after you wash it. You can follow up with a moisturizer once you give it about 5 minutes to sink in (or you can simply buy a moisturizer with retinol instead of using a serum). You’ll also want to avoid any product with retinol in the days before or after you get your brows or any other part of your face waxed to avoid irritation.
Source:
Kate Somerville
40. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is easily overshadowed by the newer ingredients, but it’s so effective that it’s typically part of many moisturizers and often coupled with vitamin C products. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties that help combat the effects of pollution and other environmental stressors that make your skin dull. While it’s a naturally occurring vitamin in your skin, the more time you spend in the sun, the more it depletes. Even if you wear sunscreen, you should invest in a product with Vitamin E, whether it’s a serum, mask, or moisturizer.
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The Body Shop
41. Ferulic acid
Ferulic acid is a plant-based antioxidant that can not only protect your skin from environmental stressors, but help stabilize other topical ingredients such as vitamins C and E. You’ll often find all three of these ingredients together (and it might be wise to look for ferulic acid in your C and E serums).
Source:
SkinCeuticals
42. Polypeptide creams
Peptides are the building blocks of proteins in the skin. A good polypeptide cream will cost you a bit of money, but contain amino acid chains that are able to penetrate the top layer of skin and send signals to our cells to make them produce collagen. This leads to tighter, brighter, and more supple skin. The most popular product on shelves right now is Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide Cream, which runs about $68.
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Drunk Elephant
43. Non-chemical exfoliants
If you don’t want to apply acids at home to turn over skin cells and find electronic brushes a little too harsh, non-chemical exfoliants might be the way to go. One great product is Dermologica’s Daily Microfoliant which comes as a powder that you mix with a few drops of water to form a paste. Instead of harsh materials that can scratch and irritate skin, this is made of rice and oatmeal, so you don’t have to worry about exfoliating too hard.
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Dermalogica
44. Exfoliating scrubbing brushes
This one is all about how you use it. These brushes can be great as long as you replace them before they get too grungy and are gentle when moving them around your face. Don’t use a face scrubber as your makeup remover or you’re likely to press too hard on the brush and leave your skin red and raw. Overuse or a heavy hand can even lead to broken capillaries, dryness, and sensitivity. And, of course, cleansing the brush itself every so often is crucial too in order to avoid acne-causing bacteria build-up. I swear by my Clarisonic Mia with a cashmere brush head, but only to lightly exfoliate with my cleanser after I’ve used a makeup remover.
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Clarisonic
45. Salicylic acid
This acid can help remedy acne but needs to be used in small doses until your skin gets used to it. If you use it too often, it can really dry you out. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (a BHA, as opposed to an AHA) and has a different chemical structure that allows it to penetrate the pores of the skin more effectively. Products with this ingredient will be best for blackheads and whiteheads; cystic acne should be treated by a dermatologist or doctor who can tell you more about how hormones are affecting your skin.
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CeraVe
46. Glycolic acid
While there are a lot of acids that are safe to use at home, it should go without saying that you can’t use them all at once, so be sure to read the labels about possible interactions as well as how many times per week a product can be used. Glycolic acid is an AHA that can be used every day however, as long as you’re not using a concentration of more than 10%. It also helps lighten discolorations such as sun and age spots and reduce breakouts. But it’s best not to layer it with retinol or Vitamin C – use those on different days if you decide to invest in lots of products.
Source:
Mario Badescu
47. Microcurrent devices
They aren’t cheap and they can be time-consuming to use, but they’re technically quite simple. There are two wands, a negative and positive, with a very small electrical current running in between. When applied to your face, the current tightens the facial muscles. Anything truly effective will likely require a trained aesthetician, but there is an at-home version called NuFace that has some great reviews from users that have invested the effort to use it for more than a few weeks.
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NuFace
48. Niacinamide serum
Niacinamide is also known as vitamin B3. It reduces the appearance of blemishes while also balancing your skin’s natural sebum levels and improving its barrier function so it won’t lose water or be affected by environmental pollutants. Even though it sounds like serious stuff, it’s pretty gentle on the skin. Glossier’s SuperPure Serum is well-reviewed and $28.
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Glossier
49. Squalane
If you decide to use squalane, it’s best to make sure it’s lab- or plant-derived and not harvested from shark livers, which can have devastating environmental effects. There are plenty of olive-derived squalane products on the market. This oil is excellent because it doesn’t have an oily feel and doesn’t clog pores, but has anti-aging and moisturizing properties. Since it absorbs slowly into the skin, it creates an effective barrier between it and the environment. According to The Derm Review, skin care experts say that squalane has a number of positive effects on uneven skin pigmentation, scars, and age spots and fights free radicals in the skin that are caused by the sun’s UV rays.
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Biossance
50. Red light therapy
Scientific studies have found that subjects who used red light therapy experienced significantly improved skin complexion and skin feeling, decreased skin roughness, and increased collagen density. But not just any red light will do; you need a quality red light therapy device that uses medical-grade LEDs to deliver concentrated wavelengths of natural light to your skin and cells. While some devices can run into the hundreds of dollars, Neutrogena makes a mask for $40. Just note that there are no proper studies yet for at-home devices (just the medical grade ones), only ones that are sponsored by the companies selling the devices, though dermatologists say there’s little damage to be done by trying them out – just as long as you don’t stare at the light.
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Neutrogena
51. A microneedler
There are hundreds of stories of people getting excellent results from facial rollers with tiny needles on them. Microneedlers work by creating tiny punctures in your skin to stimulate skin repair and cell regeneration. These tiny and mostly painless “wounds” force the body to make collagen. The problems come in when they are used with too much pressure, used too often, and not cleaned properly in between uses. More instructions on their use are available here, but it’s worth noting up front that it’s a lot less painful than it sounds!
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Image by misspokallo on Pixabay
52. Matrixyl
Matrixyl is actually the trade name of peptide palmitoyl pentapeptide that has long been used in anti-wrinkle cosmetics. It’s said to stimulate collagen and elastin and is available in everything from body lotions, eye creams, and facial serums. So, basically, you can use it all over your body!
Source:
The Ordinary
53. Lanolin
Lanolin is a great, cheap product to keep around in the winter months for dry, chapped, and cracked skin. It’s best used on super dry areas like lips or hands and feet rather than slathering it all over your face, which can clog your pores and leave an oily layer on your skin (that’s how it traps water to prevent moisture loss). Just a heads up – lanolin actually comes from wool grease secreted by sheep, which sounds kind of gross, and can cause allergies as well as turn off customers who don’t want products derived from animals.
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Lanolips via Instagram
54. Charcoal
It seems charcoal is everywhere these days from teeth whiteners to dietary supplements. Of course, this isn’t the stuff you use on your grill. Activated charcoal is safe to apply topically and is odorless and flavorless. According to The Klog, it’s typically made from bamboo or coconut shell and has incredible detoxing abilities. Applied as a mask, it decreases oiliness and also binds to impurities found on the skin’s surface and will leave your pores clean after use.
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Origins
55. Glucosamine (and derivative NAG)
While you may think of glucosamine as an arthritis treatment, the American Academy of Dermatology says that it could potentially be an effective topical treatment to reverse damage caused by UV exposure. Cosmetic companies also market its skin-brightening benefits, and you’ll often see it combined with the B vitamin niacinamide. There’s also research that indicates that it can stimulate hyaluronic acid naturally in the body to improve skin hydration and decrease wrinkles.
Source:
Naked Actives
56. Sunscreen
You’ve heard it before and we’ll say it again – the best way to protect your skin any time of year is to make sure you cover it with sunscreen. There’s just no getting around it as one of the most important tools in your skincare arsenal. Especially if you’re not keen on spending lots of money on the products above now or later in life, preventing sun exposure will reduce uneven skin tone, fine lines, and other signs of aging down the road. While plenty of products now contain an SPF, if you’re going to spend any significant amount of time outdoors, the stuff in your primer or foundation may not be enough for a whole day. Furthermore, you need to apply it all over. That means your ears, lips, neck, and decollete – and if you really want to keep your skin looking young, you should find something you can apply to all of those places AND the back of your hands, which are often the first place to betray signs of aging.
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Image by chezbeate on Pixabay
It’s important to remember that aging is a natural part of life. No matter how good your beauty products are or how much you invest, eventually time catches up with us all. But that doesn’t mean you have to put up with premature wrinkles or grin and bear an uneven complexion. Finding your unique skincare lineup takes some time and patience, but in the end it pays off and give you an excuse to treat yourself!
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