Eight Beauty Chemicals and What They Can Do for You

As featured in Prima Beauty this month, the world of beauty products can be more than a little confusing, especially when we hear seemingly 'specialist' terms, such as Hyaluronic Acid, or Peptides; however, this article aims to explain eight of the most mentioned chemicals, and what they can do for you.

Antioxidants: These can be found in anything from face creams to fruit, or even in certain sports drinks, as I'm sure you're aware; anything from Vitamin A to Q10 qualifies as an antioxidant, and they can have absolutely amazing effects on the ageing process - whether this is by blocking out harmful UV rays, which can have a very harmful affect on the skin over a long period of time.

Now, as far as products are involved, aside from the obvious mixture of fruits and vegetables, I would recommend Nivea Visage Q10 plus, which also boasts an SPF factor of 15, protecting your skin from harmful UV rays.

AHAs: Otherwise known as Alpha Hydrolic Acids, they can be obtained naturally through citrus fruits, milk and apples, and are used to exfoliate the upper layers of the skin, encouraging the cells to renew themselves, and, therefore, creating a much more youthful look. AHAs can also be used to treat acne and bad skin pigmentation, amongst other things.

Try Dr. Michelle Copeland Body Smoothing Lotion, which contains about 12% AHAs, and Kojic Acid, which creates a wonderfully even skin tone - Dr. Michelle's formula is available from as little as $28 online, so keep your eye out!

Glycolic Acid: This is another form of AHA, which is becoming more and more popular, in its own right, for its abilities to penetrate deeper layers of skin than some of the other AHAs, as it's one of the strongest types of acid.

For this reason, it is not recommended to those with sensitive skin, as it can cause irritation, dryness and peeling, especially in high doses.
Having said that, you're likely to see very good results against ageing, if you start using from your thirties onwards (although, it's never too late to start!), and I would personally recommend Mild Cream Wash, by Glytone, as it's the least harsh of many formulas, containing only 3.4% glycolic acid, and is available for $28 from http://www.dermstore.com.

Hyaluronic Acid: Intensively moisturises skin, and is one of the best types of moisturizers around, although the name can tend to be misleading.
Recommended for anyone with particularly dry skin, or anyone who's concerned with the ageing process.

Try L'Oréal Derma Genesis Day Cream, which retails at around $20, and is available from most good toiletry websites / stores.

Retinoids: Not only do these so-called 'miracle chemicals' promise to get rid of acne, they can also improve the skin's elasticity, making it much firmer and more resilient - this also makes them great for anti-ageing, and the fact that they have anti-oxidants, too, is merely a bonus!
I would recommend Dr Feder's Retinoid Facial Therapy, available online for about $18.95.

Salicylic Acid: One of the best known combatants of acne, there is no doubt that salicylic acid has amazing effects on the skin, and, with it's rising popularity in all good skin products, it's also becoming more and more affordable - you can pick up a decent-sized bottle of Dermalogica's exfoliating cream scrub for around $34.50.

Collagen: No, increasing the levels of collagen in your body these days doesn't mean you have to go book your local plastic surgeon; you can, in fact, buy several types of moisturisers, cleansers and toners which will increase the levels of collagen in your face, therefore decreasing the look of wrinkles and fine lines; Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is available on Ebay for as little as $10, so charge up your Paypal, and get buying!

Peptides: Last, but definitely not least, these chemicals have a range of qualities, from reducing the looks of fine lines and wrinkles, to firming skin and even encouraging the skin's collagen reproduction - basically, peptides are the way forward for anti-ageing products.
Try Olay Regenerist Lotion, available for about $25.