Skincare is a huge business—men and women of all ages seek products that will help them achieve perfect skin. At the top of the flawless skin wish list is to fight (or prevent) the signs of ageing: the anti-ageing sector accounts for 42 percent of total sales, according to the 2014 Premium Market Report for beauty.
Karla Rendle, research analyst at Euromonitor International, explains that: ‘it is clear that there is a demand for premium skincare brands. We believe this is coming not only from the middle to elderly demographic, who have higher disposable income and an increased desire to keep their skin looking good, but also from younger millennial consumers, who are much more aware of brands, such as Estée Lauder or Clarins, thanks to social media—not to mention Kendall Jenner, the face of Estée Lauder. Beauty vloggers have been introducing younger UK consumers to premium brands that may sit above their normal price range, but they are buying into it.’
The skincare industry is worth £17 billion in the UK economy, and the average woman is estimated to spend £20,000 on their appearance in a lifetime. It seems we are more willing to part with large sums of cash in order to achieve a perfect complexion, but do these products deliver?
See also: Mature Skin Care Advice
Active Ingredients
There are many choices of over-the-counter skincare products, and with so many to choose from it can be difficult to select the product that’s right for your skin. The results might not be what you were hoping for, as over-the-counter skincare products only treat the dead layer of skin on the surface.
Cosmeceutical products, however, penetrate far deeper into the dermis layer, which is where collagen, elastin and pigmentation are found. As cosmeceuticals are a mix between a cosmetic and a pharmaceutical, they include biologically active ingredients that are thought to have pharmaceutical effects on the skin. Because of this, they usually come with a heftier price tag than their OTC counterparts—but you could find that the benefits justify the cost.
See also: Organic and Natural Skincare
Anti-ageing Ingredients
The top five ingredients to look for in your anti-ageing skincare:
Peptides: these small proteins help stimulate new cells to grow and help skin cells to heal
Alpha-hydroxy acids: these natural ingredients are found in fruits and milk sugars, and act as exfoliants—allowing the deeper layer of the skin to come to the surface faster. Look out for salicylic and hyaluronic acid
Retinol: a natural form of vitamin A, which helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles whilst boosting the elasticity of the skin
Antioxidants: thought to help fight cell damage from free radicals which can increase the risk of cancer, antioxidants can also slow down the visible affects of ageing. Look out for acai oil, green tea extract, Co-Enzyme Q-10 and vitamin E
Read about other ways to take better care of your skin with skincare tips on Celebrity Angels.
