Hollywood style can be inspiring, but couture gowns and professional makeup artistry aren’t available to most people in their daily lives. When it comes to skincare, however, it can be surprisingly affordable to use the same proven ingredients that celebrities use.
Accessible skincare has moved beyond the simple dermatologist recommended products for acne of years past. Here are some of the most effective solutions you can buy without a prescription and without breaking the bank.
Azelaic Acid 14%
Sensitive skin can be difficult to care for, as any new product has the potential to damage and irritate skin. Azelaic acid is one of the gentlest acids you can use on your skin. It actually decreases redness and irritation by inhibiting an enzyme that causes swelling and hyperpigmentation. At the same time, it kills bacteria responsible for acne.
The highest non-prescription concentration of Azelaic Acid is 14%, so be sure to buy creams with this amount for optimal results. Though azelaic acid is ideal for those with sensitive skin, it helps to gradually work up tolerance to any new skincare ingredient. Apply just twice a week at first and add another day of application each week.
Vitamin C Facial Cream
You may associate Vitamin C with orange juice or cold prevention, but this incredible vitamin is a powerhouse ingredient in skincare. Vitamin C cream for face is an inexpensive anti-aging solution that boosts collagen production inside your skin.
Collagen production naturally tapers off with age, resulting in slacker skin texture and wrinkles. Celebrities use accessible skincare tricks, such as Vitamin C and retinol, to convince their skin to produce more collagen later in life.
Why not just apply collagen to skin directly? Collagen has a high molecular weight, meaning it’s a pretty hefty molecule. This makes it strong enough to provide structural support to skin and plant stems alike.
Unfortunately, dermatologists agree that collagen is too large to pass through pores and actually make it into the skin. Ingestible collagen may not be much better, as it is broken down in the digestive tract. Therefore, the best way to get more collagen into the skin naturally is to cause your skin to produce it itself.
Niacinamide
One common skincare mistake is to attack the skin with acids, cleansers and antibacterials without carefully considering what your skin needs. Niacinamide, or Vitamin B3, is skin’s best friend. It has antioxidant benefits, helps calm inflamed pores and also causes skin to produce more collagen. This nourishing ingredient pairs well with most other high-end skincare ingredients celebrities use to noticeably boost results.
Hyaluronic Acid
Water is an essential component in skin, and well-hydrated skin will always look more radiant. Hyaluronic skin is a super-hydrator that helps many different areas of the body hold on to moisture.
In skincare, hyaluronic acid infuses all layers of the skin with water and binds the two together. Level up your skin hydration by picking up this inexpensive moisturizing ingredient.
Price point doesn’t determine the quality of skincare. Instead, look for dermatologically proven ingredients such as azelaic acid cream when building your routine.