GLOWING RESULTS
Our expert guide to the latest, greatest skincare products – and how to make them work for you, in a truly effective daily routine
Our definitive selection of the products and treatments that will revitalise your complexion this spring
‘Don’t take the line of least resistance and let your looks go all anyhow,’ Bazaar counselled readers in May 1943. But while skincare has come a long way since the wartime solutions of soap, water and glycerin for added radiance, our confidence in navigating the proliferation of creams, lotions and potions has not.
A recent study revealed that while 90 per cent of women practise some sort of daily skincare routine*, only 40 per cent believe themselves to be using exactly what they need. To demystify the process, we offer Bazaar’s edit of the essential skincare products for 2017. ky
Read your labels
Casting an eye over a product’s ingredients list is vital to ensure beneficial components, such as antioxidants, are present at sufficiently concentrated levels to be effective. ‘Make sure the active product appears in the first few items,’ says the consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Wedgeworth. ‘Vitamin C at a high concentration of more than 10 per cent and when packaged correctly in an air-resistant container or opaque bottle, can be an invaluable addition to a skincare routine for its brightening and antioxidant benefits. But many are in very low concentrations and are not well absorbed.’ sr
Why you need retinoids
It is no wonder that many of us approach retinoids with trepidation. Their baffling number of forms, brand names and strengths can be almost as irritating as the original variants were on the skin. A derivative of vitamin A, which regulates cell turnover – bestowing a more youthful skin in both appearance and function – retinoids have always been effective, ‘but it’s the advanced forms that are important now,’ says Brandon Truaxe, the founder of Deciem. The next generation are simultaneously less aggravating, and in their new form, more active. ‘Retinoids are the cornerstone of anti-ageing,’ agrees the dermatologist Dr Jonquille Chantray. ky
Healthy fats
Cholesterol is an essential part of any good skincare regime, as a constituent in a new generation of products. ‘It is a vital fat within our skin cells, as well as a stabiliser, emollient and water-binding ingredient in your skincare,’ explains the aesthetic doctor Bernard Hayot. ‘By the time we reach 40, vital fats, collectively referred to as “the building blocks” of the skin’s form and fluidity, have declined by almost half.’ Just make sure that you choose the best modern standard in these essential fats. According to Dr Tom Mammone, the executive director of skin physiology and pharmacology for Clinique’s research and development team, this should be ‘around 20 per cent of the product in total’. ky
Essential eye creams
A clinical study by Olay found that the skin of the orbital area can appear as much as 22 years older than the rest of the face. Not only does the skin here retain moisture poorly, it is half as thin as that of the cheeks. Add constant movement to the equation – the average person blinks at least 20,000 times a day – and it is little wonder that the eyes are often the first area to age. Eye creams are therefore a crucial aspect in any beauty arsenal, especially as they now offer very necessary SPF and antioxidant properties in quickly absorbed, non-greasy formulas. sr
Good hydration
Hyaluronic acid is beauty’s best moisturising ingredient, given its ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water. The difficulty is delivering it where it is needed. ‘Skin’s active layer has always had a hard time absorbing hyaluronic acid, which is a large molecule,’ explains the clinical facialist Kate Kerr. With the new generation of smaller hyaluronic-acid particles, however, scientists have developed an air-permeable version that can reach the lower levels of the epidermis, where it increases both elasticity and hydration, while also locking in moisture. ky
Second skin
In order to satisfy the demand for immediate results, expect to see more and more ‘second-skin’ products on beauty counters this year. Promising an instant tightening, lifting or blurring effect, they are useful for days on which foundation is too much, yet naked skin does not feel quite enough. ‘These sorts of product should not detract from how important it is to protect your dermis long-term,’ warns Dr Wedgeworth. ‘They should be used in conjunction with an evidence-based, scientifically proven skin-health regime.’ sr
Pollution defence
In January, London breached its annual limit for air pollution less than a week into 2017, which is bad news for complexions. ‘Airborne pollution contains chemicals identical to those found in cigarette smoke,’ says the dermatologist Dr Stefanie Williams. Particles found in the latter can be so tiny that they are able to penetrate the skin, causing inflammation and accelerating ageing. Consequently, anti-pollution products are a necessary addition to skincare, alongside UV filters. ‘UV damage was the topic in skin protection for the last 30 years, but air pollution has the potential to keep us busy for the next few decades,’ says Professor Jean Krutmann, the director of the Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine. Protection starts with thorough cleansing to ensure the dermis is able to repair itself overnight. ‘Unless people clean and protect their skin, they will end up wearing the pollution on their faces in 10 years’ time,’ says Krutmann. sr
Think holistically
The focus has shifted from worrying about lines to considering the overall health of skin. ‘There are some wrinkles that have always been the bane of a person’s existence,’ admits the oculoplastic surgeon and aesthetic doctor Maryam Zamani. ‘The emphasis is now on clearing the complexion and focusing on health – in doing that, you will have fewer wrinkles.’ Brands working on the concept of long-term skin vitality include Chanel, whose Blue Serum is based around natural components from the Earth’s ‘blue zones’ – areas in which people live longer. sr
Clean protection
The best damage limitation starts with a cleanser rich in essential fatty acids, emulsified with tepid water – hot water ‘causes surface lipids to break down, leaving skin exposed to bacteria, viruses and environmental aggravation,’ explains the New York-based dermatologist Dendy Engelman. ky