When it comes to ingredients, we often can't see the wood for the antioxidants, vitamins, and acids.
What do we really need and what can we safely leave out? We asked Nicolas Travis, founder of the Asian Skincare brand Allies of Skin, which three ingredients we REALLY need.
For example, he suffered from acne himself for years, but nothing helped, so he decided to launch his own skincare line.
vitamin C
At the top of Nicolas Travis' list of must-have ingredients is vitamin C. An ingredient that many probably already know. But what makes it so irreplaceable?
Vitamin C is a daily necessity - it has been proven to reduce pigmentation, stimulate collagen production and reduce damage from UV rays and air pollution. Vitamin C regulates excess melanin production for firmer, more radiant skin.
Retinol is one of the few clinically proven ingredients that fights acne, pimples, enlarged pores and wrinkles. An all-in-one powerhouse. We have natural retinoic receptors in the skin, so the ingredient is able to stimulate collagen production and accelerate skin renewal processes for cleaner, more regenerated skin.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are also part of a good and preventive care routine - at least according to Nicolas Travis. However, many people do not know exactly what they are supposed to do. We have inquired:
Using antioxidants is like insurance. Although there is no visible effect like with peeling acids, for example, antioxidants help to reduce damage caused by free radicals - unstable molecules that disrupt the function of healthy cells and can cause chaos on the skin, such as redness.
Skin damage adds up. When you are 20 or 30 years old, everything may still look good, but at 60 or 70, the skin damage becomes apparent. Antioxidants help keep cells healthy for longer.
Nicolas himself is a big fan of superoxide dismutase, glutathione, resveratrol, white tea, kombucha (fungus), niacinamides and liquorice root.