Taking good care of your skin is important to maintain a youthful appearance, and anti-aging ingredients are essential to achieve these results.
Retinol is a big buzzword in skincare right now, and although it’s effective at reducing fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, it’s not for everyone.
Also known as Vitamin A1, this powerhouse is swarming mainstream skincare brands, but Hada Labo Tokyo (Japan’s number one skincare brand) is one brand that’s bucking the trend.
And it’s for good reason, reveals Dr Nisa Aslam, dermatologist and HadaLab consultant: “Six in 10 women have purchased skin care products that promise more youthful-looking skin, but there are major gaps in women’s knowledge about ingredients to watch out for,” Dr Aslam said.
Nisa continues, “What many people don’t know is that panthenol is one of the eight B vitamins.”
Panthenol, a derivative of vitamin B5, has powerful moisturising properties and Nisa said it was “wonderful for reducing water loss from the skin, locking moisture in and restoring the skin’s barrier function”.
There’s also evidence that it improves elasticity and the absorption of other active ingredients in skin care products, such as hyaluronic acid and retinol.
Panthenol is great for mature skin that struggles with hydration, and it’s found in many products, including this Amino Acid + B5 Water-Based Serum from The Ordinary, making it easy to incorporate into your skincare routine.
Hada Labo Tokyo’s waterproof sunscreen makes it even easier to start using.
Nisa says: “It’s also important that your sunscreen contains these powerful ingredients to prevent ageing, so choose a sunscreen with a high SPF, like Hada Labo Tokyo Face Cream SPF 50 (£18.99 from Superdrug).”
“It uses the highest quality photostable filters to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB radiation. While it protects, it also supplements with panthenol, which helps regenerate collagen and elastin, plus it contains three types of hyaluronic acid to help keep skin well hydrated, prevent wrinkles, and combat premature skin aging.”
Nisa said clinical trials of the anti-ageing product showed that all women found it easy and comfortable to use, and it reduced the appearance of wrinkles overall, with 90 percent of participants seeing a reduction in the length of their wrinkles.
As for other skin-beautifying ingredients, in addition to panthenol, Dr Aslam says retinol and hyaluronic acid are also ingredients to look out for.
She said: “Ultimately, if you’re aiming for anti-ageing, your skincare products need to contain the right combination of ingredients so you’re getting the most out of your skincare.”
“Always read the labels carefully to know if the products you buy will do what they claim.”
