The ESK blog

Best ingredients for mature skin

08 September 2021

Dr Ginni Mansberg

What happens to the skin as you get older?

Less collagen. Studies show that women’s skin loses about 30% of its collagen within the first 5 years of menopause. And after that, we continue to lose a further 2% of our collagen every year for the next 20 years. Losing collagen makes your pores look larger as a direct result of a lack of skin firmness. Big pores make your skin look and feel rougher and less even.
Less elastin and less effective elastin. The elastin itself becomes less stretchy and less effective and keeping skin bouncy and bright.
Poorer skin healing. This makes the skin more prone to growths such as skin tags, brown rough patches (seborrheic keratoses) and other blemishes. Plus even minor rubbing or pulling on the skin can cause skin tears.
Thinning of the dermis, or deeper layers of the skin. You see fewer cells, and blood vessels in the dermis as you age. The blood vessels themselves are more prone to breaking. So, you can get marks that look like bruises in the skin.
Less sweat, sebaceous or oil glands, and fewer hair follicles. Less oil production means drier skin.

WHAT SKINCARE WILL HELP MATURE SKIN?

Sunscreen:

It’s never too late to stop UV damage from the sun’s rays. Look for a Broad-Spectrum sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB protection.

Zinc Shade – UV Protection Skincare Product

Zinc Shade based daily cream providing you with the protection you need from both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays. (Sunscreen with zinc)

Protects from the sun's UVA and UVB rays
Can be used under make-up
Rated SPF15

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs):

These include glycolic, citric and lactic acid. They help exfoliate or remove dead skin cells. AHAs prepare your skin to better absorb other products like Vitamin A and stimulates the growth of smoother, more evenly pigmented new skin. AHAs seem to increase the density of collagen and improve elastin formation.

Smooth Serum

An Alpha Hydroxy Acid exfoliating serum for daily night use.

Smoother skin
Evens out skin texture
Promotes skin cell turnover

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)

Your skin needs to be hydrated so a moisturiser will be essential. Within your moisturiser look for key active ingredients that can both protect from and improve signs of aging.

At concentrations between 3 and 5%, niacinamide has been shown to decrease wrinkles, in part through its action as an antioxidant, but also by building collagen. It also helps reduce trans epidermal water loss in the skin and improve skin elasticity. It also seems to reduce skin sensitivity.

B Quenched

Retain your skin's natural glow with a rich hydrating cream made of Vitamin B3 and Hemp Seed Oil for skin that is sensitive, or dry.

Improve skin's barrier function
Anti-inflammatory
Manage rosacea flare-ups

B Calm

Calm sensitive, oily or acne prone skin with this light-weight vitamin B3 and Salicylic Acid moisturising cream that glides on like silk.

Improve skin's barrier function
Manage the skin's oil production
Improve acne and rosacea symptoms.

New formula: We added 2% Salicylic Acid making it more light-weight, hydrating and more effective in managing acne and red and sensitive skin.

Enlighten

A gentle yet effective tyrosinase inhibitor to fade pigmentation and age spots.

Lighten & brighten skin appearance
Even out skin tone
Increase skin elasticity

L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

This blockbuster ingredient helps your skin produce collagen and elastin. It acts as an anti-oxidant and reduces wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet. It also brightens and evens out skin tone while protecting and repairing your skin from UV ray damage.

C Forte

Hydrate and brighten your skin with this 16% L-Ascorbic Acid Serum. Vitamin C's sun damage reversing abilities are boosted when Vitamin E is added. Adding Ferulic Acid boosts it to still further for your best glow.

Hydrate dry skin.
Repair sun damaged skin.
Reduce fine lines, crows feet and pigmentation.

Reverse C Serum

A powerful anti-oxidant serum that hydrates, repairs the visible signs of ageing and protects the skin against further damage.

Repair sun-damage
Repair & prevent the appearance of ageing
Smooth any skin roughness

C Serum Lite

Vitamin C in its most potent form to repair the visible signs of ageing, and to protect the skin against further sun damage.

Brighten the skin's appearance
Reduce fine lines, wrinkles & pigmentation
Smooth skin roughness

Retinal (Vitamin A)

Retinal reduces fine lines and wrinkles by increasing the production of collagen. They also stimulate the production of new blood vessels in the skin, which improves skin colour. They also increase skin cell turnover help to fade pigmentation spots and softening rough patches of skin.

Ultimate A

Vitamins A and B. Effortlessly improves skin texture and tone for skin that is soft smooth and supple.

Rebuild collagen
Increase skin elasticity
Reduce hyperpigmentation

Ultimate A+

A Vitamin A (Retinal – 0.1%), B3 (Niacinamide – 4%) and AHA (Glycolic Acid – 2%) based night cream. Vitamin A is the ingredient with the strongest anti-ageing evidence and Retinal is the most effective and least irritating form of Vitamin A.

Ceramides

Ceramides are essential skin building blocks, helping keep the skin’s structure and retain moisture by boosting the skin’s barrier function. There is emerging evidence that adding the right ceramides to your skincare can increase skin hydration and reduce trans epidermal water loss. They can help with sensitive skin as well as some anti-wrinkle effects.