I am looking back on a year that was filled with all sorts of skincare trends, but which ones are the ones worth adding to your daily routine? Based on science and my own experience I am convinced these are the real gems out of skincare.
Retinol
Retinol is my favorite skincare product of all time and I highly recommend starting with this product in your 20s. "Retinol is added to skincare products to promote skin renewal, brighten skin tone, reduce acne, and stimulate collagen production," explains dermatologist Whitney Bowe. It is important to build this product up in percentage because your skin needs to build resistance to Retinol. A few sidenotes: when you start with a percentage that is too high for your skin, you could start to notice redness, irritation and dryness in your skin. Retinol also makes your skin more sensitive to sun damage, so it is important to wear SPF in daytime. My favorite retinol serum is from the ordinary, this is my second bottle so now I’m using 0,5% instead of 0,2%.
Silky sheets
This one is a serious game changer. Most people sleep with cotton covers and pillows but did you know cotton absorbs 30% of its weight in liquid? While silk sheets only absorb 11%, which helps your skin to stay more hydrated. Silk sheets also help with an anti-aging effect because of their smooth texture that prevents the development of sleep wrinkles caused by friction with sheets. Cotton sheets, being rougher, do not offer the same benefit. So why not invest in your bedding while you spend 1/ 3 of your life in it?
SPF
What is SPF? SPF is a sun protector and it protects your skin from harmful sun rays. Sun rays cause pigmentation and premature aging so there is no reason for you to skip this step! And no, not even in the winter. You have 2 sorts of SPF, chemical and mineral. So what's the difference? you may think. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays and transform them into heat, while mineral sunscreens act as a physical barrier, reflecting and scattering UV rays. My favorite SPF is from Oriflame and I mix a few drops with my moisturizer and apply it on my face and neck in the morning.
Gua sha
The gua sha stone was a favorite tool of Chinese empresses for maintaining youthful and healthy skin. It is a skin massage tool and it serves for skin exfoliation, stimulates deep blood circulation and promotes the regeneration of skin cells, including collagen. Original gua sha stones are made out of special stones like Rose Quartz or Jade, each stone type for each skin type. My gua sha stone is made out of jade stone and I bought it from the brand Jade Roller.
