In the past, whenever I picked up a new skincare product the most important things to me would be things such as the texture, the scent, how well it removes makeup/hydrates my skins/calms a break out etc. These things are of course still important to me but now the thing at the top of my list is what the ingredients are, and I’m not alone. In recent years we have all become a lot more savvy to the ingredients that are in our skincare products. We’re more aware than ever about the things that should be avoided and those that we should be lapping up. We’re more switched on to what will work and brands know it.

Knowing a little about the ingredietns in your skincare can be a great way to ensure that you’re picking the best products to target your concerns. You don’t need to dust off your old science GCSE but being aware of one or two differnent ingredients can make a lot of difference. When it comes to selecting skincare products there are a few ingredients that my ears always prick up at.

Hyaluronic Acid: I’m not sure I’ve written a skincare post in the past 2 years that doesn’t mention this wonder ingredient if I’m honest. As someone with perpetually dry and dehydrated skin, hyaluronic acid is essential for me to keep my skin hydrated and comfortable. The molecule can carry 100x it’s own weight in water so it traps moisture in the skin leaving it feeling softer but also appearing more plumped. This is also amazing if you want to help give your skin more of a natural glow and to help to slightly reduce the appearance of fine lines. Don’t be put off by the name ‘acid’ - unlike many other acids in skincare it wont increase sensitivity or lead to any peeling. Any serums containing Hyaluronic acid are always my go to, but if it’s an added ingrediet into any hydrating toners or moisturisers that certainly isn’t a bad thing. Some of my favourites are The Ordinary hyaluronic Acid, Vichy Aqualial Thermal.

Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA’s): AHA’s tend to be more of the type of acids that you think of when you think of skincare. These are the exfoliating acids which help to buff away at the dead skin cells on your skin to reveal beautiful radiant skin underneath. Unlike a physical exfoliator (think scrubs and polishes) these don’t aggrevate the skin by buffing away dead skin cells and instead tend to work overnight to gently achieve more radiant skin. As a family AHA’s help to not only exfoliate the skin but also help to leave it looking firmer too so is a great (and easy) step to start fighting the signs of ageing. They come in many different formulas and many different strengths so start of with a lower percentage and build yuor way up. There are a lot of different types of acids that sit under AHA’s; glycolic and lactic are some of the most popular and are often known to drive the best results. I started by using the Pixi Glow Tonic (5% glycolic) a few evenings a week and built this up until I could use it every evening with no signs of rought patches. Of all the glycolic treatments I’ve tried this is my favourite as it was the most sensitive on my skin and gave the best results.

Vitamin C: This is a bit of a new ingredient within my skincare routine but one that I am getting more and more interested in. It’s known for helping to brighten skin and reduce the signs of ageing, particularly when used as asorbic acid, and whenever I have used a vitamin C product I have seen a noticable difference. It can be unstable and disintergrate quickly making it sometimes a difficult product to apply, but there are so many on the market now and it can come in many forms. Just make sure that whatever you pick up comes in an opaque and air-tight container to ensure it lasts longer. I’ve found the best way to start incorproating this into my routine is through the Fresh nectar shots. I can use them as often as I like, they give me an instant glow and as they are wash-off they don’t leave an unpleasant texture on the skin.

Ingredient-first skincare is definitely the way forward if you want to ensure that what you are buying is most likely to actually deliver the results that you want. Get to know your skin, what it likes and what it doesn’t, and start looking for the ingredients that can make all the difference. The next ingredient that I want to start experimenting with? Retinols, because so many people have told me in the past few weeks that you hould start using them at 25 it’s almost put the fear of god in me!