Top 5 Skin-care Ingredients for Healthier Skin

1. Vitamin C

It’s common knowledge that taking vitamin C supplements can strengthen your immune system and maintain your overall health, but is it also beneficial to apply it directly to your skin? Clinical research actually supports many benefits of the topical use of vitamin C.

Once absorbed, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, working to neutralize free radicals and damage caused by environmental stressors, including UV rays and pollution. Vitamin C stimulates collagen and elastin, resulting in the appearance of younger, firmer skin. It also works to fade sun damage, reduce brown spots and prevent new damage from occurring. Therefore using products rich in the ingredient—like Di Morelli’s vitamin C serum—on a regular basis is both age preventative and corrective.

2. Retinol

Retinol has always been the gold-standard ingredient when it comes to anti-aging. With its ability to penetrate deep down to the dermis and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, retinol results in tighter, firmer skin, and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As showcased in Di Morelli’s retinol serum, it also has a brightening effect, speeding up the turnover of cells and causing outer layers to exfoliate faster. This gives the skin a smooth, even texture and leaves it looking more youthful, healthy and bright.

3. Peptides

The use of peptides in skin care has been increasing in popularity over the past decade. Found in both Di Morelli’s vitamin C serum and HA masque, peptides are chains of amino acids that are essentially the building blocks of the skin. Collagen is a protein in the skin that keeps the skin plump and supple. As the skin ages and experiences damage, collagen and elastin break down, causing wrinkles and skin slackening. Applying peptides topically to the skin can encourage the formation of new collagen, therefore minimizing and preventing the signs of aging.

4. Micronized zinc oxide

The sun causes up to 95 per cent of accelerated aging in your skin, so your best defense is to protect your skin on a daily basis. Micronized zinc oxide creates a physical barrier across the surface of the skin to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are the primary cause of aging in the skin. They are present from the moment the sun rises until it sets. They have a much longer wavelength than UVB rays, which penetrate into the dermis causing pigmentation and loss of elasticity over time. They are also able to penetrate through clouds, rain, snow and glass, which means if you are not wearing something—Di Morelli SPF 35 lotion, for example—to block UVA rays on a daily basis, your skin is being damaged.

5. Hyaluronic acid

This popular ingredient is key to an overall look that is both healthy and well-hydrated. Found naturally in your skin, hyaluronic acid is responsible for moisture retention and stimulation of collagen and elastin. As your own levels dissipate with age, adding hyaluronic acid topically is certainly beneficial. Products containing yyaluronic acid—like Di Morelli’s moisturizer and HA masque—plump and firm your skin, leaving it looking more radiant and youthful.