5 Key Dermatologist Recommended Ingredients To Add To Your Skincare Routine

It’s summer - that means you’re probably seeing PSA’s all over the place about taking care of your skin in the sun. 

It’s not just sunscreen that protects your skin. At Rejucream, we’re passionate about skincare, and we want to walk through the five key Dermatologist Recommended skincare ingredients you should know about, and consider incorporating into your daily routine. 

​​Vitamin C

You don’t just have to take your vitamins as a supplement in the morning…you can put it on your skin too!

Vitamin C is a crucial part of a good skincare routine. Its reputation as an antioxidant precedes itself, and has been proven in studies to help reduce wrinkles and minimize discoloration and dark spots. It can even help prevent sun damage in certain cases!

Make sure to look for Vitamin C on the “active ingredients” list of your skin care products. Clinical studies have focused on the benefits of Vitamin C at a 10-20% strength (our recommendation is a serum with L-ascorbic acid as it is demonstrated to be the most stable and effective), and a pH lower than 3.5, so stick to these qualities to be sure you’re getting the best results.

Key benefits of Vitamin C:

• Anti-aging
• Anti-wrinkle
• Improves skin texture
• Prevents sun damage
• Decreases dark spots
• Anti-inflammatory

How to add Vitamin C Serum into your routine: 

Use a Vitamin C serum every morning, as the first step in your routine after cleansing.

Hyaluronic Acid

​​Hyaluronic Acid has been called the “Holy Grail” of youthful skin. It sounds intimidating, but it’s really simple - and your body is already producing it!

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is naturally found in your body, and it plays a key role in skin health (even helping heal superficial wounds on your skin), however levels deplete with age. 

HA within skincare helps keep your skin moisturized as it is a humectant: it binds water molecules. That means when your skincare has HA as a key ingredient, it keeps your skin well-moisturized, as well as visibly plumped and toned while it helps with elasticity and sagging.

Our recommendation is to find a pure hyaluronic acid with mixed weight molecules for deeper penetration of the skin, and better absorption!

Key benefits of Hyaluronic Acid: 

• Moisturizing
• Increases skin elasticity
• Anti-aging
• Wrinkles and fine lines
• Wound healing

How to add Hyaluronic Acid Serum into your routine: 

Apply your HA serum after your Vitamin C as they work together to hydrate, plump and brighten the skin.

Retinoids (Vitamin A)

Retinoids are definitely getting its fair share of love these days, and there is a reason why! It is perhaps one of the most well-studied ingredients, recommended by Dermatologists, and has some impressive anti-aging benefits.

Collagen, a naturally occurring protein in the body, is a key building block for your skin. It is known to help keep the skin firm, supple and smooth However, as you age, your collagen production naturally decreases. This is where retinoids come in. 

With consistent use (we’re talking six months or more), it can help stimulate the growth of new collagen and elastin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and lighten brown pigmentation.

Retinoids are complicated, as they aren’t for everyone. Those with sensitive skin need to be careful, as Retinoids can stress out the skin barrier, causing itching, stinging, dryness and increased sensitivity.

You can also get Retinoids in both an Rx (prescription) or OTC (over-the-counter) form, which offer various benefits. Rx ranges from 0.025% to 0.1% strength and comes in an active form of vitamin A called retinoic acid. OTC products generally range from 0.01% to 2.0% strength and are converted into retinoic acid when applied to the skin. The Retinoids come in different varieties which includes retinol, retinyl palmitate, and retinaldehyde.

Using OTC retinoids and having the skin convert retinol to retinoic acid makes the delivery, impact and the effect much less intense.

Key benefits of Retinoids:

• Anti-aging
• Improves elasticity
• Reduce fine lines and wrinkles
• Improves skin texture
• Reduce dark spots and pigmentation 

How to incorporate Retinoids into your routine: 

First step would be to speak with a Dermatologist, as this isn’t for everyone. If it is your first time, we recommend starting with an OTC product and eventually working your way up to a Rx.

Easily added into your nightly routine, layer under a moisturizer a few nights per week, and work your way up to nightly use. Be sure to hydrate the skin morning and evening, and use SPF 30 or greater in the morning as your skin will be much more sensitive to UV exposure!

Peptides

Peptides: another ingredient that promotes collagen production! They are amino acids that work in conjunction with collagen in your skin care products to keep your skin youthful and glowing. Peptides are found in skincare products that help improve skin's elasticity and firmness, such as Rejuvenate!

When applied to the skin, peptides are small enough that they sink below the surface. This way they are being absorbed instead of just sitting on top of your skin. Once they are in there, they get to work by promoting collagen. 

Make sure peptides are close to the top of the ingredients list of your skin-care products (most productive in moisturizer or serum form, so it has time to sink into your skin) to be sure you’re getting all you can from it. 

Key benefits of Peptides:

• Improve elasticity and firmness
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-wrinkle 

How to Peptides into your routine: 

Find a moisturizer that has peptides within it, and incorporate it into your morning and evening routine as directed. Many anti-aging moisturizers contain peptides alongside other key ingredients, so it is a great way to get maximum benefits with minimal effort. 

Glycerin

It’s not just an ingredient for soap-makers! Glycerin is present in many skincare products, but do you know why? 

Glycerin acts as a humectant (just like Hyaluronic Acid), drawing water molecules to the skin and keeping you hydrated and moisturized. It also creates a barrier from environmental aggressors by fortifying the moisture barrier. Unlike HA, glycerin is much more sensitive on the skin, making it a crucial ingredient for regular use. 

Key benefits of Glycerin:

• Moisturizing 
• Anti-aging
• Anti-wrinkle
• Improves skin texture

How to add Glycerin into your routine: 

Again, many moisturizers will contain glycerin alongside some other key ingredients, making it very easy to incorporate into your existing routine.

All pieces of the puzzle

While each of these ingredients have their unique strengths, the best skincare products will feature all five. Together, these ingredients are an absolute powerhouse for your skin, covering all your bases and making sure you feel healthy, clean, and hydrated!