Gone are the days of a simple cleanse, tone and moisturise routine! Whether it’s retinol, acid peels, serums, scrubs or exfoliators, the list of skincare essentials is never ending. Our expert dermatologists have shared their favourite at-home products for combating the signs of ageing – and surprisingly there was one thing that they all agreed on and it’s a lot less common than you might think…

Dr Shaaira Nasir, Consultant Dermatologist says: My number one at-home skincare product is a leave-on acid. The Skinceutical’s Glycolic 10 renew overnight cream will exfoliate any dead skin cells whilst helping cell turnover to reveal new skin.

The best part of this is that it works as you sleep so you wake up with fresh looking skin. Results are seen instantly, helping to reduce pigmentation and giving skin a more even tone, leaving it smooth and with a beautifully dewy glow.

All you need is a pea-sized amount across your entire face and neck, sparing the eye area. Begin by using it once a week and build up slowly to once a day if tolerated. You may find that if you have more dry and sensitive skin, it may take a little bit longer to build up tolerance. If you are using an acid, it is really important to wear SPF during the day as your skin will be more sensitive to the sun. You will also want to avoid using any retinoids and AHA together at night as this could cause irritation.

 

Dr Firas Al-Niaimi, Consultant Dermatologist says:  My top recommendation would be a retinol. With its ability to help with the renewal of skin cells, it is an effective anti-ageing at-home formula that works by smoothing out any fine lines, uneven skin tone, dark spots whilst preventing the appearance of pigmentation.

For those who are new to the product I recommend you start with a low concentration roughly twice a week as part of your nighttime routine, gradually building up the frequency as your skin becomes more tolerant to it. Over a longer period of time, perhaps after you have finished your first low concentrated product, you can then also consider increasing the percentage ever so slightly.

To begin with I would recommend starting off with the SkinCeuticals Retinol as this is a 0.3% concentration, so a mild choice to introduce to your skin. It is also really important that when using retinol that you wear an SPF during the day, as it will cause your skin to become far more sensitive and likely to be irritated from the sun.

 

Any dermatologist will tell you the most important thing you can do to protect your skin from ageing is wear SPF, Dr Jinah Yoo gives her top recommendation:

Dr Jinah Yoo, Consultant Dermatologist says:   Many patients believe SPF is only necessary in the summer months and when they are on holiday sunbathing, but this is something that should be worn to protect your skin everyday and all year round. SPF protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays, decreasing the risk of skin cancer as well as preventing premature ageing which most commonly appears in the form of wrinkles, fine lines and uneven skin tone. In particular I would recommend the Heliocare 360 Oil Free Gel. This is a mattifying gel that melts quickly into the skin leaving it hydrated but also dry to the touch so is the perfect product to use before any makeup application.

 

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