Six Esthetician-Approved Skincare Ingredients to Add to Your Routine

There are so many popular skincare ingredients in the industry world right now. You might be wondering, what do I really need to add to my routine? I’ve teamed up with my friend Tara, fellow esthetician and blogger at Skininformant, to share some of our favorite esthetician-approved skincare ingredients!

Meet Tara! She’s a Tennessee-based esthetician that is passionate about researching all things skincare. She has amazing informative blog posts about ingredient highlights, skincare questions, and other skincare-focused education. She’s one of my favorite people I’ve met in the online skincare space and I’m so excited to be collaborating with her on this blog post! Be sure to check out her blog post here 🙂

We’ll each be sharing three of our favorite skincare ingredients, and some product recommendations! If you want to learn more about what skincare ingredients are at the top of our list, here they are:

My Favorite Skincare Ingredients:

1. Mugwort

If you’ve been following me for awhile, this should come as no surprise. Mugwort (AKA Artemisia Princeps) is a naturally anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial plant that helps to soothe and calm the skin. It’s an amazing ingredient for redness-prone, sensitive skin. If you’ve overdone it on the actives and your skin is irritated or inflamed, reach for a mugwort product to help hydrate & soothe. It’s also an amazing option for acne-prone skin because of its anti-bacterial & anti-fungal properties.

Best For: All skin types, especially redness prone/sensitive skins.

My Mugwort Recommendations: I’m From Mugwort Essence, I’m From Mugwort Cream, I’m From Mugwort Mask

2. Green Tea

Anyone else a huge matcha lover like me? Not only is green tea amazing for your body, it’s an incredible ingredient to apply topically too! Green tea is a powerful antioxidant that also has anti-inflammatory properties (see any patterns here? 😅). It protects the skin from free radical damage, balances sebum production, and has a natural depuffing effect from caffeine. Also, it can help minimize signs of aging by protecting against environmental damage.

Best For: All skin types/conditions, especially oily skin.

My Green Tea recommendations: Krave Beauty Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser, Cocokind Matcha Face Moisturizer

3. Retinoids

I had to include a scientifically-proven active in my top 3 skincare ingredients. Retinoids are amazing multi-functional ingredients that can help target signs of aging, breakouts, texture, and more. While they can be harsh on the skin, more brands are coming out with gentle, yet effective retinoid products. Retinoids help to stimulate collagen production and speeds up the skin’s natural cell renewal process. However, retinoids are not typically recommended for use while pregnant/breastfeeding.

Best For: Targeting breakouts and signs of aging. Great for tolerant skin, but there are more gentle formulas that can be suitable for sensitive skin.

My retinoid recommendations: (Over-the-Counter) Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum, Josh Rosebrook Active Infusion Serum, or consult with a derm for a Prescription-strength retinoid.

Tara’s Favorite Ingredients:

1. Ceramides

Ceramides are one of Tara’s favorite ingredients! They’re lipids that make up 50% of the skin’s moisture barrier. Incorporating ceramides into your routine will help strengthen the skin to ensure it’s happy and healthy. If you are prone to irritation or sensitivity, ceramides can help keep your skin barrier strong. They are found naturally in the skin, so using ceramide-rich products can help with the overall appearance of your skin!

Best For: All skin types, especially dry, irritated, or unbalanced skin.

Tara’s ceramide recommendations: All CeraVe products, especially the Resurfacing Retinol Serum and Healing Ointment (she loves it for her hands), Naturium Plant Ceramide Cream

2. Propolis

We all know honey is produced by bees, but have you heard of propolis? Propolis is a resin mixture created by bees that is one of Tara’s favorite ingredients! It’s a multi-functional ingredient that is anti-inflammatory, skin smoothing, moisturizing, and antioxidant-rich. It can even help balance oil production! Talk about an all-in-one product. If your skin is dry or irritated, incorporating a product with propolis can really help.

Best For: All skin types, especially redness-prone and acne-prone skins.

Tara’s propolis recommendations: CosRx Propolis Line (Synergy Toner and Light Ampoule), By Wishtrend Polyphenols in Propolis 15% Ampoule

3. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is definitely one of the hottest ingredients in the industry. It’s an amazing antioxidant that helps to fight free radical damage and signs of aging. Vitamin C has earned a top slot for Tara because it helps to even out the skin tone, brightens the skin, and stimulates collagen production. It’s a highly buzzed about ingredient for a reason – it’s effective and results-driven.

Best For: All skin types. For sensitive skin, start with gentler options with lower percentages of vitamin c.

Tara’s vitamin c recommendations: Youth to the People 15% Vitamin C Serum, Dear, Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Drop

Hope you enjoyed learning more about our favorite skincare ingredients! Please be sure to check out Tara at her blog and Instagram 🙂 She posts amazing, informative content on both platforms – definitely worth a follow!

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