If you’re in pursuit of healthier-looking skin (you know, a complexion that looks well-rested, radiant, and smooth all over), the good news is that you can have it. You just have to give your skin the support it needs—especially as you age.
Recognizing the different factors that can contribute to fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness is key here, and thanks to cruelty-free beauty brand goPure—which offers multiple solutions packed with active ingredients to help tackle every concern—you can all of the products you need to get your dream complexion in your beauty arsenal. That, and this nifty cheat sheet on what you’ll need, which we’ve put together with the help of board-certified dermatologists and a cosmetic chemist.
Hyaluronic Acid for Plumping
We know staying hydrated is good for your health—so consider your skin’s hydration levels. “Fine lines and wrinkles are exacerbated when skin is very dry,” explains cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson. You can see proof of this simply by applying lip balm to a parched pout—all those little lines and cracks seem to disappear, resulting in younger-looking lips.
One of the most celebrated hydrating skincare ingredients is hyaluronic acid, a.k.a. HA, a sugar molecule found naturally in the body. “HA is a humectant, which means that it works to draw moisture to the surface of the skin,” says Robinson.
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goPure Actives Hydrate and Smooth Serum, in particular, “contains various forms of HA (of varying molecular weights) that can work to hydrate and plump the skin both on the very surface as well as deeper within the skin’s surface,” says Robinson.
How to Apply It
Regular use of a formula containing HA will help keep your skin looking fresh, plump, and more youthful, but strategic application will make the ingredient even more effective. Lian Mack, M.D., NYC-based board-certified dermatologist and founder of GlamDerm suggests applying the goPure Actives Hydrate and Smooth Serum while skin is damp. “Application immediately after cleansing helps to lock in the moisture on the face post-cleanse,” she says.
“Ideally, any product that you’re using to help get moisture into the skin should be the first thing you apply,” agrees Orit Markowitz, M.D., NYC-based board-certified dermatologist and founder of OptiSkin Medical, who adds the caveat that if vitamin C is in your routine, hyaluronic acid can be applied second. (More on this shortly!)
Vitamin C for Free Radical Defense
One of the biggest sources of skin damage is free radicals, unstable molecules (created by factors like UV light and stress) that harm healthy skin, causing it to age faster. Vitamin C is one of the most potent antioxidants, which fight back against free radicals. But that’s not all: “Along with its antioxidant properties, sodium ascorbyl phosphate [vitamin C] is an ideal anti-aging ingredient thanks to its ability to stimulate the production of collagen, the protein responsible for strong, youthful skin,” says Dr. Mack, and that stronger skin courtesy of collagen results in a decrease of fine lines and wrinkles. The powerhouse ingredient has also been clinically proven to help prevent dark spots, resulting in a more even-looking complexion.
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When shopping for a vitamin C serum, look for one that’s been formulated with fellow antioxidant ferulic acid, which can help defend your skin from free radicals and strengthen the potency of vitamin C. goPure Actives Brighten & Even Serum features ferulic acid as well as Solumoist, a proprietary ingredient that “helps hydrate and smooth,” notes Robinson, making this a comprehensive treatment for aging skin.
How to Apply It
Because of its ability to help protect your skin from UV damage, it’s ideal to apply vitamin C in the morning. Just remember that the order of application matters: “If you’re trying to get skin to absorb vitamin C, it needs to be the first thing that you’re putting on your skin,” advises Dr. Markowitz, who recommends following up with moisturizer and SPF in the morning, and just a moisturizer at night. However, if you’re using a particularly powerful night treatment (like one with retinol, our next star player!), you might want to only use vitamin C in the AM, as layering the two might cause irritation.
Retinol for Smoothing Fine Lines
If you’ve done some anti-aging skincare research before, you’ve probably heard of retinol. It’s “the purest form of vitamin A,” says Robinson, as well as one of the only ingredients that are clinically proven to smooth the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
Retinol is a gentler version of prescription-strength retinoids, which both use retinoic acid to help stimulate collagen production (for firmer-looking skin) and cellular turnover (to help resurface). The only difference is that your body must convert retinol to retinoic acid, while retinoids are already in that active, ultra-potent state.
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Over time, you’ll see similar smoothing and firming results with an over-the-counter retinol treatment like goPure Actives Firm & Lift Serum. Bonus: goPure’s serum also contains bakuchiol, a plant-based retinol alternative that Robinson notes can also help improve the appearance of an uneven skin tone as well as fine lines and wrinkles.
How to Apply It
To get your skin accustomed to the occasionally irritating and drying effects of retinol, Dr. Mack recommends using goPure Actives Firm & Lift Serum once or twice a week to start, then working your way up to every other day. Some like to apply retinol right after cleansing, while others help offset dryness by “sandwiching” retinol between two thin layers of moisturizer. Because vitamin A can break down in sunlight, limit your application to PM use—and consider storing your serum in a dark place to keep it ultra-fresh.
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Glycolic Acid for Resurfacing
Retinol does work to smooth wrinkles from within the skin—helping trigger collagen production. If you’re looking to improve the look of dark spots, rough texture, and dull, dead skin, you need a treatment that works at the skin’s surface. Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that occurs naturally in sugar cane. When applied to the skin, it helps dissolve the bonds between dead cells and healthy skin, allowing them to shed more easily and reveal fresh, glowy complexion hiding underneath.
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goPure Actives Glyco-Peptide Anti Wrinkle Moisturizer features niacinamide. Also known as vitamin B3, Robinson shares that the ingredient can help improve the look of skin texture, mostly by minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores, fine lines, and dullness.
It also contains aloe vera, an ingredient that—in addition to hydrating skin and boosting elasticity—Dr. Mack says “has been shown to increase collagen production in the skin,” and shea butter, a potent moisturizer. “This formula is a nice mixture of humectants, anti-inflammatories, and sealant moisturizers,” says Dr. Markowitz. “A combination of all three will often give the skin a plumper, more refined, less wrinkly appearance and a glowing, more even tone.”
How to Apply It
When layering skincare products, it’s ideal to apply them in order of lightest texture (like a toner or essence) to heaviest. A rich, creamy moisturizer like this one would be applied last. “This anti-wrinkle moisturizer helps to smooth fine lines, firm skin, and lock in moisture as a key part of your morning skincare routine,” says Dr. Mack. Like all AHAs, glycolic acid can sensitize skin to sun exposure, so be sure to top off your complexion with SPF (yes, even on cloudy days).
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