Perfect products for ageing skin

When it comes to mature skin, there are countless 'anti-ageing' products that promise to vanquish wrinkles and eliminate fine lines for good. In reality, no products can turn back the clock. Laugh lines and wrinkles around the eyes appear as one of the first signs of skin maturation and a perfectly natural (and inevitable) process that everyone goes through. However, there are some scientifically backed ingredients that can give your skin the extra care it needs to glow at any age. But with a market flooded with anti-ageing products, how can you tell the good products from gimmicky, overpriced trends? Here are some of the best ingredients and the best skin care products for ageing skin to look out for when choosing products for ageing skin.

Matrixyl 3000

Matrixyl 3000 is among the best anti-ageing ingredients scientifically proven to increase collagen production and slow down the skin’s natural ageing process. 

So how does it work? Matrixyl 3000 is a synthetic peptide, made up of amino acid chains (just like collagen). The amino acids that make up Matrixyl 3000 are attached to a fatty acid molecule, which makes them much better at penetrating through the skin’s lipid barrier (made up of cholesterol and ceramides). Once absorbed, Matrixyl 3000 uses two amino acid chains - known as matrikines - to stimulate collagen production in the skin. 

Our Regenerating Collagen Moisturiser contains Matrixyl 3000 along with botanicals like aloe vera extract and hemp to nourish the skin. These botanical extracts are rich in antioxidants to protect the skin from free radical damage, like fine lines and dark marks.

Retinoids

Like Matrixyl 3000, retinol is one of few ingredients that is scientifically proven to slow down signs of skin ageing. Retinol is a form of vitamin A and was first introduced to the market as an acne treatment. Before long, dermatologists began to notice that retinol also worked as one of the best anti-ageing products. 

Retinol, as well as other forms of retinoic acid, work by speeding up cell turnover to reveal fresher, newer skin. While retinol is available in many skin care products, stronger vitamin A derivatives like tretinoin are only available via prescription. You should always be careful when starting with retinol or other retinoid products, as they can cause dryness, peeling and sun sensitivity when used in strong doses. 

Hydrators 

Dehydration can make the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles much more prominent. So, using skin care products packed with hydrating factors is vital for ageing skin. 

One of the first areas on the face to show the most prominent signs of dehydration and ageing is around the eyes. This is because the skin around the eyes is much thinner than the rest of your face. There is also much less fat supporting the skin around the eyes compared with other areas of the face, like your cheeks and chin. This makes the skin around your eyes much more vulnerable to dehydration, which can exacerbate fine lines and wrinkles. 

Our Correcting Eye Cream is packed with hydrating factors, like hyaluronic acid, to keep your delicate under-eye skin nourished and hydrated. We utilize humectants like hyaluronic acid to pull water into the surface layers of the skin, with occlusives like olive oil and avocado oil to lock moisture into the skin for 24-hour hydration. All Poko products contain a base of aloe vera (which is made up of 95% water) to quench dehydrated skin so its not just the hyaluronic acid doing all the work. 

Nourishing oils

Dehydrated skin becomes a bigger problem as we age, as the skin becomes less efficient at retaining moisture. So, maintaining your skin’s moisture barrier becomes even more important. The moisture barrier is a film that covers your skin, made up of natural oils, sweat and dead skin cells. Think of your moisture barrier (aka the lipid barrier or acid mantle) as your skin’s very own o-zone layer. It works to protect the skin from free radicals, bacteria and environmental damage. It also works to prevent moisture loss, which can accelerate the ageing process in the skin.

Keeping your acid mantle happy and balanced is vital for ageing skin regardless of skin tone. One of the best ways to keep your moisture barrier healthy is by using a facial oil. Plant oils are made up of fatty acids, which compliment the naturally acidic pH of the moisture barrier.

Ageing skin benefits from using facial oils rich in oleic fatty acids. Oils that are rich in oleic acid have quite a thick consistency, which is excellent at trapping moisture into the skin. Our Luxury Face Oil combines a cocktail of moringa oil, crambe seed oil and baobab oil to condition skin and help trap moisture for 24 hour hydration. Oleic acid makes up almost 75% of fatty acids in moringa oil, while baobab oil contains a naturally high concentration of vitamin E to soften skin. Vitamin E also helps combat UV damage that can lead to dark spots and dark marks. 

Antioxidants

One of the best things you can do for ageing skin is to use anti-ageing products that contain antioxidants. But what exactly are they? Antioxidants are vitamins and nutrients that prevent a process called oxidation, which causes skin cells to degenerate. This then causes things like dullness, fine lines, loss of collagen and premature ageing. 

As you might have guessed by the name, antioxidants fight free radicals which cause oxidation in the first place. This oxidation process can be triggered by many internal (like smoking) and external factors (UV damage). Plant extracts are one of the best sources of antioxidants to protect sensitive skin from this kind of damage. 

Our Correcting Eye Cream contains raspberry extract, which is brimming with beneficial phytonutrients. According to skin expert Paula Begoun of Paula’s Choice, “Raspberry fruit contains a broad mix of antioxidants, including ascorbic acid (vitamin C) beta-carotene, glutathione, quercetin, and vitamin E. Raspberry is also a source of a type of polyphenol known as ellagitannins, such as those from antioxidant ellagic acid.” Vitamin C is an extremely important ingredient in any skincare product.

The Correcting Eye Cream also contains fig extract, which is packed with plant phenols to regenerate the skin especially dry skin. This eye cream is specially formulated to treat delicate under-eye skin without clogging pores. It can be also be used as a night cream if you chose to use it that way. A night cream can be very effective as they stay on your skin for longer than regular creams do.