"BUILDERS"

BUILDERS

BRAHSTON groups the main types of skincare ingredients into the following three categories: DEFENDERS, BUILDERS, and RE-FUELERS.

Today’s post will focus on the BUILDERS.

Skin Health

BRAHSTON® considers “BUILDERS” as ingredients that work primarily to exfoliate the skin by breaking down the bonds of dead and old cells that accumulate on the skin’s surface. Builders speed up your skin’s ability to shed dead cells, making way for new and healthy cells to rebuild and strengthen the skin. 

Ingredients that are “BUILDERS”, include:

Retinol (Vitamin A) - Retinol is a catch-all term for Vitamin A. Retinol is an antioxidant but it has a range of beneficial effects on skin’s health beyond assisting in eliminating excess free-radicals. Retinol promotes increased collagen production and cell regeneration - reducing fine lines and wrinkles over time. 

Alpha-hydroxy Acids (AHAs) - Natural acids found in foods such as fruit sugars and milk. AHAs are water soluble chemical exfoliants that target cells in the skin’s top surface layers. Commonly used to fight fine lines and wrinkles, scaring and mild hyperpigmentation due to aging. Some AHAs promote collagen production (Glycolic Acid), while others may also function as antioxidants (Vitamin C).

The top Alpha-hydroxy Acids (AHAs) to look for in your next skincare investment, include:

• Glycolic Acid;

• Lactic Acid; and,

• L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 

Beta-hydroxy Acids (BHAs) - An oil soluble chemical exfoliant that lacks the humectant properties of AHAs, penetrating deeper into skin. Salicylic Acid is one of the top Beta-hydroxy Acid (BHAs) to look for in your next skincare investment. Salicylic Acid is a natural or synthetic exfoliant commonly used to fight acne by unclogging pores, stimulating cellular turnover and providing inflammation reduction. This ingredient penetrates deeper into skin’s layers than AHAs to also fight the effects of sun-damage. 

The top Beta-hydroxy Acid (BHAs) to look for in your next skincare investment, include:

• Salicylic Acid

Advice

To maximize your skincare investment, look for products containing these powerhouse, skin-fueling ingredients. BRAHSTON recommends that you start early, use a few products to address the variety of factors that improve skin health, and stay consistent with frequent use.

Want more info like this? Check out the No B.S. Guide to Healthy Skin for more skincare pro tips.