Is Anti Aging Skincare Safe?
Short answer? Maybe.
Ready for the long(er) answer?
Like anything else you put on your body, skincare is absorbed insanely quickly and goes directly into the bloodstream. Making it very important to know that what you’re putting on is safe. Read 10 ingredients you don’t want in your skincare for more on that. But back to the question, is anti aging skincare safe? Well first, what separates anti aging from any other skincare?
Retinol.
The use of this ingredient is very controversial in the beauty world. It’s the active ingredient in almost ALL anti aging products. But should it be so widely used? I don’t want to bore you with all the details, so here’s the gist. The reason retinol is so “effective” is because it pushes new cells up to the surface more quickly than they normally would, giving quicker “results”. The problem is, these skin cells aren’t ready to be exposed to sunlight and other environmental factors yet. They’re too young and immature (hello, college Lexie). So sun damage and skin irritation are a big concern. And that’s just what we KNOW so far. There will surely be more research coming out in the future on this topic. But Beautycounter don’t play games. If it ain’t safe, it ain’t in our stuff.
Ummm how beautiful are these new glass bottles?!
So what’s the alternative? Beautycounter has been working for 3 years on a PLANT-DERIVED RETINATURAL COMPLEX.
Holiday-hooby-whaty? (Grinch fans please holla at yo gurl.)
Here’s how Beautycounter describes the Retinatural Complex:
“BAKUCHIOL - Traditionally used in Chinese and Ayurvedic skin-care remedies, Bakuchiol delivers many of retinol’s skin benefits—without irritation.
SWISS ALPINE ROSE - Grown at the highest altitudes of the Alps, this flower is known for its ability to protect itself against environmental stressors like dehydration and helps boost skin’s antioxidant defense.
Retinatural Complex promotes healthy barrier function. Our skin’s moisture barrier prevents excess water loss and helps protect skin from the environment—and as we age, it becomes depleted. Retinatural Complex helps improve barrier function to maintain the skin’s natural hydration levels (and keep that plumpness going strong).
It visibly plumps and firms skin. Collagen is the skin’s most vital protein and the cushion that keeps it supple, taut, and wrinkle-free. It’s found in the middle layer of the skin, and its production begins to slow by the time we reach 30. Luckily, it’s possible to visibly improve skin firmness and plumpness. Enter Retinatural Complex.
It improves resilience. With age, the skin’s ability to protect itself from oxidative stress is compromised, which damages cells, speeds up the appearance of aging, and leaves skin looking dull and sallow. The targeted ingredients in our Retinatural Complex help protect skin and improve radiance.”
“Beautycounter’s plant-derived Retinatural Complex, featuring bakuchiol and Swiss Alpine rose, delivers retinol-like results without retinol’s safety concerns. Why? Because beauty should be good for you.” -Gamze Sauzeat, Lead Chemist
I’ve talked before about the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database that you should use to see how safe your products are. Retinol is a 9/10 (think golf here), and bakuchiol is a 1/10 (think hole in one).
So is ALL anti aging skincare safe? NO. Are certain lines safe? YES. You don’t have to use Beautycounter, but please at least read your labels, and think twice before buying the latest high dose retinol serum from Sephora.
If you’d like details about any product in the line, help deciding which ones would be the best fit for you, or info about my discount, fill out the form below for FREE SAMPLES! Or you can email me at lexie@wellfromwithin.co and I’d be happy to help! Or you can order here if you already know what you want. While the whole collection is great, you can definitely buy individual pieces and still see amazing results!
But I must make one last caveat before I go. I recently wrote a blog about 3 reasons you don’t like body changes. And I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the contradictory nature of anti aging products and accepting your body’s changes. So let me clarify one thing here. You are allowed to want to change your body. But really think about WHY you want that. Is it because the world is telling you to look a certain way? Or is it because you truly love looking or feeling a certain way for yourself?
Personally, I just freaking love the way Beautycounter makes my skin feel. Does it look nicer than before I started using it? Yeah! But I also know it’s so much healthier than it used to be, and that’s what is most important to me.
Do you need to be wrinkle free to be beautiful, loved, or valuable? Hell to the no. That is NOT what I’m saying. But if skincare is something you love and use to pamper yourself like the queen you are, get it girl. It’s about what makes YOU happy, not society.
All that to say, don’t come at me with pitchforks. Thank you so much.