What does what? The facts about natural ingredients for maturing skin.

Shopping for new beauty products can often be more exciting than discovering a full bottle of rosé in your normally empty fridge.

It can also be incredibly overwhelming if you don’t know exactly what you are looking for, or what ingredients actually deliver on what they promise.

However, the key to finding the right product for your skin is less about getting caught up in pretty packaging and flashy product names and has everything to do with knowing your stuff when it comes to the specific ingredients used in the creation of the product.

And despite what you may have heard about natural ingredients, research has proven that they can be just as effective as synthetic products, so we’re going to look a bit deeper at them in this article.

There are some great ones that have specific properties designed specifically to help mature skin, in particular, feel smooth and well hydrated. Of course, that’s only if that’s what you so wish or what your face is telling you it likes.

Tea extracts and grape seed extract

The first thing to know is that nowadays, tea is not just a code word for really good gossip. Nor is it something you sip out of a pretty cup.

According to the Mayo Clinic, tea extracts can help subtly to smooth out mature skin, as research has found that green, black and oolong tea contain compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Similarly, grape seed extract has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help protect the collagen and elastin in your skin.

Ribose

If you’re only just cottoning on to the benefits of Ribose in your beauty routine, it can almost be described as a delicious treat for your skin. This super sugar is obtained from corn seed and has the capacity to add more elasticity to the skin in a natural way.

Pure Ribose helps to energise and renew skin cells, which gives you a firmer complexion.

It’s the perfect element to add to your skin before you jump into bed at night and it can be found in the Sukin’s Restorative Night Cream, an affordable skincare option available at pharmacies.

This one is also clinically proven with real studies, unlike some “natural” brands that may get away with making unsubstantiated claims.

Acacia gum

Acacia gum is also a big buzz word in the world of beauty and has more than proven its right to be included in the wrap-up of hero ingredients.

As this gum is rich in astringent properties it provides the skin with an immediately tightening effect, which in turn has the power to improve the overall appearance of your complexion. As an added bonus, because this gum is extracted from the bark of the Acacia tree, you know it’s a natural-based product. If you’re looking for a product rich in acacia gum that’s affordable and can be found in the supermarket, have a look at Sukin’s Intensive Firming Serum.

Baobab extract

Baobab extract has six times more vitamin C than an orange and 50 percent more calcium than spinach. National Geographic even went so far as to name it one of the next big superfoods, so it only makes sense that it's a helpful product to smooth across your face.

You should also know that Baobab Oil, which is extracted from the seeds of the Baobab Tree, contains Oleic, Linoleic and Linolenic acids. These provide our faces with a natural source of hydration and firmness.

Luckily, there's no need to go seek out your own Baobab trees, as the ingredient can be found in day creams like Sukin's Rejuvenating Day Cream.

Avocado

Another product that is a helpful option for mature skin is the humble avocado, a source of nutrients no longer just favoured by millennials who will never be able to afford houses.

Avocado oil actually has the power to improve skin and enhances wound healing, and the fatty acids in avocado oil can have a soothing effect on mature skin, according to Healthline.

Crambe oil

Crambe Oil is extracted from Crambe abyssinica, which are native to the  Mediterranean. According to the Health Benefit Times, the oil is able to penetrate deep layers of skin and so prevents the skin from becoming dehydrated.

This oil also has a high content of Linolenic and Linoleic acid, both of which can assist in the regeneration of hair and skin. Crambe Oil can be found in Sukin's Hydration Elixir, which was proven in a study to have a 60 per cent increase in skin hydration after five days of use.

Knowing which ingredients to look for when it comes to selecting products to use in your skincare routine is its own special kind of superpower.

The main thing is to do what makes you feel good, whatever that might be.

What do you use? Anything to recommend? Let us know below.

This content was brought to you with thanks by our brand partner, Sukin.