Q10 is beauty’s buzzy ingredient again. Here’s everything you need to know.

I’ve been writing about beauty products for close to 20 years, and the biggest shift I have seen over my career has been in the past five years or so. 

It’s not face wipes, or sheet masks, or tubular mascara, though those are all excellent inventions. It’s the focus on individual skincare ingredients. 

Before this, products were marketed simply by what they did – so maybe they were moisturising, or mattifying, or anti-ageing. Fast forward to now and over the past few years the spotlight has well and truly been on singular ingredients.

Niacinamide. Hyaluronic acid. Squalene. Bakuchiol. I could go on.

It's fantastic that consumers are educating themselves exactly what’s in their products and what they're putting on their face. But! As the insatiable hunger for brand-new buzz ingredients grows, it’s really important we don’t forget about the truly tried and tested ingredients that have been used, studied and have shown to have excellent results for decades.

One such ingredient is coenzyme Q10. It has been around for as long as I have been a beauty editor and for good reason – it really works.

It’s finally having its (deserved) time in the spotlight again, so I thought I'd chat to a dermatologist to break down exactly what coenzyme Q10 is and why it's so good for us.

I chatted to Dr Shreya Andric, Consulting Dermatologist for NIVEA. 

“Q10 is an important coenzyme that is present in all human cells. It’s best known for its antioxidant properties,” Dr Andric told me.  

Occurring naturally in our body is always a good place to start! As for what role it plays in the body, it’s actually a pretty important cast member. 

“Your body produces coenzyme Q10 naturally, but as we age, its production slows down.” 

“Studies have found it to be helpful in heart health, fertility, skin ageing, reducing headaches, helping diabetes, preventing cancer (including skin cancer), protecting brain cells and the lungs,” Dr Andric said.

NIVEA Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and Night Cream, with visible results in 7 days. Image: Supplied.

Pretty impressive, huh? And while heart health is obviously very important, I know it’s good for my skin too, but I’m not exactly sure how or why. Dr Andric had good news. Coenzyme Q10 is actually beneficial to the skin for a few different reasons. She broke it down:

1. It is a potent antioxidant that acts against oxidative damage and prevents premature skin ageing.

2. It is vital for energy production to fulfil the skin’s basic functions, such as regeneration and repair.

3. Extensive research shows how replenishing levels of the coenzyme Q10 can support the skin’s natural functions and protect it from damage.

4. When applied directly to the skin, Q10 has been shown to have an anti-aging effect by reducing oxidative damage caused by UV rays. It has also been shown to reduce wrinkle depth.

So… now for the bad news. As with pretty much everything to do with getting wiser (ahem and older) it declines with age. 

“Q10 levels in the skin naturally decline with age. Additionally UV-irradiation significantly reduces the skin’s Q10 levels. Over time, this reduction in Q10 results in signs of ageing.”  

BUT! The good news is that it can really benefit the skin when applied topically, so we can almost circumvent the inevitable. Almost. 

NIVEA has been harnessing the power of coenzyme Q10 for yonks (that’s technical speak for a really long time), because they always know what’s good. 

They also love to give us options, so we’re covered any time of day.

NIVEA Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and Night Cream both give the lead role to coenzyme Q10, of course. The NIVEA Q10 Anti-Wrinkle range is the secret for firmer, healthier looking skin. Their formulas are rich in skin-identical Q10, offering 24 hour anti-wrinkle action to reveal visible results in seven days. 

Image: Supplied.

The Day Cream specifically contains argan oil, which is packed with antioxidants that help protect against environmental damage, nourish and moisturise your skin, and soften dry patches. It contains SPF 15 too – with UVA/UVB protection to help protect the skin against sun-induced wrinkle formation and premature skin ageing. 

The Night Cream also includes creatine, an ingredient that acts as an energy reservoir and is actually important for the energy supply and function of your skin. Basically: it helps to repair skin cells and gives our skin the power to regenerate overnight whilst you're asleep when your skin is at its most receptive.

Impressive, huh?

Fight the signs of ageing, with the new and improved NIVEA Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and Night Cream. Join the NIVEA Q10 7 day challenge to give your skin energy and boost your skin's own anti-age defence.

Visible results in 7 days based on NIVEA's self-assessment study (1 week).

Feature Image: Supplied/Instagram/@leighacampbell