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Top 5 Skincare Boosters To Include In Your Skincare Routine

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Cleanse, tone, exfoliate, moisturize. Repeat. We’re all familiar with the basic skincare routine.

However, applying only these steps may not be enough to address your specific skincare concerns.

Acne, fine lines, dry, sensitive skin, pigmentation, enlarged pores…the scary list of skin concerns is endless, which makes caring for your skin seem like rocket science.

It doesn’t have to be like that!

The key to improving your skin condition is actually including the right skincare boosters into your usual beauty regime  and you can easily send those frustrating skin issues packing.

Just what is a skincare booster

A skincare booster is the extra oomph that works in tandem with whatever skincare products you’re already using to target specific beauty issues.
It’s a specialized product with a higher concentration of a single ‘superstar’ ingredient.

Together an advanced combination of other beneficial ingredients, a booster works effectively to address a skincare concern.

If you think that sounds like there’s a specific booster for every common skincare concern, you’re quite right.

Let’s dissect the star ingredients in various skincare boosters and check out the benefits they bring to your skin.

#1: Vitamin C boosters brighten and even out skin tone

When vitamin C in fruits are good for our body, it’s not surprising that it’s also fantastic for our skin, the largest organ on our body.

A wonderful skin lightening agent, vitamin C is at the top of the list for effectively minimizing the production of melanin, the skin pigment that gives rise to dark spots or uneven skin tone. Also an antioxidant powerhouse, vitamin C can protect the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and slow down skin aging due to sun exposure.


Vitamin C comes in many forms. Some common forms of vitamin C that are used in skincare products include magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucosamine and ascorbic acid.

Not all vitamin C boosters are created equal though. Vitamin C concentrations in most skincare products are less than 1%, which is not enough for the product to have any significant effect on the skin, much less help you target your skincare issues.

 
 Best use of vitamin C boosters: Minimizes appearance of dark spots, brightens skin, evens skin tone, improves skin texture and firmness, combats signs of aging.

Paula’s Choice Recommendation

The Resist C15 Super Booster contains vitamin C in a high-strength 15% concentration, making it the top choice booster arsenal to incorporate into your skincare routine.

#2: Retinol boosters fight signs of aging

Retinol (a form of vitamin A) can improve elastin and collagen allowing the skin to be supple and ‘bounce back’ when compressed.

Numerous research findings indicate that retinol can build elastin and stimulate collagen production.

Similar to the vitamin C boosters, the concentration of retinol in skin care products will determine the effect of anti-agin on the skin.

However, factors like delivery system, packaging and also the use of other ingredients together with Retinol will significantly affect how retinol improves your skin condition.

Best use of retinol boosters: Encourages a smoother, more even skin tone, protects skin from environmental damage, minimizes the appearance of crow’s feet and other signs of aging.

Paula’s Choice Recommendation

A booster packed with retinol like Paula’s Choice Resist 1% Retinol Booster which is uniquely formulated for faster and more effective absorption by the skin is a wonderful addition to your skincare regime to help target specific skincare issues like anti-aging and wrinkles.

#3: Hyaluronic acid boosters for radiant and younger-looking skin

Hyaluronic acid has astonishing moisture retention and balancing capabilities (1g of hyaluronic acid can hold up to 6L of water!), making it a vital ingredient in anti-aging skincare products.

But why is the ability to retain moisture important for maintaining youthful skin?

That’s because as we age, the skin’s ability to retain moisture decreases, thus giving rise to fine lines, wrinkles, a decrease in skin firmness and suppleness.

Hence, having enough moisture in the skin is key to keeping those signs of aging at bay.

Hyaluronic acid’s amazing moisture retention and balancing properties, your skin can be plumped up with just the right amount of moisture, making it more radiant and supple.

However, too much moisture in the skin can be detrimental!

Which is why beyond merely retaining moisture,balancing the moisture content in the skin. is also crucial for a youthful, healthy complexion.

If you think this is it for the wonders of hyaluronic acid, think again.

Research has shown that it also offers antioxidant protection against environmental assault, making it one of the best multi-tasking anti-aging warriors for your skin.

Best use for hyaluronic acid boosters: Keeps skin supple and moisturized, minimizes fine lines and wrinkles, protects skin against environmental stressors.

Paula’s Choice Recommendation

Quality hyaluronic acid like the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster delivers outstanding anti-aging and wrinkle-smoothening effects in a pure, light solution that doesn’t feel heavy even on oily or combination skin. By boosting moisture content in the skin, the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster also helps to visibly plump skin and prevent moisture loss and dehydration of skin.

#4: Plant oil boosters are nourishing balms for dry, sensitive skin

Applying plant oil, especially in the dry, windy months of the year or in a perpetually freezing office soothes, softens and moisturizes the skin.

However, not all plant oils make great skin moisturizers.

Research has indicated that the best plant oils suitable for use on the face and body are the non-fragrant types.

Fragrant plant oils (also known as essential oils) contain volatile substances which could potentially wreak havoc on the skin – bad news for skincare.

Nourishing, non-fragrant plant oils can be applied in its pure form, as blends or mixed into your regular moisturizer. When blended into your regular facial or body moisturizers, you can get an enriched moisturizer anytime you want without having to take time to shop for new ones.

Best use of plant oil boosters: Moisturizes the skin in dry or cold environments, enriches your body or hand lotion when a few drops are blended into them.

Paula’s Choice Recommendation

The Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster is a blend of nine essential, non-fragrant plant oils in a soothing, light formula. Suitable for use on dry, sensitive skin, it is a luxurious source of antioxidants and fatty acids that dry, dehydrated skin direly needs to look and feel smoother and healthier.

#5: Niacinamide boosters gives you clearer, brighter and more even-toned skin

Also known as vitamin B3 and nicotinic acid, niacinamide works with the natural substances in your skin to address a plethora of skin issues, from enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, dull skin, fine lines, wrinkles to skin damage caused by pollution, dust and other environmental stressors.

Best thing is, it forms a protective layer on the skin surface to prevent moisture loss.

Having healthy, supple skin can really be effortless with a niacinamide booster.

You would have thought that such an all-powerful booster like niacinamide cannot tolerate or work well with other boosters.

Fact is,niacinamide is uniquely compatible with all other types of skincare products which you’re already using daily, including those containing other types of boosters such as retinol, hyaluronic acid, peptides, AHAs or BHAs.

Even if you were to use several skincare products containing niacinamide, a niacinamide booster would still be very well-tolerated by all skin types, including sensitive skin

Best use of niacinamide boosters: minimizes appearance of large pore, evens skin tone, soothes fine lines, crow’s feet and wrinkles, retains moisture and firmness.

Paula’s Choice Recommendation

The Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster is a lightweight liquid formula containing a pure concentration of 10% niacinamide.

The first widely available 10% niacinamide treatment, it’s created to boost ceramide and free fatty levels in the skin, retain skin moisture and stimulate micro-circulation in the dermis while soothing the skin.

It’s specifically formulated to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores and other signs of aging such as dull complexion and uneven skin tone.

With its higher concentration of niacinamide as well as a potent combination of antioxidants and skin-repairing ingredients, the Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster is a wonderful pore minimizer as well as a powerful anti-aging weapon for effectively targeting those pesky skin issues, especially on oily/blemish-prone skin.

In fact, the Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster is so mild that you can use it on its own around your eyes or blend it into your favourite eye cream. It’s also highly compatible with other skincare products you may already be using. Add a few drops of Paula’s Choice the Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster to your serums or facial moisturizers to instantly get an enriched blend for your skin.

A cocktail approach to using skincare boosters

No matter how powerful boosters may be, no single booster or ingredient can the panacea for all skincare concerns.

If it’s tough for you to wrap your head around that, it may be easier if you think of your skincare booster as spinach.

Yes, spinach is popularly hailed as a superfood. However, eating spinach and only spinach at every meal will surely lead to malnutrition sooner or later. Common sense has it that we need to eat several other types of food to maintain the healthy functioning of our bodies.

The same logic goes for incorporating boosters into your skincare routine. One booster, no matter how mighty it is, may not be able to adequately address all your beauty woes.

Given that we may and most definitely will have several skincare concerns at the same time, we may need several boosters (a cocktail approach), with each addressing a specific skincare concern, to be able to achieve satisfactory results.

Incorporating boosters into your skincare routine

It’s a cinch to incorporate boosters into your skincare routine. There’s no one ‘right’ way to use them. They can be used daily or on alternate days. It all depends on your needs and what works best for you.

The important thing is that you apply your skincare boosters on a cleansed face before all other skincare products so that they can be the first to be absorbed by the skin to work their wonders. During the day, always end your skincare routine with a sunscreen before you step out of the house

All it takes is a few extra minutes to incorporate boosters into your skincare routine. With the wonderful improvements you’re going to see on your complexion, you’ll be so happy that you did and using skincare boosters will soon become second nature to you.

You could incorporate your skincare boosters in the following way:
Morning and night routines
– Cleanser
– Toner
– AHA or BHA exfoliant (can also be used once a day, either AM or PM)
– Apply one or more boosters
– Apply your essence (if you use one. Otherwise apply your usual moisturizer)
– Apply your serum (if you use one. Otherwise apply your usual moisturizer)
– Apply a sunscreen of at least SPF30 before you step out of the house during the day

Now that you know there’s a range of skincare boosters to help you target your skincare issues more effectively, all you need to do is get the right one to work into your skincare routine.

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