Beauty Bliss - Buy Makeup Online

The Medik8 CSA Philosophy is an anti-aging skin routine grounded in science. It uses a combination of three products - Vitamin C, Sunscreen and Vitamin A - to help prevent and combat skin aging. While each product when used alone is beneficial to skin health, when used together in the specified order (Vitamin C + Sunscreen by day, Vitamin A by night), major results become evident.

How Does it Work?

The CSA routine targets all the main causes of skin aging, reversing the aging process before your very eyes. Vitamin C and sunscreen are to be used during the day, and vitamin A at night. Briefly, vitamin C works to stimulate collagen production and acts as anti-oxidant, protecting skin from damaging free radicals. Sunscreen then protects skin from harmful UV rays (both UVA and UVB) - the most typical cause of skin aging. At night, vitamin A stimulates skin regeneration, improves skin texture and works to unclog pores. Each product works together to give you a smoother, brighter and youthful looking complexion - fighting skin aging has never been easier.

Shop Medik8

---

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a skin protection essential. Breaking it down, the main benefits of vitamin C are twofold: it stimulates collagen production, increasing overall skin health; and it acts as an antioxidant by fighting and stabilising free radicals (the most common form of environmental damage) which would otherwise cause signs of aging, such as wrinkles and sagging. Vitamin C is most effective when used in the morning as it is during the day that exposure to free radicals is the highest.While vitamin C can be extremely beneficial to your skin, it is a very unstable molecule. This means that when added to products without careful testing, it can quickly lose its strength, form free radicals itself (doing more harm to skin than help) and turn products yellow. However, all Medik8 products are grounded in science. They have developed a way to stabilise vitamin C in all their products while maintaining the maximum effects of vitamin C. This allows you to get the best out of your products while avoiding the unwanted side effects.

To read more about Vitamin C, check out our Vitamin C Blog Post: What's the deal with Vitamin C?

There are three variations of vitamin C that Medik8 use in their products: Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate; L-Ascorbic Acid; and Ethylated L-Absorbic Acid. The best entry level variation is Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, a derivative of vitamin C. It is the most stable (as the reactive part of vitamin C has been blocked) meaning it has a longer shelf life and is the least irritable. Yet, it still maintains similar properties as pure vitamin C.

L-Ascorbic acid is the purest form of vitamin C and yields great results. It comes in two separate bottles, each lasting 8-weeks, to give you maximum use with maximum benefits.

Ethylated ascorbic acid is the strongest derivative of vitamin C. It is great for those who have built a tolerance to vitamin C and are wanting an anti-aging blast. Tingling upon application is to be expected, but this should fade after a few minutes.

---

Sunscreen

Sun damage is by far the most common cause of skin aging. This is why using products containing an SPF, even on cloudy days, is extremely important for skin protection. There are two types of UV rays: UVA rays; and UVB rays. UVB rays hit the top layers of skin, causing sunburn and in more serious cases, skin cancer. UVA rays instead penetrate deeper into skin, creating damaging free radicals and impairing collagen production. It is the combination of UVA and UVB ray damage that cause signs of aging in skin.Whilst most sunscreens offer protection against UVB rays, not every sunscreen offers the same protection against UVA rays. Medik8 took matters into their own hands by creating lightweight, blendable SPF products, all of which offer both UVA and UVB protection. In fact, the Medik8 Advanced range of day creams all hit the highest 5* rating of Ultra UVA protection. Not only does each product protect you from the sun, but they are also formulated with nourishing ingredients designed to benefit your skin health as well.

It is only when skin is protected from both UVA and UVB rays that skin-aging can be combatted against. As all Medik8 SPF products ensure such protection, they are essential to add to your skin routine.

---

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is the best way to improve signs of skin photoaging by rejuvenating skin while you sleep. Vitamin A stimulates cellular turn over in your skin, pushing skin cells to the surface and unclogging pores for a smoother, youthful, blemish-free complexion. It also helps to improve skin texture, minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and balances uneven skin tones.

Products containing vitamin A are typically called 'Retinol'. Medik8 has also recently launched a new product, Bakuchiol Peptides, which is the ultimate plant-based, anti-ageing alternative for vitamin A. While vitamin A can be extremely beneficial to skin, if introduced too quickly at too high a concentrate, it can cause more harm than good. This can result in peeling, redness and irritation. In response, Medik8 developed a range of products at different strengths and the Time Release (TR™) delivery system which slowly releases vitamin A upon application. The result is minimal irritation and extended skin benefits over a greater period of time. Your skin has to build a tolerance to vitamin A. This can be achieved by starting with weaker solutions (see the recommended starting product below) and implementing a gradual introduction system (use twice a week for 2 weeks, every second night for a further 2 weeks, then every night until the product is finished).

---

Where to Start?

Now you now more about the active ingredients, where is the best place to start? When first adding new products into your skin routine it is important to start with low potency products to allow your skin to build a tolerance. The CSA routine we recommend you start with consists of the following products: C-Tetra®️, Advanced Day Total Protect™️ (SPF 30) and Retinol 3TR Intense™️. These 3 products are the perfect entry level starters to begin you CSA journey and work up your skin's tolerance. C-Tetra®️ is a super-light daily vitamin C serum. It has all the same benefits as pure vitamin C (stimulating collagen production and acting as an anti-oxidant to remove harmful free radicals) but causes minimal irritation. It uses a lipid soluble form of vitamin C so is able to penetrate deeper into skin. It is also very stable, giving it a longer shelf life. C-Tetra®️ is perfect if you are new to vitamin C and wanting to incorporate it safely into your skin routine.

Advanced Day Total Protect™ is an SPF 30 sunscreen and moisturiser in one. It has the highest UVA and UVB protection possible and also includes Pollution Shield, anti-infrared, anti-blue light and anti-A.G.E technology. The formula is light, non-sticky and has an invisible finish, ideal for daily use. Advanced Day Total Protect™ is the ultimate daily hydrator for total environmental protection everyday.

Retinol 3TR™ is a lightweight vitamin A serum. This serum is formulated with 0.3% retinol, one of the lowest percentages of retinol Medik8 has to offer. Because the percentage is low, it is the best serum to start with when first incorporating vitamin A into your skin routine. It will allow your skin to slowly build a tolerance so you can avoid any of the unwanted side effects that quick, harsh exposure can often create.

Good luck starting your CSA routine, we promise you will thank us. See you when you look 10 years younger!

Shop Medik8

---