What is CoQ10 in skincare?
Coenzyme Q10, also called ubiquinone, is a fat-soluble compound found in the mitochondria of every cell. It has two jobs: it carries electrons in the process that generates cellular energy, and it acts as an antioxidant protecting cell membranes from oxidation.
Skin levels of CoQ10 fall steadily with age and are further depleted by UV exposure, which is the rationale for replacing it topically.
What skin concerns does CoQ10 treat?
It targets the energy side of skin ageing – tired, dull, thinning skin with reduced cell activity – alongside fine lines and loss of firmness.
Topical application has been shown to raise CoQ10 levels in the skin and increase its antioxidant capacity, and laboratory work links it to reduced UVB-induced wrinkle formation. It is well tolerated, including on sensitive skin.
What ingredients are best paired with CoQ10?
Stack it with other antioxidants for a wider defence: vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, resveratrol and green tea all cover different free-radical species.
It pairs safely with retinoids, peptides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, making it easy to slot into an existing anti-ageing routine. As with all antioxidants, it supports sunscreen rather than substituting for it. Take our Skin Quiz.
What is dry skin?
Dry skin – xerosis in clinical terms – is a skin type that lacks oil rather than water. It feels tight after cleansing, looks flaky or rough, may show fine cracking, and often reads dull because the uneven surface scatters light.
It is worth separating dry skin from dehydrated skin: dryness is a lack of lipids and is usually lifelong, while dehydration is a temporary lack of water and can happen to oily skin too. Many people have both at once.
What causes dry skin?
At the root is a compromised moisture barrier. When ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids and natural moisturising factors run low, water evaporates out of the skin faster than it can be replaced.
Age, genetics, cold weather and low humidity, long hot showers, harsh surfactants, over-exfoliation, some medications, and conditions such as eczema and psoriasis all deplete those lipids. Consistent moisturising is the single intervention with the strongest evidence behind it.
What ingredients are best for dry skin?
Rebuild in layers. Humectants such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea and panthenol draw water in; emollients such as squalane, jojoba oil and shea butter smooth the surface; and occlusives seal the whole thing in.
Ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids are the priority, because they replace exactly what a dry barrier is missing, with niacinamide helping the skin make more of its own. Apply to damp skin, and swap foaming cleansers for cream or oil-based ones. Take our Skin Quiz to find the right combination for your skin.
