What is resveratrol in skincare?
Resveratrol is a polyphenol produced by plants under stress – grapes, berries, peanuts and Japanese knotweed are the main sources. Red wine is where most people first hear of it, though the amounts there are trivial.
In skincare it functions as a potent antioxidant and an activator of sirtuins, proteins involved in cellular repair and longevity. It is well characterised for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity on skin.
What skin concerns does resveratrol treat?
It targets the visible results of oxidative stress: dullness, uneven tone, fine lines and loss of firmness. Its anti-inflammatory action also helps redness and reactive skin.
It has documented skin-lightening activity through tyrosinase inhibition, making it a gentler option for pigmentation than many actives, and a small trial found it reduced facial redness when combined with green tea and caffeine.
What ingredients are best paired with resveratrol?
It is typically used at night, where it complements the repair work skin does while you sleep, and it pairs particularly well with vitamin E, ferulic acid, niacinamide and green tea.
It also combines safely with retinoids and peptides. Because it is unstable in light, look for opaque, air-tight packaging – a resveratrol serum in a clear dropper bottle is not doing much. Take our Skin Quiz.
What are age spots?
Age spots – known clinically as solar lentigines, and sometimes as liver spots – are flat, well-defined brown or tan patches that appear on skin with the most cumulative sun exposure: the face, backs of the hands, forearms, shoulders and upper chest.
Despite the name, they are not caused by age itself. They are a record of ultraviolet exposure, which is why they are common from the forties onward and why they cluster on areas that rarely get sunscreen.
What causes age spots?
Long-term UV exposure drives melanocytes to over-produce melanin in concentrated spots, and the surrounding keratinocytes stop clearing that pigment efficiently as skin ages.
Fair skin, a history of sunburns, tanning beds and outdoor work all raise the risk. Any new spot that changes shape, colour or size, bleeds or has an irregular border should be checked by a doctor rather than treated cosmetically.
What ingredients are best for age spots?
Topical treatment works but needs patience – expect three to six months. Retinoids speed turnover so pigmented cells shed faster, vitamin C and niacinamide brighten and protect, and alpha arbutin, kojic acid, azelaic acid and liquorice root inhibit new pigment.
Glycolic or lactic acid helps lift existing pigment from the surface. Daily broad-spectrum SPF, including on hands and chest, is what prevents new spots forming. Take our Skin Quiz.
