What is CSA and why all dermatologists agree on this infallible secret to skin care

• BEAUTY Skin at 30 years old: this is what you have to do today so as not to regret tomorrow

• BODY How to know what my skin type is and what ingredients my creams need

What cream do I put on?

Change from day to night?

And in the seasons?

What is the order of the beauty routine?

Do I really have to invest so much in a serum?

But what difference is there?

Those who pretend to take care of themselves and are lost in the true master's degree that is

, where brands, assets and marketing flood us, have

.

C is the essential vitamin to give luminosity to each day along with S, acronym for sun protection factor,

, to finish with vitamin A or retinol at night, the skin regenerator.

All the dermatologists consulted by ZEN insist that, more than in certain brands, we should look at the aforementioned active ingredients accompanied by a good cleaning.

If it's so basic, why does everything seem so complicated?

STEPS OF THE COSMETIC ROUTINE

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In her book

, Dr. Ana Molina recommends four unique steps to show off a splendid face:

against pollutants and traces of makeup, moisturizing with

(vitamin C), sun protection every day of the year with SPF 50+ and transformation of alpha and beta hydroxy acids and

(retinoids).

Again the CSA concept, which the firm Medik8 and its founder, Elliot Isaacs, began to talk about.

"He was the first to see that, beyond the fact that we can add more products or principles to a skin every day,

that are essential for it to be healthy", explains Elisabeth San Gregorio, current technical director of Medik8 .

Why is the consumer so lost when faced with such a basic recipe, an ABC of cosmetics?

"On the one hand,

. Faced with a specific concern, that person will go to a specific product that solves that need without thinking about the true benefits of healthier and more luminous skin, something that without a doubt they get vitamins C and A (retinoids). This is why prescription is so important, either by a dermatologist and also by a specialist from a beauty salon or from a trained team that does skin advice... ", reasons Estefanía Nieto, technical director of Omorovicza.

HOW TO INTRODUCE CSA ROUTINES

The entire CSA routine in a single kit, CSA Kit Retinal Edition, including the cleanser.

Is it better little by little?

Does it serve women the same as men?

A priori, it is enough to read the list of ingredients to make sure that you include vitamin C in your daily routine, although it is important

who can advise you on the best one for your skin.

For example, if it will be better in serum or cream.

It is always advisable to use stabilized and non-pure forms of vitamin C to avoid side effects or the product oxidizing very quickly, reveals Raquel González, cosmetologist and director of training at Perricone MD.

"Among these forms we find forms of vitamin C such as Vitamin C Ester, which stands out as a depigmenting agent, ethylated vitamin C with greater antioxidant power or vitamin C phosphate, with greater anti-inflammatory potential."

In fact, in the old days, people believed that vitamin C was used at night because they noticed that it stains their skin, says this trio of aces, but this happened because

that, when oxidized, they stained the pores.

"This does not happen with the current forms of vitamin C," says González.

Saint Gregory adds: "There are many ways to stabilize vitamin C, either by adding lipid components, by ethylating it, or from vitamin C salts, among other options."

It is always more convenient to use it in the morning because it offers antioxidant power, that is, it will help the skin to be protected during the day and thus avoid the action of free radicals, they agree.

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As for the forms of vitamin A, any format can be good.

It is essential to start little by little and

so that the process is not aggressive, beginning to apply it a few days a week and always with the lowest graduations, advises the specialist.

"In this way, we will not stress the skin and we will avoid redness, peeling...".

"Retinol, retinaldehyde or retinyl retinoate, among others, are usually encapsulated to stabilize the principle and to avoid irritation," completes San Gregorio, who corroborates that more and more firms are working with encapsulated forms of retinol with a view to the principle not be corrupted and to avoid secondary effects".

SUN AND VITAMIN A

Dermatologists insist that we should protect our skin with SPF 50 all year round, not just in the summer. Shutterstock

There is a very widespread maxim among those who apply retinol: you should never sunbathe.

"Many people believe that it should not be used during the day because it irritates or stains, but the real reason is not this. The reality is that retinol and some other forms of vitamin A are deactivated by contact with sunlight, eliminating all their activity.

is, fundamentally, that it will not give us anything, neither positive nor negative", asserts Nieto.

As for whether or not to wear SPF, this must be independent of whether we use retinol or not, since we must always protect the skin, the expert clarifies.

"We do put more emphasis on it when someone is starting to use retinol because of the

. As the skin is more sensitive, it may be more easily inflamed when exposed to UVA/UVB radiation."

On the other hand, as long as the skin is already retinted and is done at the beginning, a process that usually lasts approximately one month of adaptation, we can expose ourselves to the sun.

"In fact, retinol activates an enzyme, P53, which protects the skin at the cellular level."

OTHER ASSETS?

Vitamin C Ester, to give the appearance of plump, illuminated skin and minimize pigmentation over time.

What useful assets would those most knowledgeable about skin add to the CSA?

Obviously, they all answer that it will depend on the specific condition of each skin, but they agree on the ones that provide the greatest benefits: "

from retinol, or alpha hydroxy acids to exfoliate the skin and support the activity of vitamins C and A", says Sonia Ferreiro, biotechnologist, cosmetologist and technical manager of Ambari Beauty.

And what is more important of all, in conclusion: a good cleaning or the three infallible assets?

The beauty specialists have it clear and do not hesitate.

"To maintain healthy skin, a good cleaning, preferably double at night, and proper hydration."

A CSA routine

Don't overcomplicate either.

"You can count on a cream with vitamin C and SPF in the morning and a cream with retinol and ceramides or hyaluronic acid at night, for example," concludes Elisabeth San Gregorio, technical director of Medik8.

So simple and so effective.

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