Beauty Vocab: What Does ‘Energizing’ Mean in Skin Care?

Imaxtree

It’s hard to keep the encyclopedia of skin care terms straight, especially with new buzzwords constantly taking center stage. One that may have you stumped? “Energizing”—we know you’ve heard it, and we cab’t be the only ones wondering if we immediately picture dumping a Red Bull in our moisturizer. We assume it hassomething to do with amping up skin for the better—or, at the very least, waking it up.

Turns out, that’s almost exactly what it means. “In skincare, energizing implies that skin will look and feel less fatigued,” says Edwin Batista, bliss’s global director of education. “This is visibly expressed by a more radiant and rested appearance.”

bliss, in particular, is one brand that’s taken on the term in a variety of products, most recently in its triple oxygen radiant protection serum ($58, blissworld.com) made with antioxidants and vitamin C. This helps even skin tone and overall, promotes skin that’s less likely to show signs of free radical damage, hence a well-rested, “energized” look. “Vitamin C is great at providing potent antioxidant protection,” explains Batista. “It is used in our spa-powered skincare to brighten skin, boost healthy collagen production, and protect skin against environmental aggressors that can accelerate skin aging.”

So energizing products fight the signs in our skin that tell the world we’re not getting enough sleep. Noted.

But vitamin C isn’t the only thing we noticed in energizing skin care products. There are a ton of ingredients that help boost this “well-rested” look. Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Face Wash ($9, kiehls.com) calls out caffeine, something you may find in under-eye creams to reduce puffiness. Tata Harper’s Beautifying Oil ($48,tataharperskincare.com) claims to “energize” the skin by moisturizing it with botanical oils and brown algae extract. Proper hydration, in turn, makes your skin look less dull, rough, and tired anyway, which is why you’ll likely see this little keyword in moisturizers that boast many different ingredients.

And there’s even a difference between “energizing” and “revitalizing,” another trendy word, according to Batista. “While energizing refers to making skin look rested and awake, revitalizing refers to improving skin’s cellular function,” says Batista. “The most common area of revitalization is cellular turnover—as we age, skin cells metabolize at a slower, less consistent rate, which can lead to dullness and accelerated aging.”

Of if you’re not getting eight hours of sleep a night, look into energizing products. Even if we’re not catching enough zzz’s, our skin will sure look like we are.

Read more: http://dailymakeover.com/energizing-skin-care/#ixzz3oHESqdmt