February 6, 2025, 4:00 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Dr. Emi Arpa knows exactly which skincare ingredients truly make a difference! In this episode of FITBOOK Experts, the dermatologist reveals why ceramides are essential for a healthy skin barrier, why encapsulated retinal serum is the superstar of skin regeneration, and the role antioxidants like astaxanthin or vitamin C derivatives play in protecting the skin from UV rays and oxidative stress. She also explains which ingredients she considers underrated and offers tips on avoiding marketing traps in skincare products. Read now and take your skincare routine to the next level!
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Overview
The Best Ingredients for Healthy Skin – What Really Helps According to Dr. Emi Arpa
FITBOOK: What are the best ingredients in skincare?
Dr. Emi Arpa: “First of all, we all need a healthy skin barrier. I’m a huge fan of ceramides because they are also an important part of our skin’s natural barrier. It’s great to protect our skin with them, especially now in winter. Then I love ingredients that are really well-researched. And it’s well-known that retinoids are particularly sustainable, especially in skin regeneration and collagen synthesis stimulation. Especially retinal—if it’s encapsulated, it’s a top choice for me. Then I would perhaps mention a group of antioxidants. There are, for example, vitamin C derivatives. But also astaxanthin, which is 65 times more effective than vitamin C and can boost our UV protection and protect our skin from oxidative stress.”
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Why Fermented Ingredients (Postbiotics) Are a Gamechanger in Skincare
Which ingredients do you think are completely underestimated in their effect?
“Fermented ingredients are underestimated, so-called postbiotics. They can help stabilize the entire formulation of a skincare product and perhaps even ensure that the ingredients penetrate the skin more effectively; they really reach where they are supposed to. I’m a big fan of Bifida Ferment Lysate. This ingredient helps very well against redness and generally against impurities.”
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Beef Tallow in Skincare–Is the Hype Justified?
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Dr. Emi Arpa: “Encapsulated Retinal Serum Is the Best Investment, But …”
If you had to choose one skincare product, which would it be?
“Well, if I could only spend money on one skincare product beyond sunscreen, it would be a retinal serum. But I would make sure that this retinal serum is encapsulated and also contains peptides to stimulate collagen synthesis and strengthen our skin barrier.”
How to Avoid Marketing Traps in Skincare Products
How do you recognize a good skincare product?
“When evaluating a product and deciding whether you want to afford it, you should always check all the ingredients it contains. You shouldn’t buy a product just because, for example, retinol is included. It always depends on the overall formulation. Peptides, for example, fuel collagen stimulation, ceramides like ectoin and allantoin support the skin barrier and ensure that side effects don’t occur in the first place.”
FITBOOK Experts is our new video series where experts from medicine, science, nutrition, and sports answer questions and provide useful tips.
The protagonist of our second season is Dr. Emi Arpa, a specialist in dermatology and venereology with a focus on aesthetic dermatology and skin surgery. We have already published episodes on:
– Potentially harmful ingredients in skincare
– How to recognize a good dermatologist
– Common skin diseases
In the coming weeks, you can expect these topics:
– Skin changes that should prompt a visit to the doctor
– Tips for optimal skin cancer prevention