Skin and Aesthetic Doctor, Marylebone, London

There’s no shortage of skincare promising to “turn back time”, but when you cut through the noise, only a handful of ingredients are truly proven to support skin health and reduce the visible signs of ageing.

As an aesthetic doctor, I’m often asked which products really make a difference. And while there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, there are some gold-standard ingredients backed by strong clinical data. The key is understanding what each ingredient does, and choosing formulations that deliver them in the right concentration, with proven stability and absorption.

Here’s what the evidence, and my own clinical experience, says about what works.

Vitamin C: Your skin’s daily antioxidant defence

Vitamin C is one of the most well-researched and widely recommended ingredients for skin ageing, and with good reason. It’s a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralise the free radicals generated by UV exposure, pollution and stress, factors that accelerate skin ageing over time.

Beyond protection, vitamin C supports collagen synthesis, brightens the skin, and helps fade pigmentation. But not all vitamin C products are created equal. Stability is key. L-ascorbic acid, the most potent form, is notoriously unstable and can degrade quickly if not properly formulated. THD is a more novel form – powerful yet gentle and much more stable.

This is why I often recommend products from Clinical Skin and Revision Skincare. Clinical Skin’s Vitamin C Pro-Collagen Serum combines L-ascorbic acid with THD Ascorbate and other supportive ingredients to enhance stability and absorption. Revision’s Vitamin C Lotion comes in different strengths of THD Ascorbate, giving a powerful but less irritant formulation.

Retinoids: The gold standard for cell turnover and collagen

Retinol and its prescription-strength cousins (like tretinoin) are still the most effective topical treatments we have for improving fine lines, skin texture and tone. Retinoids work by increasing cell turnover and stimulating collagen production, helping to smooth and firm the skin over time.

The challenge with retinoids is often tolerability. Many people struggle with irritation, dryness or flaking. That’s where next-generation formulas come in. SkinBetter Science’s AlphaRet is a personal favourite, it combines a retinoid with an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), buffered in a way that makes it highly effective without the usual irritation.

It’s ideal for patients wanting results without downtime. Over time, it visibly improves fine lines, uneven tone and skin firmness. Clinical studies have shown it is as efficacious as prescription strength alternatives.

Peptides: Supporting skin structure and repair

Peptides are fragments of proteins that act as messengers, telling your skin to perform certain functions – like building collagen, repairing barrier function, or reducing inflammation. While peptides alone aren’t as potent as retinoids or vitamin C, they can be extremely helpful as part of a broader skincare routine, especially for supporting skin resilience and hydration.

Revision Skincare’s D·E·J Face Cream is a great example of an effective peptide-based product. It supports the skin’s microbiome, strengthens the dermal-epidermal junction (a key area of age-related weakening), and visibly improves skin firmness and elasticity. It’s particularly good for more sensitive or dry skins. I also love the Alastin range, which is all formulated around peptides which do different things. Their Skin Nectar is an outstanding post-procedure to help skin recover after aesthetic interventions, and their HA Immerse is a hyaluronic acid and peptide product which also boosts your skin’s natural production of hyaluronic acid.

LED therapy: Choose your tech wisely

Home-use LED masks are everywhere right now, but unfortunately, most don’t deliver enough power, at the right wavelengths, for the right amount of time to drive meaningful skin changes.

For LED therapy to work, it needs to be more powerful, both in terms of energy output and consistency. One of the few home-use LED devices I do recommend is the Dermalux Flex which is a professional device that we use in clinic. It’s CE-certified, delivers clinically proven wavelengths, and has been shown to improve skin tone, firmness and overall appearance over time when used consistently. If you’re not using a proven LED device, you may be wasting your time, and money.

So, what’s the best anti-ageing skincare routine?

The most effective anti-ageing routine is one that combines proven ingredients, consistent use, and products tailored to your skin. You don’t need a 10-step regime. You need the right ingredients, in the right formulations, applied regularly.

That typically means:

  • An antioxidant serum (like vitamin C) in the morning
  • Sunscreen every single day
  • A retinoid at night (adjusted to your tolerance)
  • Supportive products like peptides or growth factors depending on your needs

And if you want to go further, integrating clinic treatments like RF microneedling, lasers or injectables will amplify what your skincare is already doing.

Don’t forget what’s happening beneath the surface, biohacking for skin longevity

While skincare is essential, your skin’s health is also deeply influenced by what’s happening inside your body. As someone who’s passionate about biohacking and optimising long-term wellness, I believe we need to treat skin ageing from the inside out as well as the outside in.

Nutritional support – like collagen peptides, omega-3s, vitamin D and high-quality antioxidants – can help protect and nourish your skin on a cellular level. Sleep quality, blood sugar regulation, and reducing chronic inflammation also play an enormous role in how our skin ages. Even tools like red light therapy (at the right intensity), cold exposure, or NAD+ boosting supplements like Nuchido Time+ can support skin regeneration and healthy cellular function.

Biohacking isn’t about gimmicks – it’s about understanding the science of longevity and using it to support your skin, your energy, and your overall vitality for the long haul. When combined with evidence-based skincare and in-clinic treatments, this inside-out approach creates real, lasting results.

Need help choosing the right products?

If you’re not sure where to start, or want to overhaul your routine for real results, we offer personalised skincare consultations in clinic. We’ll assess your skin, your goals, and build a regime that works with your lifestyle and your skin biology.

Book a consultation to get expert, evidence-based skincare that delivers.