As a long-time beauty blogger, I’ve always loved learning and sharing pro advice from leading beauty experts, especially pertaining to skincare. A couple of weeks ago, I was invited by the Working Women + Health Club on Clubhouse to join their panel of health & beauty experts to discuss essential skincare ingredients. We talked about everything from natural skincare ingredients like jojoba oil and bakuchiol (a plant-based retinol alternative) to ceramides, squalane, and more.

In today’s beauty guide, you’ll discover several essential skincare ingredients that we talked about during our Clubhouse chat, and you’ll learn why these ingredients are so beneficial to your skincare regimen. Plus, learn pro tips on how and when to use these ingredients.

Clubhouse Beauty Secrets – Skincare Tips from Health & Beauty Experts

To start with, since 2011, I’ve been blogging about beauty and skincare topics. However, I’ve spent the past 20+ years researching and testing beauty products. As a result of everything I’ve learned about how products are developed, how they affect our overall beauty and wellness, and even the long-term effects of certain ingredients, in recent years, I’ve grown into a clean beauty advocate and evangelist.

One of my favorite natural skincare ingredients that we discussed during our chat is squalane.

As reported in Allure, Dermatologists say that “Squalane in skin-care products is now being derived mostly from plants such as olives and rice bran. It can also be derived from other plant oils including amaranth seed, wheat germ, and even sugar cane. People with dry and/or mature skin can especially benefit from using squalane, though it can really benefit all skin types, including sensitivity, eczema, acne, and even psoriasis.”

I’ve noticed that my skin clarity and hydration have improved since starting to regularly use squalane-infused skincare products. As I mentioned during our Clubhouse chat, one of my favorite beauty brands that often incorporates squalane into their products is Biossance (pictured above). They say that squalane “will not clog pores, is a shelf-stable formula, has a weightless feel on the skin, promotes microbiome diversity for heathier-looking skin, and effectively hydrates from head-to-toe.”

In addition to squalane, I’m also a big fan of jojoba oil. This lightweight, non-comedogenic carrier oil helps to boost skin moisture, unclog pores, soften skin, and dissolve any makeup. It can be mixed with other essential oils (such as calming lavender) or on its own, layered with other skincare products. The best part is – it’s natural and non-toxic, so it’s one of the best essential skincare ingredients you can use.

Jacqueline Finnan Hemmer is the Vice President of Brand Business Development for IT Cosmetics, and her history with the company dates back to the very start. As the first employee at IT Cosmetics, Jacqueline worked closely with brand founder Jamie Kern Lima and the brand’s plastic surgeons’ team to develop problem-solving, skin-loving cosmetics that deliver real results to make women look and feel their most confident. From testing formulas and brainstorming new concepts with Jamie to creating iconic products for IT Cosmetics, Jacqueline continues to be a voice of the brand. She has appeared on thousands of live shows on QVC, The Shopping Channel and loves chatting with IT Cosmetics customers on the brand’s social platforms. Jacqueline loves to champion women, and besides beauty, you can find her speaking on topics such as confidence and wellness.

As a skincare expert with a background in beauty product development, Jacqueline shares with us four of her favorite essential skincare ingredients, and how to incorporate these ingredients into your beauty routine.

She says, “Ceramides are a must when it comes to anti-aging skincare. Ceramides play an essential role in keeping dryness and skin aging in check. They do this by creating a protective layer against the loss of moisture and environmental stressors. Ceramides levels drop as we age, so it’s necessary to use a moisturizer with Ceramides to keep skin supple and smooth.

Hyaluronic Acid is excellent no matter which skin type you have. It helps your skin look more plump and hydrated because it can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Hyaluronic Acid helps your skin retain water and prevents skin moisture from evaporating into the air. You can purchase a 100% Hyaluronic Acid Serum and place directly onto your skin before your moisturizer, or I like to add a few extra Hyaluronic Acid drops to my moisturizers and sunscreens, especially during the summer months when I spend more time active outside.

Vitamin E seems to be an old forgotten friend in skincare, but it’s a must in my book! Besides being a powerful anti-oxidant, it helps heal, hydrate, and soothe skin, acting as an anti-inflammatory agent. Pair this with Vitamin C, and it works even harder for you! They should always be together because they just work better together. Plus the vitamin C will help in collagen production and help to brighten your skin’s look.

Are you looking for a summer skin refresher? Keep a Rose Hydrosol in your fridge for a cooling skin refresher. It’s great for all skin types; you can use it as a toner to balance your skin, add hydration, and soothe the look of redness. Or use it to set your make-up as a natural setting spray or make-up refresher throughout the day!”

A former Manhattanite and 20-year beauty industry veteran, Kendra Kolb Butler first created Alpyn Beauty for the clients at her Jackson Hole apothecary, Alpyn Beauty Bar. She’s led sales, marketing, and public relations initiatives at leading luxury beauty companies from Givenchy and Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare to Clarins and Coty, yet her proudest achievement to date has been finding the courage to trade her high-power NYC lifestyle for (quite literally) greener pastures.

In 2015, Kendra swapped her high-heels for hiking shoes, moving west to Wyoming in search of open spaces, fresh mountain air, and serenity—husband, baby boy, and German Shepherd in tow. She became instantly enchanted with the wild forests of arnica and chamomile, and the fields of lavender and sage which make up her new backyard, and became the basis for Alpyn Beauty.

Regarding skincare ingredients, Kendra says, “in addition to my wildcrafted babies, here are 3 ingredients I am loving right now.”

Bakuchiol (a plant-based ingredient): I have personally experienced the benefits in about 10 days.

• In a 16-person study, after 12 weeks of twice-daily use, Bakuchiol was shown to exhibit similar skincare benefits to retinol.
• In a 16-person study, after 12 weeks of twice-daily use, Bakuchiol was shown to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and skin roughness.

Rambutan: a cutting-edge, plant-based alternative to Retinol provides incredible hydration.

• Nephelium Lappaceum, an extract from the rambutan leaves, acts as a natural alternative to Retinol.
• It supports natural collagen synthesis, elastic fiber network, and assists with lowering a master negative regulator of collagen homeostasis, thus contributing to increased skin elasticity and reduced appearance of wrinkles.
• The rambutan we use is sustainably harvested from July through September from a certified organic Rambutan tree garden in South Vietnam.

Niacinamide:

• Helps minimize pores, improve tone, soften lines, and bolster barrier function by increasing the natural production of ceramides.
• Has been shown to prevent the transfer of pigment within the skin, which can help reduce brown spots.
• BONUS! works well with all skin types, especially sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Laura Mak Quist, MS, is a former pro-athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. She has created a community of fitness enthusiasts that are inspired by the unique way she sees the world through rose & kale-colored sparkly glasses.

Her main focus is helping women over forty ditch the brain fog and muffin top, by resetting their hormones with the proven Mak Attack FitLife method. Through videos, photos, blogs, and focused social media interactions she spreads her infectious joy and wealth of knowledge to empower, equip and inspire others to build strength in body, mind, and spirit.

For the past 25 years, she has created exercise plans, eating well strategies, yoga + stretching, and clever lifestyle tidbits. She regularly shares from a joyful, healthy perspective, and creates content showcasing brands she believes in and her lifestyle inspiring other women to live their own “wisely fierce” life.