The skin is the first barrier between inside and outside world. Dust, dirt, environmental agents and skin care ingredients enter the body through this important protective organ providing significant access to the blood stream. Usually, to protect yourself from all the potentially dangerous factors and to keep your good appearance, you are using skin care products. Their purpose is to cleanse, nourish, regenerate and protect.
In today’s market the modern cosmetic industry is given us skin care products with splendid texture, appealing color, nice smell and … chemical ingredients.
You know exactly which is the most active ingredient or ingredients from a skin care formulation: collagen, alpha hydroxyl acids, vitamin C-ester, testosterone and so on. The advertising is based on the known effect of each primer ingredient onto the skin such as: Collagen-anti wrinkles, alpha hydroxyl acid- peeling, et cetera.
What you don’t know is how all the other chemical ingredients from a skin care product, even in tiny amount, will affect your health in time. Even a low dosage at repeated exposure will affect your body as much as a high dosage will affect at one time application.
You are not aware that the chemicals are not recognized by our body and therefore they can not be used in our metabolic pathway to be destroyed and eliminate. They are stored in fat tissues, in the blood arteries and veins, and ultimately in organs. On the other hand they can induce alterations at the cellular level. Some of the chemical ingredients have been already proven to induce cancer and birth defects.
A cosmetic company, developing natural skin care products (And I am not talking of products that have one or two natural ingredients in the list and they are claiming being natural) is more difficult to establish. The reasons are multiple and I will reveal them in a future article. In spite of the difficulties, it is very rewarding for a company to offer his customers healthy products with no long term side effects.
What you get is a complex of vitamins, minerals, phytohormons, fatty acids, enzymes everything that the skin needs. It is difficult to eliminate deep wrinkles, but you can diminish them most of all prevent them! The way to do this is to let the skin cells properly function by giving them everything they need, the right amount of recognizable nutrients.
What you don’t know about natural Cosmetics is the complexity and difficulty to create a synergy of the active molecules to get the maximum skin benefit. In order to get these results you must have a deep understanding of the biochemical processes to evaluate and predict how a natural mixture acts as an entirety. This is a time consuming process and requires long term studies and tests.
I think that in this particular time a returning to the ancient herbs and oils knowledge with a complete understanding of a modern science is one of the trends that we will have to promote in the cosmetic business as well as in food technology.
About the Author:
Claudia Budu has a master in biochemistry and a Ph.D. in cell biology. Living in three continents: Europe, Middle East and North America she came in touch with different cultures. Everything that she has learned from others and with more than 20 years of scientific expertise resulted in creations of TelBari skin care products. http://www.telbari.com
Let’s face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem. Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can only provide an acne treatment regimen.
However, you can support your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate existing acne.
Knowing What You’re Doing
One of the first pieces of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the directions for any acne remedy that you are using. If you are taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and directions.
In order to achieve the acne free skin that you desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with your dermatologist. Simply jot down some notes about the order and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its purpose is.
Remember, just because the acne clears with the use of your acne medicines doesn’t necessarily mean that you have succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom from acne scars.
What About Over-the-Counter Remedies?
Besides using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers, facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that can be used in curing acne.
When cleansing skin that is afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of the skin. You don’t scrub away the offending dirt; you can’t scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.
Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime. When you wash your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your hands.
Do Natural Treatments Really Work?
Look for gentle cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you’re evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne treatments in your search as well. For example, a soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated skin.
Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It doesn’t necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin while curing acne.
A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with the following properties:
- oil-free
- won’t clog pores (non-comodogenic)
- containing a sun-screen
Besides a great desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin. People who are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed.
By trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing acne.
For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use. Other males prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to enhance your acne skin care program.
Female acne sufferers have their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the acne treatments being applied.
You may have to abandon the use of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as non-comodogenic (won’t clog pores) to use on your road to clear skin.
Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear skin once again.
About the Author:
John Lenaghan offers information and advice about the best acne treatments and skin care at the Acne Squad website. Visit http://www.acnesquad.com for more information about dealing with acne.
If you’ve ever stood in the aisle of the skincare section of your favorite cosmetics department looking for a face cream to help you look younger and healthier, you know how confusing it can be to find a product that will help improve the look and texture of your skin.
As confusing as it is, science and research have become our best friends in the quest for younger looking skin, and the quest isn’t over, there are promising new studies and clinical tests every day that help us understand what it takes to stay looking young and youthful.
Then why are we so confused about what we need?
According to consumer industry tracker Packaged Facts, the 2004 U.S. skincare sales reached $6.4 billion and is expected to reach over $9 billion by the year 2010. If you consider all the skincare manufacturers competing for their share of the industry it’s not surprising that we fall prey to the more prominent marketing hype and miss the actual research findings.
The best advice is to do your homework. Understand what your needs are and be realistic about the results. Don’t expect a magic potion that will erase years off your face in a few days. It took years for those lines and wrinkles to develop, it isn’t practical to expect they will disappear in a few days.
It’s also important to remember that the aging process can only be slowed down, it can’t be reversed. Everyone experiences different levels of improvement. Skin care experts have found it reasonable to expect about a 30% improvement over the course of six to eight weeks time.
The best place to start is to identify what your skin care needs are. Read the labels and understand what the ingredients do.
Depending on what doctors, specialists and advertisers you talk to, you’re likely to get differing answers but if you do your homework by researching the ingredients and using products as prescribed, you will most likely see a difference.
Here are a few facts on the most popular ingredients.
AHA - Alpha Hydroxy Acids
AHA’s are used as a skin exfoliator. It can clear pores and rid the skin of dead cells. Beta Hydroxy or salicylic acids are often used for acne prone skin but can be a bit drying. Experts seem to agree that AHA’s are an excellent skin exfoliator but it is questionable as an anti-aging ingredient.
Copper Peptides
It is not conclusive as to whether copper peptides can reduce the aging process by reducing wrinkles and other signs of aging in the skin. It may be possible since copper peptides seem to stimulate the production of collagen in unscarred skin and help reduce skin inflammation, however there is a lack of clinical evidence and more extensive research studies are needed before the experts can agree completely on these claims.
Green Tea
Teas, be it black, white or green contain antioxidants which are clinically known to fight off free radicals. Most skin care experts agree that these teas can help decrease inflammation and swelling of the skin and can also decrease the effects of UV exposure. Skin care products that contain antioxidant teas are often recommended.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant that occurs naturally in humans, animals and in young skin, however aging, smoking and dieting can result in its loss.
Hyaluronic Acid has often been used as an injected lubricant for osteoarthritis and other ailments. When applied topically, it helps retain moisture and has been used to plump the skin. Experts can agree that it is excellent in helping retain moisture but are unsure of its long-lasting value.
Kinetin
Kinetin is a plant-growth hormone, and its technical name is N6-furfuryladenine. Kinetin can offer temporary hydrating benefits, however further applications of kinetin need to be investigated. Kinetin is probably best used as a preventive measure as opposed to reducing the look of aging.
Retinol
Most experts seem to agree that Retinol, (a derivative of Vitamin A) and tretinoin (Retinol’s stronger counterpart) which is the active ingredient in Retin-A and Renova, are the most effective ingredients in the fight against anti-aging. They can help regenerate collagen to reduce lines and wrinkles, and help lighten dark spots, freckles and sun damaged skin.
Absorption is a key factor in using retinol so it is recommended that using a combination of retinol and palmitic acid (retinyl palmitate) be used for proper penetration at the cellular level, however if you use retinyl palmitate you will need to use more of this product than one that contains retinol to get the same effect.
Retin-A can cause skin sensitivity in which case retinol is an excellent alternative.
Soy
It is believed that soy has mild skin rejuvenating effects as it contains botanically-based estrogen. IT contains anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory that soothe the skin but there are no anti-aging elements to soy.
About the Author:
Elizabeth is an online skin care consultant who features quality skin care sites and reviews fine skin care products. Get her newsletter and receive your free copy of ‘Beauty and Weight Loss Tips’ Ebook http://www.fine-skin-care-products.com
Who doesn’t want to look beautiful? Everybody wants to look pretty and fresh. Taking care of your skin is one way to achieve what you hope for. Whether we like it or not, beauty does seem to affect the ease and success of an individual’s life. That’s why no body wants to look pale, unhealthy and dull.
Perfect beauty is absolutely what you and all women desire. You can feel good about yourself if you have good look. Thus, skin care, hair care, and other beauty treatments should be on your program then. You will need some tips in order to make them successful. Here are some skin care treatment tips, given free just for you!
Tips for perfect beautyThere is no doubt that your skin needs special treatment since it is the body’s largest organ. You may not know how to take good care of your skin, how frequent you should do it, and so on. Keeping the skin moist, elastic, and smooth is one of the best ways of skin care treatment. Look at these helpful tips below:
1. The first thing you must know about skin care treatment is to do it regularly. You can start it from the very easy way, like washing your hands and face with a natural soap or cleanser.
2. Which type of skin do you have? Dry, normal, or oily skin? Get to know your type and use appropriate skin care products for the treatment. Consult with your beautician if you’re not sure about it.
3. Eat lots of healthy foods, namely fresh fruits and vegetables which act as great antioxidants. They are substances that prevent damage in the body caused by free radicals. Strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, tuna, and mostly seafood, as well as onions, garlic, and broccoli are great sources of food high in antioxidant.
4. Avoid smoking and stay away from alcohol. They are real skin enemies since they create wrinkles to your skin and making it dry.
5. Carry out proper treatments for your skin: clean your skin with water and free-chemicals cleansing products everyday, scrub your skin regularly to remove dead cells and smooth the skin, and moisturize it with skin lotion and cream containing high amount of vitamin E.
Those tips above are actually only a few of numerous skin treatments. You should maintain your youthful looks by always giving good care of your skin. Consuming vitamins and supplements is also a good way to do it. Don’t forget to drink a lot of water and exercise regularly! Have a healthy skin, and of course a healthy living!
About the Author:
Loraine Lesley is editor for some Website concerning women. She wants to help women to look beautiful, that’s why her object features practical articles and tips on Skin Care, Hair Care, and more. To discover more of her advice, visit http://www.myskincareonline.com and http://www.myhaircareguide.com
We’ve become a society obsessed with our looks.
It’s been noted that we spend more on beauty products in the west than we do on education.
Why are we so obsessed? Because it’s easier and more affordable than ever before.Anti-aging skincare technology has progressed leaps and bounds. We know more about the skin today than we ever did. There are advanced skincare products that can erase years, and of course, the plastic surgeon has perfected his trade such that procedures are easier and cheaper than ever before.
Are we justified in our obsession?They say that beauty is only skin deep, and while I believe this to be true it’s also important to do what feels right for you. If keeping up appearances gets you through the day then, by all means, that’s what you need to do, however I must add that I’m not a fan of going under the knife. With the huge advances made in skincare products today, I’d much prefer taking the less invasive route.
Here’s a few age related tips and remedies that will help boost your skin’s appearance at any age without needles and knives.
20 Something
Your skin is at its peak of beauty in your twenties, however nurture its beauty and always use at least an SPF 30 sunscreen. Of course this should continue at any age.
Avoid oily makeup and coverups. Use an oil free moisturizer every day. This is also a good time to begin using an eye cream under the eye area at night.
Try using products that contain green tea which have shown to help reduce the risk of skin cancer.
30 Something
Your 30’s is when your skin is beginning to become a bit drier and sun damage may begin to appear. It’s time to start using thicker moisturizing creams so as to lock in high contents of moisture. Continue with eye creams at night and use your sunscreen religiously. Also, skin bleaching products may need to be used to diminish dark spots from sun damage. Hint: Put your moisturizer on over damp skin. This helps lock in more moisture.
40 Something
It’s time to kick it up another notch. Your forties is when your skin loses much of it tightness. It may begin to look dull and your pores may become larger. Blotches, freckles, age spots, discoloration, and changes in skin color may become much more visible. Retinoids, anti-oxidants and alpha hydroxy acids can improve the look of your skin and your 40’s would be a good time to begin using them. Of course it’s essential that you continue using a thick moisturizer and eye serums on a daily basis.
Home microdermabrasion kits are also an option that can result in a smoother more even appearing skin texture and tone while rejuvenating your skin’s texture and color.
50 Something
Changes in your skin have reached high gear. Menopause has assisted in the loss of Estrogen which is what has given your skin its elasticity and kept it hydrated, however since those estrogen levels have diminished, you will begin seeing wrinkles form around your eyes, drooping eyelids and expression lines around the mouth and forehead.
Begin using anti-aging or wrinkle reducing formulas such as vitamin A (Retinol) or Glycolic acid products. Retin A has proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles while improving skin texture, skin tone and color, as well as your skin’s hydration levels.
Glycolic acid will trigger new formation of collagen to plump cells and reduce wrinkles on the skin’s surface. Postmenopausal women can also use a cream containing progesterone that may improve skin elasticity and firmness.
60 Something
By age 60 all types of collagen are significantly below their youthful levels. There are, however wonderful hydrating creams that contain Alpha Hydroxy acids (Glycolic acids), soy, green tea and retinol (vitamin A) which your skin will need now that it is drier and showing major signs of age. The alpha Hydroxy acids will help reduce droopy skin and the retinol will reduce your fine lines.
60 Plus
Your skin’s texture will become visibly less smooth and you will most likely begin to see age spots. You’ll appreciate the early care you’ve given to your skin because the signs of aging will be minimal, however, if you haven’t started early you’ll clearly notice the effects of neglect.
While it’s never too late to take care of your skin the damage you already have will be difficult to reduce without special medical treatments such as botox or perhaps surgical procedures. All the above should continue to be applied but it is wise to consult your physician on advanced treatments.
If you haven’t yet reached 60, the best skin care advice is to follow a good skin care regimen at an early age. It’s an easy habit to get into and best of all, you’ll thank yourself later on.
About the Author:
Elizabeth is an online skin care consultant who features and reviews fine beauty and serious skin care products. Sign up for her free tips, products and specials newsletter at: http://www.fine-skin-care-products.com
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