Advertisements for skin care products can be overwhelming. Every brand seems to be the next best thing to
help your skin look young and fresh. But
is all of this really necessary?
In the skin care industry, you don't always get what you pay
for and you sometimes end up with adult acne flair up or contact dermatitis because they contain
harmful petrochemicals and mineral oils that dehydrate the skin and clog the
pores.
Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
classifies facial moisturizers as cosmetics, they aren't as closely regulated.
For that reason, the marketing jargon on
packaging can't be entirely trusted.
Instead,
pay attention to the ingredients.
If you
have sensitive skin, look out for fragrance-free and oil-free options.
It is not by law that the word “fragrance” has
to list out the exact ingredients, of which, are probably toxic.
In contrast, essential oils such as lavender are easily absorbed into
the skin, oxygenating, and rehydrating. Vibrant, beautiful skin has always been considered an
important part of health. But in today’s modern environment, soft, smooth,
flawless skin can be difficult to achieve and even more challenging to
maintain. Your skin’s health is largely determined by diet, lifestyle habits,
and sun exposure, which can sabotage healthy skin and leave lasting effects on
skin strength, resiliency, and appearance. Essential oils offer pure, potent
plant remedies for the skin and have been used since ancient times for a number
of skin care needs. It's no secret that lavender oil nourishes stressed or
sunburned skin, that sandalwood can hydrate and repair dry or damaged skin, or
that melaleuca can prevent the recurrence of breakouts and blemishes. This long
history of use has prompted beauty, cosmetic, and skin care brands to use
essential oils to improve the potency of their products.
Check out this video.
The natural process of aging can have a negative effect on
the texture, tone, and appearance of your skin.
As you age, body loses ability to generate collagen making your skin
thin and lose elasticity. Harmful
chemicals, pollutants and radiation are more damaging. It destroys DNA and is the main cause of the aging
of the skin.
There are 4 key features of Age Refining Technology (ART): DNA recovery enzymes (photolyase
(uses light) and endonuclease (uses energy)), Anti-Aging Peptide Complex (stimulates
body to create collagen, elastin, and fibronectin combating wrinkles and
sagging skin), Frankincense and Sandalwood Essential Oils (promote DNA recovery
and damaged cells), ingredient delivery (laminarphase evenly distributes
ingredients on skin, protects skin and forms barrier that retains moisture).
Let’s understand how
a moisturizer works first.
It's a myth that moisturizers add moisture to your skin --
that's not really what they do at all.
The outermost layer, the epidermis, is the key to the skin
barrier. Made up of overlapping layers
of dry cells, the epidermis keeps vital nutrients in and damaging substances
and elements out. Applying a moisturizer
creates a barrier on your skin that keeps water and oils from escaping and
harmful outside elements (chemicals, pathogens and sunlight) from causing
dryness or irritation.
What should I look
for?
Start by considering the purpose of a skin barrier cream. You want a cream that is going to help the
epidermis retain water. To get the most
out of your moisturizer, apply it just after a bath when you've towel blotted
your skin. This will help trap water in
the surface cells of the skin.
The best kinds of creams contain ingredients that block
water from exiting the skin's surface, such as glycerine, silicones,
dimethicone and mineral oil. There are also some products that contain
synthetic lipids, or fats, that imitate those found naturally in skin. These
creams help draw water into the skin and keep the skin moist.
While moisturizers differ in what ingredients they use, most
moisturizers have two common components: emollients make your skin smoother and
humectants hold in moisture. The best
part is that they both help soften your skin. Moisturizers can contain a host of other
ingredients, such as fragrances, vitamins (A and C), copper peptides, botanical
extracts, age-fighting compounds and hydroxyl acids which may stimulate
collagen production in order to maintain elasticity in the skin and promote
skin cell repair.
Moisturizer or
Anti-aging cream?
One of the most common specialized moisturizers is
anti-aging cream. Anti-aging creams
typically contain collagen and elastin, which are proteins that help keep your
skin toned and flexible.
Beware of skin care products with ingredients that claim to
improve skin's flexibility, reduce wrinkles or stretch marks. These types of products may not be proven to
work. And always bear in mind that it's better to choose a product for its
effect on skin's function rather than for its beauty claims.
Natural products such as herbal and homeopathic remedies can
help keep skin supple and moisturized. Herbal and homeopathic remedies present
a gentle option – without the harsh side effects of chemicals and synthetic
ointments. Some options are olive oil,
spirulina, horsetail, rosemary, geranium, frankincense, sandalwood, lemon,
wolfberry, and among others not listed.
Most people use advanced skin care products with active
ingredients aimed at preventing or reducing the signs of skin aging. It is often redundant and counterproductive to
apply both a moisturizer and an anti-aging product. Besides, most anti-aging products contain some
moisturizing ingredients.
For best results,
skin should be moisturized both from the inside and outside.
Moisturizing from the inside means keeping the body well
hydrated, avoiding foods and beverages that cause excess water loss. When dehydrated, the body preserves the water
supply to critical organs, such as the brain and the heart, but "cuts off
water" to peripheral organs such as skin. Lack of water in or around cells disrupts
normal metabolism and tissue repair. Therefore,
dehydrated skin has a decreased capacity for repair and regeneration. By itself, dry skin is not the major cause of
wrinkles and other signs of skin aging. However,
since dry skin has a decreased capacity to heal, it is far more susceptible to
various forms of skin damage such as sun exposure or harsh detergents. Finding a moisturizer that repairs the cell’s
DNA is better.
Moisturizing from the outside is based on proper use of
moisturizing creams and lotions. Unfortunately,
most moisturizing products are ineffective because their moisturizing action
lasts less than two hours after the application. Use long-lasting moisturizers, which will
keep your skin hydrated throughout the day even if applied infrequently. And, apply a night time moisturizer.
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