A Few Reasons a Homemade Wrinkle Cream Might be Preferable
By Skin Care Editor | July 23, 2010
Why go to the trouble of making a homemade wrinkle cream when you can go to the store and buy something? There are many reasons that you might want to make your own at home. Here’s a look at some of them.
You might be concerned about the safety of the ingredients cosmetic manufacturers use. While questioning the safety of cosmetics is always a good idea. It is easy enough to avoid common allergens, irritants and toxins.
Most allergic reactions are caused by artificial preservatives and fragrance ingredients. Other irritants include petrochemicals, petrolatum, colors, excessive alcohols and mineral oil. You can tell whether or not a product contains toxins by looking for a poison control advisement.
You might be concerned about price. Some anti-aging creams cost hundreds of dollars per ounce, but there are less expensive alternatives. Independent studies have shown that price is not equivalent to effectiveness. Some of the less expensive creams are just as effective as the costly ones.
There are some effective compounds to look for if you do decide to buy a ready-made production instead of trying to make homemade wrinkle cream. Independent researchers have found that ubiquinone, keratin proteins, peptide complexes, plant extracts and some vegetable oils are effective. Those are all natural non-irritating ingredients.
You can make a mask using plants like wakame kelp or a cleanser using lemon juice. You can use soybean oil as a moisturizer. But, you can only buy ubiquinone as a dietary supplement.
It is better known as the antioxidant coenzyme Q10. The form that is taken by mouth will not penetrate the skin. So, it’s not possible to include it as an ingredient in homemade wrinkle cream.
Soybean oil does contain some coenzyme Q10, although the concentration varies from 54mg/kg to 280mg/kg. Whether or not the form present in soybean oil could penetrate the skin is unknown. In order to get the best penetration, researchers have reduced the size of the molecules.
In the reduced form, COQ10 reverses wrinkles and sun damage by about 30% after three months of use. It’s hard to say what kind of results you would see using soybean oil.
Keratin proteins are hard in nature. If you boiled some animal skin or chicken feathers, you might be able to get some keratin out of them to use in a homemade wrinkle cream. But, the cooking process would destroy the nature of the protein.
The only stable bioavailable form of keratin was created by extracting it from sheep’s wool and processing it very carefully. The exact processes are patented. So even if you raise sheep, it’s not something you could learn how to do at home.
Peptide complexes are composed of natural amino acids. They have to be combined just right to provide the results which include stimulating collagen and increased skin cell production. You can’t make peptide complexes at home.
So, my suggestion is to use soybean oil as a moisturizer instead of trying to make a homemade wrinkle cream. But, if you really want something effective, you will have to buy something ready-made.
Topics: Anti Wrinkle Creams, Herbal Skin Care, Holistic Skin Care, Natural Skin Care, Organic Skin Care, Skin Care, Skin Care Ingredients, Skin Wrinkles | No Comments »
5 Ingredients a Deep Cleansing Mask Should Contain
By Skin Care Editor | July 21, 2010
A deep cleansing mask is a great natural skin treatment. If used every two weeks or so, it can help prevent pimples and blackheads, while supporting the skin’s ability to repair damage and regenerate tissue. The mask must contain specific ingredients in order to provide those benefits. Here’s a look at what it should contain.
Clay Extracts
Bentone Gel and kaolin are extracts found in certain kinds of clay. Clay masks have long been used for deep cleansing. But, in most cases, they dried out to a hard shell, which could easily clog the pores. The newer better masks contain ingredients that prevent the clay from drying out. We’ll get to those in a minute.
Both kaolin and bentone gel have mild drying properties. They help to absorb excessive oils, which are sometimes involved in the production of pimples and other blemishes.
They also have antiseptic activity, which means they help to clear up infections. A pimple is a minor infection.
Kaolin contains the minerals silica and aluminum oxide. The benefits of those nutrients include improved circulation and reduced inflammation. They also have anti-irritant activity.
A natural skin treatment containing kaolin and bentone gel is safe for all skin types, but should only be used on an occasional basis. If used too often, they could cause excessive dryness, which is something that you don’t want. It ages your face.
Active Manuka Honey
Manuka honey has antioxidant and antibacterial activity. It stimulates the immune system to heal blemishes more quickly. The ingredient can be found in some of the better nighttime lotions and under eye gels, as well as deep cleansing masks. The antioxidant activity de-ages while the antibacterial activity reduces the risk of pimples.
Allantoin
A natural skin treatment containing allantoin will feel soothing and reduce inflammation. Inflammation in the pores is one of the causes of pimples. If inflammation becomes chronic, it can degrade the skin’s collagen fibers. That’s one of the one of the causes of sagging and wrinkles. The skin’s collagen content decreases with age anyway. So, we want to do everything that we can to protect what we have left.
Shea Butter & Macadamia Oil
It is Shea Butter and macadamia oil that prevent the clay extracts from drying out on your face. The moisturizing ingredients provide other benefits as well. You will see a natural skin treatment for nighttime use containing Shea butter.
Both Shea butter and macadamia oil are quickly and readily absorbed into the skin. That makes them excellent choices as moisturizers. So, a deep cleansing mask containing them will also help reduce your risk of dryness.
Functional Keratin
Functional Keratin should be included in all anti-aging products. But, because it is naturally occurring, quantities are limited. You will only find it in the best of the best.
In clinical studies the protein has been shown to stimulate the production of new cells and fibers. It improves the skin’s firmness and moisture content with regular use.
So, in addition to using a deep cleansing mask on an occasional basis, it’s a good idea to use a natural skin treatment containing Functional Keratin on a daily basis.
Topics: Skin Care | 2 Comments »
All Natural Skincare Ingredients are Filled with Antioxidants
By Skin Care Editor | July 19, 2010
One of my favorite all natural skincare ingredients is grape seed oil. Let me tell you a little about it.
The oils of grape seeds contain the antioxidants vitamin E and resveratrol. Vitamin E has long been recognized as beneficial to the skin’s health. Most creams and lotions contain the ingredient, but most companies do not use the naturally occurring form. Synthetics are cheaper.
Resveratrol has been written about in scientific journals and talked about on television programs. It is one of the most potent antioxidants that have been found. Some manufacturers list resveratrol as an ingredient.
You never know where that resveratrol comes from if grape seed oil is not listed, too. Much of it comes from China. You may be aware of all of the issues that have been caused by Chinese ingredients. If the manufacturer does not reveal the source of the resveratrol, I would suggest you choose another manufacturer.
Antioxidants are important, because they prevent and reverse free radical damage, at least to some extent. Free radical damage is one of the causes of wrinkles and other visible signs of aging.
Any all natural skincare cream worth buying will contain antioxidants. Ideally, the cream will contain lots of extracts that contain them. Grape seed oil is not my only favorite. I like wakame kelp extract, too. The day cream that I use contains both of those ingredients.
According to scientists, wakame contains compounds that inhibit the activity of enzymes responsible for breaking down the skin’s hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is one of the compounds responsible for the skin’s firmness and smoothness. The amount present in an older person’s skin is less than what is found in a younger person’s. The cause is a pesky enzyme called hyaluronidaise. Wakame kelp extracts take care of the pest.
I also like an all natural skincare ingredient called avocado oil. My night cream contains it, instead of grape seed oil. There are advantages of each one.
Grape seed oil forms a film that keeps makeup from clogging your pores. I have found that nighttime makeup removal is easier when I remember to use my day cream.
Avocado oil has been shown to increase the skin’s collagen content according to scientists. That’s something that I cannot verify, but I do know that when I use my night cream on a regular basis, my skin feels smoother and firmer. I recommend it to all of my friends.
Shea butter is another good all natural skincare ingredient. It’s also in my night cream. It’s a little too heavy for daytime use.
The well known benefits of Shea butter include a reduced risk of acne and other inflammatory conditions. According to scientific evaluations, that’s because the antioxidants in Shea butter also have anti-inflammatory activity.
All of the ingredients mentioned above feel good going on. They leave no trace of greasiness, not on my face or on my pillow.
If you’re like me, you want all natural skincare ingredients because they are safer. My favorites are also the safest.
Topics: Anti Wrinkle Creams, Herbal Skin Care, Natural Skin Care, Organic Skin Care, Skin Care, Skin Care Ingredients, Skin Health | 2 Comments »
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