Sensitive Skin
« Previous EntriesNatural Moisturizers Shouldn’t Contain Mineral Oil or Petrochemicals
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Natural moisturizers are typically composed of plant-based or vegetable oils. Mineral oils are technically naturally occurring. But since they are derived from crude oil (used to make gasoline or petrol), they are probably not what you are looking for.
Mineral oils have been used traditionally in body lotions, while petrolatum has typically been used in facial creams. There is actually very little difference between the two. Petrolatum is white Vaseline or petroleum jelly. Mineral oils are simply a liquid version of those jelly-like substances.
Plant-based oils were the standard until petroleum jelly was discovered on some of the first oil rigs built in the US. Since they are basically byproducts of gasoline production, petrolatum and mineral oils are cheap.
As we are trying to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, some of us are also trying not to use products that contain fossil fuel byproducts. Cosmetics, creams, lotions and other skincare products are often packed full of them. If they don’t contain petrolatum or mineral oil, they often contain petrochemicals.
Petrochemicals are byproducts of gasoline production. There is no other way to describe them. They would be trash were it not for the fact that the carbon molecules are simple enough to be converted into many different things.
One would hope that natural moisturizers would not contain petrochemicals, but that’s not always the case. If the lotion or cream contains vitamin E, it could be derived from a petrochemical. Much of the vitamin E in the US is synthetic; derived from petrochemicals.
If only naturally occurring vitamin E is used, it is not necessary to add an artificial preservative like a paraben to the product. Parabens are derived from petrochemicals. They compounds also include a petroleum-based alcohol and are some of the most common causes of allergic reactions.
Natural moisturizers containing plant-based oils often contain naturally occurring vitamin E, simply because it is present in the oil. Some examples include avocado and grape seed oils. They are both effective for moisturizing and they both contain vitamin E.
Avocado oil contains vitamin A, as well. It is typically recommended as a nighttime moisturizer, while grape seed oil is recommended for daytime use. There are a couple of reasons for that.
Natural moisturizers containing avocado oil support and stimulate the skin’s own reparative processes, which go on at night. Studies have shown that use of creams containing it increase the skin’s collagen content.
Grape seed oil on the other hand has a unique filming ability that makes it a perfect choice for use under makeup. If you let it dry for 10 minutes or so before applying your makeup, the lightweight film will prevent makeup from clogging your pores. It also makes the makeup easier to remove at night, which means you might be able to use a milder cleanser.
Ideally, the naturally occurring oils would be added to antioxidants and other beneficial anti-aging ingredients. You might be surprised by what natural moisturizers can do for you, as long as they contain the right ingredients.
The Best Wrinkle Creams Contain No Petrochemicals or Synthetic Ingredients
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
Identifying the best wrinkle creams is not that difficult, once you know which ingredients to look for. Obviously, you want a cream that contains proven effective ingredients, not one that has proven to cause allergic or adverse reactions.
All trans-retinoic acid or Retin-A has long been viewed as the most effective anti-wrinkle cream by dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons. But, there are warning labels all over the bottle. It is known to cause adverse reactions that include redness, itching and irritation. There is concern that it may cause cellular mutations. There’s also no reason to take the risk.
All trans-retinoic acid is a synthetic acidic form of natural vitamin A. It is created in the laboratory using petrochemicals. This may be the reason for the adverse reactions. It could be the acidic nature of the compound that causes redness, itching and irritation. In its natural vegetable form, vitamin A is non-acidic.
Researchers have shown that plant extracts containing the naturally occurring form of vitamin A are just as effective as Retin-A. But, there is no risk of side effects.
The best wrinkle creams contain avocado oil because it is rich in vitamin A and other nutrients. It is particularly beneficial when used at night and has been scientifically proven to stimulate collagen production. Researchers have been able to measure an increase in the skin’s collagen content after just a few weeks of use.
A synthetic form of the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 has been developed and may soon be released. You might wonder why companies choose to use synthetics when naturally occurring compounds are available. The answer is simple. Synthetics are cheaper.
Petrochemicals are byproducts created when petroleum is distilled and converted to gasoline. They are very cheap and readily available. Since they contain carbon, all kinds of molecules can be created from them.
The best wrinkle creams do not contain any petrochemicals. They do contain the naturally occurring version of coenzyme Q10, because it has been shown to reverse wrinkles and sun damage when applied topically on a daily basis for three months.
Research and development teams believe they can speed the results by combining coenzyme Q10 with other active ingredients, including natural vitamin E. The R&D teams like vitamin E for another reason. It effectively preserves natural oils like avocado. So, there is no need to use artificial preservatives.
Artificial preservatives are among the most common causes of allergic reactions. Dermatologists have known that for years. It should be obvious that the best wrinkle creams do not contain artificial preservatives. In fact, they contain nothing artificial. Every ingredient included in the cream is safe enough to eat.
Although the big companies will say otherwise, there is really no reason to use synthetic ingredients, allergens, toxins or irritants. It is true that natural ingredients are only available in limited quantities. They also cost more.
You can expect to pay more for the best wrinkle creams, but they don’t cost as much as you would pay for something with a designer label. And unlike paying for a designer name, paying for good nourishing skincare products is a worthwhile investment.
On Anti Wrinkle Creams with Celebrity Endorsements
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Expensive celebrity-endorsed anti wrinkle creams are being advertised on television and in glossy magazine ads. The question in most people’s minds is whether or not they really work.
The skeptic will assume that they don’t, while the hopeful person will give them a try. No matter who you are, you will be pleased to know that some of the compounds included in these products are effective.
You just won’t find the effective ingredients at the right concentration in all of the heavily advertised products. Those companies are counting on you to buy because you admire the celebrity spokesperson. They have no evidence to support their claims.
What you want to look for is a company that publishes the results of clinical studies on their websites. Those are indisputable facts.
While the compounds used in those studies might not work for every single person, they work for most people. One requirement is that you continue to use them on a regular basis.
People often give up if they don’t see immediate results. What you have to remember is that the best anti wrinkle creams provide few immediate results. They work on the long-term to improve the skin’s health, which as times goes by improves its appearance.
What’s wrong with your skin’s health? Toxins, damage from sunlight, low levels of important compounds like hyaluronic acid, decreased production of elastic fibers, lack of new skin cell growth…those are some of the things that are wrong with your skin’s health.
Some of them are natural parts of the aging process. But, that does not mean they are unavoidable. Judging from the latest research, avoiding them simply requires giving your skin more nourishment.
The skin’s outer layers get a great deal of damage and have very little protection. One of the things that protect the skin is sebum and we wash that away every time that we shower. So, the first thing that anti wrinkle creams should do is perform the same function performed by sebum. They should protect and moisturize.
The second thing that they should do is improve the skin’s antioxidant content. Antioxidants protect against damaging free radicals. The antioxidant coenzyme Q10 has been shown to reverse sun damage and wrinkles.
It took three months of daily use to see a 30% reduction in wrinkles. If you stop using the effective anti wrinkle creams containing coenzyme Q10, you will stop seeing benefits and the damage can be redone.
The third thing that the creams should do is improve the skin’s elasticity. It is lost elasticity that causes sagging and contributes to the depth of wrinkles. The best ingredient for improving the skin’s elasticity is called Functional Keratin. It has been shown to provide a 40% improvement in elasticity after only 18 days of use.
When it comes to fast-working, there is nothing that works faster than Functional Keratin. But, the best anti wrinkle creams combine it with coenzyme Q10 in order to provide even more results. You won’t see celebrities endorsing products containing those ingredients. But, that doesn’t mean they’re not available.