Natural Skin Care » Skin Care Ingredients

Top 10 Most Toxic Skin Care Ingredients

vrosenbaum — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:17:19 +0000

There are at least a hundred toxic chemicals in today’s skincare products. Creating a list of the top 10 was difficult. I got some help from Dr Peter Dingle.

Dr. Dingle is an acclaimed environmental and nutritional toxicologist from Australia. He first began writing about toxic chemicals in skincare products in 1999. His book “Dangerous Beauty” sold well, but apparently did not reach enough people. Hopefully, I can reach a few more with this article.

One of Dingle’s most recent articles was published in the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine Journal. According to Dingle’s research, there are 24 toxic sunscreen ingredients, 13 toxic preservatives and 14 other ingredients that … Read Full Article

The “Latest and Greatest” – A Skin Care Con Job

vrosenbaum — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:15:34 +0000

We’ve all seen the advertisements. But, how honest are they? When a product is described as “new and improved”, is it really much different?

I looked at the ingredients in the latest products from the top three cosmetic companies in terms of worldwide sales: L’Oreal, Proctor & Gamble and Unilever. The information was garnered directly from the company’s website or from the product label. Here’s what I learned.

L’Oreal

L’Oreal’s recently released Deep Set Wrinkle Repair is supposed to be a new formula. What’s different about it? Nothing, it contains exactly the same ingredients as those that were included in the 2009 formulation. Many of them are on our Blacklist of 101 … Read Full Article

Top 10 Safe and Effective Skin Care Ingredients

vrosenbaum — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 19:48:03 +0000

When it comes to skincare products, the safest ingredients are also the most effective. Companies choose not to use them, because synthetic ingredients are cheaper. While there are many good ingredients derived from nature, the following are the top 10, because of all the benefits accompanied by their use.

Shea Butter

Shea butter is good for inflammatory conditions such as dermatitis and eczema. A recent analysis conducted in Japan showed that the nutrients found in Shea butter are natural anti-inflammatories. The researchers also described the nutrients as “anti-tumor promoting compounds”. So, the use of Shea butter on the skin could reduce your risk of skin cancer and help prevent or reverse wrinkles. … Read Full Article

The Blacklist – 101 Skin Care Ingredients That May Kill You Over Time

vrosenbaum — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:17:23 +0000

The ingredients in the skincare products you use every day may be killing you. Scientists, researchers, authors and public safety advocates have been trying to inform people for years.

In some cases, they have fought to have products removed from the market, but the government continues to side with the cosmetic industry. The industry has always tried to cover-up what is actually included in their products.

They list the ingredients on the package label, but the list is incomplete. They are not required to reveal the chemicals used to create the fragrances or those used in the manufacturing processes.

Most chemical fragrances are composed of aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known or probable … Read Full Article

Tips on Nurturing Silky Soft Skin

vrosenbaum — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 03:59:44 +0000

When you ask around about how to get soft skin, the first thing people will suggest is a moisturizer. Some might get technical and suggest an emollient. Here you will learn what those words mean and you’ll get some advice about softening.

Moisturizers and emollients are sometimes thought of as the same things. Technically, they are a little bit different.

Emollients are substances that actually soften and soothe. Often emollients have moisturizing effects as well.

Several mechanisms of action are attributed to emollients. They may work by the process of occlusion; act as a humectant or as a lubricant.

When it comes to the skin’s health and protection, the process of occlusion … Read Full Article

Tips on How to Tighten Sagging, Wrinkled Skin

vrosenbaum — Sun, 08 May 2011 22:59:15 +0000

To tighten sagging skin, you need a cream or lotion containing the most effective ingredients. This is an issue that often accompanies the aging process. So, most of the ingredients are found in anti-aging creams. Here’s a look at some of the most effective ones.

Keratin

Keratin is a protein found in the skin’s outer layers. If properly formulated, it can be picked up and used by the skin’s cells, according to researchers, when it is applied topically.

As it enters the skin’s cells, it pulls moisture along with it. That is one of the functions of keratin; to absorb moisture and pull it into the cell.

Studies have shown that the … Read Full Article

The Secret to Keeping Naturally Radiant Skin

vrosenbaum — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:37:49 +0000

What’s the secret to keeping natural radiant skin as you age? That depends on who you ask. The experts don’t seem to agree on much of anything, except that they are right.

It seems to me that a lot of the recommendations have to do with the expert’s specialty. In a recent article, a doctor who specializes in prescribing bio-identical hormones for menopausal women said that the causes of the visible signs of aging are low estrogen levels and environmental factors.

That’s interesting, because dermatologists released a report last year saying that the primary cause was something different. They found that there are more free radicals in older skin and that fewer … Read Full Article

What Vitamins are Good for Skin Problems?

vrosenbaum — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:43:38 +0000

The basic vitamins for skin problems are A, C and E. But before you start taking a supplement or buy a cream containing them, read this article. The advice could keep you from making the problem worse.

The benefits of A and E for the skin’s health are not well understood. The benefits of C are well known. So, let’s start with that.

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a necessary cofactor for the body to produce strong collagen fibers. You may have heard of collagen. It is one of the things responsible for the skin’s elasticity, firmness and color.

As we age, collagen production slows down naturally. During our youth, our … Read Full Article

Do Wrinkle Creams Work Against UV Light?

vrosenbaum — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:53:19 +0000

Do wrinkle creams work to protect against UV light? That’s a new question. Most people just want to know if a cream can really get rid of wrinkles. Here’s why you should care about the protection of UV, even if all you thought you cared about were wrinkles.

UV rays are the invisible ones. UVB causes sunburns. You can usually tell when you have had too much of it, because your skin gets red and hot.

UVA causes hyperpigmentation, age spots, wrinkles and skin cancer. You can’t always tell when you have had too much UVA. We don’t even know how much is too much.

Many of the anti-aging lotions on the … Read Full Article

How to Heal Damaged Skin Naturally

vrosenbaum — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:17:55 +0000

A great deal of research has been conducted about how to heal damaged skin. To speed healing is a major goal, because damage to the skin, our natural barrier, can allow pathogens to enter the bloodstream and cause a widespread infection. Here’s what we know about the subject.

There are many kinds of damage. Cuts, nicks, abrasions and burns are among the most common. Allergies or sensitivities can cause rashes to appear. Damage can come from squeezing pimples or picking at them. The skin’s dermis layer can become torn due to sudden weight gain or hormone use and leave behind visible stretch marks.

Those are just some of the types of damage … Read Full Article