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

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

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

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

Let’s start with your eyes.  By focusing on your eyes, you can draw attention away from problem areas.  If you have dark circles, you can use three dots of concealer to hide them.  Your concealer should be a shade lighter than your foundation.

You can use your fingertips to blend in the concealer, but you should never rub.  Constant rubbing pulls and damages this thin area of skin.… Read Full Article

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

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

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

Collagen is a major component of the skin’s elastic fibers.  The fibers give your skin the ability to “snap back” into place after a pinch or stretch.  The fibers are located in the skin’s dermis layer.

Soluble collagen is also found in the skin’s epidermis, the outermost layer.  There is serves to make your skin’s appearance less translucent.  You can’t see through it.

The body produces collagen through a complicated process that took scientists decades to unravel.  … Read Full Article

Supposedly, Marilyn Monroe applied petroleum jelly to her face every night before going to bed.  There is a fairly popular myth that applying petroleum jelly nightly will prevent wrinkles.  The opposite is actually true.

While petroleum jelly would help to lock moisture in the skin after a shower, it will eventually cause excessive dryness, because it repels moisture.  Petrolatum and mineral oil are the same things.  Check your face creams and body lotions for … Read Full Article