Over the Counter Wrinkle Remedies – Sorting Through the Latest Fads
Monday, July 12th, 2010
Over the counter wrinkle remedies may contain a number of ingredients or only one. Hyaluronic acid has become a popular choice for creams and lotions, but doctors say that it does nothing when applied topically. The reason for its inclusion in cosmetics has nothing to do with its effectiveness.
Hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin and an assortment of synthetic fillers will stretch out wrinkles when they are injected into the deepest of the skin’s layers. The injections are widely advertised. They have different brand names. You have probably heard some of them.
They are available at day spas, dermatologist’s offices and from cosmetic surgeons. They range in price from $400 to $1000 per shot. The immediate effects may wear off in as little as three months. The effects provided by the so-called “collagen boosters” will not appear for several months.
So, if your goal is to look great for your daughter’s wedding, then a hyaluronic acid injection might be a good choice. It is less likely to form hardened nodules under the skin’s surface. It can easily be dissolved with another injection if you don’t like the results. But, if you are looking for effective rub-on wrinkle remedies, it won’t do a thing.
You might say that cosmetic manufacturers are riding the coattails of the injection’s popularity. The companies did the same thing when collagen injections were the “in” thing. They use advertising claims like “safe Botox alternative” or “no needle cure for wrinkles”. The truth is that none of these solutions are cures.
Some creams and lotions are beneficial as long as you use them on a regular basis. Using the term “cure” leads people to believe that you can use it once and never have to bother with it again.
There are effective topical wrinkle remedies, but they must be used on a daily basis for three weeks to three months before you see optimum results. Optimum in this sense means that you might notice some improvement early on, but you will see even more as time goes by.
If you stop using the cream, lotion or gel, the benefits will fade away. It’s kind of like staying out of the sun.
Dermatologists say that if you protect your face from the sun consistently for six months, you will look five years younger. Your skin will look smoother and more even-toned. But, a day at the beach will redo the damage.
Topically applied wrinkle remedies containing collagen or hyaluronic acid are a waste of money, because the molecules are too large to penetrate the skin’s surface. It is true that the skin’s collagen and hyaluronic acid content decreases with age, but that issue cannot be addressed by using a cream or lotion containing them. The key is to protect what is present or stimulate the production of more.
Wakame kelp extract is an ingredient known to prevent the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels from becoming depleted. Functional Keratin is known to stimulate collagen production. Some of the more advanced over-the-counter wrinkle remedies contain both of those ingredients. That’s the kind of remedy to look for.
All Natural Beauty Products, Their Ingredients & How They Work
Friday, July 9th, 2010
The benefits of all natural beauty products depend on what they contain. Here’s a look at some of the compounds you might see on the list of ingredients and the benefits associated with them.
Active Manuka Honey
Active Manuka honey can be found in some of the better body lotions, nighttime facial creams, under eye gels and deep cleansing masks. The benefits have to do with the antioxidant and the antibacterial activity.
Antioxidants of all kinds are beneficial to the skin’s health and appearance. They prevent and sometimes repair free radical damage, which dermatologists believe to be the primary cause of wrinkles, age spots and other visible signs of aging.
The antibacterial activity of Manuka honey will help heal pimples, scrapes and other injuries. It will help prevent those things from becoming infected. It can also help to prevent future pimples caused by over-growth of the P acnes bacteria.
All honey varieties have been used in cosmetics, but few have proven benefits. Manuka honey is tested for its antibacterial and antioxidant activity, before it is shipped. It is graded with a “Unique Manuka Factor”. A high UMF number is equivalent to a highly active honey.
You might think that all natural beauty products would contain manuka. In some cases, it is just not necessary or other ingredients are more beneficial. For example, daytime moisturizers do not usually contain it. As long as you use a nighttime cream that does, you can reap the benefits.
Maracuja
Maracuja is a kind of passion fruit. The tree is native to Brazil. All passion fruits have been included in skincare creams and lotions, because of the antioxidant and the moisturizing benefits.
Maracuja is unique, because it is very similar on a molecular level to the skin’s own oils, which are called sebum. Because of its similarity to sebum, maracuja balances sebum production.
All natural beauty products containing the ingredient will help prevent your skin from becoming too dry or too oily.
That also means it can be used by any complexion type; oily, dry or combination.
Babassu Palm Oil
The benefits of Babassu are similar to those of maracuja. It is one of the few moisturizers that can be used on oily and acne-prone complexions.
It is Babassu wax that is most beneficial, because the wax helps to prevent moisture loss. Most companies use paraffin for this purpose. But, paraffin should not be included in all natural beauty products. It is not close enough to human skin. So, it causes dryness and clogs the pores.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another antioxidant. People with acne typically have low blood levels of the vitamin. The same deficiency is seen in many different skin conditions.
If used on a regular basis, creams containing vitamin E can prevent age spots. Age spots are heavily pigmented areas. They are sometimes referred to as senile freckles. They are caused by free radical damage, typically due to excessive sun exposure.
All natural beauty products may contain a number of anti-aging ingredients or they may contain none. Check the label before you buy to be sure what you are getting.
Grape Seed Oil as a Natural Skin Care Treatment
Saturday, June 26th, 2010Grape seed oil is a natural skin care treatment that is readily available and very affordable. Here’s a look at what it and others like it can do to improve your skin’s health and appearance.
Grape seed oil contains essential fatty acids similar to those that combine to create the skin’s sebum, a naturally lubricating and protecting fatty substance. We tend to over-clean, especially our faces, and remove too much sebum. Once the protective substance is removed, there is an increased risk of damage, which can eventually lead to wrinkling.
Grape seed oil helps to prevent wrinkles in several ways. The first is by moisturizing…replacing sebum removed during cleansing. The second is by locking moisture in and keeping toxins out of the pores with it unique filming ability. It dries to a lightweight invisible film a few moments after application.
Third is the antioxidant content. The antioxidants are probably just as important as the fatty acids. They help to prevent and repair free radical damage, one of the primary causes of cellular aging.
Grape seed oil has proven to be an effective natural skin care treatment for repairing the delicate area around the eyes. Elsewhere on the body, it has proven to be beneficial for reducing stretch marks. It supports blood vessel strength and helps to protect against the collagen breakdown typically accompanying the aging process.
Grape seed oil is a source of vitamin E, but the best anti-aging skincare products include an extra helping of vitamin E, because of the unique benefits it provides. It reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and helps to prevent age spots.
Vitamin E is a “helper” nutrient. It helps prevent vitamin A from being destroyed by oxygen. Vitamin A cream is a natural skin care treatment for acne and wrinkles. The concentrated synthetic acidic form is found in prescription creams for those conditions. But, it is too harsh for most people. The redness, itching and irritation caused by it are too much for most people to bear.
Plants and botanical extracts containing the naturally occurring form of vitamin A are less acidic. They provide the benefits without causing the irritation. Vitamin E helps to ensure that the nutrients are absorbed into the skin’s cells where they can provide the most benefit.
Vitamin E is also combined with coenzyme Q10 to make an effective natural skin care treatment for reversing sun damage and wrinkles. A nano-emulsion containing the nutrients helps to increase the production of collagen and elastin. The emulsion reverses free radical damage and prevents more from occurring when used on a regular basis.
Babassu palm wax, maracuja passion fruit extract, wakame kelp extracts and Functional Keratin are all good ingredients for improving the skin’s health and appearance. Some of the best anti-aging creams contain all of the good ingredients mentioned here. With daily use, they will make a dramatic difference in a matter of weeks. What more could you ask of a natural skin care treatment?
« Previous Entries