The “Latest and Greatest” – A Skin Care Con Job
Monday, September 19th, 2011
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
Hydrolyzed Collagen in Anti Aging Skin Care Products
Monday, January 17th, 2011
Hydrolyzed collagen is an ingredient commonly found in anti-aging facial creams and body lotions. Cosmetic companies continue to include the ingredient and make numerous claims concerning the benefits. Problem is there are no proven benefits.
Collagens are simple proteins made up of only a few amino acids. In the human body, they are classified as “structural” proteins, meaning they are used by the body to create various structures.
The proteins are abundant in young, healthy firm human skin. Along with the protein elastin, they make up the skin’s elastic fibers. It is the elastic fibers that allow the skin to snap back into shape after being stretched out.
The fibers can be … Read Full Article
Pro Collagen Cream – The Latest in Natural Skin Care
Monday, December 13th, 2010
The myth that a collagen cream can improve your skin’s health or reduce wrinkles has been debunked by numerous experts. The creams have been around for years and most people know they don’t work. The latest things are the pro-collagen creams.
Pro-collagen creams stimulate the production of new cells and elastic fibers. Some of those cells will produce pro-collagen molecules, which means that the levels of the protein in the skin should increase. The benefits should include thicker, firmer and smoother skin.
A variety of compounds are used in the pro-collagen creams. The benefits of the finished moisturizers depend on the concentration of active ingredients and the inclusion of cheap fillers or … Read Full Article
Stop Animal Testing by Choosing Natural Skin Care Products
Monday, November 22nd, 2010
Animal testing regulations vary from one country to the next. The use of animals to test cosmetic ingredients is about to be banned completely in the European Union.
One of the biggest cosmetic companies in the world is located in France. The company has protested the ban.
The ban will not affect companies that manufacture drugs. Some cosmetic ingredients are also considered drugs. Examples include some of the anti-wrinkle preparations.
Each batch of Botox is still tested extensively on animals. Botox is a de-activated form of botulism toxin. There have been instances in the US where the injections were found to contain the live virus. People have ended up in the hospital … Read Full Article
Affordable Skin Care That is Endorsed by Celebrities?
Monday, November 15th, 2010
Affordable skincare products being endorsed by celebrities…can that be true? Celebrity-endorsed items usually cost more than they should. Here’s how to get the best price on high quality cosmetics.
Another celebrity introducing her own line of cosmetics inspired this article. This time, the celebrity is a famous daughter, boxer and singer who will remain nameless. She is a beautiful woman, but that does not qualify her to develop effective skin care products or judge the safety of existing ones.
It all seems to start with the fragrances. Everyone likes to smell nice, but the average woman uses about a dozen different health and beauty aids every day. Each one of them usually … Read Full Article
The Best Ingredients to Look for in Natural Skincare Products
Monday, October 4th, 2010
Natural skincare products may be safer and more effective than the conventional items created by major cosmetic companies. Here’s a look at some naturally occurring compounds and what they can do for your skin’s health and appearance.
Vitamin B5, also known as D-Panthenol, is present in many foods in small quantities. It is an essential nutrient. A deficiency in the diet can cause many symptoms. Those that are visible include skin lesions and problems with the hair.
The vitamin is necessary for the body to make structural proteins from amino acids. The skin’s cells and fibers are composed of those structural proteins.
So, skin creams enriched with vitamin B5 support the … Read Full Article
Choosing the Right Skin Care Products For Younger Looking Skin
Monday, September 13th, 2010
Practically everyone wants younger looking skin, but not many people know how to get it. Consumers make a lot of mistakes, but it’s not all their fault. The cosmetic companies are at least partially to blame.
Most people know that collagen loss is one of the reasons we start to look older. Collagen is a structural protein, responsible for the skin’s firmness and opacity.
The cosmetic companies would have us think that reducing the visible signs of age is as simple as applying some animal collagen to the skin’s surface. If you’ve tried it, you know it doesn’t work.
There are two reasons it doesn’t work. First, collagen molecules are too large … Read Full Article
Natural Skin Care Lines and the Lack of Skin Care Regulations
Monday, June 28th, 2010While there are some excellent natural skin care lines, there are some companies that capitalize on our desire to protect our health. What they claim to provide and what they actually provide are two different things.
Things are different in some parts of the world. But, in the US, cosmetic manufacturers are largely unregulated. Even though creams, lotions and similar items are actually healthcare products, they are still classified as cosmetics.
The advertising terms used by cosmetic companies currently have no legal definitions. A company might use only naturally occurring ingredients. They might make the safest choices to help you protect your health. But, they might not.
Until things change, the only … Read Full Article
Natural Skin Care Products are Gaining Popularity
Sunday, June 20th, 2010
Natural skin care products are starting to become more popular according to recent surveys. The traditional versions are still outselling them by a huge margin, but at least people are learning more about reading labels and being picky about what they put on the outside of their bodies.
We owe a debt of gratitude to the Environmental Working Group, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and other consumer groups for letting us know about loopholes that allow US cosmetic manufacturers to put unlimited amounts of chemicals in items that are sold as “health and beauty aids”.
Because there is a lack of federal law concerning the subject, a few states stepped in to … Read Full Article
Tips on Choosing an Anti Wrinkle Cream that is Safe & Effective
Saturday, May 8th, 2010
From anti wrinkle cream to age spot remover and everything in between, you will find products being sold on the internet that, if the advertising claims are true, will make your skin look younger, brighter, smoother and more radiant than ever before. And, of course, all of this has been proven in clinical studies.
It pays to be skeptical about advertising claims. Not just because you could avoid wasting money, but also because you could avoid a bad reaction. Some of the ingredients that cosmetic companies love to use are so bad that they should actually be called aging anti creams.
Petrolatum and mineral oil are among the best-loved cosmetic ingredients. Yet, … Read Full Article