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

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

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

It also helps to know which ingredients are “anti-irritants”.  You’ll learn about those things here.

Sensitivities may occur immediately after using a product or after the product is used for several days in a row.  In some cases, the skin’s surface becomes sensitized to an ingredient after years of use.

Hypo-allergenic formulas are sometimes a good choice.  But, that’s not always true.  Labeling a product as hypo-allergenic simply means it is less likely to cause allergic reactions than the … Read Full Article

The most important is to moisturize, and repeat.  In fact, you can repeat that as many times as you like to make up the difference between the number of tips provided here and one hundred.

I have seen people spend thousands of dollars on anti-aging treatments of all kinds.  They spend hundreds of dollars on various skincare products.  They try different name brands, use exfoliants, toners, masks and concealers.  The product they overlook most often is a moisturizer.

Dermatologists agree on this subject.  Failing to use a good moisturizer is … Read Full Article

What everyone needs is a good moisturizer.  A recent study conducted by the University of Maryland showed that plain old tap water strips the skin’s protective oils.  Doctors call the oils sebum.

Sebum provides protection, but also starts to smell bad, if it is not washed away on a regular basis.  So, bathing is necessary.  It’s just as necessary to follow each bath or shower with the use of a good moisturizer.

When you go to compare the moisturizers on the market, you will see … Read Full Article

Acne is one of the most common problems.  It affects nearly everyone to some degree at some point in their lives.  If you suffer from acne, natural ingredients can help heal blemishes and prevent new ones from forming by fighting bacterial overgrowth and reducing inflammation.  Ingredients to look for include active Manuka honey, tea tree oil, jojoba and Shea butter.

Eczema and psoriasis are less common than acne, but they do affect a great many … Read Full Article

Grape seed oil contains essential fatty acids similar to those that combine to create the skin’s sebum, a naturally lubricating and protective fatty substance.  We tend to over-clean, especially our faces, and remove too much of the skin’s natural 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.  … Read Full Article

There are numerous symptoms of aging skin.  Wrinkles are the ones that most people are familiar with.  Sagging or lost firmness is another.  The lost firmness is actually one of the causes of wrinkling.

There are numerous causes of wrinkles.  Free radical damage caused by overexposure to the sun is one big problem.  Allowing the skin to become excessively dry is another.

Decreased production of the collagen-containing elastic fibers is one of the causes of sagging or lost firmness.  This decreased production … Read Full Article

It will take persistence and consistency to see the results that you want.  It will require you to adopt an anti-aging skincare routine and stick with it.

Some people lose patience and faith.  If they haven’t seen results in a relatively short period of time, they give up.  It happens all the time.

If you are willing to be consistent and patient, read on.  I’ll tell you … Read Full Article