Archive for February, 2012

I thought this was a really great article and worth re-posting here.  – The Wizard of Ahhs….

By: Ada Polla and Anne Pouillot

Posted: January 30, 2012, from the February 2012 issue of Skin Inc. magazine.

Skin care is very intimate, and the beauty and cosmetics industry has to be based on trust, in addition to regulation. The regulatory framework of the industry changing, as indicated in the United States by the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 20, 2010. Unfortunately, the skin care industry is getting caught up in untruths, half-lies, exaggerations and sometimes misnomers. This article will discuss ingredients that have developed a bad reputation, separating fact from opinion. Indeed, when clients come to you with ingredient questions, it is your duty as a skin care professional to educate, sometimes re-educate, and set the record straight.

Preservatives: Formaldehyde-releasers and parabens

Preservatives inhibit the development of microorganisms in cosmetic products by damaging internal structures and cellular membranes to produce cell death. They serve to enhance the safety of cosmetic products, enabling them to remain bacteria-free for approximately three to five years. The controversy about the use of preservatives stems from the fact that anything that kills microorganisms is potentially toxic to mammalian cells. What needs to be taken into consideration is the concentration of these preservatives, as well as the contact time and point, which are determined to avoid side effects.

The ideal preservative should have the following properties:

• A broad-spectrum antimicrobial effect at low concentrations and optimal pH;
• Combination of bactericidal and fungicidal effects;
• Low allergenicity and toxicity, and be nonirritating;
• Stability and water solubility;
• Compatibility with other ingredients (i.e., be both odorless and colorless); and
• Ease of use.

In 1987, a study was undertaken on 5,202 patients tested for possible contact dermatitis upon application of cosmetics; 5.9% of this population was shown to be intolerant to cosmetics. The principal allergens were fragrances and preservatives—in particular, formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasers.¹

Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasers. Although formaldehyde is a preservative that has both bactericidal and fungicidal activities, it is a strong skin sensitizer. Deutsches Institut für Medizinische Dokumentation und Information—German Institut of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI)—classifies formaldehyde in groups A or C, meaning it has a strong potential to provoke contact allergies.² Its use has been abandoned in cosmetics except in nail hardeners. Formaldehyde has been replaced by formaldehyde-releasers, which are easier to handle and less likely to lead to contact allergies. These formaldehyde-releasers are named: 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15 and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate.

Thanks again to Skin Inc. for this article.

What is Anti-Aging?

When you hear the word “aging”, scare you, right? Do to me, I had a big skin problem at about 5 years ago and talked with my trusted skin care company (for about 15 years…) consultant, she gave me a great advice and I have been doing as what she told me last 5 years, my skin is much better condition now. Not like the information gives you idea about cut or put needle in your skin.

Truth, anti-aging is simpler than you think, this is the advice I got 5 years ago, everything start from sun block. Damage from sun is No. 1 enemy for aging, you believe or not. Sun damage suck whole moisture from your skin and dry out your skin, no moisture = dry skin = wrinkles or another skin problems due to no moisture inside your skin. That’s why always people talk about moisture and moisturizer, you have to moisture your skin 24/7. You can buy very expensive moisturizer from big name brands or visit Dr.’s office but same time you don’t need to have those, you just need to put a good sun block every day, sunny or not, summer or winter, protect your skin from sun every day. Simple right? Yes, you still need moisturizer at bed time to give your skin nice rest and moisture but also you need sun block at daytime. This is simple and most important ant-aging skin care step one. Although drink lots of water, not soda, dehydrate body is enemy No.1 also. Hydrate your body inside and out, that’s best you can do to anti-aging.

But you didn’t know about this step one and your skin is already damaged, we still have products to reduce your problem, like I saved my skin. We can’t completely fix the damage but we can reduce the damage. You can find products to reduce your aging problems without spending lots of money on big brand name companies. I found small young companies make good products with cutting edge technology or all natural, kind to environment… Some people just want to look young and puts knife or needle in your skin but I want to have natural beautiful aging looks, not fake young looks… we don’ want to look like our teenage daughter, we just want to look healthy and youthful, right?

Anti-aging is really come from inside of you and your body, how you live your life, most important is enjoy your life! Then use anti aging skin care products to help your skin keep youthful and beautiful looks. Let’s try natural way before you consider about non-natural way… like put knife or needle inside your skin and make yourself look like 20 years younger than real your age.

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About the Author:
Ayumi Pfrang
http://beautifully-aging.com is design to help women who want to know what they can do for anti-aging. Talk about basic life style to skin care, also skin care products review to send information about what is in market right now.
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