Posts Tagged ‘healthy skin’
5 Things NOT To Do To Your Skin this Summer.
5 of the worst things you can do to your skin during Summer.
1. Aggressive Facials
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By aggressive I mean any treatments that involve advanced exfoliation techniques, or includes terms such as chemical peels or microdermabrasion.
Also any facial procedures involving invasive techniques – cosmetic surgeries, nips, lifts, tucks – anything that pierces the face, should also be put off until the fall or winter, unless you would be recuperating in some retreat, indoors and far, far away from the hustle of life in the fast lane where the rest of us will be. If you would be at such a retreat, gwaan on along with your treatment and please do us all a favour and, like a good friend, not mention how ‘ super awesome’ it was.
Exposure to UV rays already increases skin’s sensitivity. No need to make this sensitivity worse by dousing your face in glycolic acid. This combination can result in your worse nightmare, including, but not limited to blisters, darkening of skin areas and disfigurement.
2. Skipping moisturizer
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Typically most skin types are more oily during the summer months. Those of us with naturally oily/ acne prone skin tend to forgo moisturizer altogether, thinking that this excess oil means that the skin moisturizes itself on it’s own. Increased oil production is usually a sign of dehydration, therefore it is important to replenish water levels in skin by increasing the amount of water you drink yes, but it’s said that only something like 10% of the water we drink actually make it to the skin. This is not something that you can quote me on, but considering that most of us barely pass the 2-glass mark daily for water, anything less than 115% absorption of this water we drink is cause for concern.
Therefore, applying a water-based, oil free moisturizer can help replenish the water levels in the skin. These types of moisturizers usually are labeled as such, may be referred to as a ‘gel’ or ‘fluid’ moisturizer and usually list ‘Water’ as the first ingredient.
Stay clear of anything that is labeled a ‘cream’, passes the ‘Dairy Queen’ test (you can turn the opened jar upside down and the contents not fall out), or contains mineral oil (or any such oil) in it’s ingredient listing.
3. Showering less
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“So many fun things to do, so little time!”
No papi. Not so fast.
It’s summer. It’s warm, and it’s humid. Bacteria are in love. They breed, and they multiply, which inevitably results in an odour. YOUR odour, aka B.O.
Hygiene in general needs to be thrown into high gear, and on autopilot. Automatic. Noone wants to out more fires than necessary at the BBQ lime.
Let’s remember the Summer watchwords – Shower & Shave.
4. Not exfoliating
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Closely related to #3, exfoliation of the body helps to remove excess oil buildup that may occur during the day. It helps skin to breathe, look instantly refreshed and ‘glow’, as manually exfoliating the body increases blood circulation.
You can cop one of those kazillion commercial body scrubs on the market and and get it on in the shower. However, I find most of them oily, and hardly worth their cost as most contain very little exfoliating ingredients.
Alternatives?
Dry brush your skin using a dry body brush before you shower, brushing in strokes that lead toward your heart (the direction in which your blood flows). I’ve read that dry brushing, among many other benefits such as shedding dead skin cells, rejuvenating the nervous system and assisting in lymphatic cleansing to name a few, also assists with decreasing the appearance of cellulite… could be as good a reason as any to try it I’d say. Hey, I’ve done more for the promise of far less.
I find dry brushing more effective than brushing your skin in the shower (wet brushing I presume, though this term makes me feel like I need handcuffs), as the bristles of the brushes, shown to the left, get softer in the shower.
I prefer my massage-pressure firm though, so if you are more of a light-pressure person, perhaps an in-shower brush-exfoliation may work. I do this twice a day – morning and evening.
For good measure, once a week I also do a body scrub, using a combination of cornmeal, honey and, for some slip, a bit of whatever body wash I’m using at the time. Sometimes I just use ground coffee beans and body wash. Whatever is convenient. For more on body exfoliation see Smooth Criminal.
5. Not using sunscreen
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To my melanin-challenged folks, we aren’t all skin-kissed, bronze goddesses, I get that. But that is no reason to opt to play Cancer Roulette. Besides, sun-burns aren’t sexy, no matter what reality TV says. If wanting a tan is your reason to ride the sun-wave buck nekked, get a sun-less tan. There are tons on the market. I’m familiar with the brand Fake Bake – it’s fairly easy to use, it’s sold where I work, doesn’t leave you looking like like you belong on the Jersey Shore cast, and so this particular brand comes to mind, but there are many other brands. Try that route.
For those of us who are doing backstrokes in the melanin pond, don’t believe the hype that “Black Don’t Crack”. Not only can it crack, it can get mad spotty and unslightly – dark spots, light spots, uneven skin tone – you name it. Skin damage is not known to discriminate.
Be responsible with your skin, and, for wrinkles sake, use sunscreen.
Party on!
b FiercelyFabulous
Spring Clean Your Sunscreen.
To be brutally honest, yes, I am aware that this post maybe a tad late – about a month or two. If I knew exactly how late it was, I probably would have uploaded it on time. BUT, to my defense, I was actually waiting for Spring to arrive; A concept that worked a lot better penned in my journal than executed. I was sitting idly by, all freezing, awaiting Spring. Seeing that I am now sitting, idly by, all …misty… , with umm… *mist* beading down my calves, awaiting Spring, I figured that, perhaps, it would be a good idea to discuss it now.
People watch me funny when I say that it’s hot outside. I can only imagine that is because, of course, being a child of the Caribbean, I should be accustomed to the sun. But, dare I say, there is a difference between the Caribbean sun and the sun a country where the mere presence of it indicates a change of season.
For starters, there is no sea breeze. There is no sight of beachy paradise, and there is, on average, 14+ hours of it, everyday. My grandmother used to tell me that “Too much of a good thing is good for nothing”, and I do believe that that phrase can be applied here.
I will preface this by saying that that, I am in no way complaining about Summer. I love Summer in TO, at least the concept of it. My Prince gets a [welcomed, no doubt] break from the Velvet Hammer, and gets an all-expenses-paid vacay with his dad and grandparents, who he, quite politically, loves equally. “No favourites” he maintains. With any luck, I too will posses said tact one day.
There’s lots for a girl to love about summer in TO too. She gets to eat on patios with people whom she’s never met, and probably will never see again in life, so any fear of being judged because of any preferences regarding, eating with fingers, enjoying the taste of well-seasoned bones, or that fact that she may find people-watching, for hours on end while sipping herbal tea, entertaining. She can eat, or be otherwise entertained for free, go out on weekends, [or week-nights] and not have to be back before 6pm. Hell, she doesn’t have to be back, period. Why? Because apparently these are just some of the many options available to single folk. Or so I’ve heard. How novel.
So ya. Summer does have it’s perks.
But, right now it is rass hot, Period. When the weather man said this morning “a high of 32, but feels like 42″ he wasn’t lyin’. Then, you blink and it is too rass cold for that strapless-frock-and-thong-sandal that you decided to don because it is actually above zero today. HOLLA! Made sense, at the time sure. I mean, 32 degrees? How often does that happen? Just the thought transports one into a state of orgasmic euphoria. Must be, because some of the things that I see Grown people wear because it’s ‘Summer’ blows my mind. Three words when considering your kit:
- Size
- Disposition
- Age
The phrase “You’re as young as you feel” is misleading, don’t believe the hype. Please dress responsibly. Just because you feel like a 10 year old girl doesn’t mean you should dress like it, regardless of your gender or sexual orientation. There’s enough fodder in that thought for another post - probably why I can sit on a patio all afternoon and “sip herbal tea”.
But back to the sunscreen. In all of our spring cleaning efforts – too warm or too small clothing, too dark or too long hair, too much extra weight, too flabby muscle, too much idiot or stupid people, do remember to renew your sunscreen.
If you purchased the sunscreen that you are currently using this time last year, REPLACE IT.
Chemical sunscreens, sunscreens that list active ingredients such as Homosalate, Oxybenzene, Octisalate, Avobenzene, Octocrylene or anything of the sort, are considered drugs, and as such, have an expiry date – usually 12-18 months after opening.
Indeed, exposing such products to summer heat, for example when stashed in beach bags, or in cars, can cause a chemical breakdown of the product, which may result in a shortening of its shelf life; In other words, the product spoils faster. Applying expired sunscreen to your skin can result in anything from increased skin sensitivity/ breakouts to sun burn.
For further explanation on the difference between a physical and a chemical sunscreen, see previous post, Sun and Skin type.
It is said that ‘one shot glass’ (1 oz.) of sunscreen is needed for a full body application. However, well, my body and your body doesn’t necessarily equate to the same ‘body’, so If you think that your body is a “little bigger than average”, then apply a little more. If you think your body is “more bigger”, well then apply more still. That’s all.
Regarding the face, a quarter sized amount of sunscreen should suffice. And yes, your foundation or loose powder may contain sunscreen, great for you. However, it’s not nearly enough in terms of real time protection from UV rays, especially during summer, so… gets to squirting.
Think sunscreen isn’t for you? See some common myths regarding sunscreen are discussed in the post Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap.
b Freakin’Fabulous
Parabens and YOU
Parabens. Parabens. Parabens.
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I’ve just cursed you in skincare language – 3 times too. Ha!
Parabens have received a pretty bad rep in skincare recently, resulting in large part from a UK study back in 2004 that looked at paraben-containing deoderant and it’s relation to breast cancer.
But before we get into that…”I know they are bad but…”
What ARE Parabens?
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Parabens are preservatives that are commonly used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industry to guard against bacterial and fungal activity, and prevent the growth of other possible organisms such as mold and yeast. They are widely used because they have been found to have the least ability to sensitize (cause redness and irritation, among other reactions) the skin in preparations that are left on the skin.
Parabens are easily identifiable as they would normally contain the word ‘paraben’, as in methylparaben, ethylparaben, etc.
Why use preservatives cosmetics?
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Well… let’s think about it for a second.
Take your everyday skincare cosmetics – Your cleanser. Your toner. Your moisturizer. – Chances are water is listed somewhere on the ingredient list.
This would be the case unless of course you are using something that contains no water at all, like 100% of an oil based substance – 100% Shea Butter for example, or perhaps loose powder (or ‘baby’ powder) which is basically 100% talc – no water present. We’re not talking about these. No water means no disease carrying organisms to worry about.
Think about mixing a concoction of different (edible) ingredients from your kitchen with water in a container, covering it and putting it away on a shelf. Then think about opening this container 12-24 months later. Would you drink the mixture? If not why not?
Cause it will be wrenk that’s why. Eww.
Bacteria and fungi have a field day and multiply in water (with the presence of oxygen), unless there is something, in this case some ingredient present that inhibits it’s growth.
The same concept applies regarding water-based skincare cosmetics – basically different ingredients suspended in water.
Therefore, it is important to use a preservative(s) in these cosmetics when it is required that they remain safe for use after sitting on a shelf in a store, on your dresser or worse – under the face-basin in your bathroom for a year… or two.
Okay… But what’s the deal?
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So back to the initial sentance, the real jibber-jabber with parabens came around 2004 when a UK-based study looked at the use of parabens in deoderants, and it’s connection to the development of breast cancer.
The Issue: Parabens have been shown to have estrogen-like qualities and they’ve also been shown to be absorbed into the body when applied topically, hence begging the question – Are they somehow cancer causing?
Studies and tests have shown that:
1. The estrogenic effects of parabens are thousands times lower than the most estrogenic compound in the body and that
2. Once they enter the body, parabens are incapable of imitating estrogen. The U.S Food & Drug Administration [FDA] has also stated:
“FDA is aware that estrogen activity in the body is associated with certain forms of breast cancer. Although parabens can act similarly to estrogen, they have been shown to have must less estrogenic activity than the body’s naturally occuring estrogen.”
Moreover, the Milady’s Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredient’s Dictionary indicates that plant substances including but not limited to soybeans, strawberries, sage, dong quai, pumpkin, red clover and rosehips are considered to have natural estrogenic effects 1000 to 1,000,000 times stronger than parabens.
Righto. I type this as I inhale a bowl of fresh strawberries I just copped for 99c a carton.
So with no solid proof that parabens are related to [breast] cancer then…
Why the controversy?
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Who really knows?
There’s not nearly as much fuss over the use of tanning beds and its relation to skin cancer, and it can be argued that the case is much stronger for that link.
Perhaps, as with most other skin care myths, it’s just a marketing strategy, which means that the ‘controversy’ is being fueled by the skin care manufacturers – Those who have replaced the use of parabens in the skin care cosmetics with some other preservative, never mind they don’t state exactly what that preservative is, other than stating “Paraben Free” on the label.
Given that parabens were shown to be the least sensitizing, could it be that the replacement preservative(s) is/ are more sensitizing/ dangerous than the use of parabens?
Or perhaps, I don’t know, the replacement preservative used is less effective than parabens and therefore puts the user/ user’s skin at more risk if the product is either used past it’s safe-by date (which usually goes unchecked), or after having endured unfavourable conditions, like being out in the sun for example.
I can ponder forever.
Definitely something to think about while you sip your overpriced soy latte after making a trip to the local tanning salon.
Just sayin’.
b Freakin’Fabulous
Cavities, Fat and Wrinkles
We are all more than familiar with the addictive power of sugar. Despite the fact that increased sugar consumption has been associated with increased blood sugar levels, which can result in the storage of excess fat, studies have shown that the average American consumes about 150 pounds of sugar, per year. Talk about sweet nothings! (more…)
Preggo | The New Black
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Is it just me or is everyone all of a sudden preggos? It must be the biggest ‘on trend’ for 2010. Congratulations to all my billion and 1 friends who are all preggos or have given birth in 2010.
As the mother of a seven year old, I suddenly feel like a grandma. :-/ Sooo been there done that. And never again.
It’s not that I had a difficult pregnancy per se, as a matter of fact, in terms of how first pregnancies go, I’m considered purdy blessed. No monster cravings, no significant irreparable change in my body postpartum, as apart from a protruding basketball there was no massive weight gain, no 76 hour labour or anything fun like that. It’s just that, in terms of contributions that I can make to the world, I truly believe that there are other ways in which I can make my presence felt. My guy is well equipped to run the world anyways, so that’s more than enough for me.
Pregnancy brings with it a lot of joys.
The relief of just letting it all ‘hang out’; the tummy that is. Getting the royal treatment everywhere you go, because after all you are ‘with child’, and what can really top that? At least most people see it that way, so it works for you. The rosy, glowing look as a result of the increased volume of blood that is being pumped around the body coupled with an increase amount of sebum (skin’s oils) that gives the skin a more waxy appearance, strong, fast growing nails, thick abundant hair – depending on where it’s growing this can be a lil too much, but anyways, all in all, it’s a fantastic thing.
Pregnancy can also bring with it a lot of unexpected things too. Thanks to good old hormones.
During the time when your hormone mosh pit is trying to get it’s act together (if it ever even manages to), may the force be with you cause all kinds of what-the-what can occur, wreaking mass havoc on womankind. Mood swings and excess hair growth instantly come to mind. Damn you hormones.
Other not-so-glorious things associated with being preggos include:
1. Increased breakouts
This is expected as the increase in the hormone progesterone – the same one that leads to the waxy, glowy glow – can overdo a good thing and produce waaaay too much sebum. Oil slick central.
The condition of your skin before preggos can determine how much this increase in sebum will affect you. If your skin is naturally dry, then you may just be relieved of the chronic dryness, however if you naturally have an oily or acneic skin type, you may find that you may develop more blackheads or your acne may worsen.
The Fix:
This just means that you will have to be more vigilant with your skin care to keep your affairs in order.
Clay masks that contain certain clays like bentonite, kaolin or even charcoal can assist in sopping up some of this extra goopy mess. Hydroxy acid ingredients such as glycolic acid or lactic acid (preferably) can also go a long way in helping keep this extra thick layer of oil under control. If you prefer not to use hydroxy acids during pregnancy, you can always opt for enzymatic ingredients such as papain (from papayas) or bromelain (from pineapples) instead. Much milder yes, but still will assist in exfoliating the skin.
2. Pigmentation
Welcome to what is generally called melasma; Chloasma and Linea Nigra.
Chloasma, or mask of pregnancy, occurs mainly in pregnant women but can also occur in women who are taking birth control pills, or have certain ovarian disorders (hormonal issues again). This hyperpigmentation is usually concentrated on the face (forehead, temples and around cheek area) may be permanent, or may disappear and re-appear with subsequent pregnancies.
What determines if you’d develop melasma during pregnancy? Apparently there are quite a few factors involved, including race, hormones and exposure to the sun.
Another common type of pigmentation that occurs during pregnancy is Linea Nigra, a darkened line right down the middle of the abdomen.
The Fix:
If you are going to get melasma you are going to get it. There is really nothing that you can do to prevent it per se, but indiscriminate exposure to the sun does either make it appear earlier, or make it worse so don your broad spectrum sunscreen.
Antioxidants like ginko biloba and Vitamin C can help prevent the skin from damaging UV rays.
3. Dry Brittle Nails
Of course not everyone benefits from strong, fast growing nails. In some women nails get dry and brittle, they split, and are prone to otherwise breaking quite easily.
The Fix:
Keep nails short and treat with cuticle oil regularly, especially before bed at nights. A coat or two of clear or coloured nail polish (if you are okay with wearing it during pregnancy) can also help the nail plate to hold on to it’s moisture.
4. Dehydrated Skin
The body in general can become dehydrated as well, more and more so with time when the bladder becomes under pressure and needs to be relived every half second.
The Fix:
Hydrating ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid, Sodium PCA, Lactic acid and Cucumber in skin care can help the skin maintain it’s moisture level.
Silicones such as cyclomethicone and cyclopetasiloxan help keep the skin’s protective layer in tact while allowing it to breathe. Emollients such as shea butter, squalene (found in olive oil) and aloe also work at protecting the barrier function of the skin, and of course up your water intake.
5. Spider veins
Increased blood flow along with overactive pregnancy hormones can cause the normally teeny tiny blood capillaries just below the skin’s surface to become more visible during pregnancy.
Spider veins can also pop out on the face and on the white part of the eyeballs during pregnancy (okay that sounds scary) and strong, flush-in-the-face pushing during delivery can go so far as break these tiny blood vessels, a condition known as nevi.
The Fix:
Although nevi can take pretty long to disappear, makeup, when appropriately applied, can camouflage these tiny burst blood vessels. Some spider veins on the legs or torso may never disappear on their own, so if you feel it is imperative that they not be there, a dermatologist can remove them using injections.
Anti-inflammatory ingredients such as lavender, cucumber, rosewater and oatmeal treat sensitization and help to keep the redness at bay. Bioflavonoids such as grape tea and green tea extracts, red raspberry or anything from the berry family really, help with the skin’s healing and repairing function.
and the MOTHER of all peeves…
6. Stretch marks.
Uuugh.
Stretch marks are caused by rapid weight loss or gain. They are formed from the overstretching of the skin’s walls, which in turn interrupts the normal production of collagen thereby causing a scar.
Stretch marks typically appear first as reddish/ purple lines (depending on skin tone) but usually fade to a lighter colour.
The International Dermal Institute states:
The stretching occurs in the dermis, the middle layer of the skin that helps the skin retain it’s shape. Once the dermis has been stretched continuously over time, certian parts of it “overstretch”, losing all elasticity and causeing the connective fibres within to break. The result is what we know as stretch marks.
The Fix:
There are NO topical remedies to cure stretch marks. Read… NONE. However, invasive procedures can remove them if you feel that strongly about their presence.
As far as prevention being better than a cure, I’m not sure if you can prevent stretch marks as it’s really a function of how the deeper layers of your skin reacts to certain trauma. However, in MY opinion, there are things that you can do to minimize the degree of pressure that your skin is bombarded with.
Keeping skin hydrated, avoiding rapid weight loss/ gain, keeping skin moisturized and supple, following a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet/ exercise/ suppliments, getting enough sleep… stuff like that would help your skin’s general health I’d imagine. Just a guess.
Be Freakin’Fabulous
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Sensitive vs. Sensitized Skin
Fact Sheet : Chemical Peels
Parenting 101 (Pt. 1)
Sexy State of Mind
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Battle of the Acids
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In an effort to keep the fountain of youth flowing, alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) have taken up permanent residence in almost any talk that mentions exfoliation.
AHAs are naturally occurring acids derived from plant sources, which are often used as exfoliants in skin care.
Types of AHAs
There are many AHAs, for example:
- Tartaric acid (grapes),
- Citric acid (citrus fruits),
- Malic acid (apples), and
- Mandelic acid (bitter almonds).
However, Lactic acid (derived from milk) and Glycolic acid (derived from sugar cane) seem to be the most popular.
These acids are used in professional treatments, both by skin therapists as well as medical practitioners, but they are also popping up in over the counter skin care remedies as well, in lower strengths of course, usually less than 10% acid.
Part of this may be attributed to the fact that AHAs appear to be replacing Retin-A (commonly referred to as retinol), which was commonly used in skin care formulations in the past. I can only imagine that the reason for this is that AHAs are less harsh and irritating on the skin than Retin-A is (remember that!).
How does this exfoliation occur?
AHAs contain molecules small enough to penetrate the outer superficial layers of the skin (the layers that you see), into the skin’s lower, the dermis or ‘true skin’, where all the action happens (that which you don’t see).
This is done by breaking down a ‘cement’ of sorts that bind dead skin cells together, hereby assisting cell turnover, i.e. the time that it takes for new, fresh, hydrated skin cells to make it’s way to the surface, replacing any lingering old, dead skin cells that contribute to giving skin it’s dull, lackluster, sallow appearance. Sounds similar to what happens in Hollywood.
Lactic vs. Glycolic Acid
So what’s the difference, if any, and which is ‘better’?
No one is necessarily ‘better’ but, because of the differences, one may be better suited to certain skin conditions than the other.
Both lactic acid and glycolic acid function similarly in their ability to ‘exfoliate’ the surface layers of the skin, in order to reveal softer, smoother skin, as well as reduce the appearance of wrinkles, decreased blemishes and lightened age spots.
However, in addition to exfoliating, lactic acid has also been found to
- Brighten and
- Hydrate the skin.
Because of this, the use of lactic acid over glycolic acid can prove beneficial and less irritating on certain skins, for example those who are genetically prone to skin sensitivity (usually found in those plagued with asthma, eczema or allergies like hay fever) or have skin that is easily sensitized. See the difference between sensitive and sensitized skin here
Skins that are prone to darkening (or hyper-pigmentation) like Asian or darker skins, may also be better off using lactic acid as opposed to glycolic acid in skin care treatment. Why? Lactic acid gives that additional brightening oomph, which would be beneficial as irritation on these particular types of skins often lead to darkening of the skin. Not cool.
b FreakinFabulous
Photo: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
POSSIBLY RELATED GC POSTS
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Natural Sexy vs. Science Sexy
Spy vs. Spy
The ‘Natural’ bandwagon is hugantic. It may not be the most sophisticated or fun at times, but damn, the hype that surrounds it is hella huge. Marketers have caught on to this trend, and are milking it for all it’s worth *squirt *squirt Yummy.
On the other hand, although science has helped us greatly, the term ‘synthetic’ has taken quite a hit at the expense of all things ‘natural’. People love to give the natural vs. synthetic ultimatum, but is it at all necessary? Can’t we all just get along?
Is‘Natural’ necessarily always good, and is ‘Science’ necessarily always bad?
Yes? No? Maybe so?
Science & skin care
With respect to skin care, rather than just assessing the situation stereotypically, perhaps taking a deeper look at the ingredients in the skin care products may be a more productive argument.
Natural Skin Care Ingredients
Natural is great. There is this feeling of wild abandon that accompanies the thought of ‘au naturel’. “Clean”. “Simple”. ”Fresh”. “Good for you”.
However, as with everything else in life, ‘good’ things usually do not last forever. Under the right conditions, natural things are known to rot, decay, or otherwise disintegrate in quality. For example, with respect to plants, fruits, veges – typical sources for most natural skin care ingredients – there is only a small window that’s considered ‘prime for picking’, so one must take this into consideration, especially when a cleanser or moisturizer will typically sit on your shelf for at least 6 months, or longer depending on the product in question.
Things to consider for natural products:
~ Using natural ingredients directly
Of course there is the argument that you can just pick something off the tree and slap it on your face.
If you live in such a place where you can do this I truly envy you, for that used to be me. Womp. For the rest of us, we can hardly eat fruits and vegetables these days without being shot up with pesticides, so want to put that on your face too?
Remember, ‘natural’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘organic’. ‘Organic’ is the one where certain pesticides (not all) are required to be absent. No such is the case with ‘natural’, don’t believe the hype.
~ Nature differs from batch to batch.
This means that you can buy one batch of product that not only has a different colour from your previous batch, but the strength of the particular active ingredient can be different also.
This is not a leather bag we are talking about, where the value and character of the product is heightened by the fact that there is a huge ‘imperfection’ (their term not mine), for which you are expected to pay the not-so-little extra for. It’s not that kind of party with skin care; we don’t go out of our way to look for imperfections in products, but rather we try to minimize them.
In some products this lack of apparent quality control is not a deal breaker. If a product doesn’t contain any ingredients that are considered ‘active’ (read ‘results’) by the FDA, then it really doesn’t matter if you use a product or water.
However, in that expensive serum that derives it’s antioxidant function from those ‘berries’, it might be a problem if the super star ingredient, the Vitamin C say from the berries, is as effective as the ones in the serum that doesn’t contain Vitamin C. Yeah… might wanna check that.
~ Stability of natural substances outside of their environment
Talking about Vitamin C, it’s known to be a powerful antioxidant – it protects the skin from sun damage and helps slow down the physical signs of aging… yadda yadda yadda, but it’s not very stable once exposed to air, a couple minutes max.
All that freshly squeezed orange juice you just made? Most of the good stuff (Dr. C) just poofed* vanished before you’ve finished mixing the ingredients together. I used to be called “Juice Mixer” in university (Chem. Eng.) by all the other engineers so, trust me, not that I’d like to recall the name calling but, I’d know 
With this understanding, Vitamin C in it’s natural form is not going to do much for your skin sitting in a jar for a couple months. It’s usually also quite acidic in nature wherever it’s found (oranges, lemons etc.) so putting that right there on your face is its going to do an excellent job of stripping your skin’s protective barrier, dehydrating your skin and leaving it more susceptible to harmful bacteria.
Fantastic? No.
So then, on to the next one.
Synthetic skin care ingredients
The word chemical is not a synonym for dangerous.
According to the Oxford dictionary, a chemical (noun) is a substance that has been prepared, or purified, (usually) artificially.
You can concoct something that is dangerous or, you can prepare something that is effective, yet harmless.
Of course, there are dangerous chemical substances, but there are also dangerous natural ones. Cyanide anyone? One sugar or two?
So, for example, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, is a very stable form of Vitamin C – one that is stable enough to be used in skin care products. The skin’s enzymes then work to break down this ingredient into ascorbic acid, naturally found in most fruits like citrus and berries, which has been found to inhibit the formation of melanin (pigment) as well as assist collagen formation.
Doesn’t make sense to pay the extra for active ingredients that aren’t… active, does it?
However this form of stable Vitamin C doesn’t just morph into a stable by it’s lonesome, it is the end product of research and development i.e. it is born out of a laboratory, and such is considered to be ‘synthetic’.
Why use synthetic ingredients?
So sure, it’s not for everybody, but if the proverbial horse has already bolted out the gate, the skin situation has long surpassed ‘preventative’ and you are actually looking to treat clear and present skin damage, i.e. if you are looking for results, you are going to need to look a little further than mother nature to help you in your mission to ‘age gracefully’.
So perhaps the best bet is to take the best of what nature has to offer, and combine it with the best of what science brings. It’s a win-win situation.
The products last longer, there is less wastage, the ingredients remain active and are therefore more effective, and you get the value for your money. Everyone’s happy.
Food for thought:
It’s like that chick who is so blatantly hot, so much is on display even Stevie Wonder can see it, vs. the librarian chick. Everyone knows the immediate benefits of the blatant hottie. You can milk it almost immediately and get a great high albeit one that is, more likely than not, short lived.
Now enter the librarian. Sure, there’s a good chance that you may not live on the same planet, but there is an even greater chance that you may get longer lasting, stable, surprisingly flexible benefits, that comes with intelligence.
Moral of the story? Never underestimate the librarian.
b FreakinFabulous
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Time Lines
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Ain’t nothing like crepey hands to really jack up an otherwise youthful situation.
Your hands are one of the first places to age, and by age I mean get wrinkly, sallow looking, dehydrated, spotty/ hyper-pigmented (mixture of darker or lighter areas). All kinds of fun. All kinds of uber unfabulousness in the mix.
Right after the hands, a few other places that age pretty quickly are around the eyes (otherwise known as crows feet), the neck and the decollete/ chest area.
These parts age more quickly because the skin in these areas are typically thinner than the skin on the face or the body perhaps, where the skin, and fat content primarily, are thicker.
As skin in general gets thinner and thinner as we age, these aforementioned areas are then already at a disadvantage. Noone said life is fair, but geeze. Cut a body part some slack.
Hands are even more particularly at risk with all the harsh hand/ dishwashing detergents we use daily, not to mention the incredibly stripping alcohol-based hand sanitizers we use so that we don’t make social with other people’s bacteria/ germs.
The following are some tips to help slow down the appearance of aging on the skin in the areas (around eyes, neck, decollete and hands) that are naturally prone to age faster than the rest of the body:
1. Moisturize hands after cleansing
Seems obvious, but judging from the number of people who don’t normally moisturize their body after having a shower, I’ll say it anyway.
2. Include your neck and decollete in every step of your usual skin care routine.
How many ever steps you already have – cleanse/ exfoliate/ mask/ tone/ moisturize.
3. Exfoliate hands.
In addition to the usual cleanse and moisturize steups that we follow with our hands, exfoliating hands helps refresh the skin, and helps impart a healthy glow. You can use a normal spherical/ micro-bead scrub or you can get fancy and use a gentle enzyme or hydroxy-acid exfoliating scrub.
The use of a super hydrating hand moisturizer, after cleansing (and exfoliating, if applicable) the hands helps replace the moisture that is often lost by (often harsh) cleansers that we normally use for keeping our hands dirt/ germ-free.
4. Adopt a night time hand routine
If your hands are chronically dry and crepey, spritzing the back of your hands with toner after cleansing at night just before bed, then following with a thicker moisturizer with both hydrating (e.g. hyaluronic acid, sodium PCA, lactic acid, cucumber) and emollient ingredients (e.g. shea butter, aloe and squalene) will assist in combatting dehydration.
Silicones such as cyclomethicone and cyclopetasiloxan, as product ingredients, help seal in the moisture while allowing the skin to breathe, which is a ‘hell yes’ step-up from mineral oil.
5. Use a specialized cleanser and moisturizer for eyes.
That is, one that is specifically formulated for this delicate area.
If you are concerned with any fine lines and wrinkles that have already started appearing around the eye area, an eye cream that contains Vitamin C and a minimum SPF 15 (for day) should be standard ingredients in your eye cream.
6. Include neck, decollete, and hands in your sunscreen application.
This is especially for those of us who drive and/ or are stuck in traffic in the beating hot sun. The sun’s UV rays filter right though the average windscreen, and take a toll on hands that are tightly wrapped around the steering wheel.
FreakinFabulous
Photo Credits: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Ugh. I thought we got past this.
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So you missed that awkward acne phase as a kid. Score!
You may have had braces and “coke-bottom” glasses yes, but not being afflicted with acne at least put you well ahead of not falling dead last on the high-school D-listers. You grew out of the braces, swapped the glasses for contacts, at least when you came out of the house, and was able to lead a pretty ‘normal’ life.
Sure you’re smart, but lets face it, ‘smart’ only counts when you need to prove something; your youthful, even-toned, glowing skin could have easily been considered your passport in life.
Then you hit your 30s/ 40s even and EEEEK. What is that lump? and why does it have a twin?… and why do their cousins visit you the week after? Worse… why aren’t they LEAVING?
Adult acne my friends. And you thought you had problems before, now this.
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Most adult acne is related to hormones. Females are more susceptible to this condition than males, largely because of the many instances of hormone fluctuations that they may encounter:
- Birth control pills
- Pregnancy
- Lactation
- Menopause and
- Hormonal therapy for example.
Hormones
Normally, adult acne acne is hormone related. If this is the case, all the OTC skin care products in the world will not be able to ‘cure’ this acne as hormones and the stress that is normally associated with hormonal issues in some way, form or fashion are both factors that affect the internal functions of the body. Skin care systems that specifically target acne may able suppress the breakout activity and calm the irritation but this would be temporary at best, as the root (internal) cause of the situation isn’t addressed by topical creams.
Acne is tied very closely to the testosterone hormone. That’s why, even though acne affects more females than it does males, males can suffer with acne to a much greater extent, than females do. Skin care professionals normally class acne in grades from 1- 4 (from simple breakouts to scarring/potentially disfiguring activity), so in that case, this means that males will have a tendency to hit that 4 mark more often than females do.
In this case it would be best to consult a dermatologist, in order to diagnose the root cause of your acne, and explore treatment options to help keep breakout activity under wraps.
Additionally, in females acne can also be prementrual (hormones again) as well as a result of the misuse of cosmetics.
Premenstrual
Premenstrual adult acne usually affects the chin area. Large, sore, red, inflamed spots (papules) can also appear on the jawline, neck and other areas of the face.
Misuse of Cosmetics
The misuse of cosmetics and skin care products also lead to the formation of adult acne, but this is more considered to be ‘breakouts’ than ‘real severe’ acne; that high grade acne can be as a result of genetics or hormones. If this is the case a:
1. Proper skin care regimen
2. Proper hygiene practices and
3. Proper skin care/ cosmetic products – those that do not cause clogging of the pores (comedogenic) and those that were formulated for your skin type and skin condition, will address the situation and clear up the skin.
Yep, Yep. You bet.
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b FreakinFabulous
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Photo credits: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Sensitive vs. Sensitized
A classic case of skin type vs. skin condition.
“Sensitive” and “sensitized” skin, are they one and the same? Are the words interchangeable? Do they both ‘basically’ refer to the same thing?
No. No, and No.
Yes, the picture is all butterflies, flowers and pink and all but it’s not a ‘girl’ only issue. The guys walking around with itchy, burning, red, or inflamed skin would attest to that I’m sure. Holla.
SENSITIVE
Sensitive skin is considered a skin type, meaning that you were born with it. As it’s in your genes you aren’t going to grow out of it, ever. It’s embedded in your DNA and nothing can be done to change the fact that you indeed were born with this particular skin type.
It is not uncommon for people of Celtic, Scottish or Irish descent to have this skin type. Other common traits of people with this skin type are:
- Light eyes
- Red hair and
- Almost transparent looking skin.
However, this is not absolute. This is a global world, breeds get mixed. Medium skin with light eyes? Yes. It is not impossible for darker skin to be genetically sensitive.
As sensitive skin is a genetic condition, it would stand to reason that if you have sensitive skin there is most likely someone else in your immediate family with sensitive skin – mom, dad, son, daughter, sister or brother.
It has also been found that:
- Allergies (e.g. hay fever)
- Eczema and/ or
- Asthma
are genetic predispositions often associated with a sensitive skin type.
SENSITIZED
Sensitized skin, or skin that has been environmentally sensitized is considered to be a skin condition.
A skin condition is the present state that the skin is in. As such, skin conditions can vary from year to year, season to season and even from day to day. Your skin condition in the morning can even be different from that in the afternoon. It is a temporary state of the skin which can be treated.
Many factors can trigger sensitivity/ environmental sensitization of the skin. These include but are not limited to:
- Aging
- Cosmetic Products
- Diet
- Climate
- Hormones
- Stress
- Environmental Assault
- Impaired barrier function of skin
All of which will be discussed in a later post.
Keeping the skin both calm and hydrated is the most effective way to decrease skin’s sensitivity and keep it under control.
And you’d want to do this why? Because skin that remains in a red, irritated or inflamed state over extended periods of time is skin that is prone to hyperpigmentation (darkening), deep lines and wrinkles aka signs of accelerated aging. Yeah, you’d want to not do that; Premature aging is not Sexy.
If you can help slow down the signs of aging just by soothing inflamed, irritated skin, why wouldn’t you?
Stay tuned for a further discussion on triggers, treatment options, and my favourite topic – useful ingredients to look for in skin care products .
b FiercelyFabulous
Photo credits: Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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