by admin on July 29, 2010
Are Japanese skincare products the best? Certainly some japanese skincare ingredients are. Their secrets our now out in the open. But, only a few companies were paying attention. Skincare company I discovered certainly took notice and now use the ingredients. More about that at the end of this article. First the secrets.
The Japanese have the longest average life span in the world. More than 30,000 Japanese people are over 100 years of age. Take some examples from the population and do a few things that may help you live longer and look better.
Japanese Skincare Secret #1
Protect your face from the sun. This “secret” is not limited to the Japanese population. Native peoples from all over the world have found fruits and vegetables that could be ground into butter or expressed for their oils.
These plant compresses have been used to heal sunburns, as well as provide protection against burning. Researchers have evaluated the natural chemical compounds in these plants and shown that they DO, in fact, provide some natural protection from UV rays of sunlight.
For example, a component of Wakame kelp (a favorite food in Japan) contains something called “sulfated polyfucose”. The compound protects the skin from UV ray and environmental pollutants that increase the production of free radicals. Free radicals cause of wrinkles, sagging and skin-cancer.
Japanese Skincare Secret #2
Eat right! What does eating right have to do with you appearance? Everything that you eat basically “shows up” on your face. But, it’s not just about your skin; it’s about your overall health.
The world’s oldest man (who lives in Japan, by the way) was recently interviewed about his diet. He said that he loves to eat. His favorite foods were vegetables and shrimp. We could learn a lesson from this man.
Many doctors believe that this type of diet will increase your longevity. Some of them also believe it will protect your skin from aging. One doctor has a so-called anti-wrinkle diet. Whether or not it actually removes wrinkles or not, I can’t say, but I can tell you that antioxidant-rich foods (fruits, vegetables and seafood) prevent and repair free radical damage. They are like the body’s construction workers. Skincare ingrediednts should be ’safe enough to eat’.
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Japanese Skincare Secret #3
I would have to say that Wakame Kelp is the number one beauty secret that comes to us from Japan. The kelp is rich in minerals and vitamins, but it plays another role on the skin’s surface.
Cream containing extracts from the wakame kelp have been shown in laboratory studies to increase levels of hyaluronic acid in the skin. An amino acid protein, hyaluronic acid is responsible for the skin’s elasticity and smoothness. It gives “tone”.
You will see many firming lotions on the market that include hyaluronic acid, but not many that contain wakame. Applying hyaluronic acid to the skin is only so effective because of an enzymatic reaction that quickly breaks the protein down.
The kelp extract blocks that enzymatic reaction, so levels of hyaluronic acid naturally rise. A 52% reduction in the enzymatic reaction has been seen in as little as five days of use.
That’s all of the Japanese skincare secrets that I have for today. Look for more information references in the resource box. Look for “Phytessence” Wakame. It’s a new product.
Margaret Bell
http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/japanese-skincare-3-super-secrets-revealed-575090.html
by admin on July 26, 2010
There are many wonderful, holistic reasons for choosing organic skincare products. The reasons range from wanting to reduce the number of chemicals on your skin, for your health, skin sensitivity or just based on personal principals.
The problem facing most consumers wanting to purchase genuine organic skincare products, rather than those making “organic” claims, is that a standard for the certification and labelling of organic skincare products is not available.
Currently in Australia, the only organic certification available for skin care products is a general food standard. This requires 95% of all ingredients, other than the water component, to be organically certified. Water generally makes up to 70% of total ingredients in many skincare creams. Therefore 95% of the remaining 30% of ingredients need to be organically certified.
Only a few Australian products have been certified to these very strict and sometimes impractical rules for food standards. It has been argued by some manufacturers, that to achieve the 95% certified rating is counter productive to producing an effective skin product.
Currently unrecognised are many skincare products with over 50% organic ingredients which cannot be certified, even though they have been manufactured by passionate organic supporters to the highest organic and natural principles.
Essentially, to make a cream for skin, there are two main components (oil and water) which need to be blended. A synthetic emulsifier is used to blend the oil and water components. Emulsifiers can make up to 20% of an ingredient mix other than water. Hence the catch 22, to make a cream which really penetrates and moisturises the deep layers of the skin with beautiful organic vegetable and essential oils, you need a synthetic emulsifier. Purestuf uses an emulsifier created from olive oil which is synthesised to form the emulsifier.
The cream also requires a preservative, so that it will not go mouldy in your bathroom cabinet. This is one area which really distinguishes skincare products. The organically passionate manufacturers use natural preservatives like grapefruit seed extract whereas other manufacturers add chemical preservatives containing parabens and other nasties to their products.
Organic skincare products produced and sold with integrity by the passionate manufacturers aim to be free from chemicals such as parabens, formaldehyde, petrochemicals etc. and made from as many natural and certified organic ingredients as possible.
Australian (and most overseas) manufacturers are not compelled to disclose the percentage of organic ingredients in their products. The word organic is not protected by any law about its use in terms of marketing claims. Often these other so called organic products, contain a very low percentage of organic ingredients and have many chemical additives, which are not good for you or your skin.
So what is being done to eliminate the confusion?
A group of leading Australian skincare product manufacturers (including Purestuf Natural Skincare) are currently working together to formulate a standard which can be certified by any one of the 7 Australian organic certifiers.
Until then – read labels and look for products which don’t include parabens, petrochemicals, sulphates, fragrances and clearly list the organic ingredients such as essential oils, vegetable oils.
For the time being, for consumers it is a matter of instinct, trust and reading the labels.
Chrissy Birdsall
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/what-is-genuine-organic-skincare-69514.html
by admin on July 20, 2010
There are many people who think that natural skincare products cannot be scientific. But they are missing out on one important thing that the benefits of both science and nature can be rolled into one as science can complement nature.
In nutritional and herbal products of natural skincare, you are not eating the plant as a whole unit. You are just taking an extract of the herb. And this extract is very potent and effective. This is an example of science complementing nature in natural skincare, as processing brings out the best of both worlds.
And it is also true that there is atleast some amount of processing that takes place, so natural skincare products cannot be called 100% natural, even if all of the ingredients are totally natural.
We can see that the effectiveness of natural skincare products can be highly enhanced by this natural processing.
Natural Skincare Substances with Amazing Qualities
We will take a look at some ingredients of natural skincare that can work wonders for you-
One of the best natural skincare substances is Cynergy TK. It is produced in New Zealand. A company has discovered a breakthrough process by which Cynergy TK, which is rich in vital skin protein called Keratin, has been made readily absorbable by human skin.
It has been described as good as applying “liquid skin” due to its amazing results on volunteers in clinical trials-
· It enhances the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin. This give us natural skincare as collagen and elastin are the proteins responsible for keeping our skin firm, supple and elastic.
· It improves skin elasticity and skin moisture retention.
· It leads to regrowth of new skin cells!
Another one of them is Phytessence Wakame. It is an extract of a special type of Japanese sea kelp. It is a part of natural skincare products that I personally use.
Phytessence Wakame has shown various amazing anti aging properties-
· It works as a powerful antioxidant. It kills the free radicals in your skin before they do any damage to the skin. Antioxidants are an indispensable component of any natural skincare system.
· It heals dry skin and impoves skin elasticity.
· It blocks the activity of the dreaded enzyme Hyaluronidase. This enzyme is responsible for breaking down hyaluronic acid in the skin. And we do not want this to happen, as hyaluronic acid works with the two most important skin proteins called collagen and elastin to keep our skin soft, supple and elastic.
I have done an exhaustive research in my website on such natural skincare substances that play an effective and scientifically proven role in giving firm, soft, supple and young skin by enhancing the collagen and elastin production in our body itself.
The key to hidden secrets in natural skincare is to lookout for such natural skincare ingredients that have proven themselves very effective in anti aging in scientific studies. That is what separates the ordinary skin care anti aging products from the natural skincare products that work wonders for your skin.
Vijay Raisinghani
http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/hidden-secrets-of-natural-skincare-can-work-wonders-for-your-skin-711658.html
by admin on July 18, 2010
Cosmetic companies seem to think that men’s skincare products can be just like women’s, as long as they have a “manly” fragrance. There are some basic differences between a man’s face and a woman’s. These differences need to be taken into consideration when creating men anti-aging skincare products. Otherwise, they just won’t be effective and could eventually make your skin look worse.
Even if you are a young man, you want to use men’s skincare solutions that delay the signs of aging. It’s just the safest and healthiest thing that you can do, as long as you know which ingredients to look for and which to avoid. If you keep reading, that’s what you’ll learn.
Just for Men Anti-aging Skincare Ingredients:
I call them “just for men anti-aging skincare ingredients”, because they address the issues of redness and inflammation. Those are two problems that most guys have, particularly those that shave. If you’re a young man, you might not “see” it, but it is a problem.
Not only does chronic inflammation, which is largely due to shaving, negatively affect your appearance, it can also affect the skin’s long-term health. Researchers now believe that chronic inflammation plays a major role in the development of cancerous cells.
So, men’s skincare creams that contain natural anti-inflammatories may also help prevent skin cancer. If you also strive to use cleansers and shaving lubricants that contain safe and natural ingredients, then you’ll look better today and in the future.
Using a just for men anti-aging skincare cream every day, after you shave, instead of the alcohol-based aftershaves that most guys use, is an important step. The ingredients to look for include witch hazel and capuacu butter.
Witch hazel was once the most popular solution for aftershaves, but petroleum-based alcohols are cheaper and basically took over the market. Witch hazel is a plant-derived astringent that has natural antibacterial and antioxidant activity. It has been recommended for psoriasis, eczema, blisters, cracked skin, insect bites, poison ivy and cold sores.
Capuacu butter comes from a fruit, native to South America. It helps to heal razor and sunburns, contains essential fatty acids that are needed to replenish the skin’s moisture content.
Ingredients that Men’s Skincare Products Should Not Contain:
The biggest problem with petroleum based alcohols is that they strip the skin of its natural moisture, causing excessive dryness and making the skin’s cells more easily damaged. They also increase redness and irritation. Plant-based alcohols are a better choice, but most companies don’t use them, because they cost more.
You don’t need or want artificial preservatives in a men anti-aging skincare cream. Natural vitamin E is an effective preservative and an important antioxidant that prevents the appearance of age spots and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Again, companies don’t use it, because it costs more than artificial preservatives. Added fragrances are also unnecessary and a common cause of allergic reactions.
There is a new line of men’s skincare creams that are safe and effective. That’s what you need to look for. Visit my website today to learn more about the natural substances that are designed to keep men’s skin looking healthy and young.
Rachel Hammond
http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/the-truth-about-mens-skincare-675289.html
