Archive for May 31st, 2009

What the Best Antiaging Creams Have in Common

These days there are many skin care products in the market. Sometimes, it can be quite an ordeal to choose the best antiaging creams. As it is, each one of us has a different skin types that have different requirements. Moreover, new products are flooding the market with new claims of defying age and restoring beautiful skin. A layman can be quite muddled in the plethora of these anti aging face creams. However, there are a few ways that can help you to make out a good anti aging face cream from not so good one.

Whilst on a hunt for the anti aging skin cream, pay special attention to the products that have sun protection. The UV rays from the sun are quite damaging to the skin and are responsible for causing aging signs like wrinkles and blemishes. Since the face is the most exposed to the sunlight than any other body part, it is important to go for creams that have sun protection. A daily application of anti aging skin care cream with sun protection will ensure that your face does not age due to sun exposure.

Another important factor in determining the right kind of anti aging cream is to look for a cream that is “cosmeceutical” which is a combination of cosmetic and medicinal cream. In other words, the best anti aging face cream will not only make you look younger, it will also heal and remove aging signs from your skin. An ideal anti aging cream should include constituents like vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin E. Minerals such as selenium, zinc, lycopene and antioxidants also help in healing the skin. Other ingredients such as herbal extracts also help in the lightening up of the skin tone and inhabiting melanin formation in the skin. When you decide to choose an anti aging cream, be sure that the cream contains all or most of these components

Though dermatologists and researches have classified our skin types into four major skin types such as dry skin, oily skin, normal skin and combination skin, the fact is that each person’s skin is uniquely different. Hence, the anti aging face cream will primarily depend on your face and skin type. You also need to decide on what the anti aging cream needs to accomplish. Is it to prevent the aging of the skin or to remove the already occurring signs of aging? Read the product description and the ingredients label to decide which one suits your skin best.

If you are still unable to decide on the best antiaging creams, then you need to consult a skin specialist such as an esthetician or dermatologist. There are many people who feel buying a cheaper anti aging cream would be a good solution. However, most of the time, this can back fire causing you to only have more problems with your skin. Cheap creams from unknown companies may not have the quality control that the branded creams enjoy. So even though you may spend some extra money, it is wiser to buy a branded and a tested anti aging cream rather than going for some cheap imitation.



By: Ray A. Rubio

About the Author:
Click here to get free advice on how you can enhance the look of your skin. Ray A. Rubio is a skin care specialist providing advice on choosing the best wrinkle cream for you. Visit http://www.clear-and-clean-skin.com for more details.



 

Tell Me More About How to Choose a Healthy Mineral Makeup Brand That is Natural

How do pure mineral cosmetics revitalize and maintain healthy skin?

There are excellent properties in mineral based cosmetics that promote healthy skin recognized by dermatologists. Dermatologists typically recommend high quality mineral based cosmetics that are free of irritating dyes, oils, perfumes, preservatives or chemicals, and free of nano-sized particles. Usually, they will prefer the use of natural inorganic minerals that sooth and heal the skin, natural pigments, and cosmetics that are loaded with super-antioxidants. Many women claim tremendous improvement in the quality of their skin within a short period of time after switching to a high quality mineral makeup product. Be sure to check the ingredients when purchasing mineral based cosmetics to avoid brands with inferior ingredients.

Do mineral based cosmetics heal the skin?

Pure mineral cosmetics use revitalizing minerals with properties that are excellent for acne, rosecea, and irritated skin. Acne and rosecea benefit from zinc oxide as it promotes healing to the skin and is a natural anti-inflammatory. Titanium dioxide and zinc hold in natural moisture, keeping the skin healthy and hydrated, and they allow the skin to breathe without clogging the pores. Antioxidants such as grape seed extract or pomegranate extract neutralize free radicals that cause damage to the skin and aging.

Are pores able to breathe?

Finely crushed pure mineral makeup allows the skin to breathe. Pores do not become clogged from using lightweight minerals and non-organic pigments. Whereas, heavier makeup can be absorbed into pores which can cause irritation, acne, and infection. With pure mineral makeup, sensitive skin conditions as acne, rosecea, and dry skin are soothed and not irritated.

More on anti-aging benefits

High quality pure mineral cosmetics are loaded with anti-oxidants such as grape seed extract that have anti-aging properties. Grape seed extract interrupts enzyme reactions that break down skin firming collagen. The mineral super oxide dismutase (SOD) has the property of neutralizing free radicals that age skin. In addition, vitamin A provides natural retention of moisture in skin.

Do mineral based cosmetics provide UVA-UVB protection?

Pure mineral based cosmetics use titanium dioxide as a natural sunscreen. Titanium dioxide acts as UVA-UVB protection reflecting light and protecting your skin in sunlight. Zinc is a natural anti-inflammatory. High quality mineral based cosmetics will stay on your skin when sweating or moderate swimming. So they have both SPF (sun protection) properties and water proofing properties. Most mineral based cosmetics have about SPF 15 on average.

What is the big deal about Nano sized particles?

Make-up that contains nano-sized particles are questionable as these particles are more easily absorbed into the body. Nano particles are useful in the cosmetic industry. For example, nano sized particles can encapsulate vitamin A and deliver it deeper into the skin. Nano sized ingredients are 10 to 1,000 times smaller than normally sized powder particles. Nano technology used in products are an important area of research and their impact on health and safety need to be further understood. There are conflicting opinions and research articles that have been published about using nano particles on the skin. Some state it is not a concern and others state it is something to worry about as nano-sized particles can be found in deeper tissues soon after skin contact. Another body of research points to inhalation of nano particles as a potential problem as well. Avoiding products with ingredients that have nano-sized particles is definitely a safer direction to take and be sure to look for products that ensure they do not use nano-particles.

What about fragrance in cosmetics?

Fragrances are the most common cause of irritation to the skin. Fragrances can be completely natural. However, most fragrances contain chemicals as phthalates that are used to make the scent last longer. Phthalates are unnatural and unhealthy. It is known that sometimes artificial chemical fragrances can accumulate in the body and breast milk. Fragrance formulas can trigger asthma and headaches. Be cautious when you look for an unscented product. Even though it is labeled unscented, an additional chemical may be used to cover up the original fragrance! So check the ingredients and become informed about your cosmetic products. You will find that pure mineral based cosmetics do not use fragrances.

Why aren’t preservatives used in pure mineral based cosmetics?

Cosmetics made from pure minerals and inorganic pigments that exist in nature do not need preservatives. Bacterial and fungal growth do not occur in completely dry pure mineral based cosmetics. Therefore, pure mineral cosmetics can be used for long term, up to two years. Preservatives are used in cosmetics that are not completely dry. These are subject to bacterial and fungal growth. Unfortunately, preservatives can cause irritation, acne, and infection to the skin. Preservatives are one of the main ingredients in most fragrances.

Are pure mineral based cosmetics good for the environment?

When friendly non-toxic ingredients are used in manufacturing products, the water systems are not contaminated as you wash the cosmetics off. Mineral based cosmetics are non-toxic and not based on non renewable resources as petroleum.

How do I find mineral based cosmetics that offer these qualities?

Many inexpensive cosmetics use an inferior grade of ingredients so be careful with checking what you are buying and putting on your largest organ, your skin. High quality pure mineral makeup will tend to use highest quality ingredients such as pharmaceutical grade minerals, certified organic antioxidants, and nano-free particles. Higher quality mineral cosmetics tend to last longer, and are a much much better value in the long run considering the value of your health. Look on the web for pure mineral makeup companies that ensure they are non-toxic, nano-free, and preservative-free. Always check product ingredients on the Mineral Foundation Ingredient List or the Environmental Working Groups Skin Deep Report.

We recommend high quality pure organic makeup such as afterglow cosmetics a completely natural brand of mineral makeup that can be found in the uk, sweden, norway, finland, germany, austria, denmark, and netherlands at carefreebeauty.eu or in the united states at carefreebeauty.us.



By: Rena Sperling

About the Author:
Written by: Rena Sperling. The carefreebeauty team can be contacted at questions@carefreebeauty.eu or carefreebeauty.eu and carefreebeauty.us for questions about natural organic mineral makeup. We recommend high quality pure organic makeup such as afterglow cosmetics