Author Archive

The Pros and Cons of Eye Creams

Everyone is looking for the perfect answer to make their skin look better and in turn make themselves look years younger. But there is no easy fix – and in fact, it is important to be informed so that you don’t make any bad decisions when it comes to putting products on your skin – especially around the eye area. With so many options available in the marketplace it is difficult to know what the right solution is but here are some guidelines that should help you decide which eye cream is right for you. The Best Solutions Since your eye area is so delicate it is extremely important that you consider all the products available before choosing the one that fits your needs and can banish the dark circle around the eyes.

Here are some good options for you:

Vitamin A – This vitamin will help to keep your skin smoother and help to reduce wrinkles for a more youthful look.

Coenzyme Q10 – This is a potent natural antioxidant in the skin, but as we age it decreases. This ingredient in an eye cream will neutralize the free radicals that cause damage.

Hyaluronic Acid – This is a natural protein that is found in the skin, but it too decreases as we age leading to wrinkles. Eye creams with this ingredient will rejuvenate the skin and rehydrate it with needed moisture reducing wrinkles and dark circles.

Ceramides – Known as fatty molecules this ingredient in an eye cream will protect aging skin and keep it moisturized and well hydrated.

Vitamin C – This vitamin enhances the production of collagen so that the skin is suppler and firmer.Cucumber – This ingredient in an eye cream will soften the skin and reduce puffiness while it soothes the skin.

The Worst Solutions Just as there are good ingredients for eye creams, here are some that you should avoid:

Parabens – Often used as a preservative in products, this ingredient can be carcinogenic meaning they can cause cancer.Alpha

Hydroxy Acid – This is often found in products to exfoliate the skin, but should not be used in the delicate eye area as it will damage the skin and leave it more prone to sun damage.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – This ingredient will dry up the skin and if absorbed into the skin, it can cause damage to the lungs, heart and liver and some believe it can cause breast cancer.

Liquid Paraffin – This is another name for mineral oil that can clog the pores so it is difficult to cleanse them of toxins – thus increasing the chances of premature aging.

Octyl Stearate – This ingredient is often used as a thickener but it too can clog the pores of the skin thus increasing the chances of premature aging.

Posted by on February 15th, 2012 No Comments

The Best Blackhead Remover

The best blackhead remover is a comedone extractor, a low-cost gadget which eliminates blackheads with no bother as well as a curtailed danger of bleeding, maring, or contamination. One of the elements that make the comedone extractor the premier blackhead remover is that it may be applied in the comfort of your very own home, without paying the exorbitant fees that skin specialists charge for his or her services. A comedone extractor is a metal tool, a speck more substantial than a pair of tweezers. It has a straight shaft with one strand loop on each end. These loops are just a little different dimensions to target blackheads of different dimensions and shapes. To remove blackheads utilizing a comedone extractor, just apply one of the loopholes to the outside of the blackhead and then apply a small amount of pressure in a downward angle, i.e. towards your own chin. Be careful not to tug or scrape the comedone extractor along your own epidermis. The theory responsible for this blackhead remover is to remove the contents of the blackhead without causing tearing and traumatizing. That is actually one element that makes the comedone extractor the premier blackhead remover. It is actually considerably better than pressing blackheads, for instance, for the reason that whenever you squeeze a blackhead with your fingers you’re considerably more prone to rip it, or abrade it and cause bleeding. If you tear it or make it bleed, your imperfection will definitely appear much uglier for a considerably more lengthy period.

Yet another feature that makes the comedone extractor the greatest blackhead remover is just how inexpensive as well as user-friendly it is. One can easily use it in the comfort of your very own house rather than making a long (as well as pricey) trip to the skin doctor. You can expect a comedone extractor to cost approximately $ 20-25 instead of the hundreds or thousands that dermatological therapies cost.

Even though the comedone extractor is truly the premier blackhead remover, there are nevertheless several activities which you can do to acquire as much success as achievable when you use this. First, make sure the comedone extractor is sterile. It will certainly do you no good if you transfer bacterias from the extractor itself through your open pores. This might typically make things more serious. If you are not completely sure that it is germ-free, boil it in water for a couple minutes, let it air dry, and then use. It will guarantee sterility.

It also helps to steam your face before making use of the greatest blackhead remover. Since blackheads are made up of dead epidermis cells along with additional junk damming up your own skin’s pores, the more you can open up the pores by natural means, the more rubbish you will be able to get rid of. In order to steam treat your face, just boil a pan of water on the range, and hold your own head over and above it. Hanging a bath towel over your own head can easily help trap the steam so that more of it can certainly work in your own pores. Just please ensure that you do not give yourself a steam burn. You don’t need to stand so close that it hurts. Steaming serves to warm up and increase the size of the pores and makes way for the best blackhead remover to do its role promptly and successfully.

Posted by on January 18th, 2012 No Comments

Skin Care Ingredients That Can Cause You Harm

When looking at the marketplace today, you will find that many skin care products use similar ingredients. What many people do not realize is that some ingredients used in these products are selected because they are cheap or increase the shelf life. In some cases, they can even cause damage. You need to understand which components can do harm. The following list can be used as a guide to help you in your search.

The first item to be concerned about is Dioxane, which comes from coconut products, and can be easily absorbed into the skin. One of the most common forms of dioxane is named as a cancer causing agent by the State of California! You will have to look at the fine print on the ingredient list to find this one.

Another area where people have sensitivity is in the area of fragrances. It’s true that people like to smell nice, and fragrances can help with that. However, many fragrances are made from ingredients that are harmful if absorbed widely in the body. Since the skin is the largest organ in the body, you will be well advised to avoid selecting a product with perfumes or other fragrant substances.

Many good skin care products include natural oils to reinforce the skin barrier and improve moisture retention. One way manufacturers cut costs in by using lower quality oils such as mineral oil. The drawback to this approach for you is that this product prevents the movement of air between the skin layers. Once the movement of air has been stopped, the skin can begin to deteriorate and experience aging symptoms. Be on the lookout for this common ingredient.

Cancer causing agents would seem to be a likely category to avoid. However, not all skin care companies pay attention to research which indicates a potential for this risk. Again cost cutting is the primary motivation. One example of this is the use of parabens. These products have been studied extensively and shown to have a cancer risk, as well as contribute to allergies and rashes. While companies like to use this as a component, you should avoid it.

A key feature to look for are moisturizing ingredients that nurture and support the skin. Unfortunately, certain cleansing products are prone to using alcohols which can create drying and irritation issues. Once the outer layers get dried out, this opens you up to a chance for disease to creep in.

Hormones are another area of potential concern. The body produces many hormones which are vital to normal body functions, but some manufacturers add artificial hormones to try and reproduce the health effect of normal hormones. If you are susceptible to hormone imbalance, keep an eye on this.

Emollients are used extensively to provide reinforcement for the skin barrier, which in turn improves the retention of vital moisture. The pitfall here is that many emollients are oil based. If you have an oily skin condition, using oil based emollients will aggravate your condition. If you have an oily complexion, be aware of this issue.

Now you are more aware about the potential pitfalls that await you in skin care products in the marketplace. Use these guidelines as a way to take measure of the creams and lotions you find at the drugstore or department store, and become familiar with the good brands and ones to avoid. In a short time, you will have a list of products that you can use with confidence.

Posted by on January 4th, 2012 No Comments

3 Common Reasons for Stretch Marks

If you have never had stretch marks and want to avoid them, it may be of some help to know about the most common causes. From there, if certain factors wind up in your life, at least you can take steps to mitigate the development of stretch marks as much as possible. This may involve using special ointments or even slowing down your progress on a fitness goal until the deeper layers of skin have a chance to accommodate the changes.

Pregnancy

As you may be aware, the vast majority of women that suffer from stretch marks get them during pregnancy. Typically, these marks will develop along the lower abdomen and thighs. If you want to avoid or reduce these marks during pregnancy, you will need to make use of skin moisturizers. As long as your skin in these areas remains elastic, you will have a better chance of preventing the dermal layer from tearing. Unfortunately, if creams don’t work, you may wind up with these marks that turn into permanent scars before the baby is delivered.

Rapid Weight Gain and Loss

Regardless of your age, putting on excess weight too fast will also lead to stretch marks. In fact, this is the main reason why children and teens wind up with these kinds of scars. Aside from using stretch mark creams if you are gaining weight too quickly, you should also make it your business to try and control weight gain as much as possible. At the very least, you can talk to your doctor in order to find out why you are gaining weight. For example, if you have a thyroid condition, or need to obtain access to a sensible diet, your doctor can easily direct you to appropriate sources of information.

Muscle or Body Building

Oddly enough, many people fail to realize that expanding muscles will also require rapid expansion of skin to cover them. Even if you are overweight, trading fat for muscle will put stress on regions where muscles are increasing in size. Therefore, if you are planning to take up a body building regimen, you should ask about methods for reducing stretch marks. Without a question, if you want to look good on the beach, or in any other location, preventing stretch marks is bound to be very important.

Many people who have these marks find themselves wishing they could have found a way to avoid getting them. While these same people would not give up their children or a muscular physique, they would most likely take advantage of creams, massages, and other methods to help make the skin more elastic. Therefore, if you are thinking about having a child, increasing muscle mass, or find you are gaining weight too fast, you should consider using stretch mark creams that have good comments and feedbacks from users. At the very least, if you can prevent larger skin tears from occurring, you will have a better chance of getting rid of the scars later on with other treatment methods.

Posted by on December 14th, 2011 No Comments