Skin Care News

Tips for Smoother Skin - Part II

Posted on June 15, 2009 with 4 Comments

In the first post on smoother skin, we talked about the “top 3″ of proper care - cleansing, hydrating (moisturizing), and treating.  Each are equally important to prevent enlarged pores, avoid rashes and keep your complexion soft and smooth.

Not to get to detailed, but we (the consuming public and manufacturers) can break down each of these areas and take a closer look at some things that work and some that don’t - and why.

There are a lot of skin care products for smoother skin - they come in a wide range of applications, mix of ingredients and a multitude of bases.  The market has been segmented to the extreme as everyone looks for the miracle product that will make us look younger.  Cream, abrasions, exfoliators and moisturizers all vie for the dollar you are going to spend. 

But do they work?…do they help?…really?  Well as a researcher, formulator and manufacturer, I would argue that it depends on the ingredients and what your goal is.  I’m ot trying to talk in circles, but that’s what it boils down to. 

For instance, moisturizers have been considered a regimen staple going back a long time.  I remember my Mom applying a mask every night.  The general purpose is to rehydrate the tissue.  Even years ago, we recognized dryness and tightening and believed re-hydration was good.  In fact, it was and is.  The cool thing now is we have so many more effective ingredients than 40 years ago.

In the past 10 years, the most popular ingredient for moisturizers has become Hyaluronic Acid.  It has found its was into wrinkle creams, solutions for skin rashes, burn treatments, and for chronic or acute drying.  It is naturally found in our cells and becomes increasingly depleted as we age. 

Many biologist and dermatologists believe it is the accumulated effects of free-radical damage that causes us to lose and produce less hyaluronic acid.  If so, it certainly is a convenient response to why tissue becomes thin, dry, and wrinkled as we continue to age.  So, to re-hydrate and moisturize look for creams or serums with Hyaluronic Acid.  The effects are almost immediate.

Another couple of ingredients to loo for are Aloe and Emu Oil.  Aloe most of us are familiar with.  It makes a great base for a cream - especially serums.  Its widely used in beauty and anti-aging products - working well for facial and wrinkle solutions, especially as an eye smoother.

Emu oil is less well known, but has become a premier (and fairly expensive) ingredient for pitted acne scar treatment, burns, and stretchmarks.  I’ve put up a few posts regarding Emu Oil, and at the risk of oft repeating myself, it is great.  It has been used for years in Australia and New Zealand for wound healing.  It deep moisturizes, and clinical studies have shown it is super-effective at both repairing and improving the complexion.  A pretty good combo.

So, there are a few things you should look for when considering products for smoother skin. Each help soften, reduce enlarged pores, help retian moisture, and in some cases, help purify tissue to rid bacteria, oil and dirt.

Tips for Smoother Skin - Part I

Posted on April 14, 2009 with 1 Comment

I guess we have all been deluged with advice on keeping our complexion smooth and soft.  But here are a couple of ideas, in fact reminders, to increase softness while reducing premature aging and wrinkles.

1. Keep it Clean - Pores enlarge and become clogged when dirt and oil become trapped.  Microscopic bacteria and fungus can grow enlarging the pore’s size and compounding the problem.  Wash your face daily with an herbal-based cleanser that is not harsh on the skin.  Avoid makeup and cosmetics periodically.  My wife generally takes a day or two every few weeks not wearing makeup and she says it works great.
2. Moisturize - While this seems pretty obvious, moisturizers, especially at night, reclaim lost hydration.  Some creams can irritate and are fairly ineffective at reducing dry skin.  I’ll review several products in later posts.
3. Treatment - If you have chronically dry skin or have had excessive sun exposure, products with Hyaluronic Acid work very well at providing “instant” moisture - fighting skin rashes, dryness, and problems like rosacea and acne.

Pretty basic, uh?  The trick is consistency and adjusting your regimen to your skin type and any specific problems you might have.  I’ll make a few recommendations for enlarged pores and wrinkles later.