Facts About AHA
Posted on June 29, 2008
Filed Under Cosmetics | Leave a Comment
What does it AHA mean?
AHA is the short term for alpha hydroxy acid. Cosmetic makers claim that AHAs lessen wrinkles. They say that they soften other signs of aging, too.
Many people have had skin problems after using AHAs. They have sent complaints to the FDA about:
- Redness
- swelling
- burning
- blisters
- bleeding
- rash
- itching
- changes in skin color
Can I use AHA products safely?
- Protect your skin from the sun while you are using the product and for a week after you stop using it.
- Buy only products that contain 10 percent AHAs or less.
- Buy only products with pH of 3.5 or more.
- Do a test first on a small patch of skin.
- Stop using the product if you have itching, burning, swelling or other problems.
- See your skin doctor (called a dermatologist) if you have problems.
Source: FDA Consumer Health Information
What You Should Know About Cosmetics
Posted on June 29, 2008
Filed Under Cosmetics | Leave a Comment
People use cosmetics to look and smell good. These products can range from eye shadow to deodorants. They can have many different ingredients. FDA does not test cosmetics before they are put in stores. The law they must be safe if used in the usual way, or the way the label says to use them.
How do allergies start?
Some people may react to something in a product, For example, they may have itching, redness, rash, sneezing, or wheezing. Allergies may happen the first time you use a product or after you have used it more than once.
What should I do if I have a bad reaction to a cosmetic?
First, call your doctor to find out how to take care of the problem.
You also can report a problem to FDA. You can find your nearest FDA district office on at http://www.fda.gov/ora/fed_state/Small_business/sb_guide/regions.htm) or in the blue pages of your phone book.
Are “testers” at makeup counters safe?
Lots of people use the testers at makeup counters. Testers can have lots of germs because so many people use them. Do you want to test a product at the counter anyway? If so, use a new sponge or cotton swab.
Are labels important?
Yes! Always read them carefully. The law says a label must tell you:
- What the product is.
- If there are things to know about how to use the product safely.
- How much of the product the package contains.
- What company makes the product or distributes it.
Also, if it is sold at retail to consumers, there must be a list telling what’s in the product. Usually this is on the label. In any case, it should be in a place where you can see it when you buy it.
How do I know if it’s a cosmetic or a drug?
If a product is meant to keep you from getting sick, make you well, or change the way your body works, it is a drug. For example, products to treat dandruff and pimples are drugs. The law treats them differently from cosmetics.
For example, they have different rules for how ingredients are listed. Some products are both cosmetics and drugs. For example, a shampoo that is just for washing your hair is a cosmetic. A product for stopping dandruff is a drug. A shampoo that is used for washing your hair and stopping dandruff is both a cosmetic and a drug. It must follow the rules for both cosmetics and drugs.
Source: FDA Consumer Health Information
UV Rays and Your Skin
Posted on May 25, 2008
Filed Under Facial Skincare | Leave a Comment
The sun is one of the key enemies of the skin. Although sunlight helps the skin synthesize vitamin D (cholecalciferol), excessive and prolonged exposure to the sun causes damage and wrinkling.
How does the sun cause such damage?
Sunlight that passes through earth is composed of visible light and ultraviolet light (UV). UVA and UVB Light are one of the most common ultraviolet lights. UV lights falls outside the visible light spectrum, meaning, the human eye cannot see this type of light and can only be seen using a sophisticated tool which detects different light wavelength across the light spectrum.
The difference between the two UV light lies in their ability to damage skin cells. UVB light doesn’t get through the deeper layer of the skin and accounts for visible burns and DNA damage across the top layer of the skin.
UVA light, on the other hand, penetrates through the deeper layer of the skin and activates free radicals (very reactive substances), which cause small damages to the skin. Cumulative damage accounts for the skin’s premature aging
Applying Foundation
Posted on May 25, 2008
Filed Under Facial Skincare | Leave a Comment
The first step when applying foundation is to ensure that you shake the bottle well.This is particularly important when using oil based foundations as they tend to separate.
If you haven’t already applied some moisturizer to your face then add a touch of moisturizer to your palm (just a few drops will do) and mix it with the foundation that you will also apply to your palm.
Once this is well mixed, take some of the foundation and the end of your fingers or a small sponge and dot it about your cheeks, chin, forehead and nose.
With sufficient foundation in these areas you can start to smooth it over your face.
Gently blend the foundation over your face in an upward and outward motion.
Be sure that you don’t miss any areas and in particular the sides of your nose. Blend it well where your nose and cheeks meet as it is quite easy in this area to get a build up a foundation that can look unsightly.
Other areas that need special attention are under your eyebrows and around the jaw line.
Make sure that you blend the foundation just below the jaw line.
When you’re finished gently blot your face with a tissue to ensure that there is no excess oil left on your skin.
A good application of foundation should look very natural and not as though it has being plastered on.
In addition to using the correct procedure for applying a foundation you must choose a foundation that is suitable for your skin type and your skin coloring.
If you can’t find a foundation that blends well with your skin coloring it might be necessary for you to get two foundations and mix them together for your own custom blend.
As foundation is the base for all your makeup it is essential that you get this step right.
The Benefits Of Face Masks
Posted on May 16, 2008
Filed Under Facial Skincare | Leave a Comment
Face masks are another treatment used for cleansing and rejuvenating the skin. There are various types and the most common of these are the clay or mud masks, epidermal treatment masks, non-hardening masks and peel-off masks.
We will look briefly at each type of mask starting with clay or mud masks.
Mud masks are used as a way to remove impurities from the skin including flaking skin, dead skin cells and even excess oil.While these are only temporary measures they do go someway to cleansing the skin and that can only be good for you.
The mud is applied to the skin and allowed to harden for between 15 and 45 minutes. After this the mask is washed from the skin along with the impurities.
Depending on the type of mask that you purchase they can have added ingredients that will assist with the cleansing process.
Epidermal treatment masks are somewhat more convenient and for many people more effective.They consist of sheets that are applied to the skin.
These sheets have ingredients infused in them that assist in face cleansing. These ingredients often include moisturizers, antioxidants and alpha hydroxy acids.
These are good for people who have sensitive skin as they can deliver the required cleansing properties with less chance of irritation.They are excellent for the removal of blackheads where strips are placed on the affected area and left to react with the dirt and sebum. When the strip has done its job and is removed from the skin the grime will be removed with the strip.
Non-hardening masks are applied to the area to be cleaned and left for a few minutes before being removed with a cloth along with any impurities. Non-hardening masks are ideal for people with sensitive skin and can be used more often than the other types of masks.
The final mask in this group is the peel-off mask.These masks are also very convenient as they come in a tube or a bottle as a gel and can be spread over the skin and once again left for a short while until they dry thereby forming a skin.
This ’skin’ is then peeled off the face along with the impurities that were in the pores of the face.There are various strengths of peel-off masks and while there are many that can be used on most skin types, people with sensitive skin need to test first to see whether a particular brand might be too intense.
Concealers
Posted on May 16, 2008
Filed Under Facial Skincare | Leave a Comment
Concealers can do wonders for covering up many different problem areas of the skin.
They can do wonders for hiding tiny veins and blemishes on the skin for those people who do not or will not have laser treatment to fix these problems.
They are also excellent for hiding the natural shadows that many people have in areas of the face and in particular below the eyes.
Concealers don’t actually improve any problems; they just hide them from view.
So you’re not likely to get rid of dark circles under the eyes by regularly using concealers but they can do wonders for that area of the face where the skin is particularly thin.
To apply concealer around your eyes place a small amount on your finger tip and then gently dab it on the skin before smoothing it from the outside corner inwards and back again.
Be careful not to stretch the skin in this area as the skin is very thin and easily damaged.The most important thing about using concealers is to ensure that you blend it in very well.Concealers can be used either under or over foundation but no matter where you use them they must be blended for a natural look.
A cream concealer will generally be the type most suitable for the majority of people as the liquid concealers are often difficult to work with and a stick concealer risks the possibility of stretching and damaging your skin.
If you’re using a concealer to cover up blemishes on your skin it is wise to check throughout the day to see whether additional blending might be necessary as your makeup begins to wear off.
When this happens the areas that have been covered with a concealer become more obvious and that is precisely what you don’t want to happen.
Skincare Dont’s: Is It Possible to Be Too Clean?
Posted on May 4, 2008
Filed Under Facial Skincare | Leave a Comment
Are you guilty of any of the “skincare don’ts.”
We all want beautiful, healthy-looking skin. But did you know that some of the things you do every day, things you might have thought were good for your skin, were actually damaging it?
And it’s not just the tips your friends gave you that might be false. A lot of the expert advise that has been handed out over is also proving to be less than accurate.
Here are a few skincare don’ts you should keep in mind.
Don’t Wash Your Face Too Often
You have probably heard it a million times. Clean skin is healthy skin. The cleaner your skin is, the fewer breakouts and blemishes you are likely to have.
In many ways, this is true. However, there is such a thing as being too clean. Washing your face too often will rob it of natural moisture, which you definitely don’t want to do.
If you wash your face twice a day, and your face feels dry and tight after one or both washings, you probably should switch to washing once a day. Unless you have oily skin, one wash a day should be enough to get your face clean.
Don’t Use Products That Contain Alcohol
A lot of beauty products contain alcohol for its cleaning and antiseptic properties. The problem is that alcohol can strip and dry out your skin, robbing it of natural oils and moisture.
Get into the habit of reading the labels of your beauty products. If a product contains alcohol, put it back on the shelf.
Don’t Scrub Your Face
We all have the subconscious belief that scrubbing the counter just a little bit harder, or using just a little more elbow grease when we clean the bathtub, will get it that much cleaner. But this is not a principle you should be using when cleaning your face.
Scrubbing your face won’t get it any cleaner. Instead, it will rob your skin of oils, and probably cause irritation. When washing your face, a gentle touch is best.
Mixing and Matching Is an Iffy Proposition
There is nothing wrong with mixing products from different lines, using a cleanser from one line, and a moisturizer from another. But the products from the same line are usually created with similar ingredients, and made to work together. So using products from one line, like the Avon Anew Anti-Aging Skincare System is sometimes best.
The right skincare can make all of the difference. And keeping these skincare don’ts in mind will help to keep your skin looking younger, healthier, and more beautiful.
Products Just Right for Your Skin. GreatSkin.com’s Free SkinCare Analysis
Caring For Freckles
Posted on May 4, 2008
Filed Under Facial Skincare | Leave a Comment
Freckles are tiny, black spots that tend to be sprinkled over your face, especially the nose, cheekbones and forehead, usually occurring in fairer people, due to excessive exposure to the sun.
For individuals vulnerable to freckles, the first thing to do is to avoid the sun. Use a heavy sunscreen whenever exposed to the sun, besides wearing a protective veil or sunglasses to shield yourself. To cure and lighten the freckles, it is also helpful to use face packs in a combination of lemon and turmeric, as both of these are lightening agents.
In addition, a freckled skin also needs intensive moisturizing. A generous combination of cleansers, creams and facemasks containing extracts of aloe, cactus and seaweed need to be used. Besides, some beauty therapists have also found products like anti-freckles lotions and ointments to be highly effective for the treatment of freckles.
Products Just Right for Your Skin. GreatSkin.com’s Free SkinCare Analysis
Teen Acne Skin Care Tips
Posted on April 25, 2008
Filed Under Acne | Leave a Comment
The teenage years can be some of the most difficult that we have to go through in our life. Unfortunately, these years are often punctuated with skin conditions that show up on the most visible part of our body, our face. The crazy thing is that nobody seems to know what actually causes acne in the first place.
Many doctors feel that it is hormonal in nature but there are others that say it has everything to do with conditions that range from chronic dehydration to liver problems. Regardless of why we get the acne, however, it is important for you to understand the basics of teen acne skin care in order to keep your complexion relatively clear.
In order to mount the best offense against the acne that you are experiencing, it is often necessary for you to go on the defensive. Don’t wait for a breakout to appear before you try to take care of your skin. Get some cleansers that are available on the market and keep your face clean even when it is not showing a problem. If you keep some of the oily skin at bay, you may actually be able to keep the acne from showing up in the first place.
If you are having a problem with an active acne breakout, you need to treat it especially quickly and persistently. Many times, you will be able to use the same cleansers that you use whenever you are not experiencing a breakout.
You should also try various forms of medication or perhaps some natural cures in order to see if you can shorten the length of the breakout. This is also important because if the breakout gets too severe, it could cause acne scarring which will last throughout your lifetime.
Aside from some of the prescription medications that are available, you can also try the following cure for natural teen acne skin care. Make up a solution of vinegar and sea salt and spread it on the affected area three times a day. Allow it to dry for 10 minutes and then wash it off with clean, clear water.
As long as you have the water out, make sure that you drink it as staying hydrated will do a lot to help you to overcome any acne that you are experiencing. Anything that you do in order to help will make an improvement and if you are a persistent, you may be able to get rid of the acne altogether.
Check Out The T.E.S.S. (Teen Everyday Skincare System) Brand Skin Care Products From GreatSkin
Know The Basics Of Psoriasis
Posted on April 25, 2008
Filed Under Psoriasis | Leave a Comment
Psoriasis is one of the most common skin conditions, which is important for you to learn in case you are keen to maintain the health of your skin. Though not very hazardous or fatal, yet Psoriasis is a fairly common skin condition and can affect almost anyone.
This type of an inflammatory condition of the skin is basically characterised by the appearance of red and scaly patches on the skin, known as psoriatic plaques. These spots become the centre point of inflammation and excessive skin production.
Gradually, the skin begins to accumulate at these spots and starts taking on a silvery-white appearance, usually appearing on the skin of elbows, knees, scalp or genitals.
What you also need to remember is that Psoriasis can often turn chronic and can range from minor localised patches to the complete body coverage. In order to keep away from this condition, the best you can do is to steer away from infections, stay hygienic and be generally alert about any warning signals.
keep looking »