Not only is skinspot moving to a new physical location, skinspot moving blog locales. Oh boy, things are a changin' a the 'spot!
To read about skin, food, Portland and other ramblings check out: http://skinandotherthings.tumblr.com/
To come in and get beautified, as of March 1st, come to the new locale at: Common Health Pearl 1411 NW Raleigh Portland, OR 97209
At the new location there is also an acupuncturist, massage therapist and a chiropactor, so upon leaving Common health Health Pearl, one can have glowing skin, free flowing energy, loose muscles, and an adjusted spine. Deliciousness!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
I'm beginning to blend in with my white walls.
I caught a glimpse of my bare legs this morning and I was mildly horrified. I am white, casper-esque white. I usually tend to err on the whiter side. However, I think I've reached a new level whiteness. Have I said white enough in the last two sentences? Being an aesthetician, I would go straight to hell if I went to a tanning booth/bed and I live in Portland, so natural sunlight is not an option. with those two options eliminated, my only ali is tanning lotion. I must say I have not had the best of luck with bronzers and self- tanners. They usually stink, get on my clothes, or I always miss a spot (or 5). While I will admit, self tanners still have a ways to go, they have come along way.
As of now, my top two self tanners are:
1. St Tropez
2. Decleor
Tips to creating the perfect "tan":
1. Exfoliate with a grainy and chemical exfoliant. This means look for one that contains jojoba beads and glycolic or lactic acid
2. Use a riffi mitt with normal body wash, after using the exfoliant. This will up the exfoliating ante.
3. Shave. Shaving works as a wonderful exfoliant
4. Make sure your skin is completely dry
5. Apply a creamy lotion on all rough spots (ie palms, elbows, tops of feet, heels)
6. Apply self tanner of choice
7. Hangout in the nude for a good 10-15 minutes before applying clothes
8. Apply your lotion of choice, it keeps your "tan" last a wee bit longer
Happy Tanning!!!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
itchy?
In my blogs I usually cover facial, neck, and chest skin. I leave the body skin out time after time. My apologies, body. Well this blog is putting an end to that right this very minute. So with that said, in these cold, dry winter months, people get some serious itchy body skin on their normally silky, smooth skin. I'm here to tell you there are things you can do to redeem your velvety summer skin. Phew, thank the Lord for me. First and foremost, exfoliate. This is exactly what I said to do for facial dryness too. However, you can get more aggressive with the bod because the skin below the chest is remarkably tough.
My favorite exfoliating vehicles:
Riffi Mitts: These feel like brillo pads on the skin. At first, this doesn't conjure up the most pleasant of feeling, but I promise your body will crave it's hurt-so-good approach. You can squirt your body wash right on this guy and scrub away. This fella also works wonders to minimize or prevent in grown hairs. So if you're fixin' to get a bikini wax- use him! Riffi mitts are also superb because they stimulate the lymphatic system, which means you get sick less. These guys are also easy to clean- just throw them in the washing machine, but do not dry. Woo Hoo!
Another, more aggressive, exfoliating tool is a skin brush. If you really like the hurts-so-good feeling, then you will be pleased as punch with this guy. If you think you will not be a fan of the hurts-so-good feeling, I urge you to think about your itchy skin an how much you want to scratch it. Well, this is one big scratch- but in a really good way. Just writing about them, makes me want a rub down. I hope that's not weird. Skin brushes, also are big on stimulating blood flow, which means your body will heal faster. Skin brushes also assist in minimizing cellulite. Whata guy! Technically you are supposed to use this stellar feller on dry skin, prior to showering, but I have to admit, that I am too lazy to do such things. Instead, I throw body wash on it while in the shower and call it a day.
Of course another form of exfoliation, comes in the form of AHA's. If you would rather get a body wash with glycolic, lactic, or malic acid in it, then that could be used in place of a riffi mitt or a skin brush. Or you could go nuts and put your AHA containing body wash on a riffi mitt or skin brush. Bye, bye skin. I wouldn't recommend doing this on a daily basis, but once a week would be a great treatment. A great body wash for this is Image's Ageless Cleanser or Glytone's Exfoliating Body Wash Both of these cleansers work wonders on Keratosis Pilaris- those red bumps on the back of your arms.
My favorite after exfoliation treatments:
After you've exfoliated, whatever lotion you want to apply will work oh-so-much better because you've just removed a layer of dead skin that was acting as a shield to your lotion of choice. As far as body lotions, one of my favorites is Alba Organics Very Emollient Body Lotion for Dry Skin. This lotion has a few AHA's in it, so you're getting an additional exfoliation, but it is a mild one. I like the lotion because it goes on so quick and is not thick and greasy. However, some of you may be after thick and greasy. If that's the case, go for good old coconut oil. Coconut oil is a wonderful emollient and will make your skin glow, plus you will smell, faintly, like the beach. Yes, please!
Happy Scrubbing!!
My favorite exfoliating vehicles:
Riffi Mitts: These feel like brillo pads on the skin. At first, this doesn't conjure up the most pleasant of feeling, but I promise your body will crave it's hurt-so-good approach. You can squirt your body wash right on this guy and scrub away. This fella also works wonders to minimize or prevent in grown hairs. So if you're fixin' to get a bikini wax- use him! Riffi mitts are also superb because they stimulate the lymphatic system, which means you get sick less. These guys are also easy to clean- just throw them in the washing machine, but do not dry. Woo Hoo!
Another, more aggressive, exfoliating tool is a skin brush. If you really like the hurts-so-good feeling, then you will be pleased as punch with this guy. If you think you will not be a fan of the hurts-so-good feeling, I urge you to think about your itchy skin an how much you want to scratch it. Well, this is one big scratch- but in a really good way. Just writing about them, makes me want a rub down. I hope that's not weird. Skin brushes, also are big on stimulating blood flow, which means your body will heal faster. Skin brushes also assist in minimizing cellulite. Whata guy! Technically you are supposed to use this stellar feller on dry skin, prior to showering, but I have to admit, that I am too lazy to do such things. Instead, I throw body wash on it while in the shower and call it a day.
Of course another form of exfoliation, comes in the form of AHA's. If you would rather get a body wash with glycolic, lactic, or malic acid in it, then that could be used in place of a riffi mitt or a skin brush. Or you could go nuts and put your AHA containing body wash on a riffi mitt or skin brush. Bye, bye skin. I wouldn't recommend doing this on a daily basis, but once a week would be a great treatment. A great body wash for this is Image's Ageless Cleanser or Glytone's Exfoliating Body Wash Both of these cleansers work wonders on Keratosis Pilaris- those red bumps on the back of your arms.
My favorite after exfoliation treatments:
After you've exfoliated, whatever lotion you want to apply will work oh-so-much better because you've just removed a layer of dead skin that was acting as a shield to your lotion of choice. As far as body lotions, one of my favorites is Alba Organics Very Emollient Body Lotion for Dry Skin. This lotion has a few AHA's in it, so you're getting an additional exfoliation, but it is a mild one. I like the lotion because it goes on so quick and is not thick and greasy. However, some of you may be after thick and greasy. If that's the case, go for good old coconut oil. Coconut oil is a wonderful emollient and will make your skin glow, plus you will smell, faintly, like the beach. Yes, please!
Happy Scrubbing!!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
how to extract sir zit
If you spend hours analyzing and digging at your skin, then you, my friend are a picker. Most pickers pick in hopes of doing something to help speed up the healing process or to find some way to control a lesion. I've been there I totally understand the motivation. I understand the urge to pick, but oftentimes picking makes acne worse. Most people when picking, squeeze the pimple, which can actually cause the bacteria to spread to nearby follicles. When bacteria spreads this equals more pimples- exactly what we pickers do not want. Furthermore, most picking causes a scar, which makes it look like the acne is there for far longer than it actually is. With that said, people will still pick. It's human nature. I know better and I still cannot control the urge to get in there. So if you must pick at least pick in a way that warrants the best possible outcome. I've I used the word pick enough?
Here's how to pick (there's that word again):
1. Cleanse your skin in the shower for 1-2 minutes- preferably with a salicylic acid based cleanser. Salicylic acid helps to loosen the debris in the pore, so you can get at it. Salicylic is also antibacterial, so you're lessening the chance of any bacteria getting into the pore you're about to open.
2. If you're feeling extra skin savvy, while in the shower use an exfoliating mask. If you have lots of white heads and several lesions, then do not use a mask with grains or beads. A manual exfoliant can spread bacteria on skin with several acne lesions. However, if you have a few blackheads or 1-3 lesions, then a manual scrub would work. I am a big fan of masks containing alpha hydroxy acids. A few of my favorites: Cellex-C betaplex clear complexion mask. Warning: this mask is not for sensitive skin.
Image's total resurfacing mask. Again, this mask is not sensitive skin. If you have more sensitive skin, go for a mask with enzymes, they are gentle exfoliants. A few great masks containing enzymes are: Image's hydrating enzyme mask and June Jacob's papaya purifying mask. Leave this mask on while in the shower for 10-15 minutes. The steam from the shower helps to soften the pores, so they are more pliable. The more pliable your pores are the less likely you are to rupture a follicle while picking, which means bacteria will not travel to the next follicle over.
3. After getting out of the shower, prepare to extract (aka pick) by wiping down the area of attack with witch hazel. Witch hazel kills the bacteria on your skin without striping it.
4. Clean your hands very well then wrap your finger tips in kleenex to prevent your nails from digging in to your skin and cause scarring as well as preventing any bacteria in your nails from entering the lesion. Instead of squeezing the lesion, come on either side of the lesion and stretch the skin out then apply pressure. Note: cystic nodules are NOT extractable, so don't even try! Only go after white heads and black heads.
5. After you're done extracting, cleanse the skin with witch hazel again, to ensure you've cleaned up any existing bacteria on the skin.
6. Apply an antibacterial, clay-based mask to soak up any existing oil and bacteria. A great mask is Astara's blue flame mask. Leave this mask on for 10 min or over night if you're extracting at night. Note: you may only want to apply the mask to only the extracted lesion because it could be too drying for the rest of your skin. If you don't want to walk around with a glob of clay on face, apply an antibacterial ointment containing sulfur, tea trea or benzoyl peroxide. A few good recommendations for this are: Image's medicated acne lotion. And Good old Persa Gel. Note: both of these products contain benzoyl peroxide, which means they can bleach your linens, so use white linens when using these products.
7. Try not to put any additional products on your newly extracted lesion and keep your paws off of it until it heals!
Here's how to pick (there's that word again):
1. Cleanse your skin in the shower for 1-2 minutes- preferably with a salicylic acid based cleanser. Salicylic acid helps to loosen the debris in the pore, so you can get at it. Salicylic is also antibacterial, so you're lessening the chance of any bacteria getting into the pore you're about to open.
2. If you're feeling extra skin savvy, while in the shower use an exfoliating mask. If you have lots of white heads and several lesions, then do not use a mask with grains or beads. A manual exfoliant can spread bacteria on skin with several acne lesions. However, if you have a few blackheads or 1-3 lesions, then a manual scrub would work. I am a big fan of masks containing alpha hydroxy acids. A few of my favorites: Cellex-C betaplex clear complexion mask. Warning: this mask is not for sensitive skin.
Image's total resurfacing mask. Again, this mask is not sensitive skin. If you have more sensitive skin, go for a mask with enzymes, they are gentle exfoliants. A few great masks containing enzymes are: Image's hydrating enzyme mask and June Jacob's papaya purifying mask. Leave this mask on while in the shower for 10-15 minutes. The steam from the shower helps to soften the pores, so they are more pliable. The more pliable your pores are the less likely you are to rupture a follicle while picking, which means bacteria will not travel to the next follicle over.
3. After getting out of the shower, prepare to extract (aka pick) by wiping down the area of attack with witch hazel. Witch hazel kills the bacteria on your skin without striping it.
4. Clean your hands very well then wrap your finger tips in kleenex to prevent your nails from digging in to your skin and cause scarring as well as preventing any bacteria in your nails from entering the lesion. Instead of squeezing the lesion, come on either side of the lesion and stretch the skin out then apply pressure. Note: cystic nodules are NOT extractable, so don't even try! Only go after white heads and black heads.
5. After you're done extracting, cleanse the skin with witch hazel again, to ensure you've cleaned up any existing bacteria on the skin.
6. Apply an antibacterial, clay-based mask to soak up any existing oil and bacteria. A great mask is Astara's blue flame mask. Leave this mask on for 10 min or over night if you're extracting at night. Note: you may only want to apply the mask to only the extracted lesion because it could be too drying for the rest of your skin. If you don't want to walk around with a glob of clay on face, apply an antibacterial ointment containing sulfur, tea trea or benzoyl peroxide. A few good recommendations for this are: Image's medicated acne lotion. And Good old Persa Gel. Note: both of these products contain benzoyl peroxide, which means they can bleach your linens, so use white linens when using these products.
7. Try not to put any additional products on your newly extracted lesion and keep your paws off of it until it heals!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
dry skin got you down?
No matter where I live, every winter my skin is dry. I thought with living in rainy Portland, this problem would not occur. No such luck. I have to change my routine up a bit to avoid sir dry skin.
Here are some things you can do to bring that dewy skin back:
First and foremost, exfoliate. If your skin is covered in dead skin cells, you can slather all the moisturizer on you want, but only a small percentage will reach your thirsty skin. Best exfoliants are glycolic acid and lactic acid. Both of these exfoliants hydrate as they exfoliate- two for one! Hooray! If you have more durable skin, aim for the glycolic acid. If you're skin tends to err on the sensitive side, go for lactic. My favorite cleanser that contains glycolic acid, Glytone's mild gel wash. If you really want to shake things up, go for Image's ageless cleanser. My favorite lactic cleanser still remains PCA's facial wash.
After you have exfoliated, your skin is ready to absorb some hydrating goodness. Keep in mind there is a difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin. Dry skin is lacking oil and, often times, water too. Dehydrated skin is just lacking water. Dehydrated skin can be oily, but still be flaky and tight. In the winter most people are both dry and dehydrated, so to combat dehydration go for a serum containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate (plant derived hyaluronic acid), or B5. I'm a big fan of Image's total pure hyaluronic acid. This product can be added to your cream of choice to up the moisture ante or used as a serum underneath another product. If you're struggling with acne or acne prone, skip doing a serum and cream and go for a hydrating lotion. My all time favorite is Image's Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum. This serum is loaded with goodness. It has has oodles of vitamin c to brighten and protect your complexion. If you're on a budget and desperate for a good hydrator, I'm a big fan of all of CereVe's moisturizers. These can usually be purchased at any drugstore.
If you're truly dry (meaning lacking oil) then you need a cream with emollients. There are oodles of emollients out there. Some of my favorite are Vitamin E ( topherol), avocado oil, carrot oil, olive oil, and shea butter. Shea butter and olive oil can be used on Acne prone skin with out inducing a breakout. Two of my favorite emollient laden products are: Image's hydrating repair cream and Sweet Blessed Bee Magic Cream. I seriously put the Sweet Blessed cream everywhere. I use it has eye makeup remover, chapstick, hand cream and face cream. I love this product!!
To further alleviate your dry skin, get a hydrating facial!! They can do wonders in 60 minutes!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Ingredients to avoid if have a bun in the oven
GIANT DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, so any advice I give here, must be discussed with your medical professional.
Lately I've been seeing a lot of women who are newly pregnant or trying to get pregnant and they are experiencing acne for the first time in their life. Ahhhh hormones. This does happen because many women when trying to get pregnant have recently gone off birth control, which cause your hormones to readjust themselves. With that said, a lot of women experience a spike in androgens, which equals more oil production, which equals blemishes. Unfortunately, pregnant ladies cannot use the typical ingredients one would use to fight that dang blasted acne.
The 4 major ingredients to stay away from include:
salicylic acid (usually less than 2% is ok)
glycolic acid (some doctors are ok with this ingredient, some are not- usually mild percentages are acceptable)
retinoids (usually there's no negotiating this one)
Benzoyl Peroxide
The other problem women run into when they have a bun in the oven, is pigmentation. This has been dubbed as pregnancy mask, which manifests as brownish spots on the forehead, above the lip, cheeks, or all of the above.
Note: you don't have to be pregnant to experience this delightful condition. It's hormonally related, so often any flux in hormones can create it. It happens most often after a woman has gone on or off birth control, then goes out in the sun. The jury is still out as to why this happens, but it has been linked to a surge in estrogen.
The usual treatment for this condition is a combination of AHA's ( glycolic acid), hydroquinone, and retinol, and of course sunscreen (because the sun or any light brings it out). However, if you're pregnant you can only use one of those ingredients and that is sunscreen.
hydroquinone is a big no no to use while pregnant, as is retinol, glycolic acid is possible based on your doctor's insight.
So what does a gal do if she's expecting and experiencing breakouts and pigmentation?
There are a few ingredients to work with:
lactic acid- brightening, exfoliating, so it helps with pigmentation and acne
licorice root- helps to stop the pigmentation from reaching the surface of the skin
azelaic acid- (mild percentage) anti-bacterial, lightening and brightening. Great for acne and pigmentation.
willow bark- this is what salicylic is derived from, but a milder version. good for acne
enzymes- bromelain (pineapple) papain (papaya)- these guys work like little pac men to come in and eat the dead skin cells. great for brightening the complexion and helping to prevent acne.
mushroom extract & arbutin- helps to stop pigmentation from reaching the surface.
vitamin c- brightening, mildly exfoliating, and further protects the skin.
some products that contain these ingredients:
Is clinical cleanser
Is clinical white lightening serum
Is clinical active serum
- last I checked the entire IS clinical line was deemed safe for expecting mamas, but I would be nervous to use the Youth Complex by them. Before you buy check with your doctor.
other products:
Image's lightening serum -great for irritation, acne, and pigmentation)
Image's hydrating serum - great hydrator and gives your skin a good dose of vitamin c
Image's enzyme mask- use 1-2 times a week to help with pigmentation and acne
Lately I've been seeing a lot of women who are newly pregnant or trying to get pregnant and they are experiencing acne for the first time in their life. Ahhhh hormones. This does happen because many women when trying to get pregnant have recently gone off birth control, which cause your hormones to readjust themselves. With that said, a lot of women experience a spike in androgens, which equals more oil production, which equals blemishes. Unfortunately, pregnant ladies cannot use the typical ingredients one would use to fight that dang blasted acne.
The 4 major ingredients to stay away from include:
salicylic acid (usually less than 2% is ok)
glycolic acid (some doctors are ok with this ingredient, some are not- usually mild percentages are acceptable)
retinoids (usually there's no negotiating this one)
Benzoyl Peroxide
The other problem women run into when they have a bun in the oven, is pigmentation. This has been dubbed as pregnancy mask, which manifests as brownish spots on the forehead, above the lip, cheeks, or all of the above.
Note: you don't have to be pregnant to experience this delightful condition. It's hormonally related, so often any flux in hormones can create it. It happens most often after a woman has gone on or off birth control, then goes out in the sun. The jury is still out as to why this happens, but it has been linked to a surge in estrogen.
The usual treatment for this condition is a combination of AHA's ( glycolic acid), hydroquinone, and retinol, and of course sunscreen (because the sun or any light brings it out). However, if you're pregnant you can only use one of those ingredients and that is sunscreen.
hydroquinone is a big no no to use while pregnant, as is retinol, glycolic acid is possible based on your doctor's insight.
So what does a gal do if she's expecting and experiencing breakouts and pigmentation?
There are a few ingredients to work with:
lactic acid- brightening, exfoliating, so it helps with pigmentation and acne
licorice root- helps to stop the pigmentation from reaching the surface of the skin
azelaic acid- (mild percentage) anti-bacterial, lightening and brightening. Great for acne and pigmentation.
willow bark- this is what salicylic is derived from, but a milder version. good for acne
enzymes- bromelain (pineapple) papain (papaya)- these guys work like little pac men to come in and eat the dead skin cells. great for brightening the complexion and helping to prevent acne.
mushroom extract & arbutin- helps to stop pigmentation from reaching the surface.
vitamin c- brightening, mildly exfoliating, and further protects the skin.
some products that contain these ingredients:
Is clinical cleanser
Is clinical white lightening serum
Is clinical active serum
- last I checked the entire IS clinical line was deemed safe for expecting mamas, but I would be nervous to use the Youth Complex by them. Before you buy check with your doctor.
other products:
Image's lightening serum -great for irritation, acne, and pigmentation)
Image's hydrating serum - great hydrator and gives your skin a good dose of vitamin c
Image's enzyme mask- use 1-2 times a week to help with pigmentation and acne
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
A word about ingredients...
A lot of people when searching for skin care ingredients fear the ingredient declaration on the back of the product. And rightfully so, it may as well be written Italian. So here is a breakdown of some of the ingredients commonly found in your skin care products. Side note: refer to other posts to get a breakdown of other popular ingredients. In an effort to avoid repeating myself, I won't cover those stellar ingredients in this post. Ok so here we go....
Peptides show up on the ingredient dec as:
Acetyl Hexapeptide- 3 ( also shows up as Argirleline TM). this fella simmers down facial muscles, so they move less. The theory is if muscles move less, less lines show up on the face. This little gem is supposed to be like Botox TM in a bottle. It really isn't anywhere near the caliber of Botox TM, but it does help ease up those expression lines and it works really well to extend the life of your Botox TM treatment.
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide- 4 (also shows up as Matrixyl TM ). This steller feller is becoming known as retinol's sister- meaning it has similar properties as retinol without any of the irritation. This is a great ingredient to be on the prowl for if you're concerned with anti-aging, but have sensitive skin.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide- 7 (also shows up as Rigin TM ). This guy helps to control inflammation. This is good because inflammation ages the skin, so if it's controlled, so are the fine lines, laxity, and dullness that may creep up on your skin as your years creep up.
Minerals:
Copper: anti oxidant- which means your skin is protected to some degree from free radicals. Free radicals age the skin, so you want to be protected from them and they are everywhere. AHHH! This fella also promotes wound healing, so if you want to help your skin to avoid a scar after and injury, use copper!
Selenium- a very potent anti oxidant. Also used to control fungal infections- you'll see it in anti-dandruff shampoos.
Zinc- One of my faves. Offers a great sun protection. It's a physical block between you and the sun. This guy also helps in wound healing and helps to simmer inflammation, so it is great for rosacea prone or acne prone individuals. Honestly everybody can benefit from zinc. loooove zinc.
Others:
Green Tea Extract: potent anti-oxidant. A great guy to have in your skin care. Look for this ingredient in your sunscreen to amp up your sun protection.
Idebenone: Similar to Co-Q-10. Idebenone is more aggressive than Co-Q-10. Both ingredients are potent anti-oxidants, sometimes too potent because some people have found this fella a little too irritating. However, if your skin can tolerate it, it's a great ingredient. This ingredient also helps to lighten pigmentation.
Kinetin- popular in the Kinerase line. This is a plant hormone that helps to protect and regenerate the skin. This is a great option if you're concerned with anti-aging, but your skin is highly sensitive.
Lycopene- a carotenoid that protects the cell. Derived from tomatoes and a great ingredient to be added to your sunscreen.
Reservatrol- Derived from grape's skins. Think wine. This is a great anti oxidant. This guy also calms down inflammation. Woo hoo!
Squalene- derived from sharks and olive oil. This ingredient is designed to match the skin's own sebum and will not clog the pores. This is a great ingredient for acneic skin types who are experiencing extensive dryness due to aggressive skin care products. Also good for dry skin types.
Hyaluronic Acid- A humectant found in are skin naturally. However, as we age we lose oodles of it. Bummer. Babies skin looks so firm and plump due to this magical ingredient. his duded hydrates the skin via water, rather than oil. This is a great ingredient for all skin types!
There are way more ingredients out there, but hopefully this will help you understand your products a bit more. If there is a certain ingredient you have questions on, please don't hesitate to ask. If I don't know the answer, I'll find someone who does. :)
Peptides show up on the ingredient dec as:
Acetyl Hexapeptide- 3 ( also shows up as Argirleline TM). this fella simmers down facial muscles, so they move less. The theory is if muscles move less, less lines show up on the face. This little gem is supposed to be like Botox TM in a bottle. It really isn't anywhere near the caliber of Botox TM, but it does help ease up those expression lines and it works really well to extend the life of your Botox TM treatment.
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide- 4 (also shows up as Matrixyl TM ). This steller feller is becoming known as retinol's sister- meaning it has similar properties as retinol without any of the irritation. This is a great ingredient to be on the prowl for if you're concerned with anti-aging, but have sensitive skin.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide- 7 (also shows up as Rigin TM ). This guy helps to control inflammation. This is good because inflammation ages the skin, so if it's controlled, so are the fine lines, laxity, and dullness that may creep up on your skin as your years creep up.
Minerals:
Copper: anti oxidant- which means your skin is protected to some degree from free radicals. Free radicals age the skin, so you want to be protected from them and they are everywhere. AHHH! This fella also promotes wound healing, so if you want to help your skin to avoid a scar after and injury, use copper!
Selenium- a very potent anti oxidant. Also used to control fungal infections- you'll see it in anti-dandruff shampoos.
Zinc- One of my faves. Offers a great sun protection. It's a physical block between you and the sun. This guy also helps in wound healing and helps to simmer inflammation, so it is great for rosacea prone or acne prone individuals. Honestly everybody can benefit from zinc. loooove zinc.
Others:
Green Tea Extract: potent anti-oxidant. A great guy to have in your skin care. Look for this ingredient in your sunscreen to amp up your sun protection.
Idebenone: Similar to Co-Q-10. Idebenone is more aggressive than Co-Q-10. Both ingredients are potent anti-oxidants, sometimes too potent because some people have found this fella a little too irritating. However, if your skin can tolerate it, it's a great ingredient. This ingredient also helps to lighten pigmentation.
Kinetin- popular in the Kinerase line. This is a plant hormone that helps to protect and regenerate the skin. This is a great option if you're concerned with anti-aging, but your skin is highly sensitive.
Lycopene- a carotenoid that protects the cell. Derived from tomatoes and a great ingredient to be added to your sunscreen.
Reservatrol- Derived from grape's skins. Think wine. This is a great anti oxidant. This guy also calms down inflammation. Woo hoo!
Squalene- derived from sharks and olive oil. This ingredient is designed to match the skin's own sebum and will not clog the pores. This is a great ingredient for acneic skin types who are experiencing extensive dryness due to aggressive skin care products. Also good for dry skin types.
Hyaluronic Acid- A humectant found in are skin naturally. However, as we age we lose oodles of it. Bummer. Babies skin looks so firm and plump due to this magical ingredient. his duded hydrates the skin via water, rather than oil. This is a great ingredient for all skin types!
There are way more ingredients out there, but hopefully this will help you understand your products a bit more. If there is a certain ingredient you have questions on, please don't hesitate to ask. If I don't know the answer, I'll find someone who does. :)
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