the-beauty-biz.com

Marilynn Syrett asked:


Men have been notorious of being careless with their skin. Their skin care regimens seldom go beyond soap and water.

However, lately there has been increased awareness among men about the needs and requirements of their skin and this has fuelled a market segment consisting of special skin care products for men. There is such an extensive range of men’s skin care products available in the market that it gets difficult sometimes to make a sane choice.

While some prefer to try out a variety of skin care products to see what works for them, others stick to one particular product and hope it does the trick. Choosing skin care products that work well for your particular skin can be a daunting task. This is because there is plethora of options available, all of them claiming to be the best and promising to do wonders to the skin. In midst of all these, how do you know what the best skin care product is for you.

Here are 5 points you should consider while buying skin care products for men.

Know Your Skin Type

Before you go about finding skin care products, you should know what exactly your skin needs. And this can only be assessed by knowing your skin type. Is it normal, dry, oily, combination or sensitive? Skin care products are designed to address the specific requirements of the various types of skin. For example, dry skin needs more moisture, oily skin needs controlled exfoliation, acne prone skin needs bacteria fighting ingredients that heal acne and so on. Determining your skin type will let you know what skin care products best suit you.

Get a Men’s Cleanser

Cleansers are a very important part of the skin care regimen. And since men’s skin is intrinsically different from women’s they need special cleansers designed for their specific gender. Men generally have bigger skin pores than women and accumulate comparatively more dirt and debris. Thus they need a tougher cleanser that can flush out the toxins and clean the skin well.



Include a Toner & Moisturizer in your Regimen

Most people fail to realize the importance of toners in the skin care regimen and prefer not to use it at all. Men’s skin succumbeds to harsh treatments like shaving and this disrupts the pH balance of the skin. Toners not only help balance the pH levels of the skin but also ensure that the skin pores are absolutely clean and no residue of cleanser is left behind.

Additionally, when the skin is stripped ofnatural moistures due to shaving and cleansing, using a moisturizer hydrates the skin and restores the lost moisture. However, if you have oily or acneic skin, use a lightweight oil-free moisturizer. Moisturizers relieve skin dryness and prevent premature aging of the skin and keep wrinkles and fine lines at bay.

Buy Skin Treatment Products

If you have severe skin conditions like acne, anti-aging concerns or so on, make sure you buy specialized skin treatment products rather than general skin care products. This is because treatment products address specific skin concerns, go to the root level of the problem and cure the same.

Obagi Clenziderm M.D. Acne Therapeutic System for Normal to Oily Skin – It is a three step system that identifies and treats the primary causes of acne and help promote a clear skin. The system includes:

Obagi Daily Care Foaming Cleanser (4 fl. oz) – To clean off all the dirt and debris from the skin and reveal brighter skin from within

Obagi Pore Therapy (4 fl oz) – To clean the skin pores of dirt and oil residues

Obagi Serum Gel (1.8 fl oz) – To deep cleanse and treat acne with benzoyl peroxide

Obagi Clenziderm M.D. Acne Therapeutic System for Normal to Dry Skin is the same thing as above but it treats acne concerns on normal and dry skin types. The system includes:

Obagi Daily Care Cream Cleanser (6.5 fl oz) – To remove the excessive oil residues and dirt

Obagi Therapeutic Lotion (1.6 fl. oz.) – To remove acne and prevent further breakouts and inflammations

Obagi Therapeutic Moisturizer (1.7 fl oz) – To moisturize and hydrate your skin

Buy Suitable Shaving Products

Make sure the shaving products that you buy suit your epidermis type and care for your specific skin condition. Shaving products generally are comprised of three major components – Pre-Shave, Shaving Creams and Aftershave. All these products have moisturizing and conditioning agents that hydrate the skin and enhance its quality.



Verene

michelle asked:


What does toner do? Should people with sensitive skin use it?
Im 14 years old so im kinda new to skin care and such.
10 points! Thanks so much for any answer!

Yue-Min

Vijay Raisinghani asked:


You will find a flood of night cream brands advertised in slick magazines and television. It is much better to go through a reliable organic night anti-aging cream review rather than wasting your time and money experimenting with numerous brands. This article shall provide you key insights on organic night cream reviewed and how you can find the best skin care.

Here are some important things to consider when you look at organic night anti-aging cream reviews –

1) It would be interesting for you to know that night is an excellent time for effective skin care. Our whole body, including the skin goes through the process of repairing and rejuvenation while you are asleep.

Damaged skin cells are replaced with new ones. You can significantly help in this rejuvenation process by using an effective organic night anti-aging cream.

2) In the general night creams available in the market, you will find the use of a lot of harmful chemicals such as alcohols, parabens, fragrances, dioxanes and mineral oils. These are cheap substitutes for natural ingredients, and they cause a lot of disastrous health consequences. Avoid them at any cost.

3) Organic ingredients are more compatible with the skin. They are easily absorbed and assimilated. So they work from deep within and perform long lasting skin rejuvenation. And make sure that they are present in active concentrations of more than 50% in the night creams. Anything less than that, and you have a useless and ineffective night cream in hand.

Look out for cutting edge amazing natural ingredients such as Cynergy TK, Phytessence Wakame and Nano-Lipobelle H EQ10. They have been considered the best in organic night anti-aging cream reviews when it comes to anti-aging and skin rejuvenation.

You can achieve dramatic results in your skin health while you’re asleep. This is achieved by the action of an effective night cream that works together with the body and aids in its natural healing process. So, when you wake up each morning, you find your skin younger and more vibrant with health.

Visit my website to find out more about organic night cream reviewed in this article.

Find out what natural ingredients you should look out for and what harmful substances you should avoid in the best night creams, so that you can achieve a young, beautiful and naturally glowing skin most effortlessly.



Marice

Ellen Agius asked:


Are you wondering which are the best anti aging treatments and ways to rejuvenate your skin?

What can be done about existing lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin? Traditionally the only solutions available have been painful and expensive cosmetic surgeries, toxin injections, and harsh chemical peels. Each of which has a long list of potentially dangerous side effects.

Recent scientific breakthroughs have allowed for the development of more gentle cosmetic products that can reduce saggy skin as well as facial lines and wrinkles without the risks involved with other more traditional procedures. Probably you are confused with all the different ingredients that we can find in anti aging skin care products, and with so many choices, we don’t even know where to start.

Aging is related to accumulation of damage at the cellular level. Offenders include environment, free radicals, and chemicals. The best way to deal with aging skin is to ensure that you take a proactive approach to skin care and follow a few simple steps to help prevent the early onset of aging and keep your skin hydrated and moisturised.

STEP 1. Use A Preservative Free Paraben Free Skin Care System

The major key in reducing aging skin and restoring youthful lustre is to avoid preservatives in your skin care products. Preservatives, methylparaben in particular, have been shown to increase the damage to skin caused by UV light, thus increasing the aging of skin.

If you want to prevent aging of your skin you really need to be aware of what you are putting on your skin. While many companies claim their products are “all natural” and of the “finest quality,” a close look at the ingredients reveals they contain toxic synthetic preservatives, ‘suspected’ carcinogens, drying alcohols, and synthetic fragrances and dyes. So make an educated decision to use products that contain absolutely no preservatives. A good book to refer to is “The Truth About Cosmetics…And Some Natural Alternatives” by Haru Naito.

Until recently, most skin care products around the world have contained preservatives that promote skin aging. However, new skin care technology has developed and there are now a few unique skin care ranges on the market that have eliminated preservatives with the goal to support the skin’s state of wellness and protect the skin from premature aging. (www.revolutionaryskincare.info).

In fact a world’s first water-based skincare line has been recently released in Japan, Australia and the US which uses a revolutionary patented water filtration system where fungus and bacteria cannot grow thus eliminating the need for any preservatives. You can receive a free report and skin care brochure at www.preservativefreeskincare.info

STEP 2. Keep Your Skin Clean

Cleanse your skin with a gentle exfoliating cleanser. Make sure you do not leave on make up or allow residue to build up on your skin. This will lead to increased stress on your skin and can cause pores to clog and become infected.

The key here is not to rub, scrape, or be overly abrasive in the process. You will require a gentle cleanser that contains a fine abrasive to get into your skin pores and remove bacteria and soil.

STEP 3. Keep Your Skin Properly Hydrated.

Hydrating aging skin and helping it to retain moisture are the keys to reducing and preventing wrinkles. Water provides hydration to our skin. So you require a skin care line that can provide water to your skin cells and plump them up like a grape rather than shrivelled up and dry like a sultana. Look at the hydration rates of the skin care product you are using and the clinical proven results. Also many skin care products use carriers to take the moisturising ingredients into the cells. You need to ensure that no carrier chemicals are used which can be absorbed into your circulation and can cause serious health issues.

STEP 4. Nourish your skin with healthy ingredients

Nourishing the skin with the proper ingredients is also important.

Use skin care that delivers only healthy nutrients that can protect your skin from premature aging, stress and dryness. Many plants in the world have long been recognized for their therapeutic health benefits. Just make sure the ingredients are natural plant foods or certified organic ingredients. Today many scientific studies demonstrate the numerous benefits of using specific botanicals that provide nourishing properties that assist your body in renewing healthy moisture enhanced skin tissues. This is the foundation of a preservative free skincare product line.

STEP 5. Use A Wrinkle Cream That Is Proven To Work

Wrinkles and spots are normally too deep to be effected by skin care products, but not now with the recent advancement in skin care technology skin cells can be corrected from damage done and create new healthy skin cells.

An anti-wrinkle cream lessens the appearance of your wrinkles, depending on how often you use it, the type and amount of active ingredient in the wrinkle cream and the extent of the wrinkles you want to treat.

Do they work? Consider these points when judging the merits of using a wrinkle cream: Ensure the skin care system you use has been subjected to research and clinical trials to prove their benefit. You’ll likely need to use the wrinkle cream once or twice a day for many weeks before noticing improvements. Remembering that skin cells rejuvenate every 28 days.

STEP 6. Support your skin’s health and prevent premature aging with good quality supplements.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Oxidative stress is the principle cause of aging and premature death. By controlling free radicals, anti-oxidants influence how fast and how well we age. It is virtually impossible to get optimal amount of antioxidants from foods alone. So invest in a good quality antioxidant.

PHYTOSTEROLS

Scientists can tell how old you are physiologically based on the amount of DHEA (primary hormone of the body) in your blood. Levels peak at age 25 years and then decline. Most researchers agree to retard aging DHEA levels must be maintained. In our modern diet our daily intake of hormone modulator is severely depleted. A Phyto Hormone supplement provides your body naturally with the building blocks to maintain and enhance normal hormone production. It will support efficient fat burning, help you look younger, feel younger and potentially live longer.

GLYCONUTRIENTS

Science has now established that certain natural plant sugars are vital for maintaining good health. Glyconutrients play a vital role in disease prevention and immune system restoration. Supplementation with a blend of glyconutrients have been shown to improve the immune system and improve the antioxidant level inside cells. In addition research shows that glyconutrients help with reversing 8 of the biological signs of aging. A good reason to start supplementing your diet with these nutrients.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

Make sure you get a good blend of essential fatty acids in your diet. Supplementation with essential fatty acids supports your skin to become softer and smoother. They are necessary to make cells membranes and for many of the important hormones and other chemical messengers that tell your body what to do.

So supplementation with a combination of these nutrients is required for you are wanting to reduce the signs of aging and support your skins health from inside as well as outside.

STEP 7. ADEQUATE REST

Make sure you get enough rest, so that your skin has time to repair itself.

We all know that aging skin can be problematic and sometimes even downright scary. By following the tips listed above and carefully selecting your skin care products, you’ll be one step ahead in the battle against aging skin. We all get old but we don’t have to look that way!

The bottom line is to know the science and ingredients behind the products you use, look at the clinical trials, ensure the company is ethical and practices good manufacturing practices and then stick to doing business with one that has a solid reputation for delivering results. There are countless products on the market but only a handful that are based on legitimate science. These are the ones to add to your daily skin care regiment.

So in summary your Skin Care wish list should include:

1. Preservative Free

2. Anti- Aging

3. Fragrance Free

4. Colorant Free

5. Allergy Tested

6. Suits All Skin Types

7. Non- Comedogenic (not clogging, won’t aggravate acne)

8. No Animal Testing

9. Opthamologist Tested

10. Visible Real Results

Too much in one skin care line. Do your research and you will find that there are limited skin care products that provide all these benefits.



Avaz

Alexa asked:


What are some tips that can be followed daily to have better skin care? I would also like to hear some of the things that you guys do to maintain looking fresh and beautiful…any other tips would be cool as well!

Thanks!!

Erena

Chimerenka Odimba asked:


Wrinkle creams, moisturizing lotions, mud wraps, bleaching products, and many of other such

products have been known over the years to make people part with millions of their hard earned dollars annually all in a bid to shall I say reverse time or simply try to cheat it. It would be a monumental task to try to catalog these products. Some people buy aging skin care products while others make their own using herbal recipes. Whether one buys of produces, the underlying issues remain the same if the desired result is to be achieved.

Protecting your skin while out in the sun is one of the major ways to reduce damage and aging. This issue can not be over emphasized. It is however unfortunate that people still lay outside sunbathing without protection. It is of the utmost importance to wear a sunscreen to prevent premature wrinkles, skin cancer, age spots, blotches, leathery lined skin, and various unsightly growths. Avoiding the sun would greatly help people retain younger, healthier looking skin because the elastin in the skin breaks downs due to ultraviolet light exposure causing sagging. skin that has no elasticity, takes longer to heal, and gets bruised more easily. It might not however be possible to avoid the sun completely since we must go about our daily activities and they can’t all be indoors. We are simply then left with the option of protecting our skin with sunscreen products. It is best to start an aging skin care routine at an early age because damage from the sun may not show up visibly until you are older and you don’t even want it to show up so you take care of it before it does.

A dirty and oily skin is certainly a step in the wrong direction as far as skin care is concerned this makes using a good face cleanser one of the most important aging skin care steps is. Let me state this very clearly here. Never use a bar of soap on your skin from the neck up because this dries out your skin. Rather use a face cleanser made specifically for your skin type (hey! have I mentioned you need to know you skin type? You do! ).

Most cleansers dissolve makeup, dirt, oil, and wash them away so using the right cleanser once in the evening should be sufficient. In your aging skin care program, always use lukewarm water on your face. Please, never hot or cold water. Use warm water whether in the morning or in the evening after removing your make up to clean your face with your cleanser Whether to have a toner as part of your aging skin care program is your personal decision.  Some skincare experts believe it removes any dirt and traces of makeup and oil while others believe that using the proper cleanser does the same thing making a toner unnecessary. The decision is yours. Check the result you get from your cleanser and know if you need a toner or not.

To help brighten your complexion and keep your skin glowing and looking younger, Weekly

exfoliating as part of your aging skin care program which helps remove dead skin cells from the top layer, Is a great addition. Some people however prefer a monthly chemical peel which gives them almost instantaneous aging skin care results. Everyone can benefit from this procedure as there are also over the counter exfoliating peels available to try at home. 

The quality of care we give to our skin makes the difference between healthy looking skin and prematurely aged skin therefore always use a moisturizer whether your skin is oily, dry, or normal unless you suffer from acne. http://www.cbadv.com



Caril

Carol Belanger asked:


Essential oils and herbs offer so many benefits in your skin care regime.  Below are common essential oils and herbs commonly found in skin care products:

Almond and Almond Oil – A great vegetable oil for dry skin.  Commonly used as a carrier oil to blend with other essentials oils.  Easily absorbed into the skin and is an excellent emollient with nourishing properties.  Safety Precautions:  People with nut allergies should avoid almonds and almond oil.

Jojoba –.Jojoba oil makes a great scalp cleanser and hair conditioner.  Additionally, because of its absorption properties it is commonly used in skin care propducts as a cleaning agent, makeup remover and moisturizer…  It has a great effect on fighting wrinkles, as well as having an anti-bacterial effect on the skin.  Jojoba oil can be used as base carrier oil into which other essential oils can be diluted before applying it to the skin. Safety Precautions: No reports of toxicity

Aloe Vera – Aloe is used externally for skin irritation, burns, sunburn, wounds, eczema, psoriasis, acne, and dermatitis.  Aloe Vera has good astringent qualities.  When used with other ingredients it soothes the skin and stimulates cell regeneration. The oil is combined in massage therapy for its healing and rejuvenating properties. Safety Precautions: When used topically, some individuals may have an allergic reaction and a skin patch test (behind the ear or on the forearm) is advised before use.

Anise – Cooled down tea made from anise can be sponged on the face to help lighten the complexion.   Safety Precautions: On the whole, anise is a safe herb to use but due to its trans-anethole estrogen-like action, it may be best avoided during pregnancy or when suffering from endometriosis or any estrogen dependant cancers.

Avocado – Moisturizes, reduces appearance of age spots, heals sun damage and scars.  Additionally, avocado regenerates and rejuvenates the skin. Avocado increases collagen in the skin and therefore is an anti-aging ingredient in skin care.  Avocado oil has superior moisturizing qualities.  

Carrot – A superb skin-nourishing essential oil, carrot seed helps balance both oily and dry complexions, heals damaged skin, and helps aged skin by reducing age spots and wrinkles. Safety Precautions: Carrot seeds and carrot seed oil should not be used excessively during pregnancy.

Chamomile – Tones all types of complexions. The anti-inflammatory effect of this essential oil applied topically improves skin regeneration, and a cold compress does wonders for puffy eyes. Chamomile is used in facial steams to reduce puffiness and cleanse the pores of the skin. Safety Precautions: Handling fresh chamomile plants may cause dermatitis in some individuals. It should not to be used when using anti-coagulant drugs. Please note that the essential oil is said to stimulate the uterus and should be used with care in pregnancy. Allergic reactions may occur for those that are allergic to daisies.

Green Tea – has an antioxidant effect that helps to keep wrinkles at bay.  External use: Green tea is often included in anti-aging skin care products for the antioxidant properties contained in the herb.  Green tea is a powerful antioxidant, a potent anti-inflammatory agent thereby reducing inflammation in the skin, and having a inhibitory action on collagens – an enzymatic action in the skin where the collagen is broken down, resulting in more firm and elastic skin.  In hair care, it can be used with great success to improve the gloss and shine of the hair.   Safety Precautions: When pregnant or nursing only limited amounts of green tea should be used, and it can also interfere with MAO inhibitors and blood thinning medication.  It should not be consumed together with other medication, as it may interfere with the absorption of such medicine.

Geranium – Wonderful oil for mature and troubled skin and brings a radiant glow and promotes circulation. Safety Precautions: Geranium essential oil is well tolerated by most individuals, but since it helps in balancing the hormonal system, care must be taken during pregnancy.

Ginseng – Ginseng is used in cosmetics for its rejuvenating properties. The vast amount of properties gives Ginseng an almost unlimited use in cosmetics. Its activity makes it useful in nourishing creams, in treating wrinkled and aged skin and in all cosmetic products used to retard the onset of age.  Ginseng may be used in products for weak hair and lotions for preventing hair loss as it stimulates growth and gives strength.  Safety Precautions: May worsen the side effects of stimulants such as coffee, and should best be avoided when consuming alcohol.  Not normally used by pregnant women and is not indicated for use by young children, people suffering from depression, high blood pressure, anxiety or any acute inflammatory disease.  Excess may cause headaches, restlessness, high blood pressure, and nausea.

Honey – Refines pores; tightens skin; moisturizes; retards wrinkles; anti-blemish

Jasmine – On the skin, it is used with great effect to treat dry, stressed and sensitive skins and also helps to increase elasticity. Safety Precautions: Although well tolerated, this heavy scented essential oil should be used sparingly, and specially so during pregnancy.

Lanolin – Moisturizer; softener; emollient

Lavender – Lavender skin care products are ideal for oily and combination skin. It has antiseptic and stimulant properties.  Lavender is useful in treating skin conditions such as abscesses, acne, allergies, athlete’s foot, boils, bruises, burns, dandruff, dermatitis, earache, eczema, inflammations, insect bites and stings, insect repellant, lice, psoriasis, ringworm, scabies, sores, spots, all skin types, sunburn and wounds. Safety Precautions: Although the essential oil is well tolerated by all skin types, it must be, like all essential oils, used with care – remember essential oils are powerful and very concentrated.

Mud – (including clay, fuller’s earth) reduced large pores; absorb excess grease in oily skin; improves circulation. Safety Precautions: No Toxicity Reported

Nuts – (almonds, cashews, pecans): Scrub to refine pores, combat wrinkles, blackheads and dryness 

Oats – Excellent emollient properties.  Oats have a softening effect on sensitive skin. It helps to reduce the irritation caused on the skin by harsh climatic conditions or on skin with this kind of problem. It plays an important role in the treatment of older skin as well as problem skin.  Safety Precautions: No Toxicity Reported

Patchouli – It can be used for inflamed and itching skin.  The oil promotes cell rejuvenation, tightening of loose skin and heals wounds and sores, while sorting out rough, cracked skin.  Safety Precautions:  The essential oil of patchouli is well tolerated, but its heavy fragrance indicates use in low dosage.

Rose – Astringent and luxurious, rose oils and rose waters are welcome additions to almost any skin care formulation   has an astringent effect on oily skin, reducing puffiness, edema and has a slight tightening effect. The oil most effective for moisturizing and hydrating the skin while having a general stimulant and antiseptic action which is good for all skin types, but especially so for dry, mature and irritated skin. It is used to repair broken capillaries, inflammation, as well as skin redness and is useful in eczema  Safety Precautions: None noted.

Rosemary – Antioxidant properties, and secondly has a remarkable stimulating effect on the skin.  Traditionally used for hair and scalp stimulation, as well as anti-aging products.  Safety Precautions: Rosemary essential oil has a highly stimulating action and may not be suitable for people with epilepsy or high blood pressure. The essential oil should also not be used during pregnancy.

Seaweed – very good cellulite reducing capabilities All seaweeds are rich in compounds that are of specific use in the cosmetic industry 

Yogurt – Cleanser; bleach; for normal and oily skin 

As with any new skin care or hair product, a patch test is recommended.

For skin care recipes, visit Complete Skin Care Therapy



Wade

Richard asked:


Hottest Health And Beauty Guides

Some people are lucky enough to have naturally good skin even without using skin care creams and moisturizing products. People in good health may generally also have clear glowing skin but harsh pollutants in the air and UV rays from the sun take their toll on everyone’s skin so some extra care is necessary for protection.

Both men and women are now almost equal when it comes to taking care of their appearances because looking good is a great confidence booster and this includes a clean fresh looking skin tone. Some people are lazy when it comes to skin care, while other follows it as their daily regimen before bedtime, and also first thing in the morning when brushing their teeth or bathing. The variety of skin moisturizing creams, cleansers, and anti ageing creams on the market can be beneficial to your skin as long as they are chosen with care.

Too much cosmetic skin care can be harmful and same goes when it comes to too little, so a balance and some common sense is the best when it comes to skin care. The most important thing to consider when it concerns skin care is cleaning your skin properly on a daily basis especially where it is exposed. You facial skin is where you are likely to take the biggest beating. For women extra care needs to be taken when looking after your face.

Men that shave are lucky in the sense that this procedure removes dead skin and acts as a massage to their faces at the same time. There are a variety of after shave skin care products for men as well, and these have become extremely popular.

For women an exfoliation skin care clean is the best way to completely cleanse the pores of your skin and freshen and renew the elasticity of your skin. Following up with a quality moisturizer is sensible to replace the natural oils you may lose.

Beauty enhancing skin care products and anti ageing skin care creams can be used ,after cleansing. both for protection and beauty enhancement as well.

Choosing the right skin care product for the type of skin you have is vital. See some tips I have mentioned previously which I will go over again here.

1. Make certain to always choose products that suit your skin type. This includes beauty enhancement products and daily skin care products as well. The manufacturer label will indicate whether it is for dry oily or chapped ,problem skin types.

2. Try the product out to make sure there is no allergic reaction to the product. This can be done by using some on your ear lobes or on back of your neck.

3. Try and stick to skin care products that are natural. Normally good quality products will list the ingredients on the bottle or jar. Avoid skin care products that have high alcohol content or acidic ingredients. If you are not sure ask the pharmacists or beautician if the skin care product will suit your skin type.

4 Use the product as instructed. Normally tests would have been done to see what is best. Too much may be a waste and too little may not give you the desired result.

5. If you have a problem skin, then seek advice from a dermatologist or beautician who will be able to suggest the best types of skin care products for your skin type.

Hottest Health And Beauty Guides



Annarbor

Andrew Paine asked:


Although there are literally dozens of treatments available today for just about every skin condition there is, microdermabrasion still remains quite popular.  The reason for this is partly to do with the ease with which consumers can experience microdermabrasion not only in professional spas but also in the comfort of their own homes thanks to the sale of home kits and creams. These microdermabrasion home kits can cost anywhere between $20- 300 and are sold in most health & beauty stores that can be found in any mall across the country. Although such kits can be useful in exfoliating the skin it’s important not to be under any illusion that such kits can get you the same results as professional microdermabrasion treatments. Just because it’s called a microdermabrasion kit that does not mean it’s in any substantial way the same as professional treatment. Before spending your money on false promises and unrealistic expectations, make sure you know the difference between real microdermabrasion and what is sold as home microdermabrasion kits.

Microdermabrasion is in essence an advanced form of exfoliation. That means it removes the dead skin cells from the surface of the face or body, thus encouraging the production of fresh new cells at a faster rate, which over time creates a more vibrant skin tone as well as reducing the visibility of wrinkles, minor blemishes, scars etc. Traditionally the microdermabrasion procedure has relied on the use of abrasive crystals to perform the exfoliation process. Now, what the makers of microdermabrasion home kits have done is simply make up skin creams containing a few beneficial ingredients like vitamins and added the same crystals used in professional microdermabrasion. This is the great selling point that home kit makers exploit. What consumers need to understand however, is that the effectiveness of professional microdermabrasion relies not so much on the use of crystals, but the rather the specific way in which they are used. Once this is understood it becomes clear that many of the claims made by home kit makers are patently false.

Receiving treatment at a spa or doctors office differs in two basic and important ways to using a home kit. Firstly, professional treatment makes no use of creams, whereas in home kits creams are often the most essential element and advertised as containing the ‘magic ingredients’ that will fix your skin. This is misleading for a number of reasons. While it’s true that many creams contain aluminum oxide crystals which are the same as what is used with professional machines, it’s not so much the substance that is important as it is the method of delivery. Professional treatment delivers the crystals to the skin at a high speed and it is this that causes exfoliation. With home kits you are restricted to rubbing the cream into your face which is not nearly as effective and sometimes even leads to complications.

Secondly, there is no cream or any moist substance used in professional treatment. The crystals are delivered to a dry face. This is important because a basic component of treatment is the extracting of spent crystals along with dead skin cells away from the surface of the skin. With home kits there is no such option and the only way to remove the crystals is through washing the face which is nowhere near as effective as an air powder pump in a closed circuit system. In fact a common complaint about home creams is that they are oily and difficult to wash of. This is more than an inconvenience as in some cases it is the cream combined with the scrubbing that lodges these tiny abrasive crystals into the skin pores which causes irritation and spots.

Although it should be absolutely clear that home kits cant give you the same results as pro treatment when it comes to specific problems like acne, acne scars, sun damage etc. that doesn’t mean that home kits are all together useless. On the contrary it is highly recommended to make use of the kits on a regular basis as part of a general skin maintenance program. However, it would be more accurate to market such kits simply as home exfoliation kits that cannot get rid of acne scars but with regular prolonged use will improve the overall appearance of skin and possibly reduce slightly very fine lines and wrinkles.



Johnny

Margaret Bell asked:


 

Is your anti aging skin care products expensive?  The skin care ingredients should be high quality if it is costly.  But expensive doesn’t guarantee quality or if it even will do the job. 

Why do skin care manufacturers put high prices on products that either are of poor performance or don’t work at all?  One reason is that they keep changing the packaging and some of the anti aging skin care ingredients. This is because the last package failed and/or the product did.  So these changes can result in price increases.

Fancy Department Store Hype

Skin care products are popularized many ways.  Celebrity endorsement and heavy advertising on network shows and infomericals.  All of this costs plenty of dough.  So the skin product price goes sky high to cover the overhead.

Why Sky High Prices

We have covered some the reasons.  There is location; high traffic areas are not cheap to rent. Factory costs, employees, and a big one is shipping.

Every business has overhead costs.  But the most important factor we want to consider is not the costs but the INGREDIENTS.  If the skin care product is to work and be safe, the ingredients must be of the highest quality and preferably be truly natural.  So companies cut down on the ingredients to save money.  But then they put out a cheap, ineffective product.

Marketing

Marketing a product is much of the cost.   Somehow the customers need to know about the product.  Usually that takes expensive advertising.  So to keep the price low, effective and safe ingredients are substituted for cheap, synthetic ones.  The customer who buys such a product is the loser.

Anti Aging Skin Ingredients

It is no secret to skin care companies as to what ingredients are the ones that work. But as mentioned already, those ingredients are not cheap and are therefore usually “watered down”.  I mean this literally.  Read the label.  The first listed ingredient is the largest in volume.  It is probably water or petroleum jelly.  Water being first doesn’t in itself make the product bad.  But it better have some powerful ingredients to back it up.  Otherwise you just bought a jar of petroleum-water. UGGHH.

What Should Be in Your Skin Care Product?

The ingredients that work, really work, should be a concentration of at least 50%.  Half of the contents in the jar, bottle or tube should be safe and effective.

As said, water usually is the 50% in most bad, over the counter products that may be harmful to your face, neck and skin around the eyes.    Filler ingredients, dyes, fragrances and parabens are abundant in many skin care lines.  Read the label.  I have more information on what products to avoid on my website listed below.

Department Stores and Drug Stores

High end and low end stores are not the place to get good quality products.  One will overcharge you and the other is so cheap that most people fall for the so called savings.   So where can a good quality product be found without being ripped off?

The internet is probably the best place today to find quality at an affordable price.  Usually the best skin care companies are the ones that also carry a line of quality nutritional supplements.  Let me warn you here.  Not all internet companies have your interest at heart.  And not all of their products, skin care or nutritional are natural.  Some are synthetic.  So you may as well go the the discount store.  Here is what my research showed me.  Please pay close attention.

Effective and Safe Skin Ingredients

CoQ10, Wakame Sea Weed, Grape Seed Extract, Vitamin E and Cynergy TK; These are the ingredients you need in your skin care products and in your nutritional supplements.  If you don’t get these then you are wasting your money.  I found one company that passed all the tests of safety, quality, effectiveness and price.  See my website below for the complete details.  Thank you, Margaret Bell

 



Kali