Beauty And The Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Dry Skin’

Food. Hmm. How does it relate to anti-aging and healthy skin? Have you ever thought of the food you eat as being part of a skin care routine? Food, your diet, is another weapon you can use to slow the aging process and the symptoms of aging, such as wrinkles and dry skin.

It’s true that we can be what we eat. If you choose to put low quality food lacking in good nutrition into your body, well… what do you think will happen? Low quality health. And your skin, your complexion, is very much affected by the health of your body in general.

Eating some foods in particular can actually be a way of boosting your skin care routine. To get good quality nutrition for your skin start thinking about a diet that is low in saturated fat yet high in healthier fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids will help insure your skin’s natural oil barrier. What does that mean for your complexion? Hydrated, plump and more youthful looking skin. No, you won’t look like you’ve had a face lift, sorry. But you will notice a difference and it will be one you will like. Read the rest of this entry »

Squalane and Squalene in skin care. Same thing? Or not? Yes and No.

Both are a natural component of human sebum. Sebum is the natural oil found in your own skin. Both are also found in rice bran, wheat germ, olive oil and yuck, shark liver (what do you want to put on your skin, hmm?).

Squalene is often derived from sharks for cosmetic use. Particularly in Japanese products.  Squalane is derived from squalene.  Both do exactly the same thing on and in your skin. So other than the fact that you may not want to use oil derived from a shark, why choose squalane derived from plant sources?

Still reading? Guess you do want to know…

Squalene is highly unstable as a cosmetic ingredient. No matter what it is derived from. Shark, rice bran, olive oil, etc. This is because it is a double bond molecule.  Meaning a very short shelf life and quick to oxidize or spoil. Squalane is not a double bond molecule, so it is much more stable as a cosmetic ingredient. Squalane has a shelf life of over 2 years and does not oxidize quickly with exposure to air. That’s all I’m saying on that. It’s boring and I am not going there. I want to talk skin care.

So, squalane is a derivative of squalene. Squalane has all the great qualities of squalene. And when derived from olive oil is environment and animal friendly. I absolutely prefer to put something on my face that is plant derived rather than animal. How about you?

Since plant derived squalane is so similar to the natural squalane in our own skins sebum, our bodies “identify” it as being “our own”.  Our naturally occurring moisture. Squalane is also responsible for the synthesis of cholesterol, steroids and vitamin D. And since it is a derivative it is more saturated with the good stuff we want, leaving behind components that we don’t need.

Did you know that squalane as a natural oil lipid composes up to 15% of skin fats in the teenage years? Once we enter our 20’s it begins to decline. This can mean pre-mature aging in your 30’s and 40’s. Read the rest of this entry »

Dry winter  skin getting to you? Haven’t replaced your usual moisturizer with something a little more emollient? Or you have and it still isn’t enough?

Here is a quick fix anyone can do in a flash. Olive oil! We all have it in our pantry. All you need to do is add a drop to your moisturizer in the palm of your hand, mix it up real well and apply.

Olive oil is rich in vitamins A and E which are antioxidants and fight damaging free radicals. It also contains natural plant derived Squalene. Squalene is a natural moisturizer used in many cosmetics.

Be aware that Squalene is also a compound found in the liver of sharks. Go for the more environmentally and animal friendly version found in olive oil. Remember, cosmetic labels can be  misleading, make sure it states Squalene as olive oil or as botanically derived.

One other very cool component of olive oil is Chlorophyll, which is a photosynthetic pigment found in plants and algae. It is an anti-aging substance that promotes the healing of skin conditions and wounds.

So next time you have a dab of your moisturizer in your palm and need a little boost for that dry skin, mosey on over to the pantry and have a little visit with that bottle of olive oil.

And don’t worry about smelling like the makings of a salad dressing. You won’t notice and no one else will either. Trust me, this works.

Note~2/25/2010~ After writing this post I started thinking about Squalene and Squalane. And started looking around, did some research. Check this out to see what I learned, and why I now use the Squalane in it’s pure form.

I want to share with you the best AHA and BHA exfoliating product I have found. I have tried just about every way there is to exfoliate my skin, different scrubs, microdermabrasion,  a mask/masque with papaya enzymes, another containing pomegranate and one that peels off after setting up on the skin.

They were all OK. And even though I have performed many microdermabrasion services, I never really liked it for my own skin. Plus, I am always wanting something quick and easy. What I finally found was perfect. Paula’s Choice Exfoliating AHA and BHA Gels. I use them at night right after cleansing and then layer my serum and night moisturizer on top. Quick, easy and very effective!

Paula’s Choice makes a number of products that I really love and use along with my ageLOC Galvanic Home Spa.

As I mentioned in a previous post AHA is best suited for dryer or mature skin, that’s me. It will exfoliate and impart a new radiance to the skin with regular use. I use the gel version in an 8% strength and my skin handles that percentage well with no redness or flaking. It absorbs right into my skin and I can apply any other products over it including makeup.

I do have a bit of oiliness on my nose so I chose to use a BHA there and on my forehead as well which tends to be slightly oily on occasion. BHA cleans inside the pore as well as exfoliating the surface skin. Very good for blemish prone and/or oily skin. Again, I use the gel, in a 2% concentration. This is the higher of the concentrations offered but my skin tolerates it well. I may switch to a lotion or lower concentration if I experience unwanted dryness or irritation over winter.

Now, I am telling you about these products because I have used them and feel that they are the best formulations I have found to date for AHA and BHA. The Paula’s Choice website offers extensive information that can be mind boggling! Tons of reviews. I have no idea how the site keeps up with it all! But they do and there is a lot of great info.

So, check it out if you need a really good AHA or BHA (and by the way we ALL do). Paula’s Choice Best Sellers

You might also like to check out my post on AHA, BHA and PHA