VIVODERM SKIN CARE – A NATURAL SKIN CARE LINE

Posts Tagged ‘facemasks’

Herbal facial masks are healthiest for proper skin care

Written by Author on . Posted in Face Masks

The secret to proper facial cleansing and radiant skin is to get rid of any dead cells and toxins not thrown off naturally by the skin; remove all makeup, dirt, grime and chemical pollutants; clear out clogged pores and eliminate infection-causing bacteria without stripping away the skin’s natural oils and hydration.

Most facial care products-cleansers, masks and scrubs, dry the skin and alter its PH balance, causing skin to become more alkaline. In fact, advertisers have led us to believe the best facial products are the ones that make the most suds or leave a ‘squeaky-clean’ sensation. In principal, this result sounds good, especially if you have oily skin, but in fact the body always seeks to normalize itself – that is to balance and heal – so when we remove the skin’s oil content, it responds by making more oil to compensate for the loss.

If we dry the skin too much, it will produce excessive amounts of oil that may exacerbate an existing acne condition. Of course, if you have dry skin already, you do not want to make it drier. If you have sensitive skin, you do not want to irritate it further with harsh chemicals and soaps.

Herbal clay masks have been found to do wonders for the skin – naturally. The herbs act as a gentle scrub to clear away the dirt, toxins, pollutants and dead skin cells, but they do not strip away the necessary moisture in the skin. At the same time, they are balancing, nutritive, healing and totally free of toxic ingredients.

For deeper exfoliation, experts recommend herbal masks at least once or twice a week.
The skin sheds cells at a rate of one million per hour, so it is important to do a mild exfoliation daily. A that rate, it takes the skin about one month to completely regenerate itself and the herbal mask, “peels” away the old cells, so new ones can grow. The dead cells are also the top protective layer of the skin, however, and if we remove too much too soon, we leave the new cell growth unprotected. If the cells are not growing in at the rate we remove them, skin problems will develop.

An herbal facial mask can perform wonders on dry, oily, flaky, or just plain tired skin without damaging the renewing skin cells. Before setting out to purchase a facial mask first, ask yourself what you want to fix or change about your complexion. Is your skin excessively oily? Does it feel dry and tight? Does your skin look dull and flaky in the mirror? Whatever your specific skin type, herbal clay masks (preferably organic) will bring out your best appearance.

If you are blessed with oily skin, be thankful. Your skin will age the best, with fewer wrinkles than those with dry skin. Those with oily skin should only be careful to prevent blackheads and clogged pores; this is easy if you use the right products and facial masks. Do not be seduced by products that claim to “pull” the clogs out of your pores. These will damage your skin over time, making your pores permanently enlarged. Better are dissolving facial masks that remove pore-clogging matter gently. Another great attributeof a clay facial mask is that it will leave very tiny residue behind, filling in fine lines and slightly enlarges pores. This is a perfect way to prepare for a big night out, giving you a perfectly smooth surface over which to apply makeup.

A facial mask should be applied weekly and left on the skin for at least 15 minutes or longer. Apply in a circular motion and use enough product to leave a thick layer on your face. Spend time relaxing while the mask does its job. Remove the mask with warm water and gentle scrubbing.

Treating your face to an herbal clay mask each week will keep you looking fresh and youthful and maintain optimal skin health.

Skincare Ingredients to Avoid

Written by Author on . Posted in Fundamentals

Skin Care Ingredients to Avoid

Many consumers are frustrated by skin care products that don’t do what they claim to. Worse still is investing in an expensive yet ineffective cream or treatment only to discover the cheapest drug-store brand would work just as well. In a world of hyper-consumerism, false advertising and a plethora of products from which to choose, how do you choose the good from the bad?

There are some great products on the market that can genuinely improve your skin’s appearance and help your skin look smoother, more radiant, and youthful. But, there are literally thousands of products to choose from and unless you spend hours a day researching beauty products, it’s difficult to find the one of the few that actually produces real results and eliminates years of aging from your face and body.

As the law of supply and demand proves, the higher the demand for youth and beauty, the more manufacturers will rush to provide the solution. Many times this rush results in the creation of an inferior product with little to no research and development to back it.

Caveat Emptor – or “let the buyer beware” – is the rule to live by. Do your homework. Know where you are “voting” your hard-earned money. If it is important to you, make sure you are investing in a quality, skincare ingredient backed by proven results. If the environment and being ‘green’ is important to you, then be aware of the manufacturing practices of the company and product you support with your purchase.

Ingredients to Avoid

Due to certain preservative requirements, many skin care products are unfortunately loaded with ingredients that actually harm your skin over time. Following are a few prominent ingredients widely used in skincare products to day and are to be avoided if you prefer you skincare to be more natural or organic.

• Mineral Oil. This oil has been used in literally hundreds of products. Mineral oil may also go by the alternative names liquid paraffin, paraffin wax and petrolatum on the product label. Mineral oil is used pervasively in skin care products as a moisturizing agent due to its low cost.

Mineral oil, once applied, is meant to ‘trap’ moisture in the skin, but once applied, actually prevents the skin from “breathing.” As such, it clogs pores, interferes with your skin’s natural ability to eliminate toxins, and can lead to acne flare ups. Also, it is irritating to the skin and if used for any length of time, your skin can become dependent on it, causing chapping and dryness. Lastly, it can lead to premature aging of the skin.

• Dioxane: (a synthetic derivative of coconut). This substance is widely used in skincare products. It often contains high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, which is readily absorbed through the skin. In the State of California, 1,4-dioxane has been reported as “known to cause cancer.”

• Fragrances: No one wants to smell bad, but if you want to be on the safe side, you are better off choosing an organic essential oil or diluted cologne, hydrosol or even a bodyspray. Your skin care products typically contain chemically engineered fragrances to mask the unpleasant “chemical odor” of the foundational product itself. Many of these masking fragrances are produced from ingredients that are known to be toxic or carcinogenic.

Your skin is the largest organ of the body. Anything you put on it can be easily absorbed through the pores. When you use skin care products, they are typically applied all over the face, neck, and body. This covers a lot of surface area and, therefore, a great deal of chemical absorption occurs. However, with perfumes and colognes, you can achieve what you want by a small dab here and there, which will result in less chemical absorption overall. If you really want a beauty product to smell great without the harsh side effects, try buying a fragrance-free product and add your own essential oil blend. You can customize a whole line of products with you won signature scent!

• Parabens: methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl paraben. Many skin care products (and moisturizing products) will use parabens as a preservative so their products have a long shelf life. The reason is purely economical. However, studies suggest that they may cause cancer and interfere with the body’s endocrine system, as well as causing allergic reactions and skin rashes.

• Alcohols: ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohol. Not all alcohols have the same properties, but these, which are commonly found in skin care products, are very drying and irritating for the skin. Alcohols such as these strip away the skin’s natural acid mantle, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, moulds and viruses.

Now that we’ve looked at some of the bad, let’s examine some of the good ingredients and some ingredients that sound good but in fact aren’t.

Quality Skincare

Written by Author on . Posted in Natural Skincare

Many consumers are frustrated by skin care products that don’t do what they claim to. Worse still is investing in an expensive yet ineffective cream or treatment only to discover the cheapest drug-store brand would work just as well. In a world of hyper-consumerism, false advertising and a plethora of products from which to choose, how do you choose the good from the bad?

There are some great products on the market that can genuinely improve your skin’s appearance and help your skin look smoother, more radiant, and youthful. But, there are literally thousands of products to choose from and unless you spend hours a day researching beauty products, it’s difficult to find the one of the few that actually produces real results and eliminates years of aging from your face and body.

Not only should a quality skin product help reduce bags under, and fine lines around, the eyes, but it should even out coloration inconsistencies caused by age spots and other unwanted pigment concentrations.

In a marketing-rich world of super models and glamorous actors, many will understandably spend any amount of money to make themselves look better or younger. Cosmetic surgery and skin care is a multi-billion dollar industry.

As the law of supply and demand proves, the higher the demand for youth and beauty, the more manufacturers will rush to provide the solution. Many times this rush results in the creation of an inferior product with little to no research and development to back it.

All of the money goes into the marketing of the product. On the surface everything looks great. The bottles and jars that the creams come in look appealing. The magazine advertisements are glossy, complete with a youthful looking model or a well known celebrity who doesn’t even really use the products.

You can’t really blame these companies. When you are spending a fortune paying for marketing, whether it be on the product containers, magazine, radio, and TV ads, royalties paid to celebrities and models, you have to charge a lot of money for your products or you’re going to lose money.

On the other hand, this doesn’t mean you and I have to fall for these types of marketing schemes. After all, these companies aren’t going to encounter any shortage of people who will open their wallets and purses to purchase their products anytime soon. The reality is most people simply won’t take any time to research products and understand what ingredients work and what ingredients are actually bad for your skin!