Viva Woman

It seems that skincare is not only going natural, but DIY too!  I’ve come across a couple of DIY skin savers which many ladies seem to swear by to rejuvenate their face and keep it blemish-free.

Aspirin mask
Aspirin is a form of Beta Hydroxy Acids or BHA’s which is known to help with cleaning pores from inside out and exfoliating the dull, dead layers of skin.  When used over time, BHA’s can help clarify skin tone and contribute to keeping our skin blemish-free.

To make the Aspirin mask, first you need to get uncoated, dissolvable tablets.  Then take two or three tablets and dissolve in a teaspoon of warm water.   You may like to add honey or yogurt to bind the paste together before spreading the mixture on your face, taking care to avoid the eye area.  Leave it for about 10 minutes until it dries and gently rub the mask into the face to exfoliate the skin. Rinse off and moisturize.

Baking soda exfoliator
Baking soda is not only good for cleaning the kitchen sink but apparently, our face too!  Use about 2 tablespoons of baking soda and make a paste with a sprinkle of water.   You can also add oatmeal.  Apply it as you would a mask by adding a little water and rubbing in circles, and then wash off with a washcloth.

Brown sugar glycolic acid mask
Raw cane brown sugar is rich in glycolic acid, a natural alpha-hydroxy acid which is the most popular alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). It can exfoliate skin cells by breaking down the “glue” that holds skin cells together.

To get the benefits of glyocolic acid, mix a tablespoon of brown sugar with a bit of honey and apply to your face. Leave on for about 10 minutes, then massage mask onto face with wet fingertips.  Rinse with lukewarm water.

Brown sugar coffee facial wash
Cleanse your face with brown sugar mixed with a splash of coffee and some heavy cream. The coffee tightens everything up and makes wrinkles disappear while the cream moisturizes.

Coffee undereye dark circle mask 
It seems that using a face mask that has coffee beans or caffiene will awaken and open up the blood vessels around the eyes to make the blood flow and take away some of the darkness.

Aspirin lip scrub
Exfoliate your lipswith a finely crushed, uncoated aspirin with a little white granulated sugar and a bit of jojoba oil for moisture.

I’m certain there are more but these are just some interesting DIY skincare tips that I’ve picked out from the forums.   I’ve not tried any of these though.  In addition, do note that you should not attempt this if your skin is not agreeable to any of the said ingredients. 

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I’m currently stuck in a crossroad when it comes to my skincare regime.  While I’m very keen to go all natural and organic, I’m caught up with synthetic form of ingredients not available in natural formulas such as Mexoryl in my new sunscreens and hydroquinone in the recent anti-aging product that I obtained from my dermatologist.  On top of that, I was told by my dermatologist that natural and organic skincare products are useless and I’m wasting my money.  While I can understand that he said that out of professional interest but that got me thinking hard about the topic.  WAS HE RIGHT?

Let me first qualify that my knowledge on natural and organic skincare products is limited and superficial.  I developed an interest after reading about their benefits and after seeing what the products did for someone I met.  In addition, I was getting disillusioned with the usual skincare products which weren’t yielding the long term benefits I was looking for.

Are all natural or organic skincare products for real?
Frankly, I’m not sticky with having to use strictly organic skincare products.  In fact, natural is good enough for me, as they are made from plants and minerals, rather than from synthetic ingredients.   Moreover, even though organic products comprise natural ingredients made with the stricter standards, there are no global organic standards as yet and even those which carry the organic certified labels are not 100% organic either.  And that’s really the problem.  That such products can contain 70% natural or organic ingredients and then 30% synthetic chemicals but still get labelled as natural or organic!  Or worst, just 10% natural ingredients and 90% synthetics!  Therefore, we need to wise up by learning to read the ingredient list of a product and avoiding some of the harmful ones like those listed below which not only can cause allergies but are considered to be toxic, and in some instances, carcinogenic.

Instead of these chemicals, look out for natural alternatives such as plant oils like Jojoba, Avocado, Rosehip or butters like Shea, Cocoa or Jojoba in place of Petrolatum for emollients; Castile Soap, Yucca Extract, Soapwort or Quillaja Bark Extract in place of SLS as natural surfactants; and Tea Tree Essential Oil, Thyme Essential Oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract and D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E) in place of Parabens for preservatives.

Are all natural or organic skincare products better?
In addition to believing that natural and organic products are non-toxic, the advocates have stated that such products can support our skin’s natural processes of cell renewal, hydration, oxygenation and protection because they contain a higher concentration of natural actives, and hence a closer affinity to our skin’s own make up.  In fact, it is often argued that pure, organic formulas are a great choice for those with sensitive skin as they are less likely to irritate or cause reactions.

Perhaps they’re right but it should be noted that some women have also reported breakouts after using natural or organic products.  This is because how the products are being formulated really depends on the the integrity and quality standards of the manufacturer.  While natural ingredients may reduce the risk of toxic contaminants, they do not eliminate the possibility entirely especially since as all-natural products tend to degrade more easily. 

Are all natural or organic products created equal?
Obviously, the answer is no.  Even if the formulation is all natural or organic, the product should contain active ingredients which can benefit our skin.  So instead of buying just any natural or organic products, I will now scrutinize the product more thoroughly, looking out for ingredients to address anti-aging, such as these: 

(For a comprehensive glossary of natural ingredients, look up Herbal Luxuries.)

Are all natural or organic products useless?
The answer to me is no. Just like the conventional skincare products, not all natural or organic products perform well for sure. But I have seen positive results from using some of these products and I believe there are long term benefits to using them. The trick is to be selective when it comes to choosing the formulations that will work for us.

Well, I hope I will be able to find a range that will work well for me in the long term. For the time being however, I will decide upon natural and synthetic skincare products on a case-by-case basis with the aim to balance between the benefits from active ingredients and potential damage from harmful ingredients.

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You may have noticed that one of the main selling points of organic or natural skincare products is that they are Paraben and SLS free, amongst others.  Apart from the fact that these are said to be toxic ingredients suspected of being carcinogenic because of their ability to penetrate into our system with long term usage, how exactly are they damaging for our skin?   Let’s find out with some information I’ve gathered from various sources.

What’s wrong with Parabens?
Put it simply, parabens are presevatives used to inhibit bacteria growth and lengthen the shelf life of skin care products.  It is said that not only are parabens toxic, but they can also speed up the aging process in the skin,  causing premature aging.  In fact, a research conducted at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine has shown that parabens can react with the sun’s UV rays in a way that may actually accelerate the aging process of skin.

Skin treated with parabens, methylparaben specifically, showed a 16 percent increase in skin cell fatality when the skin was exposed to a regulated amount of ultraviolet rays as opposed to untreated skin. Researchers believe this increase in the rate of cell death may contribute to wrinkles, dark spots and diminished skin tone, thus making the skin look older.  (source)

And you may like to know that Parabens comes in five common types - Methylparabens, Ethylparabens, Propylparabens, Butylparabens or Isoparabens.

What’s wrong with SLS?
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a cheap, harsh detergent used for its cleansing and foam-building properties with an approximate pH of 10 in its concentrated raw material form which is very alkaline and drying to the skin.  SLS cleans by corrosion and can be drying for the skin if used as part of a formula that was not pH balanced.  Skin becomes dry from stripping the protective lipids from the surface so it can’t effectively regulate moisture.

Should we avoid them?
I believe that doing without these two ingredients will do our skin good long term as I’m starting to notice that my arms aren’t as dry as before and I have lesser blackheads  as well.  I’ve also read from the forums that many ladies have reported  a huge improvement in their skin conditions and texture with less skin clogs and thus lesser blackheads and whiteheads after switching over to paraben and SLS free facial products. 

So even if you have no intentions of going organic, you might want to consider using skincare products without Parabens and SLS for the sake of your skin.  Afterall, less may actually be more.

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I just learnt that excessive salt and sugar consumption is bad news for our skin and we need to cut back our intake of these if we want to look younger.

Why salt is bad for our skin
Too much salt in the form of sodium chloride is not only bad for our health but will result in water retention and result in those puffy regions around the eyes. In addition, consuming too much salt can cause high blood pressure which increases the risk of those unsightly spider veins.  I even read that it can contribute to acne and something else, wrinkles and skin pigmentation!

I actually read something similar in a Chinese newspaper but because I didn’t keep a copy of it, I’ve lost the specifics but the content of it is similar from what I read from Dosha Balance.

In excess, salt causes contraction and can lead to general debility: wrinkles, hyperacidity, high blood pressure, impurities in the blood, itching and burning sensations, inflammation of the lymph glands, gout, heart conditions, impotency, loose teeth, baldness, and darkening of the skin pigmentation.

This is the table salt or refined salt we’re talking about and the recommended intake for a person should be no more than 4 g according to information from wiki. Frankly I haven’t figured out specifically how much that translates into but I think I have to seriously cut back on my salt intake. I’ve been eating pineapples with lots of salt for a couple of months already and it’s no wonder I’m having eyebags daily!  And it’s not just table salt we need to consider.  Preserved and processed food also contain high amount of salt.

Why sugar is bad for our skin
Too much sugar do not only cause tooth decay but can cause wrinkles and leathery looking skin too because sugar hastens the breakdown of collagen and elastin. According to the book 10 Minutes/10 Years: Your Definitive Guide To A Beautiful And Youthful Appearance by dermatologist Dr Fredric Brandt, reducing sugar in our diet can turn the clock back by 10 years and improve the texture, tone and radiance of our skin.

The sugar triggers a process in the body called glycation. This is where the sugar molecules bind to your protein fibres - those wonderfully springy and resilient collagen and elastin fibres - which are the building blocks of skin.

Imagine that your collagen is your skin’s mattress and the elastin fibres are the coils holding it together. The sugar attacks these fibres, making them less elastic and more brittle so they break.

The result is that your once-youthful skin starts to sag and look old.

Worst still, Dr Brandt explained that the glycation process causes these proteins to mutate, creating harmful new molecules called Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), which accumulate and cause further inflammation and damage to our collagen and elastin. That’s when fine lines and wrinkles appear and they don’t go away.

I haven’t found out how much sugar we should be taking daily but I’m very sure I need to cut back on mine. I take chocolates everyday and worst, I’ve been drinking root beer to go along! That’s definitely skin suicide going by what I’ve just learnt!

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