Tips on Finding the Most Effective Skincare Products

In searching for the most effective skincare products, I have learned more than I ever would have imagined.

I was very surprised to learn cosmetic companies are essentially unregulated. They are actually allowed to use ingredients that are known to be hazardous!

Did you know that some of the most common ingredients found in creams and lotions actually inhibit the natural skin rejuvenation process? Yes, you read that right!

Everybody pretty much knows how petroleum jelly works. If you rub it on your skin, it will repel water. It's often used to reverse the effects of a baby's rash by creating a protective coating over the effected area.

But now think about that... If it clogs the pores of your skin and repels water, then why is it used so commonly in moisturizing lotions and creams for adults?

The truth is, it's used because it's cheaper than the more effective skincare products that actually do moisturize skin.

When Vaseline first came on the market, it was promoted as a relative "cure-all." It was supposed to moisturize, protect and lock in moisture in the skin. It was supposed to heal burns, hinder scarring, promote the healing process and even protect against sunburn.

And it is a great product, when used appropriately.

Through practical use, many realized it causes greasiness, increased pimples and blackheads. Not something consumers were really thrilled about.

So, instead of listing petroleum jelly or Vaseline as an ingredient, skincare product manufacturers, began using the term "petrolatum." Yet, it's still the same, greasy product.

Mineral oils sound good too, right? They make you think of minerals that we need for good health. They are in truth liquid petrolatum.

All of these petroleum byproducts are bad for your skin's good health. If used regularly, these ingredients actually cause excessive dryness, and without adequate moisture, skin cells cannot repair themselves.

Through the use of petrolatum, most lotions and creams on the market today actually inhibit the skin rejuvenation process.

Petrolatum does not penetrate the skin, but lies on top of it, so it cannot moisturize the skin. When it comes to moisturizing, the most effective skincare products contain plant oils, such as olive oil and grape seed oil, which have properties very similar to the skin's own sebum.

Plus, the most effective skincare products to combat a combination of dry patches and oily patches on your skin; contain jojoba and passion fruit extract, because these ingredients "balance" sebum production.

Jojoba and grape seed actually do create an invisible barrier that locks moisture in, without creating greasy feeling. These two ingredients actually repel dirt and grime that clogs the pores and causes breakouts.

If you wish to slow down or reverse aging, the most effective ingredients to look for are active protein peptides, like those found in a natural Keratin derived from New Zealand sheep's wool.

Don't confuse this with the keratin you'll find listed on most labels.

The most prevalently used keratin is a less expensive version and is de-naturalized. Unfortunately it does not penetrate through the skin's layers, making it completely ineffective.

The Natural Keratin mentioned above contains a combination of natural bioactive keratin and a nutritional hydrolysed keratin which is extracted from sheep's wool in such a gentle manufacturing process that the peptide chains that make up the ingredient, remain active and because of this, are readily used by the skin's cells.

Just as keratin is a primary component in the epidermis, so is hyaluronic acid, which is an amino acid.

Many anti-aging creams contain hyaluronic acid, but there is an enzymatic reaction that occurs which breaks down this amino acid. The most effective skincare products contain an extract from a variety of kelp that inhibits this enzymatic process, which results in the levels of hyaluronic acid rising naturally - which is what you want.

Finally, to repair free radical damage initiated by the overexposure to the sun and to prevent additional damage, your skin needs antioxidants. And, in particular, vitamin E and coenzyme Q10, but they must be processed correctly or they won't penetrate through the skin's layers to work their magic on the free radicals there.

To produce the most effective skincare products an ultra fine manufacturing process must be used. This provides ingredients which are able to penetrate deeply into the skin's layers for truly amazing results. Provided you look for safe and natural ingredients.

You can't go wrong if you take the time to look for skincare products that use safe, natural ingredients that will improve the health and well being of your skin!


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Kylie Reed: Dedicated to finding, using and researching skin care
products which will reverse and/or slow the aging process by
rejuvenating our skin naturally, healthfully and affordably! http://www.clear-and-radiant-skin.com