The Beauty Post

Green tea has many health benefits as many of you know. But what about for your skin? Green tea contains powerful antioxidants than can help delay aging. One of the powerful antioxidant being EGCG. It is even said to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Green tea is said to also help repair skin and even reverse aging due to its effect on skin cells. It is also a good supplement to sunscreen as well. It protects your skin from photo aging and photo damage caused by UV rays. It is very simple to make your own green tea toner. Just brew a cup of green tea like you would as if you were to drink it and let it cool, of course. Or you can just steep a tea bag in room temperature water for at least an hour. You can apply it with a cotton ball/pad.  Leave in the refrigerator to help keep it fresh. I have been doing this for about 3 weeks now. I haven’t seen any changes, but then again, I don’t have much problems to begin with. But I do agree with some users that green tea does not easily get absorbed into the skin. But I don’t think that causes any harm or clogs pores in anyway.

Soy lecithin is of course, derived from soy beans. It is a substance present in all living cells. It is an emulsifier, emollient and antioxidant. It is said to help protect and soften the skin. Lecithin contains phospholipids which is a substance that can attract water from air and therefore it can hydrate your skin. It is commonly used in cosmetics/skincare products since it helps to bind water and oil together. It is also used as a thickener. Lecithin has the ability to penetrate deep into your skin, and can also help other ingredients to penetrate better.   I just tried some recipes that I googled up and I have tried to use liquid soy lecithin to make lotion…but umm…maybe I’m not doing it well…but I can’t seem it make it work. Its fine when I mix it together, but after a while…the oil separates from the lecithin…like overnight, the oil would end up sitting on top of the mixture. Maybe I didn’t mix it well to begin with? Also, it can be very sticky and hard to work with. When I apply the mixture on my hands, it does feel a little bit sticky…maybe I used too much? Also, my boyfriend says that it doesn’t smell too good. Does anyone know a good recipe to make a smooth lotion with lecithin? Because I would really like to use it since it has so many benefits. Thanks!

Dimethicone is an unmodified silicone oil. It is used as a moisturizer, emollient, skin protectant and it helps prevent skin against moisture lost. However silicone products shows occlusive properties. Due to its large molecules, dimethicone does not penetrate deep into your skin and forms a layer on the skin protecting, but I think also trapping it. Maybe this is how it prevents moisture lost, but at the same time, it can also trap moisture along with it bacteria, sebum and impurities which can in turn lead to pimples or clogged pores. Many say that dimethicone is a wonderful ingredient for moisturizing and protecting even sensitive skin. I have used products with dimethicone in it before and I didn’t have any bad reaction to it. But it wasn’t on my face, I used it in a hand lotion. I have to say that it does leave a film on my hand, its not sticky, and it doesn’t feel like anything is on my skin, but I notice that when I wash my hands, the lotion comes off. So I guess that it doesn’t get absorbed by the skin. But do I really want to have something (like a film) over my skin all the time? Probably not. And how do I know that this is a breathable barrier? Dimethicone is also a popular ingredient for hair care products such as conditioner and anti frizz products since it coats the hair. Have anyone ever had problems with dimethicone? or do you think its a wonderful ingredient to have for dry skin?

Red Palm Oil is rich in vitamin A and vitamin E. The vitamin A comes in the form of carotenoids. This is what gives the oil a rich red color. Red palm oil is extremely high in carotenoids - 15 times more provitamin A carotenes than carrots and 300 times more than tomatoes! The vitamin E in this oil is unique because it contains not only tocopherols (a more common form of vitamin E) it also contains the highest amount of a super potent form of vitamin E - tocotrienol. It is said that tocotrienols have up to 60 times the antioxidant activity of ordinary vitamin E. Red palm oil contains 50% saturated fatty acids, 40 percent monounsaturated fatty acids, and 10 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids. Due to its high antioxidants, this oil is very stable even at high temperatures which also makes it a good cooking oil. Red Palm oil seems like a good ingredient for skincare since it contains powerful antioxidants that can “mop up” free radicals which is believed to cause aging and many other ailments. The only downside of it is the fact that this oil is red in color! So when you apply it to your skin, you can look orange! I tried…but its really not that bad…I just put a little on and then blot the excess too. I’ve read that the brand Ojon - the haircare product company uses this oil for their hair and body products too.

Retin A is a derivative of Vitamin A. It is a very popular treatment used for acne, scars and wrinkles. Retin A helps skin cells to turn over more rapidly and also helps exfoliate your skin to reduce the build up of dead skin cells. That is probably why it works well for those with acne. There are studies that show Retin A can help make collagen, reduce fine lines and increase epidermal thickness which would be helpful for those who are concerned with wrinkles. But this ingredient does come with side effects. Some of which are dryness, itching, redness, peeling or flaking. Some users have reported a slight stinging when they apply Retin A. Another side effect of Retin A is that it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. I’m guessing its because Retin A thins the outer layers of your skin (the effect of exfoliating). Many would suggest that you should avoid sun exposure and tanning beds and to use sunscreen. Retin A is also not recommended for women who are pregnant. The first part of Retin A sure sounds good…but the benefits of it just doesn’t seem to out weight the side effects - to me anyway. I’m sure women who love Retin A would disagree. I have used it before and I thought it did more harm than good. When I applied it, it feels like it burns. After a while, my skin feels so irritated and red. On top of that, my skin was flaking too. I went back to see my dermatologist and she suggested that I should use a product with a lower percentage of Retin A in it. I used it for a total of about a month. I have not seen any improvements in my skin at all. I thought that it was worse off than before I started using it. But some dermatologist says that it takes time to work and if you are patient with it, you will see the benefits. But the idea of burning my skin and making it irritated and flaky and red is just not right to me. What are you thought on Retin A?

Tamanu Oil is said to be a good oil to use for reducing scars. Traditionally, islanders used this oil for many purposes. From soar throats to insect bites, to body odor. Tamanu oil has many uses. But for our skin, this oil is beneficial due to its anti inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibiotic and antioxidant properties. It helps us reduce scars and age spots by promoting the formation of new skin tissues. Tamanu oil can also help protect our skin and keep it clear. Although Tamanu oil has a rich and thick consistency, it has the ability to penetrate all three layers of skin. Once applied to skin, it is easily absorbed.

Honey has been used by many for thousands of years as a natural remedy. It is known to help with allergies, aids digestion, help heal wounds, soothes sore throats, provide antioxidants and so much more… for our skin, honey can be used as a cleanser and moisturizer. Honey makes a good moisturizer due to its ability to attract and retain moisture. It also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which would make a good cleanser especially for those with acne skin. Honey is a good choice even for those with sensitive skin. Honey contains B vitamins and minerals. I have been using honey as a facial cleanser for the last past few days and it makes my skin feel very soft. It also seems to be doing a good job as a cleanser. My skin doesn’t feel oily afterwards. It just feels clean, but not the squeaky, tight and dry kinda clean.

Bismuth Oxychloride is a common ingredient used in mineral makeup. It has good binding qualities to help your makeup stay on your skin. It also gives your skin a shine. So it doesn’t sound too bad right? But many woman have reported bad side effects such as itching, burning, breakouts and/or their skin turning red after using mineral makeup. The possible culprit is bismuth oxychloride. This ingredient is easy to access and is inexpensive. It is used in mineral makeup as a filler. Bismuth Oxychloride is a mineral byproduct of lead and copper refining. It is considered a heavy metal and it can clog pores, cause blemishes and irritate skin. Although bismuth oxychloride is classified as non toxic it is said that 75% of users are allergic to bismuth oxychloride. But other users have reported no bad side effects from it and they have reported clearer skin. I have used BE which contains bismuth oxychloride and I’ve never had a problem with it. So I suppose it really depends on your skin.

Aloe Vera have been used by many centuries ago. It was used traditionally to treat burns and wounds. Aloe vera contains 200 active compounds, 18 amino acids, 8 essential amino acids, and other vitamins and minerals. Aloe Vera is able to penetrate deep into your skin layers to prodvide your skin with nutrients and moisture. It is also an anti-inflammatory, help heals wounds, and provide relief to burns and sunburns. Aloe Vera has a PH level that is similar to our skin which is slightly acidic. Many have said that aloe vera is very helpful in reducing scars as well. Aloe Vera can also help reduce the redness or swelling caused by acne due to its anti inflammtory effects. I have tried aloe vera but I find that it dries out my skin. I did not find it moiturizing at all. But it did a good job calming down my pimples. I had a few blemishes that I put aloe vera on and in the morning, it looked smaller and less red. So maybe I’ll just use it as a spot treatment for my blemishes.

Coconut oil is said to benefit the skin in many ways. It moisturizes, heals and protects. It contains vitamin E and lauric acid which is also found in mother’s milk. Coconut oil helps strenghtens the connective tissues, protects our skin and limiting the damaging effect caused by sun exposure. It also helps in removing the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. Coconut oil also contains antioxidants which helps protects our skin from free radicals. I’ve been told by many that coconut oil is the best thing to use for dry skin. They say to put in on all over your body after shower while your skin is still wet and that really helps with dry, dehydrated skin. It is also a great hair conditioner/moisturizer for those with dry hair. When coconut oil is at a cold temperature, it solidifies. It will turn back to liquid when its warmed. I have tried using coconut oil, but it was just too heavy for me. I put it on after shower and it just feels greasy and heavy. Maybe I’m putting on too much? It absorbs after a while though. I used it on my hair as well and it made my hair very oily. I have also tried it on my face and I broke out from it. I think overall, coconut oil is too thick and heavy for me. Anyone else had the same problem?