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.

So oxygen facials are really the hype nowadays. Madonna is a big fan of the oxygen facial. I’ve read that she gets it done before all her red carpet moments. It is said to help plump up those wrinkles and fine lines and makes your skin look more radiant. The oxygen facial uses a machine that sprays pressurized oxygen infused with moisturizers/nutrients and or vitamins (every spa or clinic uses different ingredients) onto the skin. The pressurized oxygen helps to push the ingredients deeper into the skin. This of course will hydrate your skin to make it look more supple and youthful. Some say that oxygen is vital to our skin health. And it is due to the lack of oxygen that speeds up the aging process. But this is whats confusing to me. I’ve been learning all this time that oxygen is not necessarily our skin’s best friend. I mean of course, it is needed for not only our skin’s survival, but our bodies as well…we will not be living without oxygen. But I’m just thinking of what we’ve been told all this time about aging. The free radical theory. For those of you who don’t know what that is…I have a link at the bottom to where you can read about it. We’ve all learned or at least heard of in school when we were young about the apple experiment. If you cut an apple in half and just let it sit out, it will turn brown. Why? Because of oxidation. Well oxygen itself is not bad…but it is the unstable form of molecules of oxygen (free radicals) that is bad. So why should we forcefully put oxygen onto our skin? I think that the oxygen we get everyday naturally is enough for our skin. Well this is what scares me into not getting an oxygen facial. Does anyone who have had the oxygen facial have any comments? What I wrote is just what I’m thinking…but I could be totally wrong…let me know!

http://www.nowfoods.com/?action=itemdetail&item_id=10441

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?

I was doing some research on red palm oil (this week’s ingredient) and I came across something interesting. I have never knew or heard about this before. In the article I read it states that asians have a yellow tint to their skin due to having more beta carotene in their skin. Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant that can scavenge free radicals effectively. Could this be why asians tend to age better? Well, it could be their diet as well. So maybe we should start eating more carrots!

http://www.beautymagonline.com/pages/oriental_skin.htm

http://www.environ.co.za/contents/articles/varieties_of_vitamin_a.htm

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.

Do you treat the skin on your face different than the skin on the rest of your body? I mean our skin is an organ so what is the difference between the skin on your face than on your body? I definately pay more attention to my face. My boyfriend once said that maybe when I get old, I would still look young on my face and the rest of my body would be old and wrinkly. I certainly hope not! But we should take care of our skin all over. Some give aways of your age are your hands and neck. So make sure you take care of those areas 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.

What is the best way to apply your favorite moisturizer? Some say to rub it in, some say to pat it in, and others say we should apply it in a circular or upward motions. I like to rub it in because that way I feel that it is all evenly spread out and that I get every spot on my face. But it does pull my skin which of course is not a good idea. I also think that rubbing your face in a circular or upward motion can also pull your skin and stretch it. Patting it in may be the best way without pulling and tugging your skin, but I don’t feel that I applied it evenly or I didn’t put on enough. Which way do you think is best?