Weekly Featured Article
The Six Essentials
by Alexia Wardell, Arbonne Independent Consultant
With
all the skin care products out on the shelves it is hard to know what
you are suppose to use and when. Choosing between a hydrating wash, a
facial scrub, when to use a mask and oh yeah what about toner can be
quite exasperating unless you know what each product does and why each
may be essential. This article highlights the six essentials to facial
skin care products, what they are for and why you should be using them.
1. Cleansing... the obvious choice right.
Our skin is the largest working organ of the body and is responsible
for protecting all of the inner parts of our bodies. If we don't take
care of that protective shell, than what will protect the rest of us.
Cleansing is essential to protecting that organ.
The skin has it's own natural defense mechanisms. For instance,your skin has three protective layers.
a layer of lipids, or fatty acids
a layer of Sebum
a layer of sweat.
Using
the right cleanser is essential to protecting those defense mechanisms.
You want to be able to lift the dirt and grime from your face without
stripping your skin of it's natural defense mechanisms. This is done
when you use a cleanser with a pH balance of 5.5 -6.0. otherwise you
are stripping your skin of it's top layer of fatty acids, leaving you
exposed to more grime and dirt. For information on pH correct products
please contact me at
alexia@abwardell.com
2. Toning....
ever wondered why you need to use a toner? A toner maintains the pH of
your skin. It also removes excess dirt, oil, bacteria, and makeup that
the cleanser might have missed.
3. Moisturizing...
this I could talk about for hours, but I won't. As you age, every ten
years your skin loses 6% of it's density, and along with that 6% of
it's ability to retain moisture. Moisture is needed in order to protect
the Elastin and Collagen. Moisture gives Elastin that float it needs
to trap Collagen and ground substance to give skin that firm and
supple look and feel. It also protects against trans dermal water
loss.
4. Protection..( or in other words Sunscreen)
Actinic
Aging is 90% of visible aging. This is preventable aging. A lot of it
comes from sun exposure. There are two essential rays that we should
be worried about.
1. UVA --- penetrates the skins surface
and begins to break down collagen and elastin. This is what
causes wrinkles.
2. UVB--- this type of ray hits the surface of the skin and causes burning and cancer.
Both rays needed to be protected against.
5. Masques.... these draw out impurities. A masque addresses
. dehydration
. dryness
. redness
. and oil issues
Masques should be used on a weekly basis.
6.
Exfoliates.... these also need to be uses on a regular basis.
Exfoliates remove an outer layer of dead skin cells. As we age our
cell turnover rate decreases, exfoliates increase cell rate turnover.
They do this in two ways
1. Mechanical= scrub
2. Chemical= AHA& BHA
Beauty is something that is important to all of us, we all want to feel
naturally beautiful. Remember, in taking care of your skin it is
essential to address all six issues of skin maintenance. It is equally
important that you pay attention to the product you are using, making
sure there is no mineral oil or mineral oil by products in what you
use. Mineral oil acts as a sealant over our skin, trapping toxins. I
will address this more in depth another time. Remember, your skin is
important! Make it last.