Men’s Skin Care Trend

Not too long ago men’s skin care seldom went beyond soap and water. Today things have changed exponentially. Due in part to the media and men becoming more self conscious of their appearance, most men today are more aware of their skin care needs and requirements. Men’s skin care industry is thriving like never before. Now there are specialized products and skin care lines that cater exclusively to men.

The flourishing men’s skin care industry is the result of raising awareness of the differences in the needs and demands of both genders. Here are some of the defining factors:

Hormone Levels

Men have higher levels of a hormone called Testosterone. As a result, their skin pores are relatively larger and promote increased oil production within the skin cells. Moreover, external pollutants like dirt and debris get embedded deeper due to the large size of the pores. Therefore, men’s skin products are especially formulated to deep cleanse the skin and provide less moisture as compared to women’s skin care products. There is also a big difference of fragrances and smells that are used in products for men and women.

Skin Texture

Women have thinner skin than men. The regular activities of shaving make their skin rough and coarse. Also, men have more collagen and elastin fibers within their skin cells making their skin is about 20 to 30 per cent thicker. If appropriate anti aging measures are not taken, their skin is likely to deteriorate and the texture would further degrade. And

Shaving

Men have to engage in regular shaving and this has its own set of problems like ingrown hair, skin irritation, razor burns and red blotches. This also makes the skin vulnerable and sensitive. Intensive moisturizing after shaving is important.

But then, shaving is an indispensable part of men’s skin care regimen. Apart from getting rid of coarse facial hair, it also scrapes off dead skin cells and unclogs the skin pores.

Lifestyle

Men tend to spend more time outdoors and do more strenuous physical activity than women. Be it mowing the lawn, sports or playing games with the kids, men tend to be more active and as a result they tend to sweat more. One, it adds to the oil quotient of the skin and second excessive sweat clogs the skin pores. They also need extra doses of sunscreen. This is because they’d be more susceptible to skin damage.

New Ingredients For Tougher Skin

Young skin produces protein like collagen and elastin in sufficient quantities. These are the youth giving skin proteins in our body and are responsible for giving us a healthy, firm, soft and elastic skin.

As time passes the natural production of these two vital skin proteins starts to slow down. Thus, we start to see the signs of skin aging like wrinkles, sagging skin, age spots and dark uneven skin complexion emerge.

In order to make skin tougher we need to develop such products that will help the body build higher amount of its own collagen and elastin naturally.

There are many collagen based skin care products in the marketplace which claim that the collagen in them is the key to make aging skin tougher. But this is far from reality. The scientific truth is that collagen in skin creams cannot be absorbed by our body at all. The collagen molecule is too big to penetrate our skin. The key to how to make aging skin tougher is to help your body build more collagen and elastin naturally.

Advances in medical science reveal ingredients have been discovered which help in skin rejuvenation naturally by stimulating the natural production of these vital skin proteins. This is the natural and effective way on how to make aging skin tougher.

Thanks to the internet and a great deal of research, these breakthrough natural substances are available for anyone in any part of the world. Some of these natural skin rejuvenation ingredients are babassu, maracuja, Phytessence Wakame, and Cynergy.

Breaking News: Peanut-Containing Product Recalls

As a natural health consumer, you should already be aware of the peanut recall happening throughout the country.  Below are Federal links for your reference and information to help you narrow down which products have been recalled and the stores they were sent to, etc..

Peanut-Containing Product Recalls Top 2200

Based on FDA and CDC’s ongoing investigation of the Salmonella outbreak, consumers are advised:

• Do not eat peanut-containing products on the FDA recall list. If you are concerned about a product, call the phone number on the product packaging or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) for information 24/7 in English and Spanish.
• No association has been found with major national brand name jars of peanut butter sold in grocery stores.
• DSHS Orders PCA Plainview Plant to Recall All Products (Texas Department of State Health Services)
• Check out latest updates from FDA and updates from CDC.

Skin Care Ingredients to Avoid

Many consumers are frustrated by skin care products that don’t do what they claim to. Worse still is investing in an expensive yet ineffective cream or treatment only to discover the cheapest drug-store brand would work just as well. In a world of hyper-consumerism, false advertising and a plethora of products from which to choose, how do you choose the good from the bad?

There are some great products on the market that can genuinely improve your skin’s appearance and help your skin look smoother, more radiant, and youthful. But, there are literally thousands of products to choose from and unless you spend hours a day researching beauty products, it’s difficult to find the one of the few that actually produces real results and eliminates years of aging from your face and body.

As the law of supply and demand proves, the higher the demand for youth and beauty, the more manufacturers will rush to provide the solution. Many times this rush results in the creation of an inferior product with little to no research and development to back it.

Caveat Emptor – or “let the buyer beware” – is the rule to live by. Do your homework. Know where you are “voting” your hard-earned money. If it is important to you, make sure you are investing in a quality, skincare ingredient backed by proven results. If the environment and being ‘green’ is important to you, then be aware of the manufacturing practices of the company and product you support with your purchase.

Ingredients to Avoid

Due to certain preservative requirements, many skin care products are unfortunately loaded with ingredients that actually harm your skin over time. Following are a few prominent ingredients widely used in skincare products to day and are to be avoided if you prefer you skincare to be more natural or organic.

• Mineral Oil. This oil has been used in literally hundreds of products. Mineral oil may also go by the alternative names liquid paraffin, paraffin wax and petrolatum on the product label. Mineral oil is used pervasively in skin care products as a moisturizing agent due to its low cost.

Mineral oil, once applied, is meant to ‘trap’ moisture in the skin, but once applied, actually prevents the skin from “breathing.” As such, it clogs pores, interferes with your skin’s natural ability to eliminate toxins, and can lead to acne flare ups. Also, it is irritating to the skin and if used for any length of time, your skin can become dependent on it, causing chapping and dryness. Lastly, it can lead to premature aging of the skin.

• Dioxane: (a synthetic derivative of coconut). This substance is widely used in skincare products. It often contains high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, which is readily absorbed through the skin. In the State of California, 1,4-dioxane has been reported as “known to cause cancer.”

• Fragrances: No one wants to smell bad, but if you want to be on the safe side, you are better off choosing an organic essential oil or diluted cologne, hydrosol or even a bodyspray. Your skin care products typically contain chemically engineered fragrances to mask the unpleasant “chemical odor” of the foundational product itself. Many of these masking fragrances are produced from ingredients that are known to be toxic or carcinogenic.

Your skin is the largest organ of the body. Anything you put on it can be easily absorbed through the pores. When you use skin care products, they are typically applied all over the face, neck, and body. This covers a lot of surface area and, therefore, a great deal of chemical absorption occurs. However, with perfumes and colognes, you can achieve what you want by a small dab here and there, which will result in less chemical absorption overall. If you really want a beauty product to smell great without the harsh side effects, try buying a fragrance-free product and add your own essential oil blend. You can customize a whole line of products with you won signature scent!

• Parabens: methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl paraben. Many skin care products (and moisturizing products) will use parabens as a preservative so their products have a long shelf life. The reason is purely economical. However, studies suggest that they may cause cancer and interfere with the body’s endocrine system, as well as causing allergic reactions and skin rashes.

• Alcohols: ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohol. Not all alcohols have the same properties, but these, which are commonly found in skin care products, are very drying and irritating for the skin. Alcohols such as these strip away the skin’s natural acid mantle, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, moulds and viruses.

Now that we’ve looked at some of the bad, let’s examine some of the good ingredients and some ingredients that sound good but in fact aren’t.

Healthy Diet Helps Dry Skin

« Previous Page