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Considered to be the benchmark in topical anti-wrinkle agents the much studied prescription medicine retinoic acid works by triggering the retinoid (vitamin A) receptors in skin cells. Once activated, these receptors affect many cellular processes including the renewal of epidermal cells, prevention of oxidative stress (associated with skin cell damage and ageing), control of surface skin bacteria by reducing sebum production and improvement in skin ageing and sun damage.

Unfortunately retinoic acid comes with significant skin tolerance issues including increased sun sensitivity, redness and irritation, all of which affect compliance. For many years vitamin A precursors have been considered less effective than retinoic acid as they first have to be converted to the active form via specialised enzymes in skin cells as below (http://www.smartskincare.com):

Retinyl palmitate <=> Retinol <=> Retinaldehyde => Retinoic acid

However, recent research supports the use of cosmetic retinal esters as significant anti-wrinkle agents comparable to retinoic acid (Retin-A or Trentinoin). The two important findings of the study (Fu et al. 2010) are that retinyl esters at 0.3% lead to significant improvement in wrinkles and that this effect is achieved without the irritation commonly experienced with prescribed retinoids. Specifically the use of retinyl esters was associated with improved wrinkle appearance after 8 weeks with continued improvement through to the end of the 24-week trial.

This is great news as it supports the use of retinyl palmitate in cosmetic formulations, more than just the label claim. Mismo ACE Vitamin Serum is my pick of natural retinyl palmitate formulations as it also contains the other significant anti-ageing vitamin, C. I have discussed the many benefits of vitamin C before (read more here) but the key difference is the type of vitamin C used in this formulation. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant and for this reason it has been traditionally formulated in water based ingredients such as Aloe Vera. However, the skin prefers fat-soluble ingredients so the aim has been to ensure the skin effectively absorbs the vitamin C used. Recent innovation has lead to the development of Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, a vitamin C that has improved absorption, better stability and can be formulated in an oil base. The other unique quality of this vitamin C is that it doesn’t prickle the skin upon application, which means it is suitable for use on delicate areas of the skin such as around the eyes and as well as for those with sensitive skin.

Mismo ACE Vitamin Serum contains both retinyl palmitate and ascorbyl teraisopalmiate with some vitamin E in a triglyceride and jojoba oil base. This allows for effective transportation of the ingredients into the skin. Skin improvement with this product can be seen within 1-4 weeks with significant improvements within 12 weeks. Look at the difference below:

It seems that the toxic ingredients in skin care are really at the forefront of people’s minds again. I keep coming across articles and about this issue and one of the great resources I found is the infographic below from a blog page called EcoMom. I think they have done a great job at encapsulating the issues  that we face every time we pick up a new cosmetic product.

Unlike the toxins we ingest in food or drink which the liver has the opportunity to filter and excrete before it is stored, the toxins in cosmetics are absorbed directly into the blood stream and are therefore much more likely to be stored in our cells where they can wreak havoc. There are so many toxic assaults our body in this day and age, from the xenobiotics found in carpet and plastics, to toxins in our cleaning products, food and the environment. However, there is a lot we can do to minimise the toxic load we face every day. Changing to non-toxic skin care that is natural and/or organic is a big step in the right direction.

Check out the infographic:

View our range of natural and organic skin care.

The world is connected in ways that we never imagined even a decade ago and one of the most exciting aspects of this expansion is the discovery of new and exciting ingredients. Once considered exotic, ingredients from Morocco, Polynesia and Africa now feature in our everyday skin and hair care. This article takes a look at the benefits of some of the exotic oils now available to us, the benefits of which far surpass the traditional oils we have relied upon up until recently.

Argan oil – this oil is the darling of hair care. Produced from the kernels of the Argan tree fruit, which grows in Morocco, it is higher priced than many oils due to its limited availability.  Consisting of a blend of fatty acids, it is also rich in vitamin E, phenols (antioxidants) and carotenes, which give carrots their orange colour. Preliminary research is showing promise in the areas of sebum control and the management of psoriasis. However, the use it is currently most known for is hair care and indeed it works very effectively to reduce frizz and create a high shine on dry or dull hair. It can also help with oil control for both oily and overly dry hair.

Due to its high content of oleic acid, it tends to be a slightly heavier oil and so may not be ideal for skin that becomes congested easily or that is prone to acne. It is however, ideal for dry, dehydrated and mature skin types. View products that contain Argan Oil

Baobab oil – is extracted from the nuts of an indigenous African tree. Its primary benefit for skin is that it is fast absorbing, non-comedogenic and has great moisturising qualities. It can also help with dermal protection, skin regeneration and the improvement of elasticity. This oil is great as a serum base oil. View products that contain Baobab oil

Olive Squalene – is actually a fraction of Olive Oil and is similar in form and function to Jojoba oil. It helps to balance sebum production and restore the natural moisturising factor (NMF) of the skin. Like Jojoba, it can be used for dry, dehydrated skins as well as oily skin types as it very light and doesn’t clog pores. Olive squalene is particularly useful for dry acne. View products that contain Olive Squalene

Tamanu Oil – Tamanu oil has powerful healing properties in its unique ability to promote the formation of new skin tissue. Traditionally used by the Polynesians as first aid for the skin and mucous membranes, the oil can assist with scars, burns, skin cracks, cuts, dry skin and wounds. Used cosmetically, Tamanu has healing, mild antibiotic and anti-inflammatory activity. For these reasons it is used in both protective and regenerative products aimed at restoring skin appearance. View products that contain Tamanu oil

Marula Oil – sourced from the nuts of the Marula tree in Mozambique and South Africa this oil is fast absorbing, helps to reduce trans epidermal water loss (TEWL) and supports tissue healing. Another interesting quality noted about Marula oil is its ability to reduce skin redness and vascular pigmentation commonly found with broken blood vessels. View products that contain Marula oil

Fortunately all of these oils are available either singularly or as base oils in serums and moisturizers so you can choose the unique qualities of one, or benefit from a combination.

I decided to write a follow up to my apparently very popular Oil Cleaning article. I have had so many questions about this technique, people asking if it will suit their skin and if they should give up gel/foaming or milk cleansers for good. So I thought I would clarify a few points and also add more about my experience.

Firstly, I don’t think oil cleansing suits everyone. I do think it is particularly good for dry and dehydrated skin however, I have read (www.highonhealth.org) that oil cleansing can be far too rich for oily or acne prone skin. Fran from highonhealth.org says that her skin broke out quite badly using this method however when this occured, her skin was acne-prone and oily. I have also had a number of comments in person and on the blog indicating poor results, generally from those with normal to oily skin. In some cases, coconut and olive oil were used instead of a lighter oil such as jojoba so it may also be the type of oil impacting on the outcome.

Oil Cleansing isn’t the only good way to cleanse skin and milk, gel and foaming cleansers certainly have a role depending on your skin type (click here to read more about cleansers). So if you like using any of these cleansing methods, keep going, there is no “one answer” for everyone. Some people love the feeling of a really clean face and this is not something you will feel after oil cleansing.

Currently I use oil cleansing at night only as it helps to take off any makeup I have worn throughout the day. In the morning I use a gel cleanser as it makes my skin feel fresh and clean. Come Summer I will forego Oil Cleansing altogether as I just think this technique is going to feel too heavy in humid and hot Brisbane. I will go back to Oil Cleansing as soon as the humidity starts to decrease, probably around Easter next year.

So to clarify, if you are happy with the cleanser you are currently using and it works for you skin, keep using it! However, if you think your skin would benefit, give Oil Cleansing a go. Please keep your questions and comments coming – I love hearing your experiences about both oil cleansing and any other cleansers.

Related Articles

• The Oil Cleansing Method

Skin care advertisers promise women so much…and do they deliver? Is it really possible that a supermarket brand such as Olay can halt the 7 signs of aging? Well quite frankly I doubt it given the ingredients. So what indeed can a product such as this can do for your skin?

Olay falls into the category of a cosmetic which is classed as a product that helps to maintain the surface of the skin. The ingredients don’t pass through the stratum corneum and as such are active only on the top
layer of skin which means they don’t stimulate any structural changes in the deeper layers of skin. What cosmetics can do is maintain the moisture level on the skin by blocking water loss and nourish the top layer of skin with herbs and nutrients. This is ideal for dry, dehydrated and normal to oily skin with no significant issues. However, if you want results for skin conditions or slow ageing, you are going to need more than a cosmedic.

Cosmeceutical products contain “active” ingredients which are capable of treating beyond the surface of the skin. They are used by beauty therapists and skin professionals to bring about skin change results where
there are conditions such as premature ageing, pigmentation, acne and rosacea. Ingredients that you may recognize that are considered cosmeceutical include active AHAs, retinoids, and some herbs among others. I also think that many oils such as bilberry, sea buckthorn seed oil, acai pulp oil, lingonberry seed oil and tamanu nut oil fall into this category as they are high in natural phytonutrients such as carotenoids, tocotrienols and essential fatty acids that help maintain and improve the health of skin cells.

The newest category of product is called cosmedical which are really just hyped up cosmeceutial prdoucts. They may employ advanced delivery methods ensuring the benefits are delivered as deep as possible into
the skin, higher strengths ingredients or contain clinical trialed ingredients. Therapeutically they can target past and present skin damage. They may also have a preventative affect to some degree and help slow the ageing process. Ingredients that you can look for include AHAs, retinoids, newer forms of vitamin C such as Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, peptides, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and SPF technology (micronized zinc
oxide).

Please let me know if you have had any experiences with skin improvement using cosmeceutical or cosmedical products or ingredients.

As you may know at Vitale we are trying out the new La Mav range of products and one that I have been getting feedback from the staff about is the Pore Refining Toner. La Mav describe this product as being good for skin that is prone to imbalance and congestion. As I haven’t personally tried this I pored (no pun intended) the ingredients to see why it was working so well and came up with a few ingredients of particular interest:

1. Vitamin B5 - topically, vitamin B5 (d-panthenol) is required in synthesis of fatty acids and sphingolipids. These components are important for the skin lipid layers and cell membrane integrity. Essentially this will help to maintain a healthy acid mantle on the skin and therefore skin moisture. It also helps counteract the bacteria that may contribute to whiteheads and acne breakouts.
2. Natural Fruit Enzymes including apple and sugar cane which work to increase skin cells turnover and prevent pore clogging. The other benefits of fruit acids include helping to minimize break-outs particularly if they are related to congestion or makeup use, and milia bumps, reduce the appearance of fine lines, deeper wrinkles and darkened areas on the face.
3. Lemon Balm Extract which purifies, exfoliates and helps to balance skin’s pH which means less oil production and less clogging of pores

The base of this toner is aloe vera, glycerine and rose hydrosol which are all hydrating ingredients that don’t increase the likelihood of congestion. This is another product that goes on my list of “products I must try” as in summer or if I have been consuming rubbish food, congestion can be an issue for me.

I would love to hear any comments you may have about this product so please write us a review.

• Reducing congestion with Fruit Acids
• Clogged Skin – blackheads, whiteheads and congestion

My love affair with topical oils for skin and indeed, hair continues with the recent discovery of Tamanu oil. Once again the Remedica brand that brought this amazing oil to my attention. Used in Sensitive Visage and now also available as 100% oil, Tamanu has extraordinarily high levels of essential fatty acids which means it is a powerful skin anti-inflammatory and the potential for a strong healing effect on damaged skin.

The oil is derived from the nut of the Calophyllum inophyllum, a large evergreen tree native to East Africa, coastal India, the South Pacific and even Australia. The oil is green coloured with a “moss” type odour. The green colour is due to the high level of antioxidant phytochemicals in the oil. The nutritional profile of the oil shows up to 38% omega 6 essential fatty acids (EFAs), 0.5% omega 3 EFAs and phytochemicals with healing, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and even anti-viral activity.

As part of my research about Tamanu oil I did a search on You Tube and came up with some interesting videos. There is an amazing progressive healing pictorials using Tamanu oil on a severe scald – it did make me cringe to look at the open burn but the outcome was amazing. If you have the stomach for it, click here. Please note, seek medical advice before applying anything to an open burn as the exposed flesh is so susceptible to infection.

It is not only new burns that benefit from Tamanu oil. A 9 week study looking at the effect of Tamanu oil on significant old scars (over one year or more) showed a reduction in both scar length and width. Twice daily application for a 6 week period was enough to show obvious improvement. I find this quite exciting as old scars are generally really quite hard to minimize and so this effect is quite significant.
Other research has shown the following benefits:

• a soothing effect on damaged skin including sunburn, skin redness, bites and inflammation
• a regenerating effect on skin cells which promotes skin healing (wounds, burns, cracks, scars)
• an anti-bacterial effect which may assist with skin bacterial overgrowth in acne
• antioxidant which has a protective effect against DNA damage and free radical stress resulting from sun exposure
• moisturising and nourishing effects on the skin which can assist with dry, damaged skin – this has a normalizing effect on the protective acid mantle
• an increase in microcirculation which may assist with bruising

I know that we use Sensitive Visage to great effect on those with sensitive, dry and damaged skin but I would love to read comments from any reader that has used Tamanu oil for other skin issues.

Research reference: Dweck, A.C.: Calophyllum inophyllum – Tamanu oil the African, Asian, Polynesian and Pacific Panacea. International Journal of Cosmetic Science 24, 6, 1-8 (2002).

I have to admit I am a bit lackadaisical when it comes to using a toner every day. If it is in front of me, I use one under my moisturizer but if it isn’t I don’t go searching. This is in contrast to Mary and Caitlyn, our Vitale beauty therapists – they both swear by toners and use them religiously. May I also add they both have gorgeous skin! So when the Dr recently told me to keep the scars on my face moist, I added in the use of a toner first under the healing oils to deliver extra moisture, with might I add, excellent results! Since then I have been using a toner daily.

There are three categories of toner so it is important to make the distinction between them: traditional toners, astringents and fresheners.

Traditional toners are used to restore moisture to the skin. They are ideal for those with normal to dry or dehydrated skin as they contain moisturizing ingredients, herbal extracts and essential oils. They do not contain alcohol, which can reduce moisture and oil content in the skin and potential cause irritation. Examples of traditional toners are:

Remedica Hydra Mist – this amazing looking and smelling product is an active hydrator, moisture retainer and lipid-acid mantle restorer. The effectiveness of this product is due to a complex synergism between antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins and of the natural water binder Lecithin (humectant) which attracts water molecules from the atmosphere and helps bind these molecules to the skin. These actions are exactly what are needed for dry, dehydrated or damaged skin.

La Mav Refining Toner – again excellent for normal to dry or dehydrated skin this toner contains loads of slow ageing ingredients which when used under the La Mav Wrinkle Smoother, layer nutrients and enhance their effects.

Astiringent Toners contain alcohol based (or ethanol) in some form, which has the effect of tightening pores and removing oil. The natural & organic skin care industry moved away from this type of toner a long time ago however, you can still get the pore tightening, cleansing and refreshing effect from other ingredients used in toners that are suitable for normal to oily skin. I will also add that I think toners are excellent and often overlooked for very oil and acne-prone skin. They can deliver a light layer of healing and oil minimizing ingredients without the congestion issues that are sometimes found with moisturizers. Acne prone or oily skin is surprisingly often quite dehydrated. Yes you can have oily but dehydrated (low water) skin. So delivering moisture to oily skin is essential.

Examples of toners for oily or acne-prone skin include:

Third Stone Botanicals Cedarwood Toner – this product delivers concentrated hydration to skin after cleansing just when it needs it and before acid mantle returns which is the best opportunity to lock in extra moisture. The cedarwood essential oil helps to balance out oil production.

Devita Cool Cucumber Toner – well this just smells divine for a start but it also contains chamomile to soothe irritated skin and natural fruit acids to help clean out and tighten pores.

Fresheners are a category of toners that are used for…well exactly that, freshening up your face on a hot day or resetting your mineral makeup, cleansing off makeup at the end of the day or just adding that extra bit of moisture when you look and feel tired or your skin is dehydrated. Based on floral waters, they give much needed moisture but without the drying effects of water (ironic isn’t it but one of the most drying thing we do to our faces everyday is wash with water!).

Treasured Earth Gardenia & Honeysuckle Rehydrating Mist uses rose and lemon myrtle floral water to refresh and rehydrated skin. It also includes the purifying qualities of Iceland Moss so is excellent to help cleanse skin after makeup removal.

For best results use toners twice a day, morning and night after washing your face. One or two sprays is usually enough.

I was given a great resource the other day from the Choose Cruelty Free (CCF) organisation: a copy of their latest booklet “being cruel is uncool”. I opened the book an almost vomited on the spot – true! The picture that made me feel so queasy was of an animal that had had been used to test eye cosmetics. I won’t describe the picture more than to say it was gruesome. Images of cruelty aside this booklet contains a product list of preferred vegan and cruelty free products in Australia.

It also outlines the common animal tests including the following:

• Toxicity test – animals are fed substances until a predetermined percentage of them die. I couldn’t work out why these tests are done except if it were to extrapolate the data to humans to determine the potential toxicity in humans? Can anyone comment?
• Draize Eye Test – this is where concentrated substances are applied to the eyes of test animals that are restrained and unanaesthetised.
• Draize Patch Test – this is a big one in the cosmetic industry where test substances are applied to animal’s skin. Reactions include severe burns.

I strongly feel that cosmetic testing on animals is completely unnecessary when there are so many alternatives available. One of the things that appeals to me about using natural ingredients is that most of them have been used safely by humans for a very long time. This creates a history of safe use and so animal tests don’t even factor into the equation. Thank goodness.

The most interesting thing I noticed was that there are obviously many ingredients that are animal derivatives that are being used in some cosmetics that do have natural plant alternatives. A couple of examples I found:

• Glycerine from animal fat which is a byproduct of soap manufacture. Before the development of syndet bars (petrochemical based soaps and detergents) most commercial soap was made from beef tallow which is essentially beef fat. Fortunately for us the Spanish had developed Castile soap a couple of hundred years ago and now we have the benefit of natural plant based soaps that are rich in vegetable glycerine.
• Hyaluronic acid – this is an anti-aging hero ingredient that is easily sourced from vegetables such as mushrooms or potatoes. However, up until 5 years ago the most common source was rooster combs. I am really glad the humble potato is a source of this great skin nutrient.
• Palm Oil – well this one comes from Palm Trees however the palm oil industry has a devastating effect on the fauna of the Asia Pacific, particularly wild Orangutan colonies.  Fortunately there are a number of sustainable alternatives including Australian palm oil plantations that are grown without rainforest destruction. These have to be certified to be given the sustainable label. Lavera is one company that uses certified sustainable palm oil. There are also great alternatives to palm oil including rice bran oil and grapeseed oil.

From my perspective, not all the brands included are natural or even organic but it does list many natural ranges and some that we sell. I must say at this point that brands that test cosmetics on animals are automatically excluded from the ranges that we retail. We don’t even consider them – ever. Nor do we have products that include animal parts that are extracted from animals such as placenta. We do however have products that contain beeswax, goat’s milk, propolis and carmine and I will note that those products wouldn’t be endorsed by CCF.

I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this topic.

This Summer has been great for me from the perspective of minimal sun exposure…we have had so much rain that it has only been in the last month that the sun has really had a chance to make an impact. I do sun myself in the early morning and late afternoon – I need the vitamin D and the emotional “shine” that comes from sunshine. But really, I am mostly freckle and sun-damage free. Good news for me however, I have had so many people ask me about skin brightening and preventing pigmentation – what works, is there anything natural, how long it takes and what to do to prevent dark spots and sun damage next Summer?

I have written an article about the individual ingredients that assist with skin brightening before. You can read that here: My Skin Lightening Experiment

Skin Pigmentation

In this blog I am going to review 3 skin-brightening products and discuss how they are best used. I will just note that I use the terms “lightening” or “brightening” with reference to pigmentation only as opposed to lightening the natural skin tone.

Prevention/Sun Damage: La Mav Brightening Complex – this product is more effective for evening out skin tone rather than lightening specific pigmentation areas. It is effective for helping to prevent sun damage and inhibiting melanin formation. Use this to prevent damage or for evening skin tone.

Melasma/Sun Spots/Small Area Sun Damage: Devita Skin Brightening Serum – this product is specifically designed to help fight the appearance of Hyperpigmentation that is primarily caused by hormones, birth control pill use, chemical peels, waxes etc. SBS works using the natural skin lighteners Kojic acid and Arbutin which work synergistically to help break-up hyperpigmentation, along with Emblica fruit extract, a proven skin lightener, all which help give the look of a balanced skin tone. SBS is applied to small areas or for spot application. One bottle will last up to 6 months.

Chemical Peel Discolouration/Large Facial Area Sun Damage: Devita Complex KBA – this is from the Devita professional Rx range. It has been formulated to lighten the appearance of skin, which has been discoloured from chemical peels, age spots, sun-spots and freckles. A cream rather than a serum, it spreads over the entire face rather than being used for spot or area application.

Remember any skin lightening treatment takes up to 8-10 weeks to see significant effects.

See Related Articles:

• My Skin Lightening Experiment
• Slow Ageing & Pigmentation Information Page