There are some great video blogs and Youtube videos being created that highlight all that is silly, funny or downright rotten in the beauty industry. These are 2 that I came across this week and thought were worth a watch:

Fotoshop by Adobe looks at the use of image manipulation in the beauty industry. It makes one wonder if there are any “untouched” images in the mainstream media.

Try to Look Pretty without Poisoning Yourself is an amusing look at the alarming ingredients in conventional make up. Eeeek!

If you come across any videos that take a look at the beauty industry, good, bad or ugly leave a link. Thanks!

In answer to the title of this article you may expect that the response is “it’s organic or natural” but that goes without saying. However, this article takes a deeper look at the classes of ingredients, the skin benefits of these ingredients and their impact on the skin. The basic aims of a good moisturiser is to maintain or restore skin barrier systems and to improve overall skin health. At a cellular level it is important that the formation of the epidermis or outer layer of skin is supported, as this is the foundation of an effective protective layer.

A well-formulated moisturiser will have the following properties:
• Mimic skin structure and function
• Slow trans epidermal water loss
• Maintain the skin’s protective barrier
• Nourish the skin by providing nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and essential fats
• Have a moisture saturating effect i.e. provide the skin with the moisture it needs
• Have a balanced pH
• Have a restorative effect i.e. work to improve superficial skin damage

In addition, it is important that the formulation looks, feels and smells nice. The aesthetics of a formulation have a large impact on its use. After all, a formulation can have amazing properties but if it sits on the bathroom shelf without being used, it is no good to anyone.

In order to achieve the above aims, a good moisturiser obviously needs to contain active ingredients but just as important are the base ingredients. In many cases, the base carriers, emollients (softening and soothing) and humectants (retains water) could also be considered active ingredients if well chosen.

Base ingredients are those that make up over 50 – 70% of the formulation. They are responsible largely for protection and hydration. If formulated well with ingredients such as fruit, seed and plant oils or gels, they will also provide some nutritional value.

The growing sophistication of natural and organic formulations highlights the key differences between these and their synthetic counterparts. Obviously the lack of potential toxic or irritating colours, fragrances and preservatives is a major difference, however, returning to the original premise of the article, “what makes a good formulation”, the key difference by proportion of formulation is actually the base ingredients. Comprising over half of the formulation, they can either actively promote skin health, or have a somewhat neutral effect.

By way of example, petroleum has an excellent and immediate barrier effect on the skin however, it sits on the surface of the skin and so stops the skin breathing and depending on where it is sourced may potentially be a source of toxic contamination. On the other hand, Shea Butter also has an excellent barrier effect but is also a source of vitamins A and E, iron and essential fatty acids. In addition it penetrates the skin readily, has an emollient effect and supports skin elasticizing. As you can imagine, a formulation containing Shea Butter is much more likely to meet the essential criteria of a good formulation.

Active ingredients are more likely to help to restore skin health and provide skin nourishment. These include antioxidants, vitamins, amino acids and minerals. They may make up between 5-10% of a formulation. These days it is common to see the same active ingredients in a good organic formulation as it is in an expensive department store brand or dermatologist cosmedic range. Ingredients such as vitamin C, alpha hydroxy acids, retinoids, hyaluronic acid and peptides are no longer the exclusive domains of dermatologists.

Depending on the formulation colours and fragrances make up less than 5%. An organic formulation is unlikely to have any added colours or fragrances but rather utilizes the natural fragrances of essential oils, which are in fact considered actives or essential oil based preservatives, which again give the formulation its fragrance.

Preservatives may also contribute up to 5% of a formulation. Depending on whether the formulation is natural or synthetically based, the preservatives will be either essential oil or plant based or a synthetic alternative such as parabens. Some organic products contain chemically modified preservatives i.e. the starting material is natural but it is modified to have a preservative-like effect. One example of this is phenoxyethanol. There are a number of ways of manufacturing this preservative however the form that is acceptable in organic formulations is based on natural starting materials.

Determining a good moisturiser from one that is…well average cannot be based on the active ingredients alone. A holistic review of the ingredients including the base formulation, colours, fragrances and preservatives will determine this and if after this you are still unsure, ask! Contact the manufacture, check the Skin Deep database or ask the retailer for a detailed explanation of ingredients so that you really know what you are putting on your face each day.

To review the ingredients of some very good organic moisturisers, click here!

Have you noticed that organic products feel different to their synthetic counterparts? Sometimes they take a little longer to sink in or initially feel richer due to the oil component. Once applied however, you can start to notice your skin feels different, and not just after application but also over time, it feels smoother and more hydrated. There is a reason for this and it all comes down to the base ingredients used in organic skin formulations.

Conventional skin care contains synthetic ingredients such as fillers, silicon and slip agents. These make the product feel smooth as they give the product slip and are designed to settle on the top of the skin, creating a smooth barrier. It also makes your skin appear more hydrated than it actually is. In reality, the barrier created by fillers and silicone agents creates an occlusive coat, trapping ingredients below it and stopping the skin from breathing. While this may make your skin feel better in the short term, in the long term they provide little if any nourishment for the skin.

Skin “breathing” is a critical function of body detoxification. While creating a barrier to the outside world the skin also allows substances such as water, waste products and oxygen to pass through its layers. If these are then trapped below an occlusive emollient such as silicone it can lead to skin health issues such as congestion, poor skin texture and irritation. Extended exposure to sweat under an occlusive layer can further irritation. In addition, skin exposure to ingredients such as artificial colours and scents, which are already the most significant cause of skin issues, can become even more problematic if trapped under an occlusive layer.

Jojoba Oil protects without blocking skin

By contrast natural base oils and butters, while giving products a smooth base feel, also allow the skin to breathe. As fatty substances they are absorbed into the skin, rather than sitting on the surface and in doing so carry important ingredients such as antioxidants through as well. In addition, they are a source of critical essential fatty acids, glycolipids and phosphlipids which support the skin cell membranes and permit nutrients and water into the cell and toxins out.

What to look for in your products are ingredients such as those listed below:

• Pure Seed, Fruit and Vegetable Oils: Tamanu, Sea Buckthorne, Olive, Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Marula, Baobab and the list goes on…
• Plant Butters: Cocoa, Shea or Mango among others
• Aloe Vera Gel

The benefits of products containing such ingredients as their basis are twofold; firstly they aren’t irritating to the skin and secondly provide essential nutrition.  This is a win-win situation all round.

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.

This is a great article from Deanne Bromham, our Vitale Life naturopath. When I decided to focus on writing and research, Deanne stepped into the fold and now treats many patients with skin conditions…with great results. She is patient and encouraging and her treatment are very effective. Below is what Deanne thinks the key issues are with skin problems including acne, eczema, rosacea, psoriasis and skin pigmentation:

Healing Skin from the Inside – Out

by Deanne Bromham ND

On the exterior skin conditions or damaged skin can be red, inflamed, cystic, rough, blotchy, painful, unbearably itchy, scaly and plaque like, lacking vibrancy, damaged, dry and wrinkling. Anyone who has a skin condition will quickly confide that it can destroy one’s self-confidence. After all, skin is the outer layer we present to the world.  Skin problems affect the body’s surface physically as well as emotionally but we don’t always realise just how deep they run.  This is why it is important to find a long-term solution that treats the cause of the problem and one that really works.

Skin problems are related to a dysfunction occurring deep within the body and this is the level they should be treated; a satisfactory solution means treating from the inside and outside.  Unfortunately, this is often overlooked and strong anti-inflammatory creams are prescribed or in the case of acne retail creams and liquids that dry and strip the skin, only offering temporary relief.

It’s a little like looking into a pool of water, what you see on the surface is a true indication of what’s going on underneath.  What is happening at the bottom and in the middle area of the water will ruminate to the surface, making it visually known what the general state of the deeper water is like.  A client’s skin is an important factor I assess no matter why they have come to see me; it tells me a lot about the person’s overall health.

There are a few major players that affect how our skin looks:

Skin in very much affected by hormones; the finetuning of the stress hormone; cortisol, the blood sugar hormone; insulin and the reproductive hormones – oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone cannot be underestimated in their affect on the skin.

Diet plays a massive part in all problem skin and this can be the simplest way of getting quick improvement.

There is a big connection between skin and digestive health or the health of our intestinal tract. If the bacteria within our intestinal system are out of balance this will affect our skin. It is well understood that the bacteria at the centre of the body, the intestinal tract, set the status of bacteria in the skin.  To correct the bacteria in the skin it is necessary to correct the bacterial status inside first and then the skin will reflect this.

The skin along with the lungs, bowel, liver, and kidney are all organs that assist the body in getting rid of waste products. They are well known as the 5 organs of elimination. When the development of a skin condition or even poor unhealthy looking skin has occurred it may be that one or more of the other organs of elimination are being overloaded and/or are under functioning. If the liver and bowel are unable to get rid of toxins the toxins will begin to find another route out of the body and this can be via the skin.  A pleasant side effect of a professional gut repair and detoxification program is the noticeable difference in the appearance of the skin. One of the most common things clients say while on a gut repair and detoxification program is that all their friends have notice how good their skin is looking. If you’re going to clean the pool of water you will need to scrape leaves and scum off the top but you will also need to get the filter working continuously to clean out what’s in the middle and at the bottom.

One of the most important things to understand about getting your skin clear and beautiful is that the body is designed to heal itself. It is totally unnecessary for anyone to accept that this is a skin problem they have to learn to live with.  The body in its natural rhythm is absolutely able to work so that we look and feel great.   Anything other than this is a sign that a particular area of the body is not functioning as well as it should be or it is out of balance. Naturopathic assistance works on our insides to make our bodies, inside and outside, look and feel great. The body responds very well to this, easily lapping it up as it falls back into harmony.

Deanne, an experienced and skilled naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist and iridologist says “As a clinician I assess each person’s skin on an individual basis while taking into consideration the rest of their health and the connection between the two. The use of iridology gives greater insight to their health weaknesses and constitution”. A treatment plan is given that shows what each individual’s skin requires. Results are usually seen as early as 2 weeks.

Make an appointment to see Deanne at Vitalelife in Paddington or Bulimba

Recently I was working with a customer that e-mailed me about having a dry itchy scalp (for the purposes of this blog I will call her Claire). There was also redness and irritation. For her this was a recent phenomenon and she felt quite embarrassed by the dry skin flakes on her scalp and the need to scratch her head constantly. After a bit of back and forward via e-mail we established a few things:

• Claire used a commercial shampoo and conditioner. Most commercial shampoos use Sodium Laurel Sulphate which can cause to a dry scalp and can certainly exacerbate an existing scalp issue.
• Claire used commercial styling products which may have caused scalp irritation
• Claire’s diet was generally good with plenty of good oils and water (for skin & scalp hydration) but she consumed a bit too much sugar which may have increasde the chance of candida (yeast infection). Claire also has some other signs that Candida may be an underlying issue for her which may be an underlying factor in the development of her scalp condition.
• The scalp flakiness emerged as an issue in winter and Claire had been having a lot more long hot showers to keep warm

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).

Yes it was all over the news yesterday that the L’Oreal ad campaign with Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington was banned in the UK. Why? The images of both supermodels were overly airbrushed…and then some! UK MP Jo Swinson who lodged the complaint has long been protesting the “overly perfected and unrealistic images” of women in advertising and I say good on her! Not only do these images portray unrealistic images of women but they are also bring into question the integrity of the company promoting the products. If we can’t trust the company creating the ad, can we trust the product? Does it actually do what it claims to? What product gives you the skin of a 21 year old (unless you are in your 20′s) or lengthens your lashes so much you look like you have a genetic defect! None that I can think of. Yes cosmetics can have great effects but to expect to return to the dewiness of our youth is unrealistic.

But more about body image…

Many a time I have read through a women’s magazine only to feel slightly down afterwards. When I finally realised that I was feeling inadequate when compared to perfect images of perfect women, I stopped reading them and then examined my thinking. What finally popped out the end of that thinking process is that I actually feel ok about myself despite the fact I will never match the images portrayed and perpetuated in women’s magazines. It did take a while…oh about 35 years!

At this stage I would like to say that some cosmetic companies are keeping it real. Dove has long been supporting the realistic portrayal of women in advertising. I can’t say I love their product ingredients but I applaud their efforts with body image. If you haven’t seen it already this is a fascinating look at what happens to create the images we see around us: Dove Evolution

I would love to hear your thoughts on this so please comment and let us all know what you think.

I have been meaning to write an article about just what “organic” means for ages and ages. I am really pleased to say now I don’t have to as Pure & Green Organics just sent me this neat video about the topic that is easy to understand and cuts out the jargon – love it! Watch the video below:

View all of the certified organic range from Pure & Green Organics