Japanese women do not use eye cream

I know many of you may not know this fact, and feel surprised to know it as all of us understand that Japanese women always look clean and tidy with full makeup. Whenever they feel uncomfortable or after meal, the first thing they do is replenish makeup, especially in wash room/toilet. In Malaysia or any other country, as long as you are a woman concern about your skin and take good care of your skin, I believe that eye cream (or any eye care such as eye gel, eye serum or eye mask) is an essential item on your makeup table.

It is surprised for me too when I first heard that Japanese women do not wear eye cream. The main factor is Japanese ladies believe that Japan produced skincare could be applied on eye area too. Therefore, eye cream sounds an optional for them, even could be omitted. Therefore, eye cream has no market in Japan.

You will mention that many Japanese skin care brands in the market launched eye cream; almost none of Japanese brands can run out of this. Owing to potential overseas market and millions-dollar profits,  I believe no company will miss the opportunity to earn more. There is always supply when demand comes in economics. Ah ha, I just came across a Japanese brand name in my mind and she does not have eye cream. It’s RMK, a professional makeup brand widely sold in UK, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia!  

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Want some elasticity for your face? Here is a simple way

Instead of keep looking for hyaluronic acid in skincare product label, or drinking collagen drink persistently, why don’t you try for another way, which you may take them regularly. Just you never link these 2 things together.

Alright, I believe that you may know one of the health benefits of vitamin C is to stimulate synthesis of collagen and hyaluronic acid. That’s why you could find vitamin C in many collagen drinks, it includes in the formula to enhance the process of collagen after breaking down into amino acid. Reminder for all: it is advisable to take fat-soluble vitamin C (synthetic but absorption is high) or bioflavonoid vitamin C ( natural source vitamin C).

And, I believe that most of you apply toner after cleansing in your daily skincare routine instead of just wash your face with cleanser. If you don’t take care of your skin, you also won’t read my blog, right?

The best timing to optimize the effectiveness of vitamin C is 30 minutes after you take, pour generous amount of toner on cotton pad, apply on skin evenly and pat on your skin for absorption. In another way, you could also lightly pat your skin using finger (but not palm). This helps to stimulate your skin synthesize more collagen and hyaluronic acid meanwhile you are supplying sufficient dosage of vitamin C to promote skin firmness and hydration.

The recommendable toner for this practice is hydrating toner, preferably low or without alcohol (at least no strong alcohol smell). I would recommend blanchir clear conditioner 1 or 2, Impress lotion 1, SK II facial treatment, florame rose floral water or any hydrosol, Avene thermal spring water or DIY herbal toner I posted previously.


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Beautiful Velvety Soft Skin: Simplest ever DIY Bath Oil

What do you use to wash away body dirt?

                  Soap or shower gel. What else?

What do you use to remove dead skin cell?

                  Scrub?? Or loofah.

What do you use to nourish your body after bath?

                  Body lotion.

Have you ever imagined that there is something could have these functions, and you could make it by your own?

The answer is definitely yes, and the ingredients are easy to be bought from any convenient stores or supermarket.

All you need is olive oil (preferably organic extra virgin) and sea salt (preferably fine). You can use rock salt too, but sea salt contains more minerals, which helps to promote skin suppleness and blood circulation.

You can premix olive oil and sea salt in ratio 2:1 into a wine glass or vinegar bottle and seal it with cork. The salt will melt very slowly.

Whenever you need to use them, just shake the oil-and-salt bottle, pour out 4-5 tablespoonful of the mixture (depends on your body size) in a bowl.

Scoop the mixture and start rubbing it all over your body, part by part, in circular motion. Massage and rub it all over your body parts especially thigh, hips, waist and arm. Massage will help to reduce excessive water retention and of course exfoliate dead skin cell.

Finally, rinse whole body with water and you will find your body turn extremely velvety smooth now. You can pat dry body with towel. If you prefer lighter version, continue your bath time with shower gel, it will lightly remove some grease from the oil. Personally I prefer with mild shower gel which does not foam much.

After all, you could experience your body with smooth and refining touch. For best result, keep practice it once a week.

philosophy

Berrylicious Yogurt: my beauty way

Consuming berry have numerious of health benefits, here i list down some of the well-known functions.

• good for vision, protect your eyes
• powerful source of antioxidants, support fair flawless skin, anti-aging process for body and brain
• balance hormone naturally
•  a happy food, similar with banana which contains trytophan and tyrosine to synthesize serotonin and dopamine

The rest you can google, i don't want to mention about health-related dieases as i believe that just berry couldn't prevent such diseases.

Blending it in soy milk or other fruit juices is a good and delicious way to consume these berries, here i show you is blending with yogurt and creme fraiche. If you want, drop some beauty and wisdom oil in yogurt before you serve this with berry, it optimize the effective of these healthy foods.

philosophy

Effective Tips to Wash Your Face

I guess some of you may know what it is, it's facial cleansing net. Why do we have to lather foaming cleanser such as cleansing foam/cleansing gel before we use it on face? As these surfactants are commonly high in pH, as you lather them, it is not only activating cleanser but also lower pH, so when you apply bubble on skin, the cleanser is in gentle stage and won't harm your skin. In fact, you could find out that to use the same cleanser in 2 different ways, the result could be different. Activating cleanser before you wash on your face would leave your skin matte smooth and non-tight. It is always a good practise no matter what brand you use.

However, we all understand that lathering cleanser is a bit time consuming, especially for lazy people, they may just lather a bit or even worse they do not lather, straight away can apply the cleanser on face. Always bear in mind that your skin is not cement or marble floor, you shouldn't treat your skin better.It represents your hygience status.

Therefore, to make it time saving, people start using cleansing net. You can get a cheap cleansin net in Daiso, i think just RM5 for a pair. Every time squeeze/pump a bit of cleanser and you can add water and start rubbing the cleansing net to foam rich bubble.

• Volume of bubble should be a small lemon size, which enough to cover your face, no matter big or small
• The bubble should be solid and won't fall when you turn your palm upside down.

Then, start using bubble to wash you face gently. Use bubble to wash away your face dirt but not using your palm or finger. Finally rinse with running pipe water (please don't recycle water in this case), for 6-7 rounds.

Pat dry your skin with dry, clean towel. But not RUBBING your face till turning red, else it will sensatize your skin.

i think that's all i share with you, this tip is really useful for me.

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What if you don't use cleanser once a while?

How frequent do you wash your face daily? Do you wash as frequent as your 3 meals about 3 times a week?

Here I point out that “over-wash” would cause your protective sebum layer will be washed off and your skin turn to dryness, and yet although you have suppleness from both toner and moisturizer, your skin is expose to certain level of harshness. AS your skin is lack of protection, you may expose yourself to different risks, such as sensitivity, redness or excessive oil due to dryness.

This is not a healthy practice. In fact, leave your skin rest from cleanser once a while could be beneficial (and I am trying my best to help your pocket save more). As your skin leave clean, it will generate auto-recovery mode to protect itself.

How to do this step? It is simple and easy way. Upon morning, just wash off your skin with clean, running pipe water (preferably filtered water, depends on your residential area, if too polluted I would suggest you to install filter system), pat dry with clean towel. Next, apply toner and moisturizer as usual, before you proceed to next steps such as sunblock and foundation.

Oh, you feel very yucky and dirty that your dirt oil still have not yet be removed? In fact, this practice I recommend only 2-3 times a week, and advice to do it in morning. Unless you are bare skin for whole day, else you could practice this method at night.

philosophy

Beauty Info: Something between Scar & Snail

Snail? Ever imagine they are one of the ingredients in your skincare? Huh, you feel yucky?

Don't worry, i know escargot is a delicious French cuisine and best serve with grilled garlic butter. However, please do not confuse it as skin food as they use sticky, transparent snail secretion instead of snail meat or snail shell!

Snail secretion contain mucin, a sticky substance (mucus) that helps in skin renewal and promote scar recovery open acne scar or open wound. It acts as a sealing glue to patch up and repair affected areas. Meanwhile, due to its mucosity, it keeps moisture.

Snail cream is gaining popular in korean skincare after BB cream, almost all medium to low range of korean brands such as Missha, Bavipha, It's skin, Nature Republic, lauch snail cream respectively. For massive cosmetic groups such as LG and Amore Pacific, they are still peeping on how these small brands work with snail cream, and yet until now they still haven't lauched any snail cream.

However, the potential of snail secretion is utilized by Kose group to include it as selling point in prestige line, Cosme Decorte AQMW anti-aging range. However, Cosme Decorte did not use any snail or snail secretion as marketing point but use mucinsome. Mucinsome is a mucin secretion encapsulated by liposome to carry into skin easily.

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Product Comment: Cosme Decorte Moisture Liposome

A pump of crystal clear light fluid absorb fast upon application on my face after cleansing, Cosme Decorte moisture liposome deliver what they promises: radiance, translucency, commitment to hydrate skin. Other than that, it contains high-tech liposome to encapsulate active ingredients penetrate to skin quickly without destroying them and release. Owing to this characteristic, liposome can guarantee for the effectiveness delivery to skin and benefit to skin. Any skincare product with liposome could never be a cheap product, the raw material is very high cost.

With abundant list of hydrating substances such as butylene glycol, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, sodium PCA, it keep skin moisture but leave a little bit of sticky sensation (due to high amount of glycerin) especially oily skin. If you sleep at air condition space, you will feel a smoother touch.

To apply this, i recommend moisture liposome before toner as moisture liposome is small molecular water droplets, it tends to penetrate to skin better without barrier before big molecular droplets (toner).

Recommended to dehydrated skin and dry skin

Ingredient list:
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated lecithin, Acetyl Glutamine, Betula alba, Lemon extract, Equisetum arvense, Humulus Lupulus, Orchid, Pinus Sylvestris Cone, Rosmarinus officinalis, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Tocopherol, Alcohol, Benzophenone-5, Carbomer, Cholesterol, Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Fragrance

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Granmula: An Exquisite Aura works Lively

Fragrance could be synthetically made, or even more expensive, extracted from flowers. Among many extraction methods, HEADSPACE EXTRACTION METHOD is one of the most extraordinary high technology methods as the plant is still ALIVE during capturing the odor of an aromatic substance using a bell-jar. Hence, the essence of flowers are remaining lively active and have promosing therapeutic effects.



Scents of Granmula named as Bouquet de Granmula, it is an impressive scent of the finest beauty created from more than 20 kinds of flowers such as saffron, magnolia, grapfruit, mint, kemin, rose, iris, jasmine, muguet, ylang-ylang and trees such as musk, cedarwood and moss. Especially saffron is as expensive as gold, has a short lifetime when it starts to bloom in the morning and reaches full bloom within 1 hour. Aroma release during its prime flowering time, and aromatic substances gradually decline. Within 3 days, saffron scent is almost completedly vanished.

Bouquet de Granmula is a fresh, glamorous and sensual scent to give you total comfort and relaxation. Thus, it will create an exquisite aura to enhance skin penetration of active ingredients in Granmula: Carnitine, Bisamin, Magnolinate and Rhododenol.

Carnitine: accelerate the generation of energy necessary for keratinization, it helps skin elasticity and firmness

Bisamin: adjust cell adhesion balance, it helps skin firmness


Magnolinate: inhibit tyrosinase maturity, it helps skin fairness without flaw

Rhododenol: inhibit tyrosinase activation, it helps skin pigmentation and whitening

Granmula, a simple and yet multifunctional skincare works wonder for the skin, especially if you feel too troublesome to use essence, mask, or other treatments. Of course, if you want to corperate Granmula with your daily or weekly skincare routine, it just like you add-on some spices and sugar to make the dishes taste more delicious. So, Granmula is your beauty soul for your skin to keep your beautiful promises.

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Beauty & Wisdom Oil: An Internal Nourishment Works Inside Out

Continue with one of most recommended beauty foods by writers or gurus, Essential Fatty Acid (EFA, u may refer to http://philosophy-s-beauty.blogspot.com/2010/04/beauty-food-essential-fatty-acid-efa.html to know more about the functions and importance of EFA), I'd learned a sophisticated way to have oilsome supplementation.

I'd taken this oily cocktail for months, you can just find your whole body smoother at initial stage. Every morning wake up, i feel the silky smooth touch of both thighs. Afterwards, i feel vibrant and energetic as coconut oil increase metabolism rate, burn fat (yes, take oil and it burns me 5kg away). Just compare with taking coconut oil alone, beauty & wisdom oil works much more faster.

Well, if you are regular of justlife organic shops, one of Malaysia organic pioneers, you will find what "Body Fuel" is. It is a mixture of different EFA in a nutshell to compliment and maximize promising effects, you can even feel your body changes in just a few days.

Plants and natures are God's created miracles, as mix-and-match it is simply synergistic than alone. Just like teamwork.

I call it "beauty & wisdom oil" instead of "Body Fuel", it sounds much more graceful. Let's go to what it consists of

1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp of flaxseed oil
1 tsp of EPO
1 tsp of wheatgerm oil

Mix them together instead of you take them one-by-one. Why? Perhaps electrons of the plant oils will re-organize arrangement as you combine them. You may shout out, OMG, how do I consume spoonfuls of this yucky, oily thing. Well, just mix them into soy milk or yogurt (that's my way), it can not only mimic the oily sensation, but also protein linked with oil to form lipoprotein, which is much more water soluble to be absorbed by our body. Or, you can also add maple syrup or honey, chill them to solidify it (thanks to coconut oil) and aerate them by keep stirring them to corporate more oxygen so that it forms a creamy yummy paste. It tastes exactly like KAYA~

If you are newbie in oily world, you can just start with wheatgerm oil and coconut oil, these two are main leaders while EPO and flaxseed oil are backup. As you get used to it, simply include the last two. If you are pregnant and worry about EPO, don't worry, just omit it will do.

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Product Comment： Eminence Organics Blueberry Soy Repair Mask

Allright, time to report here. I know I'd disappeared for months, sorry to say that I am really busy with my tasks.

Straight forward to my product comment, i never call it review. Who am i to review a product unless am an expert in cosmetology. That's why i always ignore beauty bloggers who just share feeling after use but not the effects for at least a month, that's nonsense.

Eminence Blueberry soy mask has divine berry aroma as if you are almost enjoying blueberry yogurt, this blue purple paste is cream based mask with numerous good-for-dry-skin nourishing agents: shea butter, soy, calendula oil, corn germ oil, glycerine, evening primrose oil with packful of antioxidants (vitamin A, C, E, Q10, ALA and main character, blueberry). All these antioxidants create synergistic blend to exhibit high level of antioxidant activity to inhibit tyrosinase to form pigments on face. Indirectly, it could be use as a back-up whitening mask for dry skin too. After washing, this blueberry mask leaves on glossy radiant shinny appearance and velvety complexion. For a month usage, your skin feel radiance improvement, and also it helps to store back moisture thus smooth fine lines, a visible aging sign for mature skin.


It soothes itchiness and redness caused by dehydrated and dry skin, immediately upon application! This mask perform excellent not only a repairing mask but also soothing mask. However, for extremely dehydrated skin, i will suggest you better do a hydration mask before using this blueberry yogurt.

Ingredient list: Blueberry Juice, Blueberry Pulp, Corn Germ Oil, Natural Cream Base, Sheabutter, Soy yogurt, Rasberry Juice, Bramble Juice, Glyceryl Stearate, Calendula Oil, Glycerine (Vegtable Based, Corn Starch, Algin Xanthan Gum, Biocomplex (Vitamin A, Esther C, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10, Alpha Lipoic Acid), Evening Primrose oil, Glycine Derivative, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid. Remark: Eminence Organics also have other blueberry products available, I'm quite interested in their blueberry soy night recovery cream.

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Imbalance Skin Tone: Why & How?

Skipping sunblock or lack of whitening caring, in long term, it causes imbalance skin tone due to excessive melanin production or irregular metabolism rate.

Besides imbalance skin tone, dull skin as well as waxy pale also become one of most skin concerns. It could be caused by

• excessive melanin production caused by sun exposure, hormone, drug/medication, late sleep, pressure
• oxy-haemoglobin decrease caused by poor blood circulation due to smoking, diseases or lack of exercise
• irregular skin cell metabolism caused dead skin cell congestion
• over-cleansing, air-conditioning, weather changes caused dehydration and weak moisture-storing of skin.
• excessive intake of carotenoids from carrot, tomato, papaya and mandarin
  

The simplest way is:

Morning
After double cleansing, apply L-ascorbic acid & sunblock for melanin reduction as well as enhancing sun protection.

Night
Apply whitening serum after cleansing to suppress melanin formation. Apply fruit acid/AHA gel or lotion twice a week to promote cell exfoliation, eliminate melanin and restore radiance & glow.

Skincare Myth：Fruit Acids cause Thin Skin?

Fruit acids including AHA, such as lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, glycolic acid, as well as BHA.

Fruit acid exfoliate skin, improve skin by adjusting ketosis rate of acne prone skin, thus it controls pimple and heal skin faster. Definitely, excessive usage of fruit acids will cause skin metabolism rate more rapid dramatically, at the moment the ability of skin against extrinsic stimulants/ factors from environments will decrease, it causes sensitivity temporarily and most people will guess their skins become sensitive, become thin skin as their skin may experience redness easily.

In fact, it is not that bad. One could stop application for a week, let skin cell renew in normal rate, and then exfoliate skin consistently (ideally once or twice a week), it will let your skin revive naturally without any side effects or discomforts.

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Skincare Myth：Too Early To use Anti-aging Range?

Some people think that if we are using anti-aging skincare range at early age, it will cause our skin age faster than we could imagine. How true is it?

Applying anti-aging range would not cause skin age faster, aging rate would not increase dramatically. However, most anti-aging skincares are richer, cream-based which are a bit burden for oily skin. Oily skin tend to secrete oil sebum, as they are using anti-aging skincares they may feel greasy, but lighter texture could be contributed by serum with anti-aging effect.

Therefore, there is no such thing using anti-aging skincares in early age will cause our skin age even faster. The clarification is clear enough.

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Approaching Eminence Organics

Incidentally read an article at The Star newspaper about Eminenece Organics open an outlet at 1 utama, this brand from Hungary is famous of its uniqueness points:

1) handmade & fresh
2) contains abundant of active berries extracts
3) smell divine!
4) certified organic by USDA, Demeter & BioKontrolle

Came across this brand during my visit to Hong Kong, i was impressive about their complete organic eye range with not only eye gel & eye cream, but also eye exfoliant and eye mask, which are rare in organic skincares industry. Unluckily, eye exfoliant is not available in Malaysia market yet. This product would help to soften dead skin cell and reduce congestion, perhaps it works for congested eye and fight against oilseeds.

I visited Solaris Mont Kiara outlet named My Beauty Cottage and bought a set of Eminence Organics starter kit for dry skin (RM288) and Rosehip Whip Moisturizer (it's a day cream), spent me RM599. The starter set consists of 5 products: Lemon Cleanser, Rosehip Maize Exfoliating Mask, Blueberry Soy Repair Masque, Naseberry Treatment Cream for day and Linden Calendula Treatment for night.

Let me try for at least a month to share you the testimonials. Stay tune^^


philosophy

New EU regulations for Sunscreens: Say Goodbye to Natural Sunscreens

"New European regulations for sunscreens will soon require levels of UVA protection that are impossible to achieve with natural mineral sun filters such as the titanium dioxide in Dr.Hauschka Sunscreens. In order to meet the requirements of these new regulations and maintain our products' SPF ratings, we would be forced to reformulate using synthetic filters."Our unwavering dedication to pure, holistic skin care and BDIH guidelines for natural ingredients prevent us from using synthetic sun filters in our preparations. As a result, Dr.Hauschka Skin Care has made the difficult decision to discontinue our existing sun care range."

As of January 1, 2009, Dr.Hauschka Sun Care products will no longer be available in the U.S."

In September 2006, the European Commission introduced new guidelines for the labelling of sunscreens, as potentially misleading claims about the level of sun protection offered reached the point of controversy. A report in July 2006 found that sun creams claiming to have Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 were giving much lower protection, with the lowest measuring SPF 6.3. The health implications were clearly quite serious.

The EC responded by recommending a new labelling system, currently in the process of being brought into effect. New safety margins will mean that products will have to have a buffer zone of 33%, so those which currently offer SPF 15 will have to test for protection at SPF 19.95. The SPF labelling system will also be phased out in favour of something simpler. It will soon no longer be possible for companies acting within the new guidelines to claim ‘complete protection’. Furthermore, sunscreens will have to provide protection against both types of damaging sun rays, UVA and UVB, at a ratio of 1:3.

When chemical sun protection factors are used it is not difficult to achieve the required 1:3 ratio. However, using chemical sun protection factors is out of the question. The result of this new system is that many ‘natural’ product companies are discontinuing their sunscreen ranges. Weleda, Urtekram, Dr. Hauskha, Living Nature and Honesty are no longer producing sunscreens.

The Environment Working Group, a US based not-for-profit organisation which uses information to defend public health and the environment, publishes the Skin Deep website. This is a comprehensive database of the ingredients found in cosmetics products which is founded on research collated from government, industry or academic studies or assessments. It is possible to search for substances, and the results are broken down into different types of risk, ranging from cancer to the ability of substances to accumulate in organisms or the environment (bioaccumulation). The results are summarised in a hazard rating of one to ten and a percentage figure for the data gap, which is a measure of how much is unknown about an ingredient. 0-2 represents a low hazard; 3-6 a moderate hazard and 7-10 a high hazard.

In the sense that we will no longer have mineral based sunscreens to use in future, other than chemical-based sunscreen which usually offered higher SPF, i am thinking to stock up few more bottles of Living Nature sunscreens before it is totally out of stock.

philosophy

Product Comment：Sulwhasoo Snowise Whitening Fluid

Start with aromatic oriental herbal scent, if your nose is sensitive enough, you could also smell some alcohol tingle your nose, Sulwhasoo Snowise Whitening Fluid is lightweight moisturizer suitable for oily combination skin. It contains butylene glycol & alcohol, which not only ease penetration of active ingredients but also evaporated easily to give fast absorbing sensation applied upon skin. Cyclopentasiloxane & dimethicone are silicon-based ingredient act as emollient to smooth skin; beta-glucan is an excellent calming ingredient to soothe skin.

Highlighted with plant extract based whitening ingredients, rhubarb, mulberry, chrysanthemum, licorice, ginseng, green tea and abundant of plant extracts. To be honest, this is one of the longest ingredient lists i came across, with plenty of herbal ingredients to create synergistic effects.

This whitening fluid I only recommend to normal skin, combination skin, oily skin, most of skin types but not sensitive skin, as it contains some irritants which may cause allergy reactions to skins.

Ingredients:
Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol, Glycereth-26, Hydrogenated polyisobutene, Camellia Sinensis, Ophiopogon japonicus, Paeonia albiflora, Nelumbo nucifera, Rehmannia glutinosa, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Paeonia suffruticosa, Citrus unshiu, Lycium chinense, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-yuen Seed Oil, Angelica Tenuissima Root Extract, Honey, Punica granatum, Beta-Glucan, Cnidium Officinale, Licorice, Angelica acutiloba, Ginkgo Biloba, Portulaca oleracea, Scutellaria baicalensis, Panax ginseng, Paeonia lactiflora, Nelumbo nucifera, Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Jojoba esters, C14-22 alcohols, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated vegetable oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-100, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, Polyacrylate-13, Methoxy PEG-114/Polyepsilon Caprolactone, Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragance, Rheum Undulatum Root/Stalk/Stem Extract, Broussonetia Kazinokia Root Extract , Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Adenophora Stricta Root Extract , Oldenlandia Diffusa Extract, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract

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Skincare Myth：Sensitive Skin Care

Some sensitive skin (or so called sensitive skin) will always look for "suitable for sensitive skin", "for all skin types, even the most sensitive skin" in product label when they buy skin cares. In most cases, they claim themselves as sensitive skin when they overcome with tight, redness, itchiness or irritation with certain skin care products, especially new one. Therefore, some will look for mild products to sooth skin condition, may not contribute any healing effect but at least will not cause any complication.

Skincares targeted for sensitive skin is gaining more concerns, even luxury brands such as La Prairie （anti-redness calming range), Declare have also launched sensitive skincares range for sensitive skin, promote cell renewal as well as calm redness. However, when you read the ingredient lists of these so-called sensitive skin products, you will still find a long list of chemicals/natural source which may also cause irritation or reputedly as allergens, such as perfume/fragrance, alcohol (butylene glycol, propylene glycol, panthenol, alcohol denat and etc), SLS, phenoxyethanol, BHT, triethanolamine and much much more. Natural sources of allergens could come from aloe vera, honey, certain essential oils, of course, these are not applicable to all sensitive skins, you have to be observant to understand your own skin than anyone.

In a nutshell, sensitive skin cares are just formulated with lower concentration of fragrance, alcohol or reputable allergens. Other than that, they have not much difference with normal skin cares that suitable for most people. As a consumer, we should smart enough to read ingredients, do not just focus on active ingredients highlighted at flyers/brochures. If you are unlucky to have sensitive skin, easily react with many skin cares in the market, you should have put more efforts to study ingredients, at least find out which ingredients you should avoid. At the same time, look for solutions to curb sensitization, time to grab products with high healing effects or go for other treatments.


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Skincare Myth：No Sun Protection at Home

Most people think that UV ways cannot emit through cement walls, so they do not apply any sunscreen products while staying at home, only apply it when they plan to go outside or any UV/sun exposure opportunities. Thus, do not wonder if these people have any pigmentation concern.

Applying sunscreen is essential even you are just staying at home no place to go. UV ways still can emit through cement walls and penetrate into your skin caused skin problems, just it is not as serious as you direct expose yourself under the hot sun. However, UV radiations could come from non-sun sources such as lightnings, computer monitors, copiers and etc. Therefore, sunscreens with moderate high values of sun protection factor (SPF 15-25) is recommended for everyone to wear in indoor.

So, today you should start to apply it even you are working in office as Office Lady or a housewife spend most of the time at home.


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Skincare Myth： Baby Products are Mild?

Based on the anatomical and functional characteristics of a baby's skin, their skin is more delicate than an adult's and prone to irritant and allergic skin problems. The ideal cleansers, moisturizers, powders, and sunscreens should be very mild to avoid irritation, allergic, or sensitizing skin reactions.

Despite this fairly intuitive, common sense information, it turns out that most skin-care products aimed at children are formulated to be anything but gentle and soothing. They are often an irritation waiting to happen. There are an alarming number of expensive and inexpensive baby products that are marketed as better for young, delicate skin—yet, for the most part, they aren't.

The baby section in the pharmacies, cosmetics counters and health food stores have sweet, adorably packaged shampoos, moisturizers, cleansers, and sun products. You may assume the manufacturers use only ingredients that will be the most gentle to your baby's skin, but that assumption is not accurate. Think about the wafting, appealing fragrances emanating from most baby products you've shopped for. Right there you've recognized a major problem—fragrance, serious enough that it makes me leery of using baby products for anyone's skin, let alone a baby's!

Products for babies and young children are usually highly fragranced. That delicious, recognizable aroma you could smell a mile away is nothing more than added fragrance, which we know can cause irritation. Moreover, baby products always have a pretty yellow or pink tint, which is added with artificial coloring, another group of problematic skin-care ingredients for sensitive skin. If baby products were really gentler than those that adults put on their skin, they would be fragrance free and contain no coloring agents. Sadly, few of those exist.


Cosmetics and hair-care companies know that mothers have an impulsive emotional pull toward scents that trigger the image of their babies. That subconscious pull is difficult for a marketer to ignore, given the way women gravitate to the fragrance generated by other perfume-laden products. In other words, hair and skin-care companies don't have much motivation to take these problematic ingredients out. That means you, the mother and consumer, as an advocate for your child, need to pay attention to this issue and choose fragrance-free and color-free products whenever you can.

Aside from the issue of fragrance and coloring agents, it is even more shocking when baby products contain such skin irritants such as propylene alcohol, alcohol denat, methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone, phenoxyethanol and etc. Their presence is disturbing because these are all problematic for an adult's skin and, thus, so much more for a child's. It is essential to avoid products for your child's skin (and yours for that matter) that contain any unnecessary irritants. Just paying attention to the ingredient label will give you far better information than the product description or claims on the package. Ignore the picture on the label of the sweet innocent child, especially when it can disguise a formula that is anything but sweet and innocent.




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