Thursday, November 18, 2010

Beauty Day!

Welcome to my new followers!  Last call for the guest giveaway - I pick the winner tomorrow!!!

So today we come to talking about anti-aging products.  There are a lot out there.  The fact is, a lot of them have really good science behind them.  The key is finding what you like, in your price range, that works for your skin. Another important point I want to make is that you should treat your throat and hands the same way you treat your face.  The eyes, throat and hands are the first 3 areas of a woman's body that shows aging.  So be sure to use whatever skin care products on your throat and hands.

Like I said last week, I'm all about botanical products.  Aloe Vera is one of the best botanicals in the world, because it penetrates to the inner layers of the skin, and carries with it anything that's mixed in.  It's a unique plant, and that's the reason it's been used for centuries to heal burns and other wounds.  There, now you know why mom (or grandma) always told you to put aloe on your sunburn. ;)

Now for some science stuff.  Some of the most cutting edge products include peptides, hyaluronic acid, and even nano-technology.  I'll leave the nano-technology alone, because it's way too much to understand.  But I will talk about the other two.  Actually, both peptides and hyaluronic acid are naturally occurring in the skin.

Peptides are simply a chain of amino acids.  Amino acids are the building blocks of cells.  What these chains do depends on how many amino acids are in the chain.  Some chains (hexapeptides) specifically tell the skin to make more collagen.  Collagen production in the skin drops off around the age of 35.  Without adequate collagen, we lose firmness in our skin, and it starts to sag.  By applying an anti-aging product that contains these peptide chains, you can tell the skin to make more collagen.  These are the chains that skin care manufacturers put in their products.  (The most common brand name of hexapeptide is Argireline.)

Hyaluronic acid is the primary ingredient in some injectable wrinkle treatments.  But it is also found in topical anti-aging products.  It can also stimulate the production of collagen, but has a side benefit of causing the skin to hydrate itself.

These are both ingredients that work very well at reducing the signs of aging.  But like anything else, if you want results you have to keep using them.  Skin care has to be a part of your daily routine in order to see lasting results.

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