Stop Being So Sensitive...

Sorry I wasn’t being rude, just honest! Most of us have from time to time felt that our skin needed a little more TLC than normal and with the winter months making an obvious return its time to start really considering what we are using on our skin (again!)

Dr Perricone, world renowned anti-ageing expert, found that 80% of women report that they have sensitive skin and that sensitive skin can age quicker as it will experience more damage from the sun and the environment and external aggressors. This is a shockingly high statistic and sensitive skin can be hard to treat.

Dr Perricone has some valuable advice on the best way to treat sensitive skin:

Keep your routine simple - choose very mild cleansers and use treatment products and moisturizers that are antioxidant rich.

 

Try to avoid heavily fragranced products and cosmetics more than 3 months old.

Avoid ingredients such as alcohol, glycolic acid and fruit acids.

As is expected from Dr Perricone, diet plays an important role, top sensitive skin foods include

Healthy fats such as cold water fish (e.g. salmon) nuts, avocados, olives and extra virgin olive oil.

Quality protein at each meal so that the cells in the body can repair themselves.

Avoid pro-inflammatory foods such as sugar, sweeteners, flour and pasta. 

Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, rich in anti-oxidants.

From his findings, Dr Perricone has created a new, easy-to-use four piece skincare range – Hypoallergenic.

Perricone MD Hypoallergenic Range

Hypoallergenic contains the rare and powerful molecule of the Olive Oil Polyphenols group which have been combined with advanced multiple hydration factors. The result - they rapidly soothe sensitive, dry, and irritated skin restoring it to a luminous and youthful vitality. 

So now you have nothing to moan about - lovely soft UNWRINKLED skin is here!

Ax

BIG is LUSH

LUSH, that shop that you can smell from a mile off, is known by many for ‘bath bombs’ and homemade soaps and beauty products. In all honesty I haven’t been into a store for many a year as the scent inside is simply too overpowering. However, when I heard of their BIG shampoo I simply had to try it.

BIG shampoo

BIG contains a number of ingredients designed to give your hair exactly what in needs to be as BIG as possible. This pot of mixture contains 50% sea salt to give limp hair the volume. Cleansing the skin with soaps containing salt is an excellent way to benefit from this mineral content. The formula de-greases the skin, removing dead skin cells and dirt. It does this without stripping too much natural oil and leaves the skin soft and conditioned. Salt is softening for the skin and hydrates it. It is full of minerals that help maintain the water balance essential for healthy life processes.

Tooth Wreck Seaweed Infusion helps to soften hair. Seaweeds have been used for their medicinal properties for centuries and are often used to make cough remedies, soothing lotions and cosmetics. This olive-brown seaweed is found at all British coastal areas and around the Irish coasts, too. It grows densely on the seashore; each serrated, strap-like frond is about two centimeters wide and originates from a stalk, anchoring it to the seabed. Toothed wrack seaweed contains large amounts of vitamins, minerals and trace elements, which strengthen the hair. LUSH gather toothed wrack seaweed from Poole harbour and then infuse it in boiled water and add it to the product. Being included in Big shampoo its deliver all the nutrients of the seaweed directly to the hair. This works to soften the hair in combination with the sea salt, which improves the condition of the hair and gives greater volume.

For shine citrus juices are used. Citrus limonum is a thorny, evergreen tree with irregular branches bearing glistening, oval leaves. Its flowers are white and pink-tinged and strongly perfumed, which become the lemon fruit. Lemon infusion works in BIG shampoo to cleanse and degrease the hair. Lemon juice is a source of vitamin C, vitamins B1 and B2, and niacin, and is a powerful antioxidant.

Neroli Oil has an intensely sharp, green and floral aroma, which comes alive when diluted and imparts a refreshing scent. Neroli is one of the few essential oils to be scientifically proven to increase serotonin production in the brain. As with all aromatherapy, however, the power of suggestion and individual preferences play an important part in how effective this might be. Serotonin is an important, mood-altering neurotransmitter, and increased levels of it enhance our feelings of serenity and well-being.

Coconut water; many things can be made from the coconut palm and practically all of the plant is used in some way. In Sanskrit, the name given is 'kalpa vriksha,' which means, 'tree that gives all that is necessary for living.' The revitalizing properties of organic coconut water are ideal for use on the skin, scalp and hair.

BIG shampoo uses mandarin oil to refresh the scalp and hair. Aromatherapists use mandarin oil as stress-relieving oil and a refreshing treatment for the skin.

I thought you’d also want to know that BIG contains Sodium laureth sulphate, something we are hearing about more and more in the media. SLS is a surface-active agent or surfactant. All surfactants are partly water-soluble and partly oil-soluble. It is this quality that allows oil and water, which normally don’t mix together, to become dispersed. Used at above minimum concentration, the surfactant molecules become organized in a structure that can trap oil-based dirt from hair, which allows the dirt to be rinsed away. Foam is not responsible for removing dirt, but it allows the hands to work the product through hair or across skin. This helps the mechanical removal of dirt. Sodium laureth sulphate is an opaque, thick liquid. Its consistency varies, depending on the concentration level. Sodium laureth sulphate gives thick rich foam and it cleanses the hair. Its thorough action dissolves dirt and grease effectively. When other ingredients - such as sea salt - are added, hair gains volume, body and shine. I’m not promoting that you use or don’t use products that contain SLS, but thought you’d be interested to understand why they are used.

I adored using BIG as it made my hair feel luscious and really buoyant. When you have a god hair day you feel a millions dollars – This products should be renamed ‘BIG Bucks’ instead!

Ax

Roll Up Roll Up

Have you ever thought about what exactly it is that you are putting onto your skin, the ingredients that make up the soft, luxurious and wonderfully scented cream or the tightening, plumping serum? If so you are not alone, Dr. Raffaella Gregoris has too. Unnecessary extras in products bothered her so much that she decided to create a range of products that contain zero unless substances and only 100% active ingredients. This intriguing brand is called BAKEL and they have just launched a brand-new product named COOL EYES.
So what does it do? Well, exactly what is says, it cools the eyes. This regenerating eye cream gives and instant cooling effect to calm puffy eyes, bags and reduces dark circles. Not only that it also has a tightening effect that fights free radicals and stimulates cellular oxygenation.

BAKEL COOL EYES

COOL EYES isn’t just another of those trendy ‘roller ball’ eye products. It has been specially designed for easy application to the delicate eye contour area. The airless pump tip ends with a metal roller-ball ensuring a delicate and effective penetration of the cream during a draining massage. Not only that but it helps fight ageing too, with the combination of three premium peptides proven to target the main causes of dark circles and bags:


Dipeptide – stimulates drainage of excess liquids


Tetrapeptide – boosts firmness and elasticity


Hesperidin – counteracts capillary fragility


This is for anyone who works hard and plays hard, as the instant cooling sensation during and after application helps achieve immediate comfort and calms distressed skin.


Dr. Raffaella Gregoris, recommends the following;


‘ Pump a small amount and gently use the roller ball in a figure of eight motion. The moisturising cream allows for immediate absorption, and gives a calming effect on the skin, making it ideal for sensitive skin types. After just a few applications, the skin around the eyes is left looking smoother and brighter.’


As you will expect from BAKEL, COOL EYES contains NO preservatives, colourings, synthetic perfumes, petroleum derivatives, silicones, alcohol, PEG, PPG, heavy metals, or any other ineffective or harmful ingredients.


COOL EYES is out NOW at SPACE NK priced £75 for 20ml. That may sound a little steep but think, every ingredient is 100% active


As I mentioned earlier, we often don’t think about the ingredients in our skincare, below Dr. Raffaella Gregoris outlines the ingredients she doesn’t use and why.


PETROCHEMICALS
When they are present, they feature in big quantities because they are used as the nourishing part of the cream instead of using vegetal oils or vegetal butter (more expensive and with bigger problems of stability). They are not able to give any kind of benefit to our skin and they are not able to nourish the skin at all.


SILICONES: (i.e. DIMETHICONE, DIMETHICONOL, CICLOPENTASILOXANE etc.)
They are used as the fatty part of the cream, again when they are present they are normally being used in a large quantity because they are the constituents of the oily part of the cream. They are used a lot because they give a wonderful texture, because they are volatile: you massage the cream and you think you have a perfect penetration (in reality this is because parts of the silicones are evaporating) and they are very stable. Very negative for the skin they don’t give any kind of benefit.


PEG-PPG
These glycols don’t give any kind of benefit to our skin, but at the moment there are also some negative studies on their action on our skin, it seems they interfere with the physiology of the skin and they modify it.


PARFUM
No sense at all in putting perfume inside a skincare for the face, not only is it not able to give a benefit to the skin but it can create problems of skin sensibility, skin spots and allergies.


PRESERVATIVES: (i.e. PARABENS, EDTA, PHENOXYETHANOL)
It is possible to avoid the usage of these strong preservatives using airless packaging (no jars at all) and the best quality raw materials. Preservatives are very often the main ingredients responsible for causing allergies and reactions.


Wow, so go on, grab your favourite skincare products and ready the labels...what do you see?
　
Ax