| What if I told you is no such thing as a completely | | | | one wants to use a product that smells bad; however, |
| 100% pure skincare? No matter what information is | | | | such chemicals may then be absorbed through the |
| provided by a company there are no products that will | | | | skin into your bloodstream which is not at all desired. |
| not have some ingredients that are not natural, | | | | Other ingredients that should be avoided are parabens. |
| meaning the ingredients have been processed. Think I | | | | Parabens are effective preservatives that make their |
| am being overly critical? That all of this debate is just a | | | | way into many skincare products. Parabens are |
| matter of semantics? | | | | considered to be safe because their long history of |
| Even if you consider yourself a purist, and you are | | | | safe use and their low toxicity. However, all |
| using products with natural ingredients derived from | | | | commercially used parabens are synthetically |
| plants, there is still some kind of processing required to | | | | produced. This would certainly violate our goal of using |
| extract the ingredients or purify them or make them | | | | natural ingredients. |
| useful as an ingredient to a skincare product. With this | | | | The cosmetic industry believes that parabens are |
| in mind you should always be careful when dealing | | | | safe. Many public interest organizations believe that |
| with products that claim to be pure or natural. | | | | more research is required. This had caused many |
| On the other hand, just because there is technically no | | | | natural personal care companies to seek alternatives |
| such thing as 100% pure skincare does not mean it is a | | | | to parabens. |
| good idea to just buy any product off the shelf. Let us | | | | How do parabens benefit you? They do not. They do |
| take a more holistic skincare approach. | | | | increase the shelf-life of the products they are in, but |
| We will start by defining holistic skincare as using | | | | that benefits the manufacturers, no you. |
| products that are made from all natural ingredients that | | | | Some of the ingredients that are known to be |
| are processed naturally. Such processing is often done | | | | effective include Phytessence Wakame and Cynergy |
| to increase their effectiveness by drawing out the | | | | TK(TM). |
| active ingredient into a more pure form than what will | | | | From the Japanese sea, the natural kelp called |
| exist in the natural plant. | | | | Phytessence Wakame is used to keep skin looking |
| This explains why a natural herbal supplement can be | | | | youthful by helping to reduce the breakdown of |
| more effective than the plant it comes from. Only the | | | | collagen and elastin fibers. It is the loss of collagen and |
| extract of the plants are used to make what we think | | | | elastin as we age that produces wrinkles and sagging |
| of as a natural product. | | | | skin. |
| In addition to being natural ingredients that are | | | | Cynergy TK(TM) is a natural substance shown in |
| processed naturally, the ingredients must have been | | | | studies to stimulate the production of collagen and |
| shown in clinical studies to be effective in doing what | | | | elastin, two proteins mostly responsible for the elasticity |
| they are claimed to do for your skin. And if they are | | | | and firmness of your skin. |
| not needed ingredients then they should not be | | | | In conclusion, holistic skincare does not have to be a |
| included. | | | | complex set of rules or special skincare products that |
| For example, many skincare products include | | | | are hard to find. If your goal is 100% pure skincare then |
| fragrances, sometimes even labeled as natural | | | | avoid the market hype of big cosmetic companies in |
| fragrances. Be careful with such claims because many | | | | favor of companies that believe in the natural solution. |
| these fragrances are made of chemicals that are an | | | | Finally, remember to carefully choose your products |
| irritation to the skin or even toxic in larger quantity. No | | | | and watch what you eat. |