The anti-aging industry constantly brings a new 'magic' ingredient to their products that are proclaimed to reduce wrinkles. It is difficult to understand the reason for this continuous search for new ingredients. There are many herbs that have stood the test of time which are used successfully in various countries to treat many skin problems. Some of them have been researched by scientists; others have gone through natural trials conducted by millions of people speaking different languages that have observed the herbs to have the same properties.
The beauty industry is not very keen on using a common herb, even if it has been proven by thousands of years of trials. The multinational companies want the WORD - a 'magic' ingredient...something that can be patented to add a cloud of mystery to the products. A WORD that will make people to buy their product.
A few years ago 'collagen' was the WORD. It is true that collagen is naturally present in the skin and it makes the skin look younger and softer, but there's a big deception here...
The 'magic' ingredient doesn't work. If you apply collagen topically it just sits on the surface of the skin and DOES NOTHING - it can't be absorbed by the skin simply because its molecules are much bigger than the skin cells. You couldn't push an elephant through the eye of a needle, right? The collagen must be made by your own body.
Currently "nano" technology seems to be taking a leading position in the 'magic' word contest. Yet the leading experts with a background in natural therapies warn that some of these products used by many brands of cosmetics and cosmeceuticals are becoming known as 'universal asbestos'.
Prof. Samuel Epstein, a professor emeritus of occupational and environment medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago who is also the chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition warned about the public health hazard posed by these products.
Nanoparticles can easily penetrate the skin and go straight into the underlying blood vessels producing toxic effects. They can cause nerve damage and disorders in the brain. In the web interview conducted by Dr. Mercola, Prof. Epstein warns that these are "the most dangerous types of products in the whole cosmetic industry".
According to Prof. Epstein, in 2008 a British Royal Commission warned "that products that contain nanoparticles pose very high toxic risks".
Do you want to risk your health and become subject to experimental practices or would you rather use products that are based on herbs that are well known to present no health risk while offering the most effective anti-aging properties?
A short summary of properties of herbs provided in this article may be found useful to people searching for natural products.
Pearl Powder
Using pearls in skincare is not a new idea. It is believed that the women of the far-east owe their pure, clean, and glittering skin to their traditional usage of pearl products. For centuries, Asian women have used powder made from crushed freshwater pearls to maintain their youthful appearance. The last Empress Dowager of China not only used pearl powder on her face, but she ingested it daily. She was famous for her beautiful skin even at the age of 74.
What is so special about Pearl Powder?
The nacre of a pearl contains the same essential amino acids that heal and maintain cells in the human body. Deficiency of any one of these key amino acids can cause skin to look coarse and wrinkles. Pearl powder also contains proteins which renew skin cells and vitamin B Complex and Polysaccharides which strengthen the muscles and the metabolism.
Ginkgo Biloba tree is one of the world's oldest living tree species, believed to have survived for 250 million years. Individual trees have lived 1000 years. It first originated in China and Japan. After surviving atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Ginkgo Biloba's resistance to all kinds of pollution, viruses and fungi became legendary. Ginkgo Biloba has revitalising, stimulating and firming qualities. It is a powerful antioxidant. It improves blood circulation and protects capillaries.
The main chemical substances in the leaves of Ginkgo Biloba are the flavone glycosides and therpene lactones. The flavonoid components enhance the proliferation of normal human skin fibroblasts and have been proven to have collagen activating properties (Journal of Drugs and Dermatology, Nov. 2007).
Sea Buckthorn - known as one of nature's most incredible medicinal plants. The ripe berries of Sea buckthorn contain more than 190 varieties of bioactive substances. They include 6 different vitamins, 22 fatty acids, 42 kinds of lipids and 36 kinds of flavoinoids and phenols. Sea buckthorn berries cannot be matched in the plant kingdom for their content of Pro-Vitamin A (carotenoids), Vitamin E and Vitamin K. Sea Buckthorn berry promotes cell tissue regeneration. It has proven effective in the treatment of burns, skin ulcers, acne and dermatitis. Russian cosmonauts use Sea Buckthorn Oil for protection against radiation burns in space.
Rosehip Oil is extremely high in essential fatty acids. Fatty acids are key building blocks of cellular membranes that allow efficient transportation of nutrients from the extracellular space into the intracellular environment where metabolism takes place.
Lotus Seeds contain a special protein-repair enzyme, a factor contributing to their remarkable longevity. The process of continuous repair of the seed is similar to what takes place in the human body. Insufficient levels of the repair enzymes speed up protein degradation which affects collagen production. Clinical trials showed that Lotus Seed Extract helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by 50%.
Gotu Cola (Centella Asiatica/Hydrocotyl) has been used to promote the healing of surgical wounds, burns, tissue inflammation and psoriasis. Studies have shown that Gotu Cola can increase collagen synthesis. It can also strengthen capillaries by repairing damaged connective tissues surrounding them. This restores tissue firmness and skin elasticity.
Ginseng boosts the skin's metabolism and replenishes nutrients the skin needs. The active components called ginsenosides are responsible for the revitalisation and reactivation of epidermal cells and collagen synthesis.
Pomegranate contains one of the most powerful free radical scavengers, Ellagic acid. The Ellagic acid strengthens the cell membrane, making it less susceptible to free radical damage and prevents water loss from cells. Pomegranate works as a very effective sunscreen.
No comments:
Post a Comment