Skin care and skin care products from the Skin Care Friends!

There is a very distinct difference between tanning lotion and the usual sunscreens. Sunscreens are meant to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun and are used outdoors, especially on the beach, near water and when skiing. Tanning lotion has no such protection from the sun and actually intensifies the effects of UV radiation. It is also used indoors and in some cases will tan the skin even without the use of a tanning bed; these tanning lotions are called bronzers. The rest of this article will go into more detail about the ingredients, uses and types of tanning lotions available to the self-tanning enthusiast.

Tanning Lotion Ingredients
You will find that ingredients vary widely in tanning lotions, depending on the manufacturer and the intended use of the tanning product. One thing that most do have in common is the use of ingredients that will not harm acrylic surfaces. This is because tanning beds have shields made of 100% acrylic, so this is a practical move by the tanning lotion companies.

Because tanning is caused by the production of melanin in the skin, many of the ingredients in tanning lotions are meant to increase melanin production and some of the lotions actually contain melanin as one of their ingredients. Often times melanin production is increased by increasing blood flow to the skin, many of these tanning lotions are called “tinglers” because of the tingling feeling they give many users.

You will find many tanning lotions containing both melanin and the amino acid L-Tyrosine. The addition of melanin is obvious and the L-Tyrosine is added for its purported effects increasing the bodies production of melanin. Kind of like a 1-2 punch for tanning. In addition you can find various brands add tea tree oil for moisturizing, copper compounds for their bronzing effect, DHA to oxidize the top layer of skin, various antioxidants to renew the skin, evening primrose oil to prevent flaking of the skin as well as others.

All of the higher quality tanning lotions will have at least one and often several ingredients meant solely to moisturize the skin. These moisturizers, such as hemp seed oil and shea butter are meant to help protect the skin and help to keep it hydrated during the intense UV exposure of a tanning session. They will help to maintain the elasticity of the skin as well as preventing flaking and peeling from overly dry skin. It’s well worth paying a few extra dollars to get a tanning lotion with plenty of moisturizing ingredients.

Finally, most tanning lotions add some sort of fragrance and even though there is no benefit in terms of tanning, this is the ingredient that often sells the consumer. Because tanning lotion is used in the close quarters of a tanning bed or booth the aroma can be overpowering. Choosing an aroma that one likes can be vital to actually using the tanning lotion.

Tanning Without UV Rays
One benefit we can get from tanning lotions is that it isn’t always necessary to expose our skin to harmful UV radiation to get a tan. Many products on the market allow for sunless tanning through the use of a compound called dihydroxyacetone or DHA. This chemical that is derived from glycerine actually oxidizes the dead skin cells and causes them to turn a light to dark shade of brown that looks just like a tan. Of course the dead skin cells are constantly being replaced, so tanning with this method generally last a week or less, but it can be ideal if you have some special occasion such as the prom or a wedding to go to. Many tanning lotions will add DHA to products that are meant to be used with tanning beds. This gives a kick start to the tan so the customer gets an immediate tan from the DHA until their own system kicks in and their skin becomes a nice golden color.

Tingling Tanning Lotions
Quite a few of the tanning lotions available are described as “tingle tanning lotions” because of the feeling you get on your skin when using them. These are tanning lotions that are made from a combination of Hexyl Nicotinate, Methyl Nicotinate, and Benzyl Nicotinate and are designed to increase the blood flow to your skin. This increased blood flow allows the body to produce melanin faster as well as repair damaged skin.

The use of these tingling tanning lotions is recommended only for more advanced tanners and only for those who already have a base tan. Whenever trying a new tingle tanning lotion I recommend that you try it out on a small area of skin first or you could be in for a very unpleasant to downright tortuous experience. Each person seems to react to the various chemicals used to create the tingle differently and if you are sensitive to one of the chemicals it could make your skin feel as if it is in fire and being doused in acid at the same time. Fortunately these chemicals are not dangerous and there is no lasting damage if you have a bad reaction, but it is far better to test it out first and avoid an unpleasant experience.

In closing, I have to mention that while tanning lotion is not absolutely essential to get a great indoor tan, they definitely have their purpose. The deep moisturizing, skin conditioning and magnification of the UV rays can actually ensure that you get a deep even tan much more quickly than you would otherwise. This means less time under the tanning lamps and more time for you.

A quality tanning lotion will also ensure that you are adequately protecting your skin from the drying effects of intense UV exposure. Because even a short session in a tanning bed can expose you to an entire days worth of UV radiation it is critical that you maintain the moisture in your skin if you want your tan to look its best and also to avoid longer term issue such as wrinkles and peeling. A tanning lotion is a small expense to ensure that your more expensive tanning sessions bring out the best and don’t go to waste.

Popularity: 100% [?]

If you’ve come across the Dermalogica product line before you probably already know that they do a very good job making products that work well and their customers are pretty loyal because of that. The Dermalogica skin smoothing cream is another winner in their range of products and is made primarily for those with skin that is a bit dry or is aging prematurely due to environmental factors.

This medium weight cream provides the dual benefits of not just improving the moisture balance in your skin, but also improving the skin’s texture. It does this with a combination of skin nourishing ingredients from vitamins A, C and E to provide anti-oxidants and environmental protection to hydrating ingredients such as arnica, mallow and cucumber and finally deeply moisturizing the skin with aloe gel and lecithin.

Many women like the fact that the Dermalogica skin smoothing cream is free of any artificial colors and fragrances, however you may want to be aware that for some people this has given the cream a slightly odd odor when it is first applied. Those that mention this odor compare it to eucalyptus, so while it may bother some people, others may hardly notice it or even like the smell.

While this is a heavier cream there are others out there that are heavier. Many people generally report good results, however be aware that for the target audience, those with very dry skin or prematurely aged skin, the reports are not nearly as positive.

So, while it seems to work well in hydrating and smoothing the skin, it doesn’t really seem as if it does anything great for those whose skin is especially dry or aged prematurely. I still wouldn’t say don’t get this skin cream as it has worked well for many, but certainly don’t expect any miracles. And keep in mind that the price of Dermalogica skin smoothing cream seems to be a bit high in my opinion. If you can wait to find it on sale I think it is worth waiting.

Popularity: 4% [?]

One of the hardest parts of keeping a good complexion for many people is preventing and getting rid of blackheads. It seems every time you look in the mirror there’s another one there and proper blackhead removal can be elusive. Here is some information on what causes blackheads, how to prevent them and how to get rid of blackheads.

What is a Blackhead and What Causes Them?
The technical name for a blackhead is “comedone”, however for our purposes we will just continue to use the more common term blackhead. They are small black bumps in the skin and closer inspection shows them as being like tiny pugs, which is in fact what they are. Typically they are present in people with oily skin and they occur because of oil blocking the pores. That’s not to say that those with dry skin can’t get them because oils from make ups can also clog pores.

The blackhead causing clog occurs when there is a problem with the entrance to the pore being impaired in some way and the oil is not able to flow out properly. Often the oil combines with dead skin cells or dirt and because the outside of the blockage is exposed to the outside air it becomes oxidized and turns black.

The primary cause of excess oil production is hormones. Any increase of the male hormones can cause an increased oil production leading to blackheads and pimples. This is why these problems are most prevalent in teens and adolescents. The use of oil based make up and other skin care products can also lead to blackheads, especially when combined with a sub-par cleansing routine. The products slowly build up in the pores over time and eventually lead to blockages. One other thing to note is that the formation of blackheads seems to be genetically derived so if one or both of your parents have had blackhead problems in the past it’s also likely that you will.

Preventing Blackheads
Something that is even better than getting rid of blackheads is preventing them from forming in the first place. There are several things you can do to help prevent blackheads from forming and below are 6 of the most critical.

1. Wash your face regularly using a gentle cleanser. This should preferably be a cleanser specially formulated to fight acne and should also be water soluble to avoid further clogging of the pores. The cleanser should be a liquid cleanser because the ingredients in bar soap can actually help to clog your pores more. If you have dry skin you can use a moisturizing soap, but keep an eye on your skin as the moisturizer may cause excess oils and make your skin worse.

2. Occasionally exfoliate to get rid of dead skin cells. You don’t have to do this everyday because you run the risk of irritating your skin, drying it excessively and causing more oil production. 2-3 times a week is usually sufficient using a product that contains 2% salicylic acid or beta hydroxyl acid. Both these ingredients are able to penetrate the lining of your pores and remove dead skins cells not only from the surface of your skin, but those that are building up in your pores as well.

3. If you must use make up and/or skin creams choose those that are water based and non-comedogenic to avoid adding more oil and pore clogging substances to your skin.

4. Try using products that absorb excess oil from the surface of your skin. Clay masks are very good for this, but even using a cloth to gently dab your face from time to time can make a difference. This only applies to those with oily skin since the pimples on those with dry skin are caused by oils within the pores.

5. Pay a visit to a dermatologist. They have several prescription only solutions that can help, especially in the case of severe acne and blackheads. One solution they often prescribe is a retinoid based cream which serves to decrease the production of oil. They can also use antibiotic creams, steroid treatments or specialized cleansers and exfolients.

6. In some cases hormone blockers may be prescribed to lower the levels of male hormones being produced, but this is only applicable for females. Birth control pills can also be helpful in some cases. Finally, the prescription drug Accutane is sometimes used, but since it has some negative potential side effects use of this drug should be discussed with your physician prior to beginning use.

Getting Rid of Blackheads
Getting rid of blackheads is a difficult discussion because there are several methods, but little agreement on the proper way to get rid of blackheads. The most common method is to simply squeeze them. While this does work, it also poses the risk of spreading acne germs which causes further breakouts as well as potentially leaving scars. Even though it can pose risks, I know most of you are going to try squeezing a blackhead at some point so here are some tips to make the process easier:

1. First wash your face and use an exfoliating scrub to rid your skin of bacteria and dead skin cells.

2. Dry your face and then take a warm compress and apply it to the area where the blackheads are for 10-15 minutes to soften the blackhead and make it easier to pop.

3. After drying your face again, wash your hands to make sure they are clean and then begin by placing your finger tips on either side of the blackhead and apply a gentle even pressure. You want to begin by pushing down into your skin first and then upward to push the blackhead out of the pore.

4. If this does not work the first time you can repeat a second time, but don’t try more than twice as you could cause damage to the pore and make the blackhead worse.

A second method that people use to remove blackheads is pore strips. These are adhesive strips that you place on your skin over the blackheads that actually pull the blackheads out of the pores. This can be dangerous to your skin if it is already irritated or if you have thin or extremely dry skin. I don’t really recommend the use of these pore strips because they only get rid of the very shallow blackheads and are not really a good long term solution.

One other solution is to use one of the blackhead extractors or blackhead removers, which really do pretty much the same thing as squeezing the blackhead yourself. The primary benefit of these is that they are easy to use and they do not promote the spread of bacteria.

Overall the fact that blackheads are primarily caused by excess oil means that the best answer to the question “how to get rid of blackheads?” is to try and make sure they don’t occur in the first place. This is done by good hygiene and by attacking the problem of excess hormones. If you try the hygiene route and don’t see significant improvement then it is probably time for you to check with a dermatologist to find out what additional treatments are available.

Popularity: 11% [?]