Facial Oils Hot for 2016

 Facial Oils Hot for 2016

After falling out of fashion facial oils are now making a huge comeback and are now seen as an important element in skin care. The growing popularity of facial oils in the UK and Europe is due in part to their inclusion in the famous 10 step skincare routine beloved of Japanese and South Korean women who are acknowledged as skincare trend setters and whose radiant complexions are the envy of many.

It’s fair to say that many women, especially those with oily or combination complexions, would shy away from incorporating facial oils in their skincare regimes believing that adding oils to an already oily complexion will make their skin even oilier. And even those with normal skin types might avoid facial oils in the belief that facial oils would feel greasy on their skin.

However neither issue ought to be a cause for concern. Considering that the natural oil in our skin is fairly heavy then applying a facial oil to our skin that is composed of oils that are drier or lighter than the natural oil in our skin can actually reduce an overly oily complexion. And, as long as the composition of oils in the product is designed to be fast absorbing, then the facial oil will be quickly absorbed and leave a dry after feel.

Benefits of Facial Oils

Most plant oils are rich in vitamins and minerals. Oils such as Rosehip Seed Oil and Seabuckthorne Oil are high in natural Vitamin A which has well regarded anti-ageing benefits.

Peach Kernel Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, and Borage Oil are high in Vitamin E – a natural anti-oxidant which helps protect the skin from the damaging effects from over exposure to the sun

Cherry Kernel Oil, Hazelnut Oil, and Abyssinian Oil are amongst the very lightest and driest of oils and as they are each rich in skin beneficial nutrients can be used on all skin types.

Some oils are naturally antiseptic and are perfectly suited for acne prone skin, whilst other oils contain regenerative properties and can help to make your skin more youthful.

Do be careful though as many commercial facial oil blends are exorbitantly priced and contain little more than an inexpensive oil such as hazelnut or sunflower oil with a few drops of essential oils to make them smell nice! Such offerings tend to have really expensive looking packaging – which doesn’t actually benefit the skin!

Bio-active facial oils – the next step for facial oils

Such is the increasing popularity of facial oils that many specialist ingredients manufacturers are developing oil soluble (lipophilic) active ingredients that can be easily incorporated into a facial oil blend. Actives from such companies such as Sederma (creators of the ever popular Matrixyl 3000) who have introduced two lipophilic actives for treating hyper-pigmented and blemished skin, an active for adding volume to thinning skin, and an anti-ageing active that that extends the life span of skin cells and helps develop a more youthful appearance. Other manufacturers are scrambling to follow suit and we expect to see the launch of many lipophilic actives and the emergence of a new sector for bio-active facial oils in 2016 and 2017

Many skincare experts consider that a correctly formulated facial oil blend has a higher affinity for the skin than a cream or a serum and so a facial oil can actually improve the effectiveness of lipophilic actives by enhancing the penetration of the skin. The evidence is not conclusive but certainly worth considering, at the very least the effectiveness of a skincare active will not be dimished by using an oil as a vehicle for skin penetration.

Facial Oils – a more natural skin product?

In the last few years there has been a trend amongst consumers for ever more natural skincare. Many consumers are now consciously avoiding certain types of preservatives in skincare products – parabens most notably but also on the ‘watch-list’ are Methylisothiazolinone, DMDM Hydantoin, and Imidazolidinyl urea, amongst others. The great thing about facial oils is that they do not need to contain a preservative of any kind. Preservatives are only required in aqueous products. Facial oils also tend to be free of artificial colours and fragrances

So if you want a skincare product that is natural, skin friendly, provides a host of benefits, and avoids most of the contentious chemicals and ingredients that are a concern to many then do consider adding a facial oil to your routine. You will be pleasantly surprised!

Please view the Sensora Bioactive Facial Oil Range at www.sensora.co.uk. Coming soon – the worlds first Bio-active Facial Oil with the famous Matrixyl 3000.

Beginning the Mandelic peel and my favourite products….

There’s a couple of our products that are firm favourites of mine. I’ve always had oily skin so the 5% Salicylic Toner is always in use throughout the month…whether I use it once a week to help oil production…or of a night as on the spot treatment. I’m also a huge fan of our Hyaluronic acid serum. My skin doesn’t really like many cream based products and so I’ve always struggled to get some moisture in without causing constant breakouts and the Hyaluronic Acid Serum is perfect for that. I find it’s really light and absorbs well and my skin literally drinks it in. Also the fact that I hit 35 this year means I’m starting to think in terms of good old wrinkle control…and the Hyaluronic is a double whammy in that respect. I’ve always also used a Micellar water to remove make-up and cleanse my skin without overloading it. I’d previously used L’Oreal’s but I’m pleased to say we will have our own Micellar water up for sale very soon…exciting!!

Due to hormonal breakouts (I’ve never had acne before…it seemed to arrive in my 30’s and I’ve been battling it ever since) I’ve been left with some pigmented scarring from those awful under the skin spots that are very red, angry and painful…and seem to last forever! Most of it is on my cheeks…not a lot, but it’s there and it can still be seen under my daily make-up…so I decided to begin a course of 10% Mandelic peels.

(my skin during a breakout)

I’ve never actually done a peel myself before, I know just about everything there is to know about them, but I’ve just never had reason to. Well now I do and so I began my first treatment last Monday and I have to say I was pretty impressed. I left the peel on for the 1 minute, applied the neutralising gel and then rinsed…straight after I applied my Hyaluronic acid and I have to say my skin felt amazingly smooth. I was expecting some redness and a little stinging sensation but all I got was a mild tingle on a spot…conveniently placed on my chin *sigh*!

Through the week I’ve had a breakout, mainly around my chin area…but I knew it was due and I’m aware beginning a new skin treatment causes a breakout initially due to it clearing all those impurities out from the pores…so I’ve not quite grinned but I’m bearing it and my concealer is getting a bit of a hammering (as is Youtube…there are some amazing tutorials on there for using make-up to flawlessly cover up blemishes and acne without looking like your make-up is two inches thick!). These videos (I particularly love this Lisa Eldridge one here) have definitely been a life saver at times…especially this weekend when we had a large family meal in a restaurant for my mum’s birthday (which means lots of photographs…argghhh!!).

(my skin with make-up tutorial life savers)

So this evening I’m due my second dose of the Mandelic, leaving it on for two minutes…and I have to say I’m looking forward to it. As well as my mum’s birthday meal this weekend has contained some painting and decorating and a bit of gardening (and maybe a little more chocolate and a little less sleep than is recommended) and my skin is definitely due some TLC. I’m looking forward to the soft feeling I got last weekend and the way the morning after my make-up literally glides onto my skin. It’s too early to tell with the pigmentation itself, if you’ve read one of my earlier posts you’ll know it can take a month or more for the skin cells to renew themselves, but I’m keen to share my results with you all.

Anyone else currently or recently experiencing a course of peels? How is it going for you? What has your experience been and what difference has it made to your skin?

Kelli x

Competition Winners Announced!!

As most of you might know we have been running a competition over the past few weeks for 4 lucky winners to get their hands on one of our Active Defense serums…and all you needed to do was follow our blog. We’ve had a great response and would like to thank all of you for following.

The four lucky winners are…….

infinityor beyond (a WordPress follower)

Claire Telford

Johanna Loughlin

Karon Bruen

If the above could all email me their full names and addresses to Kelli@Forever-Young-UK.com so we can get your prize sent out to you.

Please keep following our blog for more competitions and prize draws and of course more posts about what we are up to and the latest in skin care to combat various skin conditions.

Kelli 🙂

The Science Behind Melasma and Pigmentation….

Just to warn you all….this is a very detailed post…you may need a good strong cup of tea or coffee before reading any further….

I receive so very many enquiries and calls for help from customers who suffer some form of pigmentation. This is one of the most troubling and hardest to deal with of all skin imperfections and causes understandable frustration and upset for those dealing with it. So hence the creation of this post which I’m hoping will help sufferers understand their condition…the why and how…and also the best possible way to eradicate this condition from their skin once and for all.

Melasma is a tan or dark skin discolouration. Although it can affect anyone, it is particularly common in women, especially those who are pregnant or taking oral contraceptives/HRT. Melasma is thought to be the stimulation of Melanocytes, which produce Melanin, by the female sex hormones Estrogen and Progesterone to produce more Melanin pigments when the skin is exposed to sun. Melasma can also occur as a genetic predisposition as well as occasionally occurring in those who suffer from thyroid disease.

Chloasma, although similar to Melasma, is normally induced by pregnancy hormones…

Pigmentation on the other hand usually occurs from either sun damage or post inflammation (those with acne may find they are left with pigmented acne scars long after the spot itself has healed).

Safe treatment of any of these conditions should not involve bleaching or lightening the affected areas of skin, as products that do this often contain dangerous or toxic ingredients (such as hydroquinone or mercury).

People are aware that the skin sheds and replaces itself continuously over a 28 day period but, as we age, this turnover process slows and by the age of 50 may take as long as 3 months. So if the skin is continuously replaced the why do the blemishes remain? As new cells are formed in the lower levels they move up through those layers and eventually replace the dead cells above them. As they move up they push the cells above them towards the surface, until reaching the very top, they are shed. The new cells inherit the characteristics of the old cells above them as they complete their journey. This duplication means the new cells tend to inherit the damaged characteristics of the cells they are destined to replace…this also explains why scars remain.

Effective treatment does not target the currently blemished layer of skin. The approach is to intervene in the duplication process so that the new layers of skin cells do not inherit the characteristics of the damaged layer. By targeting the enzyme which triggers melanin production (Tyrosinase) we can prevent the excess production of Melanin.

As you can see, any effective, long term treatment will take at least a month to begin to show effects (the time required for one complete skin shedding cycle) and the older you are the longer it may take for you to begin seeing results. Frustrating understandably…but if it works then it is quite possible that within just a few months time you will see a significant reduction in the intensity of colour of your pigmentation/melasma and, eventually, see it disappear altogether. A timely process but one that will work and see the end of a condition you may have spent years suffering from.

The process of replacing the surface layer with a new layer can be accelerated with the employment of a chemical peel. Chemical peels dissolve the bonds that hold the surface layer in place and allow it to be shed much more quickly. So using a mild chemical peel in conjunction with a Melanin inhibiting cream can be a highly effective combination. Typically more effective than using either a peel or a cream on it’s own.

We must also remember that the work carried out to reduce blemishes and pigmentation will be rendered useless if you fail to protect the skin from further stress and inflammation. An excellent sunscreen is needed daily, particularly if you are using a peel as part of your treatment.

Mandelic acid is an AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid). Mandelic is regarded as the mildest peel agent and is particularly recommended for Afro-American, African and Asian skin types. Mandelic’s particular propensity is for treating pigmented skin and is a popular choice for those experiencing sun damage induced hyper-pigmentation, melasma and chloasma.

Creams containing Niacinamide, Glucosamine, Liquorice extract, Mulberry extract and Sepiwhite, which all inhibit the enzyme that triggers Melanin production, are ideal accompaniments to a Mandelic peel. We also now have a peptide based active ingredient known as W220 and it is regarded as being the most effective ingredient currently on the market for treating pigmented skin. This active peptide is used in our Luminosa cream

We must also be aware that some ingredients that were previously used in products to treat pigmented skin…Kojic acid and Alpha-Arbutin…have now been deemed as unsafe. There is published evidence that Alpha-Arbutin converts to Hydroquinone – an ingredient so toxic that it is banned across the world for use in skin care preparations.

Hopefully this post may shed some light on Melasma, Chloasma and hyper-pigmentation as well as on the process of how the skin works and what is needed to interrupt the process of Melanin stimulants within the skin. In order to help with this we will be putting together two kits to deal with these skin issues…one that will contain a peel and one without and we will be offering these kits at a discounted price for our blog followers and for those who are members of Melasma Group on Facebook which can be found here. I was recently contacted by Abbey Ryan, a member of this group, who got me thinking about these kind of skin conditions and what we could do to help. The first port of call was to educate and inform…hence this blog post…and the second was to come up with the kits, which will be available to purchase on our website very soon.

 

Competition Time!!!!

Well hello you lovely lot. I’m hoping you’ve all had a little read of the last blog post about our new Active Defense Serum…which I’m pleased to say is now available to purchase!!!

With a new product being launched I always get a little itchy and feel the urge to run a competition…so to be in with a chance of receiving this amazing new serum for completely free then either follow our blog (for those of you who are already on WordPress) or sign up for our blog posts to be emailed to you…there’s a box just to your right —->

For all our new blog subscribers and followers we will choose a random 4 of you to receive a free Active Defense serum all of your very own…a great try before you buy option right there…and what’s in it for us?? Well we get to build our online community, we get to know our customers as well as we possibly can and hopefully that means staying completely in tune with what you all want when it comes to products and service. 4 followers will be selected on Wednesday 26th August 2015 and will be notified ASAP.

I’m hoping this blog will help us to connect more and we have set it up along with the Ask Kelli service…basically you get to email me with as many queries as you like and I’ll reply to all with skin and product advice tailored to your needs (email for this is Kelli@Forever-Young-UK.com). I’m also running a live web chat over on our Facebook page SR-SkincareUK which will be open from 11am this Friday (7th August) and I’ll be there to answer all your questions for an hour…whether it’s about your skin problems, daily skin routines, product advice and queries, the history of the company, what I’m having for lunch etc etc…whatever you’d been wanting to ask I’ll be there to answer.

Lastly in an attempt to build a good relationship with our lovely customers we are looking into the possibility of setting up and opening our own skincare forum…so keep posted on that one. Hope to see you all at the live chat on Friday…email is great but chatting to you all right then and there is even better.

Bye for now x

Our New Active Defense Serum…coming soon!!

We heard about a new ingredient and it wet our appetites to come up with a new product that we think is pretty amazing…

GLYCOFILM: Our New Active Defense Serum!

“Between protection and pleasure, a second skin for keeping up a new relation with one’s skin”

“A defender ‘garment of skin’ to protect oneself from the surrounding environment”

“A non occlusive, transparent and natural face shield”

All sounds too good to be true, right? If you’re still unsure what I’m talking about then let me explain…

On a daily basis our skin is constantly exposed to grime, dust, UV & IR rays, pollution…you name it, it’s out there and our skin is the first point of contact with it all. With our skin being the largest organ of the human body, as well as being the first contact filter for anything we absorb from the environment around us, then no wonder we are all dealing with such a huge variety of skin issues…dryness, clogged pores, psoriasis, eczema, ageing, blemishes, pigmentation…pardon the pun but it’s written all over our faces…literally.

We use serums, sunscreens, lotions and creams, all in an attempt to counteract the adverse effects of our environment on our skin. But what if we had an all in one protection? Something we could put on under our make-up, something that not only protects our skin against one or two of these environmental skin hazards, but protects against them all? An invisible barrier that stands between you and everything in the air that soaks into your pores all day, every day…kind of like a super hero for your skin!

That’s where our new Active Defense serum kicks in. Utilising Glycofilm we have developed a serum that can be applied before your make-up and forms an invisible facial barrier that you can neither see nor feel but is there all the same. So all those pollutants out there…they don’t stand a chance. They can settle on your face all they want to but with the Active Defense serum there is no way they are getting through to soak into your pores. All those harmful rays from the sun? They can’t penetrate either. Your skin is cocooned in it’s invisible barrier, safe from all those free radicals. When you clean your face after a long day…all that rubbish is washed down the drain or wiped away with a cotton pad and your skin remains fresh, untouched and un-marred.

Can you see why we are all abuzz with this new serum? Exciting, innovative, and most importantly…protective! We are launching our Active Defense Serum very soon and you will all be the first to know about it. I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on a product such as this…please feel free to comment below and let us know what you all think.

Bye for now x

New Beginnings….

Yes we have a new blog!!

With all the activity going on behind the scenes of new product ranges, a new look for existing products…a new website design….some of you may have already noticed a few changes over there…we decided the blog needed a new overhaul to fit in with all that we have planned.

I’m so excited about the changes we currently have going on, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise just yet…but surely a couple of hints at what we are up to wont hurt, will it?

All of our existing products are getting a make-over…we are still working hard at producing products that are completely natural and of the utmost benefit to your skin. Our Cutting edge range will still focus on quality, innovative new active ingredients…you know those ones that make us all look a little better and feel a little better about ourselves? We have some exciting new ingredients we are looking at right now that are causing a storm in the cosmetic industry that we want to formulate into some exciting new skincare for all of you.

Our SR-Skincare range is going to have the biggest make-over…we’re thinking soft, feminine, natural…something that really gets across what we are trying to achieve here…AND we are working on a new range of luxurious, pampering products…we’ve had a lot of feedback from our customers and we have listened…there will be facial oils, bath and shower products, creams for the hands, face and body, face masks, hair masks…you named it and we made a note and it’s all coming soon!

We will also be offering a pick-and-mix of our new pamper products that can be made up in some lovely little jute bags for gifts…whether you want to treat yourself, a friend, a loved one…and we will be offering a direct delivery service…so you can pop onto our website, choose your products, have them prettily packaged and delivered straight to the lucky recipient with no extra cost to yourselves. We’ll even throw in a personal message on a gift card for you…just because we’re good like that!! Seriously though, we are really looking forward to launching this…our products will be tailored to skin types and we will be looking at ingredients and oils that not only work but smell good enough to eat so that when you are finished you will feel wonderfully refreshed, pampered and you’ll be looking the very best that you can be…which is always our aim for you guys.

I’ve recently posted on our Facebook page about our “Ask Kelli” service, but wanted to reiterate it here….if you have any skin issues whatsoever and you are a little overwhelmed or unsure of what is the best routine and care to give your skin then I’m available to help you come up with a skin routine designed and tailored for your exact needs. I can recommend and give advice/information on products…but not just that…I’ll also provide you with handy hints and tips on how to best look after your skin type and I will be there throughout the whole process if any questions should arise…I wont be happy until you are happy! This is a free service to all of our customers and I have to say the customers I have helped so far has been a great experience for me…I love interacting with all of you and I like to keep it all very informal and friendly…I don’t bite…and trust me even if it is a problem you feel insecure about all of your information is completely confidential and it’s very unlikely it’s not something I haven’t encountered before, no problem is too big or small (I know I’m starting to sound a bit like a handy man now!)…so if you have any troubling issues, or even if you just want to re-jig your usual routine a little I can be contacted by email at Kelli@Forever-Young-UK.com.

I’ll leave it at that and I’ll be back on the blog on Monday with a post about one of our exciting new Cutting Edge products launching soon…our Active Defense serum.

Bye for now x