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Should You Use A Toner?

Posted on by Christen Sblendorio

If you find yourself wondering if you should add a toner to your skincare routine, know that the answer to your question is not a direct “yes” or “no”. Although toners have been typically for oily skin types that need an extra cleansing boost, many of them are now packed with extra skincare benefits, like hydrating and soothing properties. Different toners have different benefits and these benefits depends on your skin type and the type of toner that you use.

Dr. Alicia Zalka, a Yale-affiliated dermatologists states that “toners are not necessary, but they can be a great adjunct to a skincare regimen for those that need help with oily skin or markedly plugged pores.Toner is something I consider a second step of the cleansing process. The benefit is that, when used correctly, it can help remove excess oils and dead skin cells that may lurk on the face after washing. To some extent a toner can help other skin applications penetrate more rapidly.”  

What do toners do?

A toner’s purpose is to do a complete cleanse of the skin and refine pores. Toners remove dust, pollution and impurities that can still linger on the skin after washing with a cleanser. Toners were originally designed to help restore skin’s pH balance, which is slightly acidic (5.5-6.5). Old styles of cleansing (cleansers like soap bars) disrupted that balance, leaving skin more vulnerable to bacteria and other microorganisms. The disruption to skin pH can lead to inflammation, dryness and over time, accelerated aging. If you wash your face with a balanced, organic cleanser, your skin might not need the pH-balancing properties of toners.

Should I forget about toner?

If you have oily skin, a toner might be a beneficial addition to your skincare routine. Many toners targeted at reducing oil and clogged pores. If you have normal, dry or combination skin, the right toner will have ingredients that create a number of benefits, giving you a quick and refreshing lift that helps repair, restore, and renew your skin. For all these reasons and more, it is recommended you make toning the second step in your skincare routine after cleansing.

Natural DIY Toners

The good news is you can make your own natural toner at home. The following are ingredients on how to make your own toner best suited for your skin type and concerns.

A green-tea toner is a great option if you have normal skin. First make one cup of green tea. Then add half a teaspoon of honey and mix well. Let the mixture cool. Once cool, add three drops of jasmine essential oil to the mixture. Pour into an airtight bottle and store in a cool place.

If you have normal to oily skin the following toners are more efficient. To make an apple-cider vinegar toner add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to an airtight container and mix in 200 milliliters of mineral water. Store in a cool place.

For a Mint Toner, boil 6 cups of water and add a couple of mint leaves to the water while it is still hot. Allow the solution to cool and then saturate the pad with the solution and wipe your face with it after cleansing.

An Aloe Vera Toner can be made by slicing an aloe vera. Scoop out the gel and dilute 2 tablespoons of the gel with 1 cup of cool water. Apply the solution onto your face using a cotton pad after cleansing. This solution can also be used to sooth sunburns and rashes.

Make a Cucumber Toner by taking 2/3rds of a fresh cucumber and chopping it up into small piece. Pour a cup of water into a pan and add the chopped piece of cucumber. Heat the pan for about 8 minutes or until the water starts to boil. Blend the cucumber and the water. Let cool and then filter the solution out using a sieve. Apply to clean face using a cotton pad.

Ingredients To Avoid

When it comes to choosing a toner that’s right for you, there are some ingredients you want to avoid. Do not use a toner that has alcohol, menthol, witch hazel or fragrance in it. These four ingredients are not good for your skin. If you do choose to add a toner to your skincare routine and you choose your toner carefully, you’ll have a product that will do the following: complete cleansing, minimize the appearance of large pores, hydrate, help with oily skin and protect.

The Importance Of All Year Round Sun Protection

Posted on by Christen Sblendorio

With Fall here and winter approaching your first impulse might be to ease up on your sun protection. Don’t. Sun safety and protecting your skin against UV damage is a year-round commitment. According to Bruce E. Katz, the director of JUVA Skin & Laser Center in New York, “The sun’s harmful rays are just as strong and damaging despite what your thermometer says— particularly the UVA rays which are responsible for aging skin. UVA radiation reaches deeper into the skin and contributes to wrinkles and skin cancer risk. Nearly all (95 percent) of the UV radiation that we are exposed to is UVA.”

What is UVA?

To break it down, Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is part of the electromagnetic (light) spectrum that reaches the earth from the sun. UV radiation has wavelengths shorter than visible light which make it invisible to the naked eye. Ultraviolet A (UVA) is the longer wave of the two and the UV ray that causes lasting skin damage, skin aging, and can cause skin cancer. The shorter UV wave is Ultraviolet B (UVB). Ultraviolet B rays are what cause sunburns, skin damage, and possible skin cancer. By damaging the skin’s cellular DNA, excessive UV radiation produces genetic mutations that can lead to skin cancer. Both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization have identified UV as a proven human carcinogen.

UVA and Skin Cancer

The rise in the incidence of skin cancers over the past decades is strongly related to increasingly popular outdoor activities and recreational exposure. According to Alex A. Khadavi, the founder of Advanced Skin & Hair, “Reflection of radiation from snow requires aggressive sunscreen protection, maybe even more than summertime as individuals participate in snow activities like skiing and snowboarding. Almost 80 percent of UV radiation is reflected from snow while only 25 percent from sand.”

About 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers and about 86 percent of melanomas are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun. Overexposure to sunlight is widely accepted as the underlying cause for harmful effects on the skin, eye and immune system. Because UV damage is mostly avoidable, experts believe that four out of five cases of skin cancer are preventable. Because sun damage builds up over time sunscreen should be applied liberally and evenly to any exposed skin. Sunscreen should be used everyday, even if it’s cloudy and sun does not appear to be present or in the forecast. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF), up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds. The SCF also reports that this is the reason people often end up with serious sunburns on overcast days if they’ve spent time outside with no sun protection.

Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation. Other types of sunscreen may help prevent sunburn, but they will not protect against skin cancer. Repeated sun exposure is the leading cause of premature skin aging. This is known as photoaging. It occurs because the sun’s ultraviolet rays alter the normal structure of the skin, causing the appearance of wrinkles and brown spots.

For more information on Vitamin D and what types of sunscreens to use, click here.

cruelty free skincare is catching on

Cruelty Free Skincare Is Catching On

Posted on by Lydia D

Why is cruelty-free skincare catching on?

Compassion for animals is one of our guiding principles, and we’ happy to see that support for cruelty-free skincare and cosmetics is growing in the U.S. and elsewhere. So much so, in fact, that some companies have changed who they do business with to demonstrate their support for cruelty-free around the world.

Labels can be confusing, however, so how does not go about finding cruelty-free skincare products? There are a few places where you can begin your search:

How to Find Cruelty Free Skincare

    • Look for the bunny on the company’s website or packaging. This symbol certifies that the company has met the requirements for using the “Cruelty-free” bunny logo.
    • Visit the website gocrueltyfree.org to find a list of almot 500 companies that participate in this initiative.
    • Search for bloggers who review cruelty free brands. Articles like this on on Mybeautybunny.com can assist you in your search.
    • Visit the cruelty-free makeup page at PETA.org. They also talk about the brands that test on animals.
    • Read labels to learn which skincare and cosmetic products contain animal ingredients. For example, many soaps use tallow, obtained from beef, pig and sheet rendering plants. Another name for it is “sodium tallowate.” Honey and beeswax are easy enough to spot. Others are not so easy, like glycerin (plant and animal origins), lactic acid, squalene (plant and animal origin), Vit. E, Carmine (dye derived from crushed cochineal bugs – ugh!), Lanolin, etc.

The good news is that more and more companies are dedicated to sourcing plant-based ingredients for skincare and cosmetics. Even major brands like RMS Beauty and Kat Von D Beauty have chosen to be cruelty-free. Of course, we will always be commited to remaining plant-based, sustainable, and palm oil free not just because of animal testing, but because of the impact that using certain products has on indigenous wildlife.

We know that it’s the right thing to do. And lucky for us, customers are catching on.

Reference:
Onegreenplanet.com’s list of animal-derived ingredients
crueltyfreekitty.com’s list of vegan cosmetic companies

Bottle or Jar? The Best Containers for Skincare Products

Posted on by Lydia D

Bottle or Jar?

You may have asked yourself why companies use a bottle or a jar for a particular skincare product. Does it really matter? The truth is that not all containers are created equal when it comes to particular formulations. Factors that affect the type of container used are:

  • Oil vs water based formula
  • Ingredients that go rancid quickly (e.g. argan, hemp oils)
  • Ingredients that degrade easily (e.g. botanical extracts, vitamins)
  • Exposure to light, heat and/or humidity
  • TSA package requirements
  • Shipping requirements

The best container for the job

When ingredients aren’t taken into consideration when choosing a bottle or jar, the result is often a less effective product. Many ingredients are expensive to source, so it makes sense for companies to choose the right container for skincare products. Here are a few quidelines:

  • For liquid formulations like soaps, gels, oils and lotions, a pump bottle works well. Opening sizes vary according to the viscosity of the liquid. It is a hygienic choice because hands don’t touch the product directly. This includes airless pumps, which introduce less air into the container, minimizing degradation. An example of this is our Vitamin C Face Creme with Niacinamide.
  • Plastic is preferable to glass if the product is used in the bath or kitchen in order to avoid having a product slip out of one’s hand and break. Check the bottom of the container to see which plastic is being used. Some are more recyclable than others. If a product is going to be heated (e.g. oil treatments), then glass is preferable, as it is inert and not likely to melt.
  • As a rule, if ingredients degrade or become rancid easily, a dark or opaque container is preferable to a clear one. Exposure to light will degrade many oils, vitamins and botanicals. As an alternative, keep the product either in the refrigerator or in a cool, dark place.
  • For thick creams, body butters and scrubs, a tube works best. That’s because it minimizes the likelihood of touching the product directly. Jars are less preferable because of what’s known as “head space”, which sometimes necessitates the use of additional preservatives to minimize contamination. Possible exceptions are products that are oil-based with low rancidity like our body balms.  Another alternative is an airless jar, a recent innovation that reduces the chance of contamination.

If you are trying a product for the first time or if you’re using it infrequently, it’s best to buy the smallest possible size. Once opened, a product’s shelf life is limited to between 3 and 12 months. If, on the other hand, you’re buying a product that you use frequently, get the largest possible size to save money.

Travel Requirements and Skincare Products

The Transportation Safety Authority (TSA) has developed strict rules regarding what to pack when traveling. As a rule, any type of liquid must be 3.4 ounces or less and sealed in a quart-size airtight bag for carry-on luggage. Anything larger must be in a checked bag. Many companies sell sample-size products that will serve this purpose. As an extra precaution, it’s a good idea to cover the area between a bottle or jar and its dispenser with duct tape to prevent its opening. It’s also safer to carry products in plastic containers than in glass ones.

Should I Re-Bottle or Re-Jar a Skincare Product?

It’s not recommended that you re-bottle or re-jar a product once you receive it. Even if you are careful to sterilize everything, you’re exposing all of the product to the elements, which introduces airborne particles and other contaminants. Exceptions might be made for household products that don’t come in regular contact with skin, like dishwashing liquid or detergents. When it comes to skincare, however, it’s best to leave it to the pros.

References:
Allure article on skincare containers
Transportation Safety Authority liquids rules