Should You Always Avoid Alcohol in Skincare Products?

When you are choosing the best anti-aging product for your skin, you may have had it drummed into your subconscious that alcohol is damaging for the wellness and wellbeing of your skin. Perhaps you find yourself poring over the ingredients list on the back of various skincare products, hoping to find one that is free from alcohol but without really knowing why.

 

The truth is, that it is simply not true to say that all alcohol is bad for your skin, as there are different types of alcohol. In particular, those who have sensitive or dry skin are often advised to stay away from skincare products with alcohol in them, as there is thought to be a link between red, flaky skin and alcohol-based products. Then of course there is the little issue that very few products are actually alcohol free, so finding a product you deem to be ‘suitable’ can be quite a challenge.

 

Out of 20 skincare products on the market, it is estimated that around 12 will contain alcohol in some form. Alcohol is actually incredibly useful as a skincare ingredient, and, contrary to popular opinion, is not totally out of the question for those who suffer from dry skin. Alcohol is actually a broad term for an entire group of chemicals that have a common makeup but with some variations. It is the variations that determine how the alcohol works on your skin.

 

Ethanol, for example, is just one type of alcohol, and it is simply this type of alcohol that can cause skin dryness – no other type. Ethanol is also in wine, beer and spirits (but with a slightly altered taste, of course). It is a thin liquid that evaporates quicker than water and hence it is often used to help a product to dry quicker, but this can be damaging for those with dry or sensitive skin.

Categories: Alcohol, dry, Dry Skin, product, products, skin, skincare, skincare products

Raid Your Fridge for the Best Skin and Hair Care Products

Did you know that that anti-aging remedies you are looking for could be in your kitchen cupboards? If you want to improve your natural wellness and wellbeing, you don’t have to be shelling out thousands of pounds on surgery or buying the most expensive products on the shelves at the beauty store, you just have to have a bit of a rummage in your very own kitchen.

 

Some items are common knowledge – such as cucumber slices over the eyes to help reduce their puffiness, but there are a number of other products that you may not be aware of that can do just as good a job (if not better) than any store-bought product.

 

Oatmeal is one such product. Colloidal oatmeal – or regular oatmeal popped in a blender and made into a powder – can be put in the bath to help relieve eczema, a condition that causes dry and itchy skin. It can also be used to treat other itchy skin conditions, such as chicken pox.

 

It’s best for mild cases of eczema only and is not medicinal, so if your eczema is severe it’s best to talk to your doctor and get something stronger. For mild cases, though, it can replace topical anti-itch creams such as hydrocortisone.

 

Yoghurt is also a fantastic product and can help to cleanse and smooth your complexion. Try making up a face mask using honey and plain yoghurt and then applying it straight onto your skin. Leave for around 15 – 20 minutes and then rinse off again. This can be used instead of all kinds of cleansing or skin conditioning treatments and shop bought face masks.

 

Avocado is also a great product, and can be used to condition or strengthen your hair. Mix it with mayonnaise or use it on its own to make your hair soft and beautifully shiny.

Categories: itchy skin, kitchen, mild cases, Natural, nbsp, oatmeal, product, products, skin

The Truth About What Testosterone Gel Could Do to You

America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for safeguarding the health, wellness and wellbeing of the population from the dangers of consuming certain substances. The FDA has now announced that it is going to insist, going forward, that manufacturers of two types of testosterone gel put a warning on the boxes of the products. The two types are Testim and AndroGel.

 

This action is going to be required because there have been a number of reports of serious side effects that have occurred when children were accidentally exposed to the product, through having contact with someone who was being treated with the product.

 

The gels are normally used by men who either produce very little of the sex hormone testosterone, or none at all. Both of the gels are applied to the upper body twice per day to help improve the amount of testosterone in the body.

 

Users are instructed to wash their hands after they have used the product, and to cover any treated area of skin by wearing clothing. Nevertheless, eight reports have come to light where children have been exposed to the product in a secondary way. The children range in age from just nine months old to five years old. In most of the cases that were reported, the users failed to follow the instructions on how to use the product appropriately, and this resulted in the child coming into contact with the substance.

 

Side effects of this contact were serious for the children involved. The effects included enlargement of the external sexual organs such as the clitoris or penis, the premature development of pubic hair, an increase in self-stimulation in the children involved, aggressive behaviour and an advancing in bone age.

 

In most cases, when the child was no longer exposed to the product the symptoms were reversed, but in a small number of cases the effects proved to be permanent.

Categories: Children, children involved, Effects, gel, harm, nbsp, product, Testosterone, testosterone gel