What a Label Can Tell You

Of course, if you’re going to put something on your skin, you should know what it consists of and how those substances contribute to it’s benefit. Any preparation should be selected, as you already know, according to the skin type, but you should also take age peculiarities into account. Some people need more moistening, the other require nutrition. And somebody’s skin requires both. Effectiveness of any preparation is predetermined by bioactive substances forming part of it.

Read the label attentively before buying a preparation. So, what is what?

· Our skin always needs vitamins, especially early in spring

Vitamin A (retinol) makes the ageing processes slower.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) takes part in the carbohydrate metabolism and synthesis of collagen and contributes to regeneration of tissues.

Vitamin E (tocopherol) intensifies the impact of ascorbic acid (note that vitamins C and E are ideal when used together!), improves your skin’s ability to resist the harmful effect of ultraviolet rays.

Vitamin F (linoleic and linolenic acids) helps in overcoming peeling and dryness of skin.

· It is difficult to imagine a make-up preparation with herbs. The substances generated in different parts of plants can help in keeping your skin beautiful and young for a long time.

Phytosteroids (plant hormones) are quite harmless unlike the “human” ones that are used only in medicinal cosmetics. They are scarcely absorbed by our blood but remain in our skin helping it assimilate vitamins and other useful substances (for instance, mucopolysaccharides) and remove poisons and free radicals (including antioxidants). Phytoncides protect our skin against the impact of microbes.

Tannins tone up, have an astringent effect, stimulate pore contraction, and are good at suppressing the activity of oil-glands.

Pectin forming part of the citrus rind, cherries and cranberries contributes to healing wounds and cracks.

· Among bioactive substances of animal origin in cosmetics they most often use:

human and cattle placenta that is purified of hormones: It contains amino acids and low molecular weight proteins that effectively stimulate skin rejuvenation;

royal jelly, which is a mixture of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, organic substances and a number of microelements, is a good stimulator possessing regenerating qualities.

· Among useful components mentioned on the label you can also see the following:

Elastin increases skin elasticity, produces a lifting effect....