AHA’s – or alpha hydroxyacids – are commonly found in skin care products. AHA is a group of acids often referred to as “fruit acids.” While there are many types, they all are generally used to treat hyperpigmentation, damaged skin and acne.
The beauty of AHAs is that they improve your skin with little effort needed on your part! They exfoliate dead skin which in turn helps to unclog pores, keep skin smooth and clear, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Further, there is the added bonus that in doing so – they actually help to improve skin’s hydration. They have natural moisturizing properties and activate your skin’s own hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid then is able to retain more moisture in your skin. This is why you will find AHA’s in face creams (where they can do their work overnight or throughout the day) and in masks and face treatments.
Some typical AHA’s include:
Glycolic Acid which is sourced from sugar cane juicewhich is sourced from sour milk
Lactic Acid
Malic Acid which is found in apples
Tartaric Acid which comes from grapes and winewhich comes from lemons, limes, pineapples, oranges and other fruits
Citric Acid
Pyruvic Acid is derived from tartaric acid
Glycolic and Lactic acids are thought to be the most effective for use in skincare and can be safely used in cosmetic products at a rate of no higher than 10%. Generally, AHA’s can be safe for all skin types, but people with sensitive skin should test the products on their skin before they use them. And as with any serious exfoliation, extra care to avoid sun exposure should be taken. Liberal and consistent use of sunscreen is advised.
So go ahead – embrace those AHAs. Your skin will be glad you did!
By: Kristin Miller
Posts Tagged ‘Skin Types’
The Beauty of AHA’s
April 9th, 2010How to Be a Cheap Green Beauty
March 21st, 2010
While it’s great that there are many natural and organic beauty products available nowadays, it’s still better for the environment and your pocketbook to avoid buying products you don’t need. Let’s focus on the “reducing” aspect of the equation. If you don’t NEED it, don’t buy it, even if it’s eco friendly. Here are some ways to be a “green” beauty.
Eliminate products you don’t need
Skipping beauty products you don’t really need means using less packaging and other resources. Here are some of the products you can probably do without.
Beauty and skin care experts agree that toner (or astringent) is not necessary. If you cleanse your face well and rinse well, you can skip the toner.
If you have oily skin you probably don’t need moisturizer, and if you have normal skin, your sunscreen might be enough of a moisturizer. All skin types should use a sunscreen daily. If your skin is dry, use the gentlest cleanser you can and you can get away with less moisturizer.
Most people, unless their skin is extremely oily, don’t need to wash their faces with a cleanser in the morning. Of course it goes without saying that you should thoroughly remove makeup and cleanse your face at night, but as long as you do this, your face is clean enough in the morning. Just splash with warm water then apply sunscreen.
Exfoliation is important for healthy and pretty skin, but you probably don’t need an expensive product. Use a very clean washcloth to gently scrub your face. Or put some baking soda in your hand and use that as a gentle scrub. Or sugar or salt mixed with a little olive oil. Olive oil makes a great eye makeup remover too.
Skip the allover foundation. Most people don’t need it all over their faces but just a little bit under the eyes and around the nose. Use a little tinted moisturizer instead or try mineral makeup, which makes your face look flawless and seems to last forever.
Skip certain steps in your beauty routine
If you curl your eyelashes you might be able to skip mascara and eyeliner. It opens up the eyes and really makes them pop. Keeping your brows groomed also shapes your face without needing a product. In addition to tweezing, try trimming the longer hairs that stick out after you comb your brows (use cuticle nippers).
Many hair care experts agree that most people wash their hair too often. Twice a week is enough. On the other days, you can rinse your hair and then reapply a small amount of styling product. Not washing your hair daily saves water and you will often find you won’t need conditioner and other products for the hair, as it will be easier to style with some of the natural oils intact.
Try multi use products
Dr. Loretta, author of “6 Weeks to Sensational Skin” says that dead sea salts have multiple uses for skin problems: everything from acne to eczema.
Body lotion or conditioner can double as shaving cream. You can even buy makeup that can be used for eyes, cheeks and lips.
Make your own green beauty products
Making your own skin care products usually means you’ll use far less packaging than if you bought everything. It doesn’t have to be super complicated though. You can mix honey and salt to make a body or facial scrub. Or sugar and olive oil. Lemon juice, salt and olive oil are great to exfoliate and bleach elbows and heels.
Learn to love your natural look
My sister has super thick, curly hair. The kind that, if it were long, would rest in ringlets down her back. The kind that other people spend $100 per perm to try and achieve. Now she has accepted her hair and decided not to fight nature, but when she was a teenager and everone had Farrah Fawcett wings, straight was the look. So she would spend money and time trying to chemically straighten her hair, which was mostly an exercise in futility!
Learn to accept your natural face. Freckles are cute and don’t have to be covered up. Curly hair is beautiful and doesn’t have to be straightened. Ask your hairdresser to help you choose a style that works with your facial shape and hair texture. The more you try to change your natural look the more money and time you’ll spend.
By: Carrie Lauth
Beauty Products
March 8th, 2010
People have always strived to become more beautiful, and the modern beauty product industry has put this within the reach of most of us. If you wish to truly change your look, you need to visualize specific changes. Most women enjoy experimenting with varieties of beauty products as a way of expressing themselves and relieving stress. And with modern beauty products, anyone can afford to add a bit of glamour to their lives.
A wide variety of products are available on the market today, which can help enhance your physical attributes to make you feel younger and more glamorous. Beauty products range from skin care products such as soaps, bath salts, creams, exfoliating scrubs, and face and body packs, to hair care products such as shampoos, conditioners, hair colors, and various perming solutions, to overall body-care products such as moisturizers, cold creams, deodorants, nail care, and accessories for bubble baths. Each product helps revitalize your body, build your self-esteem, and erase imperfections.
Today, science has allowed for better analysis of the ingredients of beauty products. Harmful ingredients such as chemicals are easily absorbed by the skin, which is why it is wise to replace them with natural and herbal ingredients specially formulated to protect the skin and provide added benefits, such as the lightening of acne marks and uneven pigmentation. In addition, certain beauty products are known to smooth wrinkled skin and delay the signs of aging.
Many cosmetic companies have adhered to regulations to provide us with better and more effective products. Their products cater to every need and mood, and are suitable to all skin types.
Fortunately for those who cannot afford expensive products, easy-to-make recipes are available at book stores and on the Internet. Ingredients are found in almost every kitchen and market. So do not despair, but take control of your own beauty regimen.
By: Steve Valentino
