Spending a Fortune on Expensive Creams
Have you spent a fortune on expensive creams without any results? Such a waste! Fortunately you really don’t have to spend your whole months salary on unaffordable beauty products with exotic ingredients. You’ll find the “recession” tips for beautiful skin below.
Smart buy instead of expensive creams
If you are strapped for cash then don’t spend too much money on a facial Cleanser. There needn’t be any expensive ingredients in this product as they will soon disappear down the plughole (or in your eyes). Look for a mild cleanser (not soap) that can be rinsed off with water afterwards. For dry skin cleansing once a day is more than enough; that will also save. The money saved is better of being invested in a good cream or serum with high concentrations of active substances. Such a product is a must for evenings, mornings, afternoons, night time, under the eyes, on the neck, around the mouth and I can go on. Perhaps surprising, but in respect of composition there is little or no difference between all those “special” products. If you want to be sure that active substances such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Green Tea and Retinol are still effective after a few uses, you are better of choosing a product with a pump dispenser. Anti-oxidants (the name says it all) react with oxygen (radicals); they need to do this on your skin and not in the pot.
A radiant skin
From the age of thirty onwards the skin has to work hard in order to get rid of its dead skin cells. The result: a dull skin and impurities. You can remove dead skin cells by scrubbing, but this doesn’t always improve the sensitive and acned skin. What does work well is a cosmetic product containing ingredients such as Glycolic Acid or Salicylic Acid; the so-called Exfoliants. These are acids which can remove the dead skin cells and make the skin more smooth. Many Dermatologists use such products in their clinics to give their patients skin a boost. You can also use this at home which you’ll also notice in your purse…
The remedy for skin that has already aged
Almost every Dermatologist knows it (and uses it)! There is one established cosmetic ingredient that works on skin that has already aged and that is Vitamin A Acid. See the example beside this. Before you go running to the shops; this remedy is only available on prescription. Get a prescription from the Dermatologist or G.P for this cream and for less than 20 euros you’ve got the only real anti-wrinkle cream! Build its use up very gradually and use in combination with a good cream. Vitamin A Acid can actually irritate the skin if you begin applying it too enthusiastically!
Your own peeling
If you have managed to get hold of a tube of Vitamin A Acid cream, then you’ve also got your own in house peeling. For one night before going to bed apply a quarter of a teaspoon full of cream with Vitamin A Acid onto the skin. Your skin will start to peel a little, but after a couple of days you’ll look radiant! This tip from the American Dermatologist Leslie Baumann is also one of my favourite beauty tips.
Mask
Make your own mask. For oily skin you can make your own mask from papaya and honey. Finely mash up half of a green papaya (these contain a higher concentration of papain compared to ripe papayas) and mix together with a tablespoon of honey. It’s easiest to do in the blender. Then simply spread it over your face and leave on for 15 minutes. You need to eat the other half as it doesn’t keep well. The active substances become inactive within 3 hours. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme and clears away dead skin cells and sebum dirt. Honey, just like papaya, has an anti-inflammatory effect.
If you have dry skin then the golden tip is to apply a more generous layer of a cream with high concentrations of active substances onto your skin and a layer of Vaseline over the top of this. A ‘normal’ mask for dry skin works because it contains substances which temporarily seal off your skin. Vaseline does this best, better than expensive creams, and, contrary to what many people think, it doesn’t give you spots.
Multi-functional products instead of many expensive creams
Some products have more than one function; that makes a difference in purchases and your travel case. A mild shampoo can easily be used as a body soap. A hair conditioner as shaving cream for your legs. An oily body product can be easily used in the bath as bath oil.
There is a shortened version of this blog in this months Cosmopolitan (Budget Skin). Have a great weekend!
Regards Jetske.
(Dr. Jetske Ultee-Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)
You can also read the blogs:
‘Recipe for Beautiful Skin’,
‘What Is a Serum?’,
‘Different products. Or not?‘,
‘A Healthy Barrier Function, a Healthy Skin’,
‘Mens and Women’s Cosmetics. Find the Difference’ and
‘Luxury Ingredients for Your Skin’.