Getting Skincare Samples

…at the beauty counters is becoming more and more difficult in the current climate but it is a vital part of testing skincare. Trying a tester in the shop is not enough.

Whilst building a direct relationship with interesting skincare brands, the Faceworkshops Club will be also – from time to time – directing our members to beauty box subscriptions, particularly the last of these schemes.

• + Beauty Box is a subscription service with 5 – 6 samples received every month.
• + Beauty Box includes a ‘What’s in the box product guide’ letting you know exactly what you’ve received and how to use it.
• + Beauty Box is a varied to experience with make-up, skincare, a body treatment, a hair product and the new season’s scent. They have a reference to the products you’ve been sent and you will receive special reward discounts.
• - Everyone gets the same box. The skincare is not personalised and the skincare products enclosed might not be right for your skin type.

• + JolieBox UK is a subscription service with 5 – 6 samples received every month.
• + JolieBox is the leading beauty box subscription service in France and works with brands like Benefit, By Terry, Caudalie, Kiehls, Essie, Lancôme, REN and Phyto. They have the ability to seek out niche products from Skincare, Body Care, Haircare, Make-up, Fragrance and Lifestyle categories.
• + In the future, there will be more ‘editorial focus’ with a blog and Youtube channel – bringing you the latest beauty news, reviews and profiles on their brands.
• - As above. Everyone gets the same box. The skincare is not personalised and the skincare products enclosed might not be right for your skin type. They claim to carefully select products suitable for all types of skin and are working on developing personalised boxes in the future.

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• + Carmine is a subscription service with 5 samples received every month.
• + Deluxe product miniatures from Skincare, Make-up, Fragrance.
• + Exclusive behind the scenes tips and tricks from beauty experts.
• - As above. Everyone gets the same box. The skincare is not personalised and the skincare products enclosed might not be right for your skin type.

• Beauty Box within this scheme contains larger samples (similar to ‘travel size’ bottles or tubes) that give you more time to test a product. This service works particularly well for high-end skincare.
• Join The FaceWorkshops Club to help you create a personalised “pick your own skincare” box when you want to try something new and exciting.

Makeup Savvy @ http://www.makeupsavvy.co.uk/

Written by Fiona Houghton, this high street focused blog is about being savvy and finding products at low cost and, what Fiona considers to be, good quality. She writes “nail of the day posts” and informs her readers about the latest offers and magazine freebies.

blogmebeautiful @ http://www.blog-me-beautiful.com/

Written by Emily Yarwood who claims that everybody needs a little glamour in their lives, this blog is about sharing beauty tips for the busy girl on the go or a typical beauty junkie.

I Am Fabulicious @ http://iamfabulicious.blogspot.com/

Written by Sarah Berryman with sensitive skin type, she is introducing new brands that are particularly sensitive skin friendly. This blog has a celebrity beauty section – news and interviews.

Beauty Geek UK @ http://www.beautygeekuk.com/

Written by Sascha Taylor-Curtis with oily skin type, this blog comments on skincare, haircare and make-up. She had a long battle with problem skin and have blogged about her experiences with skincare products.

Vex in the City @ http://www.vexinthecity.com/

Written by Yinka Echols, this is a place to share her frivolous loves & loathes with like-minded people. She is addicted to decorative cosmetics, particularly blusher.

The FaceWorkshops Club For women interested in looking after their skin in the best way they can.  As a member, you will be given samples to test new skincare at home and give me feedback. I will also ask you to participate in a small Focus Group twice a year with instrumental measurement of results achieved. There is a membership fee of £20. The club is complimentary for my regular clients, by regular I mean clients I see at least every 2 – 3 months.

As of February 2012, I will be exploring new, original skincare with good efficacy with the FaceWorkshops Club members. I will be directing them to the right products for their personalised skincare routines.

Join the Club on info@faceworkshops.com for more information & to have fun trying and testing new skincare brands you would not have otherwise heard about.

NEW TRENDS : CONSUMER POLARISATION

* WOMEN with BUSY LIFESTYLES: Multi-tasking skincare is on the rise for busy consumers who don’t want to indulge in advanced skincare routines. We would like to encourage them take time out and do so regardless, it is a form of relaxation.

* WOMEN interested in SKIN HEALTH: Prescriptive skincare programs designed to give the skin an extra boost, targeting its specific needs, are increasingly popular in consumers who are serious about skincare.

Where do you belong?

Interesting & Recent Skincare Launches

As a rule, I don’t recommend skincare products unless I have seen someone’s skin and discussed their sensitivity, sun exposure, medical history and lifestyle. This is true particularly for serums, eye care and moisturisers that stay on the skin for a longer period of time.

However, I would like to bring your attention to newly launched & interesting skincare – cleansers, masks and exfoliators. Looking back these skincare products recently caught my eye.

Cleansers

• Eucerin DermatoCLEAN Cleansers from £8.25 @www.eucerin.co.uk
• Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel from £19.40 @ www.timetospa.co.uk

Masks

• Sisley Masque Creme a la Rose Noire from £88 @www.sisley-cosmetics.com

Teenage Combination to Oily Skin

• new Oxy range – reducing the size and redness of spots in 4 hours and the number of spots in 48 hours (spot count reduced by 29.1 % in 2 weeks and 61.2 % in 56 days) from £5.99 @ The Mentholatum Company.
• Aveda Tourmaline Charged Radiant Skin Refiner. £32 @www.aveda.co.uk
• Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-One BB Cream from £9.99@www.boots.com

FaceWorkshops Club Members – please ask for more information.

Getting closer to you..

I would like the monthly blog posts in the FACEWORKSHOPS CLUB category to be your forum, an interactive online community, to share your views and ideas. Please comment on what would you like discussed in the forthcoming months – the topics relevant to Spring are below. Thank you.

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NEXT TIME @ FaceWorkshops Club

• FEBRUARY Focus on comforting, green & ethical facial skincare including Forest Secrets, Steamcream, Melvita, Weleda, Spiezia, Nude, etc.
• MARCH Focus on serums @ Spring including the NEW YSL Forever Youth Liberator.
• APRIL Focus on the Eye Zone & Single Dose Skincare for your holidays.

Evolve Plus http://it-evolve.com/

A 100% natural moisturising emollient, it contains only a hypoallergenic, second generation, medical grade lanolin which is similar to the lipids in the skin which regulate moisturisation. Evolve Plus contains no emulsifiers, solubilisers, preservatives, fragrance, water, alcohol, colourants, petrolatum, mineral oil or diluents. It is suitable for use on all types of dry skin including sensitive conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Evolve Plus is a soothing, non-sticky, cooling spray – good for sore, itchy skin.

Should you save or spend? Genifique £55/30ml vs. L’Oréal Youth £17.19/30 ml

FaceWorkshops Expert Opinion

- Both products contain Biolysat, an anti-ageing ingredient, beneficial for facial skin. There is some scientific evidence for  Biolysat, Adenosine, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine – albeit coming from L’Oreal and Degussa but published in peer reviewed journals. The main ingredients improve inflammation and skin sensitivity, however, the high level of alcohol is not ideal for sensitive skin types.

• AESTHETICS: As always with prestige skincare, the aesthetics of Genifique is more refined and there is less perfume than in the Youth Code.
• INGREDIENTS/EFFICACY:  Genifique contains more of Hyaluronic acid (temporary plumping effect through hydration) and Adenosine, less Salicyloyl phytosphingosine and no Peptides. The products have similar efficacy  – save your money and buy the Youth Code if happy with the stronger perfume!

Read more about both products..

PRESTIGE SKINCARE

Genifique – a serum that promises to “reactivate” the youth in your genes. Lancome’s Genifique marketing materials are pushing the envelope to say that this is Lancôme first skincare that boosts the activity of genes that produce specific proteins that with age diminish. Alter your genes? As would any moisturiser that is beneficial in altering the properties of stratum corneum, the upper skin layer.

ANALYSIS OF INGREDIENTS

Bio-Lysat (bifida ferment lysate) is a probiotic supplement ingredient, a gram-positive bacteria Lactobacillusfound in the digestive system. Research conducted by Lancome and published in Experimental Dermatology (August 2010) used a Bifidobacterium longum reuter  topically on human skin, ex vivo, looking for markers of inflammation. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19624730

• The bacterial concentrate decreased vasodilation, edema, and mast cell degranulation (inflammatory cells releasing inflammatory chemicals in your skin).
• They also carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 63 women with sensitive and rough facial skin using a cream with or without the 10% bacterial extract for 2 month. The active group showed less skin sensitivity, improved skin barrier function (they required more tape stripping of their skin to achieve the same amount of barrier disruption), thoughthe recovery time was not altered. The clinical and self assessment for facial skin roughness were significantly better for those using the bacterial cream. However, the epidermal samples looking at hydration were not different between the control cream and the bacterial cream. Bifidobacterium longum reuter showed reduced inflammatory reactions, sensitivity and improved skin barrier function as well as a difference in skin roughness and dryness but nor in hydration.

Phystosphingosine-SLC (Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine) A study, published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, suggests that salicyloyl-phytosphingosine (SP), when topically applied to the face, reduces the depth of wrinkles and improves skin texture in photoaged skin. The research was funded by Degussa, the ingredient manufacturer and there are no other independent studies. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18489360

Denatured alcohol – might be the cause of some reports of dryness, irritation and acne after using Genifique. It is #4 ingredient so the concentration is fairly high. An unfortunate choice of ingredient, particularly for mature, dry and sensitive skin types.

Genefique softens the skin and reduces lines and wrinkles, the serum is quickly absorbed and should be followed by a moisturiser!

Opinions FaceWorkshops Agree with:

“The introduction and marketing of Genifique, which flaunts gene research in its very name, has raised a few eyebrows in the scientific community. Scientists worry companies like Lancome are making exaggerated claims to consumers about gene therapy skin care. The backlash when expectations aren’t met may compromise future funding and hinder the advancement of one of the most promising fields of research today.” By wrinklecreamdoctor.com

Even when gene activity is reduced in aged skin, acting on that gene will not necessarily prevent wrinkling.

MASS MARKET SKINCARE:

ANALYSIS OF INGREDIENTS

The anti-aging technology in Youth Code called GenActiv is a proprietary formula of three ingredients:

• Bio-Lysat (bifida ferment lysate) – as above
• Adenosine, a molecule that naturally exists in skin’s DNA and is essential to proper cell functioning; acts as an anti-wrinkle ingredient and stimulates protein synthesis. It has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to aid wound healing. There are two L’Oreal studies looking at the role of adenosine in ageing skin showing improvement in crow’s feet and wrinkles around the mouth.
• Proprietary blend of peptides = Palmitoyl Oligopeptide & Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Genifique Ingredients:
Aqua/Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimenthicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, PEG-20 Methyl  Glucose Sesquistearate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Ammonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide/Ammonium Polyacryldimethyltaurate, Limonene, Xanthan Gum, Caprylylglycol, Disodium EDTA, Octyldodecanol, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate.

Youth Code Ingredients:
Aqua/Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimenthicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Peg-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquisterate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Adenosine, Ammonium. Polyacryldimethyltauramide, Disodium Edta, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Octyldodecanol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, and Parfum.

Source: http://bionic-beauty.com/review-lancome-genifique/, http://wrinklecreamdoctor.com, http://15minbeauty.blogspot.com

Sustainable Skincare Helps Local Communities

The Cradle-To-Cradle certification follows rigorous independent assessment by the Environmental Protection and Encouragement Agency (EPEA) to ensure that ingredients meet ecological and health criteria based on the Cradle to Cradle Design Concept (C2C).

• The ingredients must be either continually reusable or biodegradable and renewable.
• They must be healthy for users and for the environment.
• Their production and use must also offer social and economic benefits for its producers.

For beauty and personal care products, the Cradle-To- Cradle concept means that ingredients are extracted from natural materials, or, “biological nutrients,” that are given back to nature after usage to become part of the ecological cycle.

Aveda has been the first beauty company to receive Cradle to Cradle certification for four botanical ingredients: sandalwood oil from Australia, rose oil and lavender oil from Bulgaria and uruku from Brazil. The first Aveda ingredients to meet or exceed the stringent standards of Cradle to Cradle certification are:

- organic uruku sustainably harvested by the Yawanawa people in the Brazilian Amazon;

- rose and lavender essential oils grown and processed on a sustainable organic farm in Bulgaria;

- sandalwood oil which is wild harvested and processed by the Mardu peoples of Western Australia.

Each of the four key ingredients is a “biological nutrient,” grown or harvested sustainably. The methods used by the cultivators and collectors are traditional and assure the long-term sustained production of their ingredients.

Uruku, rose and lavender are grown to certified organic standards; sandalwood is wild harvested by methods that meet the standards of an indigenous raw materials certification developed by the Songman Circle of Wisdom, an indigenous group developed to oversee the sustainable production of Australian sandalwood.

Aveda’s numerous corporate and social responsibility associations include CERES (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies), ISO (International Organization for Standardization), Coop-America/Green Business Network, SVN (Social Venture Network), BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), Environmental Grant Makers, American Botanical Association, Organic Trade Association, Cosmebio, National Recycling Coalition, and the U.S. Green Building Council.

To read more about Aveda program, please go to http://www.c2cportal.net/2010/06/aveda-cradle-to-cradle-and-paradigm.html

ORGANIC SKINCARE

There are many organic certification bodies for facial skincare and understanding of the different types of certifications and their guidelines makes your choice easier. There is no government requirement for organic certification nor is there global harmonization of standards.

CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR STANDARDS

Part of the requirements also include the regular auditing by a third-party organic certifier of both the manufacturers ingredients and processes to ensure it is compliant with all the rules of the certification standard.

There are a few general guidelines which apply to most certifications such as

Today there are a number of international organizations with organic skincare certification standards. Below, we have compiled summaries of the six most commonly seen on the shelves.

ECOCERT


EcoCert requires a minimum of 95 percent natural origin as a baseline entry. Water can be included in its calculation of organic content. Up to 5% of synthetic preservatives are allowed eg. Dehydroacetic acid and Sodium hydroxide.

BDIH


*Nature identical substances may only be used when natural substances cannot be recovered from nature using reasonable technical effort. Nature identical ingredients are 100 percent identical in composition to their counterparts in nature, but have been created in the laboratory to ensure stability, safety, and sustainability.

Source:  http://www.beingcontent.com/knowledge.htm/content-approved/organic-skincare-certifications

Aqueous cream BP contains sodium layrul sulphate, a known irritant, that should not to be used on damaged skin!

Aqueous Cream BP is frequently prescribed for patients with eczema and is known to induce sensitivity in certain patients and also to decrease the thickness of the stratum corneum (SC).  The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in corneocyte size, corneocyte maturity, selected protease activities, protein content and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in normal forearm skin after a 28-day twice daily application of Aqueous Cream BP.

• Results indicate that corneocyte maturity and size decreased with increasing number of tape strips, and were significantly lower in treated sites compared with untreated sites.
• Protease activity and TEWL values were higher (P < 0·05) for the treated sites compared with untreated sites.
• The amount of protein removed from deeper layers of treated sites was significantly lower than from untreated sites.

• Treatment with Aqueous Cream BP is associated with increased desquamatory and inflammatory protease activity.
  
• in corneocyte maturity and size are also indicative of accelerated skin turnover induced by chronic application of this emollient.
  
• These findings question firmly the routine prescription of this preparation as a moisturizer in patients with atopic dermatitis!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21443526

Professor Hadgraft, an expert in transdermal absorption at the London School of Pharmacy,  is getting increasingly frustrated with false statements in womens’ and life style magazines and web sites.

“The skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs 70% of the topically applied products!”

These statements are often substantiated by references to experiments on rodent or rabbit skin which are totally inappropriate. Other discussion members add that:

• These articles are written in response to new product launches and become no more that an advertising opportunity.
• The journalists are bedazzled by the hype presented by marketing.
• If scientists were to contribute to the information packs then these false statements would never have seen the light of day.

The Facts Behind Skin Absorption

• The skin possesses an outer layer, stratum corneum, which is a very impressive barrier. It is about one sixth the thickness of a piece of paper but stops us losing excessive water because of its unique structure.
• The stratum corneum has a structure of a brick wall, the skin cells – keratinocytes – are the bricks. If the bricks are bigger, the path any active ingredient has to go through when penetrating into the skin is longer, if smaller, the path is shorter.
• The “mortar” layer is an organised structure of orderly hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. Actives soluble in water,  eg. vitamin C, cannot penetrate into the lipophylic layer and oil soluble actives eg. vitamin A and E, cannot penetrate into water soluble layers. Actives soluble both in oil and water perform best.
• Absorption is variable depending on: the skin site and its condition, the properties of the active applied, the product in which the active is applied. Absorption is usually higher in the face than on the body;  it is related to the cell size. Cheek corneocytes are small and the protease activity is higher on the cheek than forearm, leading to more penetration.

• For most of ingredients the percent of dose absorbed is around 1-2%. For some it is less than 0.1% For some, very few, it is 10-20%.

• The barrier properties of the skin and the subsequent low absorption of actives into the skin are a major problem in the topical treatment of skin diseases! The majority of active ingredients that have potential to affect the biology of the skin are rarely delivered in amounts to allow them to realise that potential!

Source: Skin Forum on LinkedIN and Inaugural SCS Lecture October 2011

Anthroposophic Medicine attempts to include the individuality of the patient, as well as the accepted features of an illness, in the treatment process. For just as each person is unique, so is each treatment and a diagnosis aims to form a picture of the physical, psychological and personal circumstances that have paved the way for an illness. The integrative diagnosis is guided by scientific findings, medical experience, personal discernment and intuition.

SlowSkincare

SlowSkincare will soon become a chapter in Slow Movement – a range of efforts that seek to connect us more meaningfully with others, with place, and with ourselves and counteract the fast–paced, commodity–focused, unbalanced, and impersonal nature of much of modern human culture.

By taking the appropriate amount of time to experience the various activities of our lives – including skincare – we are able to get in touch with what is deeply satisfying and fulfilling.

http://www.pafam.org.uk

http://www.theworldinstituteofslowness.com/home

http://www.create-the-good-life.com/slow_movement.html

The three projected images show her face 10 years from now:

SMOKING

A survey of over 1,000 Yahoo! users found that only 28% of smokers admit to being addicted and dependent on cigarettes with 72% claiming “I choose when I smoke and can go without at any time.” 41% of the people ages 18-34 said they only smoke in a social setting, but if you want to avoid these nasty signs of aging, every cigarette may count. Fifty-six percent of people ages 18-34 said they smoke when drinking.

DRINKING

After 10 years of drinking two large glasses of wine every night

Blood vessels enlarge to cause permanent flushing and cause visible redness and capillaries in the face. Skin becomes dehydrated leading to the onset of lines and wrinkles.

BAD EATING HABITS

After 10 years of bad eating habits

According to acclaimed dermatologist Dr. Perricone, a diet high in sugar and high glycaemic carbohydrates can lead to thick skin that wrinkles and sags, a waxy bloated face, and acne.

NATURAL AGEING

After 10 years without additional drinking, smoking, or junk food intake

These images should reinforce the message for everyone! It is in our best interest to give up smoking and cut back on bad food habits and drinking.

Source:

http://annamagee.wordpress.com/

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/how-drinking–smoking–and-eating-junk-food-can-affect-your-appearance.html