Anti-aging products have permeated the market place in the last several years. As we all age, our goal is to age gracefully and maintain the healthiest skin that we possibly can.
As we work to repair skin damage from years of living, skin nourishment needs vary from person to person, skin type to skin type. Although most natural anti-aging products do not contain harsh chemicals, we need to be pro-active and understand what natural ingredients are best for our skin, and choose our products accordingly.
A lot of anti-aging products contain botanical oils. What this means is that the skin products key ingredients are made from plants and herbal extracts, oils, fragrances and vitamins. Understanding what the individual botanical oils are meant to do for our skin is key to choosing the best natural skin care products for our age and skin type.
Different botanical oils meet a variety of skin nutrition needs. Following is a basic botanical glossary of some commonly used botanical oils that are found in today’s anti-aging products.
Anti-bacterial: eucalyptus,
Anti-inflammatory: Evening Primrose, Matricaria,
Anti-irritants: Matricaria
Astringent: Baby oil, Tea tree
Conditioner: Evening Primrose,
Emollients, Skin Softeners, Smoothes, Apricot, Avocado, Camellia, Coconut, Corn, Evening Primrose, Grape Seed, Hazelnut, Joyoba, Kukui Nut, Macadamia Nut, Olive , Safflower , Soybean oil, Sunflower, Sweet Almond, Wheat germ
Essential Oil: Matricaria
Lubricant: Coconut, corn, peanut, sweet almond
Moisturizes: Hazelnut, Jojoba, Matricaria, Wheat germ
Nutrient: Sesame Oil
Reduces Oiliness, Refines pores: Camphor,
Stimulates, rejuvenates: Rosemary Oil, Peppermint, Tea tree
Antibacterial extracts contain ingredients that destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria, particularly in the case of bacteria that cause blemishes.
Anti-inflammatory extracts reduces certain signs of inflammation, such as swelling, tenderness, pain, irritation, or redness.
Anti-irritant oils have antiseptic, sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory properties for the skin.
Conditioning oils are a natural source of fatty acids and are used to promote smooth skin.
Emollients, smoothes, softens, Emollient oils soothe and soften the skin by slowing the natural evaporation of water from the skin. Extracts that smoothe and soften the skin contain proteins such as vitamin A, sugar, starch, vitamin B1, iron, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and calcium. These proteins assist in cleansing pores; giving the skin a healthy glow and reducing response to irritations.
Essential oils maintain the odorous principles of the plant material from which they are derived. Aromatherapy is the use of pure essential oils to enhance physical or mental well being. Essential oils are distilled plant essences that may be used to make ourselves feel better. Aromatherapy is the process of diffusing pure essential oils, and thus
plant essences, which then is absorbed through inhalation and our sense of smell. For skin, this particular oil has antiseptic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Lubricating oils are used to relieve skin itch and dryness. All skin types can benefit from lubricating oils as they are usually high in mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and contain many naturally occurring Vitamins such as A, B1, B2, B6 and Vitamin E.
Moisturizing oils are used to soothe sunburn, and condition the skin. Moisturizing oils are an excellent organic way to maintain healthy skin without clogging pores.
Nutrient oils soften, hydrate and rejuvenate the skin, and are effective on every area of the body.
Oils that reduce oiliness, remove impurities and refine pores are gentle cleansers that remove oils, and impurities from the skin; thus allowing the pores to remain free and clean
Rejuvenating and stimulating oils act as agents to produce a temporary increase of cell activity to help restore the original health and glow.
As you shop for anti-aging products with a better understanding of what the botanical ingredients are meant to do for your skin, remember to make sure that your product is formulated without mineral oil. Mineral oil is occlusive oil that can interfere with skin functions as well as advanced delivery systems. To fully understand the effects that mineral oil products may have on your skin, try this test at home: take a soda cracker and immerse it in mineral oil for 10 minutes. The cracker will be leathered and hardened, just like our skin.
Botanically based products differ from company to company. The information provided by each company will differ based on what the focus is for the product. Most botanical oils can be used for multiple purposes. Botanicals are also currently not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so care must be taken when entering into this arena. Skin reactions will vary from skin type to skin type, age of the skin, current skin issues, etc. Please be cautious when trying new botanical products and use small amounts until you are sure how your skin will react.
I recommend that you purchase your anti-aging products from one company for consistency. This will help ensure that the ingredients in each product compliment each other, and not counter-act each others affects once they are applied to your skin.
