Vitamin C: Proven Anti-Aging Powerhouse

L-ascorbic acid, aka Vitamin C, delivers many benefits, particularly when it comes to our skin. One of the most extensively studied of the anti-oxidants, in vivo and in vitro studies all conclude that L-ascorbic acid is one of the very few cosmeceuticals to actually live up to its claims.

Anti-Aging Skin Benefits of Vitamin C

UV protection: L-ascorbic acid is capable of protecting skin against erythema produced by UVB and UVA irradiation...

Join Marie on February 16 for a Complimentary Yoga Facelift Class

Contrary to popular belief, good skin care is more than skin deep.

It's true that UV exposure is a major cause of wrinkles, making sun protection and moisturizing two of the most important things you do every day to keep skin healthy, firm and wrinkle-free. But at some time in our lives we are going to notice other changes beyond surface wrinkles, specifically the appearance of lines and sagging.

Expression lines are simply the product of facial habits. For example, the two vertical lines that form between the brows, sometimes called the Botox lines, are the result of habitual frowning. We know this because we see how Botox injections paralyzing brow muscles eliminate frown lines—no muscle action, no lines! This is a stunning example of how powerful our facial muscles really are. As for sagging, the conventional methods assume that excising extra tissue and pulling up the skin is the only way to give the face a smoother appearance.

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Natural Face Oils for Healthier, Younger Looking Skin

If you’re looking to have healthier, younger looking skin without exposure to chemicals, toxins or harsh treatments, nourish your skin every day with replenishing oils to combat aging, naturally. Before you panic, take a deep breath and repeat after me, “my skin loves and needs oil.” Yes, it turns out the skin care ingredient you’ve feared most of your life can actually transform your skin. Just as oils rich in essential fatty acids are required in our daily diet to keep our bodies healthy, the right skin care oils are also necessary to keep your skin healthy.

When you look at young, luminous skin, you are seeing skin at its healthiest; skin cells held together by an abundance of oils. As we age we produce less of the oils that give our skin a healthy glow. So, your job is to add them back. This is one of the most important ways you can support your skin because the first line of defense against environmental assault is the lipid barrier.

A healthy lipid barrier:

• 1.  Prevents dehydration by helping the skin retain moisture.
• 2.  Inhibits peroxidative and oxidative damage. The reason you should care about that is, in a word, wrinkles. 3. 3.  Upon contact with light, lipids will undergo what is known as peroxidation. Peroxidized lipids create gaps in the lipid matrix, resulting in a loss of skin resilience and the formation of wrinkles.

When oils are applied to the skin, they are absorbed directly into the top layers of the epidermis, where they instantly go to work to improve the lipid barrier function. More often than not you’ll see immediate results from the first application. After a month of use, your replenished lipid barrier will reward you with a noticeable healthy glow. For those of you who are still trying to wrap your minds around this new way of thinking, here are some answers to the most common concerns about using face oils:

What about Oils and Acne?

For those of you who, like me, are still recovering from the trauma of teenage acne, it is important to understand that the primary cause of acne is excess sebum production, not oil. Applying oil to the skin on a daily basis helps to balance oil production, which is equally good for dry and oily skin. This is a perfect example of what I am learning is true in so many areas of life…the more we can help our bodies function as nature intended, the better the results! Topical application of fatty acids can alleviate breakouts by re-stabilizing the lipid barrier, thus restoring anti-microbial activity on the skin’s surface. Because lipids dissolve lipids, oils actually help break up congestion at the source, helping to clear acne and blemishes.

Are Skin Care Oils as Effective as Creams?

You may be wondering: If oils are so good for the skin, why are creams and lotions so popular? The truth is, it is a lot less expensive to manufacture products made with inexpensive ingredients. There is no ingredient cheaper than water! Creams are generally made with waxes, water, and oils. Whiles waxes can help to hold in moisture, by forming a sealant type layer on top of skin—there are drawbacks to using skincare products made with waxes: They tend to build-up on the skin leading to clogged pores and blemishes and they prevent the oil component of the cream (the part of the product that most benefits skin) from penetrating to the lipid barrier where it is needed most. On the flip side, oils deliver all the benefits with none of the downsides associated with creams.

Use Care When Choosing Oils

There are several factors to consider when choosing the best, natural oils for your skin care. Whether you create home remedies or find a favorite company offering oil based skin care, look carefully at the list of skin care oils that are used while bearing in mind the following:

• -- The skin care oils you apply should not have a downside. Many essential oils from the citrus family smell wonderful but they photosensitize the skin and should not be used. Bergamot is also phototoxic and should be avoided.
• -- In shopping for skin care oils one key factor to look at is the method of extraction, with expeller pressed, steam distilled or CO2 extracted oils being preferable to solvent extracted oils.
• -- Skin care oils should be selected according to their therapeutic properties. Some oils like carrot seed, helichrysum and krill have known anti-aging, skin rejuvenating properties, while others like tea tree oil have antiseptic properties.
• -- Finally, face oils can have aromatherapeutic benefits. Some essential oils, like rose and neroli, just can’t be passed up because their aroma is divine. They are known to lift the mood and calm the spirits.

The skin works best to combat aging when it has the wherewithal to repair and rebuild itself. Replenishing the lipid barrier with the oils that it needs to function optimally is an easy step to take in 2012 for the health of your skin. Happily, this is a painless New Year’s resolution that smells good, feels good and requires 30 seconds in the morning and 30 seconds at night.

Oils for Face and Body: Your Best Protection Against Dehydration and Aging

Your body works best to combat disease and heal when it receives the nutritive wherewithal it needs to repair and rebuild itself. Most of us know that one of the best ways to nourish the body is by taking Omega 3-6 rich essential fatty acid supplements daily, in the form of either fish, krill or flax seed oils.