Prophylactic self-isolation for face rejuvenation. Day 45th.

Self-sufficient face rejuvenation. Part 1.

Lets kick off a forthright concept of “good cream” and “bad cream” and just go deeper in l’earning about the essence (ingredients) of a face cream. We earn what we l’earn, right?:)

In the current era, where millions of women are reliant on face creams (invisible face masks?:), a need to regain a natural well-feeling and well-being of the skin is vital, isn’t it? Face cream makes skin smooth and hydrated; and the bond between commercial creams and our faces is firm and unbreakable. Why is that? How come that a Nature-designed body, Nature-designed skin is addicted to man-made creams? The answer would (and should) probably be ambiguous.

However, a few aspects of skin cream addiction (?) could be clarified right here, right now.

Have you ever tried to apply pure lipids – a substance without water (any plant oil, cacao butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil (which actually is a liquid wax:)), shea butter, lanolin, ghee butter, etc) – on skin? If yes, you can confirm that lipid-to-face contact is not smooth and leaves a greasy feeling on skin.

Have you ever tried to apply water on skin? Funny:) Water runs away, no way to apply it on skin and ensure hydration by doing that.

If to make it very simple – the basis of a cream are lipids (emollient is a chemical name for it), water, and a water-lipid connector (emulsifier is a chemical name for it). Main function of a face cream is to hydrate the skin. Hydrated means “cause to absorb water”.

Hydrated means “cause to absorb water”

Emollient moistens and hydrates skin.

Emollient moistens and hydrates skin. The question is, if hydration means “cause to absorb water”, then, what kind of water will be absorbed? Water from a cream composition? Water from deeper layers of skin? Consumed water? Which water will be absorbed?

The question is, if hydration means “cause to absorb water”, then, what kind of water will be absorbed?

The answer (1): Water from a cream composition would be absorbed.

One should realize the true fact: when water goes into contact with other substances, it is no longer water, it is a solution, a liquid with few or many other ingredients diluted in it. We do not drink water from a face cream when thirsty, you can not see water, but it supposed to be there, right?:) In a standard 50 ml tube of a face cream, water usually will be the first ingredient on the list, that means its amount is highest. Water content could vary from 20% to 75% of total amount of the cream ingredients. For example, if amount of water in a cream is 50%, that means in a whole tube there is 25 ml of water, “chemically boosted water”. Please measure with a measuring cup an amount of 25 ml and think if this amount will be sufficient to ensure “chemical” hydration of a face within a month? To conclude, a cream with a function to hydrate one’s skin needs WATER.

The answer (2): Water from deeper layers of skin.

Well, if external water supply is “chemically-boosted” or/and there is an extremely insufficient amount of its daily intake, then what? Natural, vital water from deeper skin layers would be taken to the surface because attracted by emollients, unnaturally, by force.

The answer (3): Consumed water.

That is great to drink lots of water, because everybody knows that a body consists of 60-70-80% of water. Everybody knows it. Funny, but this statement was made long before we started to fill in our bodies forcefully with 2-3-4 liters of water on a daily basis:) Have you noticed, a body keeps itself hydrated and feeling well if not using it as a container of water-sucking substances like salt, sugar and caffeine. More so, extensive consumption of water burdens kidney, heart, brain, washes out microelements, causes swollen face (because cells are “diving” in water), boosts a body with chemicals (is your water purified?), etc., etc.

Have noticed, a body keeps itself hydrated and feeling well if not using it as a container of water-sucking substances like salt, sugar and caffeine.

The same emollient plays a role of emulsifier.

The same emollient plays a role of an emulsifier (most commonly, but not always). In a cream composition, an emulsifier joins lipids and water into ONE. This is necessary to keep lipids and water together in a cream bottle for a long time for preservation purposes, usually from 6 months up to 3 years.

Here is the list of emollients and emulsifiers (1). Most commonly used are marked in bold.

Find yours in your face cream formula!

(home work:))

To be continued…

Reference:

(1) Handbook-of-Pharmaceutical-Excipients 6th Edition by Rowe, R.C., Sheskey, P. and Quinn, M., 2009

Warm thanks to a special friend for editing

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