IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW COSMETIC PRODUCTS PERFORM :
There are four ways in which most products perform on the skin.
1. Various cosmetic products form an occlusive barrier on the surface of the skin to prevent moisture loss, allowing the skin to remain soft and supple due to its natural hydration. Some cosmetic products perform by adding protection against harmful UV rays known to prematurely age the skin. Other products remain strictly on the surface of the skin in order to soften the top layers of dead skin cells and facilitate in their removal allowing for a more youthful appearance.
2. The second way that cosmetic products perform is to penetrate the top epidermal layer. These products help to facilitate skin hydration by introducing hydrating ingredients into the intercellular channels. When products penetrate the top epidermal layer they often have ingredients known as liposomes. These are time-release capsules from which moisture or special ingredients may slowly be released. Various products penetrate the epidermal layer to assist with deep exfoliation. These products help soften the cohesive bonds that “glue” the corneum cells together, therefore allowing the dead surface skin cells to be removed more easily.
3. The third way that products perform is to penetrate into the Pilosebaceous Orifice (hair follicle); this assists in the reduction of bacteria population. This also reduces cellular hyperkeratinization (also called hyperkeratosis), which is an overgrowth of the top layer of skin cells forming visible scales or flakes.
4. The fourth and final way that products perform is by penetrating more deeply into the epidermal tissue. This ultimately helps to improve skin hydration. This product performance also helps to reduce oxidation that results in free radical formation (certain oxygen molecules that damage DNA in the skin cells) causing the skin to look dull and tired. Every cosmetic product requires vehicles, catalysts, additives and active ingredients. Vehicles are known as one or more substances that “carry” the active ingredients allowing for product performance. There are two common forms of vehicles used in cosmetics. The first type is a solvent. Commonly used solvents include: purified and distilled water, or ethyl and isopropyl alcohol. The second type of vehicle is an oil. These may be either animal, vegetable, or mineral oils. Vehicles are usually the first items on the ingredient list making up the largest portion of the product formula.
Catalysts are ingredients that help bind the vehicle and active ingredients. Catalysts also improve the action of the active ingredients. There are four common forms of catalysts used in cosmetic preparations. Humectants, such as glycol and propylene glycol, are used to draw moisture from the air and hold it close to the surface of the skin giving it a more youthful appearance. Thickeners, such as gelatins and gums, may also be incorporated as catalysts in various products allowing for the active ingredients to improve their action. Emulsifiers, include waxes and fatty alcohols. Stabilizers, such as fatty acids, are also known as cosmetic catalysts. Additives are added to the basic ingredients and each additive has a specific role in the product. These ingredients are usually found towards the end of the ingredient list and are usually present in small concentrations. They can also be known as inactive ingredients. Inactive ingredients aid by adding bulk, density, feel, texture and penetration ability to a product. Typical additives are preservatives, antioxidants, colourants/dyes and fragrance/perfumes. Active ingredients determine the function(s) of the cosmetic product, and their action or aim, which provide visible results to the skin. Active ingredients are often added to the vehicle in a concentration that varies depending on the ingredient and the purpose of the product. These ingredients ideally should be listed between the first two to five items in a product’s ingredient list. Active ingredients can have a variety of different properties and purposes: moisturizing, soothing, calming, antibacterial, toning, regenerating, exfoliation or astringent. Common active ingredients include plant and animal extracts, essential oils, vegetable oils, and animal oils and fats.
- Active has a direct effect on the skin.
- Inactive performs a function that helps the product, such as a preservative.
Other common chemical terms that you will notice on various product labels include:
- Acids are used to neutralize substances that are too alkaline; they also have an exfoliating action.
- Alcohols are colourless liquids or waxy solids made from fermented sugars. Sometimes recognized by the suffix – “ol”, such as ethanol, isopropanol, etc. These ingredients are often used in perfumes, lotions and tonics, and as a strong antiseptic.
-Amino Acids are molecular units known as building blocks from which protein is formed.
- Antioxidants, also know as preservatives, prevent compounds from oxidizing (for example, rusting). - - They are commonly used to describe free radical neutralizers frequently used in anti-aging cosmetics. - Binders are ingredients used to increase the consistency of a product; they allow the product to hold its ingredients together, preventing separation.
- Buffers are ingredients that resist changes in the pH balance of a product, or they help to neutralize the pH of a product.
- Colloids are liquid mixtures made up of small particles of insoluble materials. The product can be shaken to blend, but will have a tendency to separate again on standing.
- Colourants are substances that give a product its characteristic colour. They may be synthetically or naturally created.
-Comedogenic describes ingredients that may clog the skin’s pores.
- Dispersants may be used to scatter particles of solid ingredients into a liquid base resulting in the creation of a suspension.
- Emollients may be oils or waxes used to make the skin feel smooth and pliable. They are also referred to as skin conditioners.
- Emulsifiers are ingredients that make it possible to mix ordinarily unmixable liquids, like oil and water, thereby avoiding separation in a cosmetic preparation.
- Emulsions are a mixture of oil and water made miscible through the use of an emulsifier, usually creating a milky appearance.
- Enzyme is a biological catalyst; either an animal or vegetable derivative. It is known to speed up the chemical reaction of a product; most often used in peels and exfoliants.
Esters are organic acids combined with alcohol, which are used to soften and condition the surface of the skin.
- Flavonoids are active plant extractions commonly used as antioxidants.
- Free Radicals are atoms or molecules that are unstable because of an unpaired electron. They can cause damage to the skin by attacking and destroying healthy cells.
- Humectants are key ingredients that absorb moisture from the air; therefore, they can be used to increase the moisture content of the skin. They also have the ability to assist in keeping cosmetic creams from drying out.
- Hydrophilic is an ingredient capable of combining with or attracting water.
- Hydrophobic is a water fearing substance.
- Hypoallergenic ingredients/products are those least likely to cause allergic reactions.
- Immisicible are unmixable liquids such as water and oil.
- Misicible are ingredients that readily mix with each other such as milk and water.
- pH, known as “Potential Hydrogen”, refers to the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. Solute is a substance that has the ability to dissolve in a solution.
- SolventT is liquid that readily dissolves other ingredients.
- Surfactants are ingredients that allow lotions, liquids, and creams to spread out quickly and evenly. They allow cosmetic products to slip across the skin and adhere easily. However, they can be highly irritating to the skin, potentially causing skin sensitivities and reactions.
- Suspensions are mixtures of liquid and insoluble particles that have a tendency to settle on standing.
- Texturizers give the product a desired feel and appearance.
- Vehicles are ingredients that carry active ingredients into the skin.
There are four ways in which most products perform on the skin.
1. Various cosmetic products form an occlusive barrier on the surface of the skin to prevent moisture loss, allowing the skin to remain soft and supple due to its natural hydration. Some cosmetic products perform by adding protection against harmful UV rays known to prematurely age the skin. Other products remain strictly on the surface of the skin in order to soften the top layers of dead skin cells and facilitate in their removal allowing for a more youthful appearance.
2. The second way that cosmetic products perform is to penetrate the top epidermal layer. These products help to facilitate skin hydration by introducing hydrating ingredients into the intercellular channels. When products penetrate the top epidermal layer they often have ingredients known as liposomes. These are time-release capsules from which moisture or special ingredients may slowly be released. Various products penetrate the epidermal layer to assist with deep exfoliation. These products help soften the cohesive bonds that “glue” the corneum cells together, therefore allowing the dead surface skin cells to be removed more easily.
3. The third way that products perform is to penetrate into the Pilosebaceous Orifice (hair follicle); this assists in the reduction of bacteria population. This also reduces cellular hyperkeratinization (also called hyperkeratosis), which is an overgrowth of the top layer of skin cells forming visible scales or flakes.
4. The fourth and final way that products perform is by penetrating more deeply into the epidermal tissue. This ultimately helps to improve skin hydration. This product performance also helps to reduce oxidation that results in free radical formation (certain oxygen molecules that damage DNA in the skin cells) causing the skin to look dull and tired. Every cosmetic product requires vehicles, catalysts, additives and active ingredients. Vehicles are known as one or more substances that “carry” the active ingredients allowing for product performance. There are two common forms of vehicles used in cosmetics. The first type is a solvent. Commonly used solvents include: purified and distilled water, or ethyl and isopropyl alcohol. The second type of vehicle is an oil. These may be either animal, vegetable, or mineral oils. Vehicles are usually the first items on the ingredient list making up the largest portion of the product formula.
Catalysts are ingredients that help bind the vehicle and active ingredients. Catalysts also improve the action of the active ingredients. There are four common forms of catalysts used in cosmetic preparations. Humectants, such as glycol and propylene glycol, are used to draw moisture from the air and hold it close to the surface of the skin giving it a more youthful appearance. Thickeners, such as gelatins and gums, may also be incorporated as catalysts in various products allowing for the active ingredients to improve their action. Emulsifiers, include waxes and fatty alcohols. Stabilizers, such as fatty acids, are also known as cosmetic catalysts. Additives are added to the basic ingredients and each additive has a specific role in the product. These ingredients are usually found towards the end of the ingredient list and are usually present in small concentrations. They can also be known as inactive ingredients. Inactive ingredients aid by adding bulk, density, feel, texture and penetration ability to a product. Typical additives are preservatives, antioxidants, colourants/dyes and fragrance/perfumes. Active ingredients determine the function(s) of the cosmetic product, and their action or aim, which provide visible results to the skin. Active ingredients are often added to the vehicle in a concentration that varies depending on the ingredient and the purpose of the product. These ingredients ideally should be listed between the first two to five items in a product’s ingredient list. Active ingredients can have a variety of different properties and purposes: moisturizing, soothing, calming, antibacterial, toning, regenerating, exfoliation or astringent. Common active ingredients include plant and animal extracts, essential oils, vegetable oils, and animal oils and fats.
- Active has a direct effect on the skin.
- Inactive performs a function that helps the product, such as a preservative.
Other common chemical terms that you will notice on various product labels include:
- Acids are used to neutralize substances that are too alkaline; they also have an exfoliating action.
- Alcohols are colourless liquids or waxy solids made from fermented sugars. Sometimes recognized by the suffix – “ol”, such as ethanol, isopropanol, etc. These ingredients are often used in perfumes, lotions and tonics, and as a strong antiseptic.
-Amino Acids are molecular units known as building blocks from which protein is formed.
- Antioxidants, also know as preservatives, prevent compounds from oxidizing (for example, rusting). - - They are commonly used to describe free radical neutralizers frequently used in anti-aging cosmetics. - Binders are ingredients used to increase the consistency of a product; they allow the product to hold its ingredients together, preventing separation.
- Buffers are ingredients that resist changes in the pH balance of a product, or they help to neutralize the pH of a product.
- Colloids are liquid mixtures made up of small particles of insoluble materials. The product can be shaken to blend, but will have a tendency to separate again on standing.
- Colourants are substances that give a product its characteristic colour. They may be synthetically or naturally created.
-Comedogenic describes ingredients that may clog the skin’s pores.
- Dispersants may be used to scatter particles of solid ingredients into a liquid base resulting in the creation of a suspension.
- Emollients may be oils or waxes used to make the skin feel smooth and pliable. They are also referred to as skin conditioners.
- Emulsifiers are ingredients that make it possible to mix ordinarily unmixable liquids, like oil and water, thereby avoiding separation in a cosmetic preparation.
- Emulsions are a mixture of oil and water made miscible through the use of an emulsifier, usually creating a milky appearance.
- Enzyme is a biological catalyst; either an animal or vegetable derivative. It is known to speed up the chemical reaction of a product; most often used in peels and exfoliants.
Esters are organic acids combined with alcohol, which are used to soften and condition the surface of the skin.
- Flavonoids are active plant extractions commonly used as antioxidants.
- Free Radicals are atoms or molecules that are unstable because of an unpaired electron. They can cause damage to the skin by attacking and destroying healthy cells.
- Humectants are key ingredients that absorb moisture from the air; therefore, they can be used to increase the moisture content of the skin. They also have the ability to assist in keeping cosmetic creams from drying out.
- Hydrophilic is an ingredient capable of combining with or attracting water.
- Hydrophobic is a water fearing substance.
- Hypoallergenic ingredients/products are those least likely to cause allergic reactions.
- Immisicible are unmixable liquids such as water and oil.
- Misicible are ingredients that readily mix with each other such as milk and water.
- pH, known as “Potential Hydrogen”, refers to the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. Solute is a substance that has the ability to dissolve in a solution.
- SolventT is liquid that readily dissolves other ingredients.
- Surfactants are ingredients that allow lotions, liquids, and creams to spread out quickly and evenly. They allow cosmetic products to slip across the skin and adhere easily. However, they can be highly irritating to the skin, potentially causing skin sensitivities and reactions.
- Suspensions are mixtures of liquid and insoluble particles that have a tendency to settle on standing.
- Texturizers give the product a desired feel and appearance.
- Vehicles are ingredients that carry active ingredients into the skin.
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