Fresh is Best Skincare!

We've keep hearing loads about natural skincare; organic skincare, plant based skincare, but who alone is talking about FRESH skincare?

Before I answer that question I want to explain what FRESH in skincare actually means.

A dictionary defines fresh as being 'new', 'recent', 'up to date', 'recently made or obtained'; and in relation to food it says, 'not tinned, frozen, or otherwise preserved.' These will usually have an expiry date because lets face it, nothing remains fresh forever.

EXPIRY DATES would be the absolute proof of freshness and is especially important because they offer the only indication about whether something claiming to be fresh, is still safe to eat/use or not. So if food items have an expiry indicating freshness, what about fresh skincare which is food for our skin?

Skincare products being sold from a shop need preservatives in them to prevent bacteria from growing as they sit on a shop shelf until they are sold. These products do not have an expiry date, because the preservatives in them are working to prevent them from expiring.

Some of these preservatives are harmless in themselves but there are some that must be avoided at all costs. Unfortunately, the most common preservatives are the most harmful. Check your current and future cosmetics labels carefully for these preservatives to avoid.

Any ingredient ending in “eth” means it is produced with ethylene oxide (a petrochemical) – like myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth

• Butanol and any word with “butyl” – like butylparaben, butyl alcohol, buylene glycol

• Any word with “prolyl” – like propylparaben, isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol, propyl alcohol, cocamidopropyl betaine

• Methanol and any world with “methyl” – like methylparaben, methyl alcohol, methylcellulose

• Cosmetic petrochemicals:

• Parfum / fragrance

• Mineral oil

• Paraffin wax / petroleum jelly

• Benzene

• Toluene

• Glycerine / glycerin / glycerol

• Ethanols – like phenoxyethanol, ethanolamine, diethanolamine

• Any word with “ethyl” indicates ethanol content – like polyethylene glycol, ethylhexylglycerin, diamine-tetracetacic acid.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

Good skin care routine is important because it helps our skin stay in good condition as we shed skin cells throughout the day. In view of this we must keep our skin glowing and in good condition regardless of our age with an effective skincare routine to help prevent acne, treat wrinkles, and help keep our skin looking its best.

What are active ingredients in skincare? These are the elements of a product that are generally designed to deliver the benefits that are advertised on the label. I cannot list them all here, but here are the main ones.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) The AHA family of acids are derived from natural sources such as fruit, milk or sugar [1]. Generally speaking, the benefits of AHAs on the skin include exfoliation, brightening, smoothing, anti-aging, and acne prevention. Two of the most commonly used AHAs in skincare, however, are glycolic acid that is derived from sugar and lactic acid which is made from milk. The former is unique in that the molecules of glycolic acid are smaller than those found in other AHAs which allows it to penetrate deeper into the skin providing its benefits more effectively and to more layers of the skin [2]. Lactic acid, on the other hand, offers the same benefits of other AHAs but as a non-friction exfoliant that breaks down and dissolves dead skin cells without causing skin irritation, it is suitable for use on sensitive skin.



Vitamin C As an antioxidant, vitamin C is a key ingredient to keep your skin looking bright and youthful. First, it helps protect against harmful free radicals by neutralizing them which, in turn, helps to decrease the visible signs of aging on your face [3] such as fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots from sun damage, and loss of moisture. But the most notable and popularized benefit of vitamin C is its ability to brighten your face and diminish any discoloration. Its antioxidant properties work to even your skin leaving you with a radiant glow. However, vitamin C is a temperamental ingredient and difficult to stabilize for extended shelf life so looking for a product that also includes vitamin E or ascorbic acid can help increase its longevity. Learn more about the benefits of vitamin C and start including this powerful antioxidant in your daily skincare routine.

Hyaluronic Acid Hyaluronic acid is a powerful ingredient that has garnered a lot of attention over the past few years thanks to its intense moisturizing properties and anti-aging capabilities [4]. As a naturally occurring sugar found in the body, it is a major component of the skin’s structure. But as we age, naturally produced levels [5] of hyaluronic acid begin to decrease which contributes to a loss of skin tone and volume. But topical application helps to counteract the visible effects of lost hyaluronic acid. First, its capacity to retain water and help regulate your skin’s moisture levels keeps your skin balanced and hydrated. Secondly, hyaluronic acid works to improve skin resilience [6].Together, these two functions combine to restore volume and fullness to the skin reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Retinol helps to combat the natural loss of facial fullness [7] by increasing the skin’s ability to retain moisture. And by increasing your skin’s hydration it will appear fuller and smoother. With consistent and extended use, retinol can even help to soften age spots and even your skin tone as it sloughs away layers of dead skin and unclogs pores. Learn more about retinol and its benefits.

Retinal. What is difference between retinol and retinal? Their main difference is the speed in which they yield results. Retinal has been clinically proven to work up to 11 times faster than retinol. In addition, retinal has a much higher exfoliation rate than retinol, which contributes to even-toned, radiant skin. Retinal It is a key ingredient in fresh skincare products because of the significant benefits it has on skin including minimizing the appearance of skin damage caused by free-radicals and minimizing the visible signs of aging.



Salicylic Acid Salicylic acid is a part of the beta hydroxy acid (BHA) family and a popular ingredient in many over-the-counter acne products and treatments. It is primarily used to treat non-inflamed breakouts and blackheads by breaking up dead skin cells and removing them from the surface of the skin. It also helps to reduce the presence of excess oil on your skin and can penetrate deeper into the pores to clear it of any otherwise clogging debris. Though it is naturally occurring in white willow bark and wintergreen, most of the salicylic acid used today is synthetic.



Ceramides A critical part of the skin’s natural barrier which helps to protect against a variety of environmental stressors while retaining moisture [8], ceramides are lipids naturally found in your skin. If there is an imbalance in the ceramide ratio of your skin, its protective barrier will become compromised and ineffective leading to dryness, itching, and inflammation. Unfortunately, your natural levels of ceramides can be easily decreased when exposed to hot water, soaps, certain chemicals, and other environmental factors. So utilizing products which feature ceramides can help to rebuild this barrier and prevent further damage.



Niacinamide Niacinamide is a derivative of vitamin B3 and is very effective at soothing irritated skin. Thanks to its soothing and antioxidant properties, applying niacinamide to your skin can help minimize the redness and irritation associated with certain skin conditions. It also boosts your skin’s ability to retain moisture while increasing the effectiveness of ceramides [9] and rebuilding the skin’s natural protective barrier.



Vitamin E Found naturally on human skin, vitamin E levels are often depleted due to sun exposure and other environmental irritants. However, it has antioxidant properties that can help protect against and limit the damage of harmful free radicals [10]. It can also be used to stabilize otherwise volatile or temperamental ingredients such as vitamin C.



Benzoyl Peroxide Benzoyl peroxide is an extremely effective ingredient for treating acne as it kills bacteria within your pores. Due to the fact that bacteria cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment, it is reduced when benzoyl peroxide introduces oxygen to the pores [12]. Fewer bacteria (and clearer pores) means fewer breakouts. However, benzoyl peroxide can wreak havoc on the balance of your skin and result in over-drying.

.

WHY IS FRESH BEST?

Ok - enough of some of those acidic terms, some of which sound really scary. Lets not forget that we are still finding out why Fresh is Best when it comes to skincare.

A few companies are Vegan and will not use ingredients taken from animals, full stop! They use oils from allspice, caraway, cinnamon, cassia, cloves, nutmeg, mace, rosemary, and cardamom in the blending of volatile and fixed oils to make dozens of alluring perfumes, soaps, talcum powders, after-shave lotions, colognes, mouth fresheners, and countless other items.

In addition, spices have long been used for medicinal purposes. Ginger, turmeric, garlic, cardamom, chili, cloves, and saffron are among the spices recommended by Ayurveda, the science of medicine propounded in the Hindu Sanskrit writings, the Vedas.

If you source a company producing skincare using the Ayurveda, Chinese medicine or western herbology, you are doing quite well, because there is no alternative to nature when it comes to skincare. Right?

ANTIOXIDANTS are amazing for protecting against free radical damage and are said to help neutralise free radicals in our bodies, and to boost overall health. Plant-based antioxidants are a kind of phytonutrient, or plant-based nutrient that scavenge free radicals from the body cells and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation.

Antioxidants are present in the buds on a tree and are more potent when they are picked at optimum point of freshness. The fresher the plants are, the more efficacy we will get from it. Therefore if a company does everything to ensure that the product you receive has been preserved in such a way so that the antioxidants within stays fresh and powerful from the point of pruning, processing, to delivery in a sustainable container to your doorstep, you know you have have a quality product that will get you the skincare results you may be looking for.

Are There Chemicals in Your Toiletries!

So are you ready to deep dive into some of the ingredients to determine whether the active ingredients in your skincare could do more harm than good? Here goes... Unfortunately, the number of chemicals found on the average bathroom shelf is staggering. The latest statistics indicate that women come into contact with over 500 chemicals, just from their beauty products. [13]

Many cosmetics manufacturers are happy to add a cocktail of petroleum-derived chemicals to foundations, shower gels and deodorants.

We may choose not to eat such chemicals, but we might as well because our skin absorbs them into the blood stream within 10 - 15 seconds – and these toxins can increase inflammation and make us feel rubbish. You may not notice anything straight away, but over time, it adds up.

Many products contain parabens that cause skin irritation and dermatitis if you are allergic. They make your skin dry and even react to UVB rays and speed up skin aging.

Parabens can mimic hormones like oestrogen. Oestrogen plays a role in the development of cancer. While some scientists contest a direct causal link, research conducted at the University of Reading detected parabens in 99% of tissue samples from a small research group of women with breast cancer.

These chemicals are so toxic, some governments have banned or heavily regulated their use.

One of these regulated parabens is triclosan, a preservative found in self-care products like toothpaste, antibacterial hand gel, and foundation. Triclosan has been linked to hormone disruption, immune problems, and birth defects, so is best avoided.

Vegan, Plant Based, Chemical Free.... and FRESH!

Nowadays we are really are spoilt for choice when it comes to toxin-free toiletries: we can now purchase everything from soap to toothpaste to age-defying serums and makeup which are consciously striving to minimise the amount of nasties therein.

That said, a word of warning. We MUST read the ingredients list.

Please don’t take the packaging as gospel. I use an app called: Code Check https://codecheck-app.com/ to give you some transparency as to what's in the bottle and how harmful or beneficial a product can be. Just because some packaging says, “contains natural ingredients”. Don’t fall for the marketing tactics. Read the label and shop around. You can also use https://thegoodfaceproject.com/, but sometimes these apps do not list all products, so if your product isnt on there, go by some good personal recommendations before departing from your well earned cash.

I remember going to a Vegan Festival and came to a vegan skincare counter. The products were said to be vegan, 100% chemical, perfume and preservative free but the aromas from some of the soaps alone nearly knocked me out. It didn't smell natural to me. So be careful of companies who are trading under the Vegan, chemical free banner. If it has some colouring and some sweet smelling aromas, the chances are something is in it which isn't natural. So read the label first.

FRESH SKINCARE

So in answer to my question at the start of this article, who alone is producing FRESH skincare and cosmetic? From my own research I can comfortably confirm that the only company currently making FRESH cosmetics is RINGANA.

RINGANA is an Austrian family owned company and has an answer to all of the needs that define the market today – from health to veganism, and naturalness to sustainability... and that's why I choose to shop with them.

RINGANA products do have an expiry date – and that’s a good thing because it’s proof of absolute freshness. And absolute freshness is paramount for me because that's what keeps me young looking. [14]

Fresh skin care allows Ringana to use extremely potent ingredients and highly antioxidant natural substances that cannot be used in conventional skin care products, and they use no chemical preservatives whatsoever.

That is what makes RINGANA products so valuable and effective. Naturally, all of their other processes – from procuring and processing the substances they use, to logistics and packaging – are perfectly optimised so that they can guarantee unique freshness for us consumers.

They are extremely proud of:

• Absolute freshness with expiry date

• Extremely potent ingredients and highly antioxidant natural substances

• No chemical preservatives

• Perfectly optimised processes for absolute freshness

• The result: valuable, highly effective fresh skin care

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

Avoiding perfumes and synthetic fragrances is second nature to Ringana. RINGANA products smell and taste of what’s in them. And that’s also what makes them so honest and authentic. They don’t fake anything!

Pure ingredients and nothing else: leaving out pointless ingredients leaves space for an extremely high concentration of active ingredients which is what makes RINGANA products so unique. And because the best is only just good enough for us, they spare neither cost nor effort, and they use only certified raw materials of the highest quality.

The highest standards are an absolute must for Ringana: with active ingredients there are huge differences in quality depending on the weather, or growth and harvesting conditions. The levels of active substances vary in plant extracts from one manufacturer to another. That is why RINGANA uses standardised raw materials. This means that the main active ingredient in a raw material is checked and must always be of the same, consistently high quality. And that’s a good thing.

RINGANA customers can rest assured: Their only aim is to offer products of the very highest quality. And those who want to manufacture high-end products cannot set the bar high enough when it comes to their own quality standards. That is why Ringana only use the best and purest raw materials and active ingredients, and they constantly question even their best formulations to make them yet more effective.

Gold Standard for Beauty

One of my favourite skincare products made by Ringana is the Overnight skin treatment.

This innovative Vitamin night care with a special ABC complex firms the skin of the face, neck and cleavage overnight. Highly effective Vitamin A (retinal) stimulates collagen synthesis and reduces the depth of wrinkles. Gold-Vitamin C slows the ageing process by protecting against free radicals. Vitamin B boosts collagen and elastin production.

Watch this short video to learn more.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/2eec29_95651f3510c14cc79a49d48a94c32836/240p/mp4/file.mp4

Ringana produces a variety of skincare products from cleansers, tonics, serums, moisturisers, to eye serums, add-ons and more.

To shop my favourite FRESH Skincare BEST SELLERS, please click below.

SHOP FRESH SKINCARE

SOURCES:

1. https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/labeling/regulations/ucm126438.htm#Declaration

2. https://cosmeticsinfo.org/alpha-hydroxy-acids

3. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Glycolic-acid

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/

6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/

7. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1524-4725.2008.34176.x

8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699641/

9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12553851

10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17147561

11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7633944

12. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Benzoyl-peroxide

13. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/synthetic-chemicals-skincare_n_56d8ad09e4b0000de403d995

14. https://www.ringana.com/corporate/products/?lang=en