The holidays are coming up and this is the time that we all slip a little with our eating habits. What some may not realize is that our waistband isn’t the only physical side effect – your skin suffers too. So, what should we look for and limit during the holidays?

Drinking Alcohol—Alcohol dehydrates the skin!  This is a direct cause of fine line and wrinkles. A huge misconception is that drinking tons of water the day after drinking and partying will rehydrate skin. Well I hate to burst your bubble, but sorry, that is simply not the case.

Eating Junk Food—Now there is no scientific proof that eating more green leafy veggies will result in better looking skin, but limiting the amount of simple sugars and greasy food will save the waist line and help you feel better. However, the good news is that small amounts of caffeine and chocolate will help the skin because of the antioxidant benefits they provide.

Lack of Sleep—During the holiday season we tend to stay up later preparing for the next party or spending time with family and friends. Not getting enough sleep limits the body’s ability to release the toxins that are stored up during the day. Sleeping allows the body to cleanse itself of the toxins, therefore sleep is a skin-saving technique.

Late Nights—Partying into the wee hours are fun but at what cost to your skin? You get home late from the party and the five minutes you normally take to cleanse and moisturize your face before bed is typically lost. The problem with not removing the days grime, dirt and makeup is that it can clog pores which leads to irritation and inflammation, which is enemy number one to healthy skin.

So during the holiday season remember these simple tips to keep skin looking healthy so you can look great for the next event you’re going to.

My next few blogs are going to be about some of the main ingredients in SKIN1 products. I want to help people understand why I use the ingredients I use and why. As a compounding pharmacist my expertise is how to put ingredient sets together that work synergistically with each other to achieve better results than using that same ingredient by itself.

The main ingredient for this blog is Rutin, which is found in SKIN1 eye rescue. Rutin is a bioflavonoid that is found in many different plants, fruits, and vegetables. Pure Rutin is yellowish in color and the richest source to get it is buckwheat although it is also found in citrus fruits, black tea, and apple peels.

Rutin was a great choice for the eye rescue because of its many functions. First it is a strong antioxidant that can chelate metal ions like iron by reducing the Fenton reaction. The Fenton reaction is when iron reacts with a peroxide to make a hydroxyl molecule which is a free radical. Free radicals are bad because they damage the skin by stealing the charge from the healthy cells around it and making them unstable. Now this is good when you are trying to clean up contaminated soil or sludge water but not so good for the skin. Free radicals damage organic compounds like skin; this is why antioxidants are needed in skincare lines to protect the skin from breakdown and aging.

Vitamin C by itself can oxidize and become a dangerous free radical but when it is combined with Rutin at the proper concentration it stabilizes Vitamin C and works synergistically together and intensifies the anti-oxidant activity of Vitamin C.

Another important role of Rutin is that it strengthens capillaries. This is one of the main reasons why I picked Rutin for the eye rescue. When the blood pools in the delicate skin under the eye this is when you get dark circles and puffiness. There have been many studies proving that Rutin can prevent venous edema by strengthening the capillaries thus getting rid of and preventing dark circles under the eye with daily use. Now I have combined the Rutin with Vitamin C and K to boost the action of each and effective eliminating dark circles, puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles around the eye.

The last function of Rutin is that it has anti-inflammatory effects. With all of SKIN1 products they are formulated with multiple ingredients that help to fight inflammation because inflammation is one of the biggest roots to skincare issues like break down of collagen and elastin, increase in oil production which can lead to acne and blemishes, as well as skin discoloration.

Now as you can see Rutin is a favorite ingredient of mine and when it is combined the right mixture of ingredients the benefits are well worth it. Give SKIN1 eye rescue a try and see for yourself.

Paraben free products are the future of the skin care industry. At least that will be the case with responsible manufacturers like Dr Gram Inc.

Now I know you are asking yourself why I should bother to pick a product that is paraben free or not.  Parabens have been linked to different types of cancer because they mimic the hormone we all have estrogen and too much estrogen is like anything else it can cause issues.  For example if you eat five cheese burgers three times a day then this type of diet has been associated with weight gain.  The same problems can arise with a hormone imbalance which can lead to multiple health risk.  Why take the chance if you don’t need to!

Now let’s talk about how often you use a facial moisturizer?  I am sure that a larger percent of the women said that they use one everyday compared to men.  Men need to get on the bus and realize that a daily moisturizer is vital to keeping your skin looking and feeling young.

Would you use a chemical on your face daily that could be linked to cancer?  Because if you are using a facial moisturizer that is manufactured with parabens that is exactly the risk you are taking.

Most companies use parabens because they are synthetic “cheap” preservatives.  The reason companies do this is because they are saving money to put a product on the market but at what risk?  Just to make a little extra money for themselves? To save the customer money? It is not worth the risk.

Unfortunately parabens are the most commonly used synthetic preservatives for skin care products.  They ensure a longer shelf life by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria, fungus, yeast and mold in beauty products.

Now to use a facial moisturizer once or twice with parabens in it may not cause health risk but most of us will use the same moisturizer or skin care product every day, several days a week, for months or years. This is where the health risk comes in to play.  Exposure to a harmful chemical on a daily basis will increase your risk.  Plus we use dozens of personal care products daily, not just one.

Using one product on one day may be small, but the fact is that we use numerous beauty products a day for extended periods of time.  As a result, scientists are finding chemicals such as parabens will accumulate in our bodies.  There is a link between parabens and breast cancer and more research is needed but again why take the risk when there are better, safer products on the market that are paraben free. 

Are there safe alternatives available and skincare lines that use these safe alternatives?

The answer is YES!

SKIN1 by Dr.Gram.  Dr Gram and his skincare regimens are paraben free, sulfate free, and cruelty free.
We know safe alternatives do exist and are already being used by some cosmetic companies. The notion of “safe” or “acceptable” levels of hazardous chemicals in our cosmetic products should only be tolerated when we cannot find alternatives.

Safe Ingredients Replace Parabens

Many paraben free facial moisturizers contain grapefruit seed extract and Vitamin E to replace the chemicals. In SKIN1 we use essential oils like cinnamon, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, and tea tree are being distilled and turned into natural preservatives.

Paraben free products are the future of skincare.  Skincare companies will be forced by health conscious consumers to take the natural and healthy approach in manufacturing their products.
It’s a trend that’s just the beginning and will change the way skincare and other products are manufactured.  If you’re not using paraben free facial moisturizers now;  you probably will be in the future.  But the “future” should be now.  Start today using paraben free skincare products by Dr Gram. 

1. Use a good moisturizer daily like SKIN1 daily moisturizer.

2. Increase water intake to stay well hydrated, 6-8 8oz. glasses per day is ideal.

3. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

4. Limit sun exposure time. if your job requires you to spend ample time outdoors, use a moisturizer with SPF.

5. Wash your face no more than twice daily and use a non-drying cleanser or scrub.

6. Shorter shower time with warm water rather than hot.  Hot water tends to dry the skin faster.

7. When drying after the shower pat dry instead wiping dry because wiping with a towel wipes off natural oils on the skin.

8. Apply moisturizers while the skin is still damp.

9. If you live in a dry climate buy a humidifier because dry heat or too much air conditioning can dry the skin.

10. Read the SKIN1 Blog regularly for more great tips!