Skin Cleansers Aid Sensitive Skin

Skin cleansers may be an important adjunct to the regimen of those who use cosmetics, have sensitive or compromised skin, or utilize topical therapies. Cleansers emulsify dirt, oil and microorganisms on the skin surface so that they can be easily removed. During cleansing, there is a complex interaction between the cleanser, the moisture skin barrier, and skin pH. Cleansing, with water, soap or a liquid cleanser, will affect the moisture skin barrier. Soap will bring about the greatest changes to the barrier and increase skin pH. Liquid facial cleansers are gentler, effecting less disruption of the barrier, with minimal change to skin pH, and can provide people with a cleanser that is a combination of surfactant classes, moisturizers and acidic pH in order to minimize disruption to the skin barrier.

Skin cleansers are surface-active substances (i.e., emulsifiers/detergents/surfactants/soaps) that lower the surface tension on the skin and remove dirt, sebum, microorganisms and exfoliated corneum cells in an emulsified form. The ideal cleanser should do this without irritating, damaging or disrupting the skin and the moisture skin barrier. Water alone removes approximately 65% of oil and dirt from the skin, but is less effective at removing oils of cosmetic import and some environmental insults. Soaps are the oldest surfactants, and are chemically defined as the alkali salt of fatty acids with a pH of 9.5-10. Synthetic detergents vary in composition and surfactant types (i.e., anionic, amphoteric, cationic, non-ionic, and silicone) and pH. In modern usage, the term “soap” generally refers to any cleansing agent regardless of chemistry.1

Skin cleansers consist of the following:
• Water
• Surfactants (to emulsify the debris)
• Moisturizers (to hydrate the skin and maintain the skin barrier)
• Binders (to stabilize the formulation)
• Lather enhancers (found in some products)
• Fillers (generally used to harden bar soaps and cleansers)
• Preservatives (to prevent the growth of microorganisms)
• Fragrance (generally used to mask the odour of surfactants)
• Dyes or pigments (found in some products)

Skin cleansing may disrupt or disturb the moisture skin barrier, affect the skin surface pH, and irritate the skin. The moisture skin barrier protects against transepidermal water loss, chemical insult and xenobiotic penetration while preserving water to moisturize and maintain the smoothness and flexibility of the skin. A compromised barrier has been correlated with psoriasis, ichthyoses, and atopic dermatitis.2 Moisturizers, both emollients and humectants, within cleansers can maintain skin hydration as well as maintaining and restoring barrier function.3 Emollients impair evaporation of skin moisture by forming a film on the skin surface to impede water loss. Humectants attract and bind water, drawing it up from the dermis into the epidermis. The acid mantle of the skin plays an integral role in skin barrier function as well as regulating bacterial flora.4 Studies have shown that skin barrier regeneration/repair proceeds more slowly at neutral pH (7.2) than at physiological pH 5.5.5 Cleansers may also cause irritant or allergic contact dermatitis and this effect is enhanced if the skin barrier is compromised.

Conclusion

The choice of facial cleanser is important for people with normal skin, as well as for those people with sensitive skin and skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, acne vulgaris. Liquid facial cleansers are the best choice for facial cleansing as they have an acidic pH, moisturizers and high rinsibility. Within the liquid cleanser category, the least irritating cleanser will contain non-ionic/silicone-based surfactants combined with moisturizers, as they will cause the least disruption to the moisture skin barrier and the normal skin flora.

B. L. Kuehl, PhD1 , K. S. Fyfe, H BBA2, N. H. Shear, MD, FRCPC3

1Scientific Insights Consulting Group, Mississauga, Ontario Canada
2GlaxoSmithKline, Consumer Healthcare, Oakville, Ontario Canada
3Departments of Medicine (Divisions of Dermatology and Clinical Pharmacology), and Pharmacology, University of Toronto Medical School; and Division of Dermatology, Sunnybrook & Women’s College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Skin Care Fundamentals

Skin Care is the first step towards achieving a healthy body. Facial skin care should be an essential part of your daily routine. Skin care specialists say any imbalance in the protective barrier that envelops the human body provides a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, resulting in many types of skin irritations and accelerating the aging process.

Natural skin care is the care of the skin (the largest organ of the body) using naturally-derived ingredients (such
as herbs, roots, essential oils and flowers) combined with naturally occurring carrier agents, preservatives,
surfactants, humectants and emulsifiers (everything from natural soap to oils to pure water). While skin treatment
is going green - like everything else - you still have to make sure you read the labels. Natural products have
become a big business in recent years as more and more consumers seek a gentler, healthier alternative for their
skin care needs, but just because it is natural, doesn’t always mean you won’t have an allergic reaction.

Among more natural approaches, steaming is a great way to clear your pores and detoxify your skin. Steaming is a
skin care fundamental. It helps draw out toxins and impurities and also helps the skin soak in the benefits of
masks, face scrubs and creams.

Basic Steaming:

1. Fill a large pot with hot water or drape a towel over your bathroom skin, filled with hot water.
2. You can add fragrant herbs to the water such as calming calendula, rose petals, or chamomile. Be very
careful to NOT use irritating herbs or oils that can burn or sting - such as peppermint, rosemary or other mints.
3. Lower your face over the pot which should cover the head and pot in a way that steam is directed towards your
face. Don’t let the steam burn your face though - this can cause more damage than good as it can rupture blood
vessles in your thin facial skin resulting in roseacea among other problems. Try to keep a distance of at lease 14
-16 inches from the water’s surface - keep the steaming result very light.
4. Use a soft towel to dry your face by blotting - not rubbing.

A proper steam won’t remove dirt and grime directly, but it will soften the skin’s surface enough to help cleanse and unclog pores. Another added benefit is the heat increases circulation and relaxes facial muscles. You may feel rejuvenated and free of tension.

As a good skin care practice, steaming should be done once in week. Gently cleanse and exfoliate your facev before you steam. This will clear the dead cells off and increase the blood circulation. If you have dry skin, frequent steaming is not recommended as it will devoid the skin of its natural moisture.

The skin on your face needs more attention than the rest of your body because it is exposed to the element son a constant basis. While keeping your skin healthy and blemish free with regular cleansing and steaming, it is also important to put sunscreen on your face as well as on your body.

Most facial skin responds to the weather and seasonal elements - with a combination of skin types, meaning different areas of the face may be dry and oily at the same time - such as combination skin and will fluctuate with weather, diet, stress and overall health.

The single most important thing to remember in proper skin care is that it usually shines best with poper diet and lifestyle choices. Not matter how many expensive products you buy, if you don’t treat your body well, with a clean diet and lots of excerside, your skin will never look its best.

What to know about skin care products

For you as a consumer in the billion-dollar skin care industry, lack of information about products is costly, and you have to bridge the gap between. Without accurate information, you are throwing your money away, because you are completely at the mercy of advertisers and marketers. Knowing more specific information about your skin needs, such as your true skin type, you can take control of your skin.

In 2001, the average American owned about five hundred dollars’ worth of cosmetic products, and this amount has surely risen dramatically as more and more expensive product lines have been developed since that time. Do you really need to spend that much to get quality skin care? No. What truly matters is not your skin cream’s price, but whether it’s right for your Skin Type. No matter how glamorous its packaging or delicious its feel, that four-hundred-dollar cream is not right for everyone. (In fact, some types don’t need to use any skin cream at all.)

Proper information – not hype - will save you the expense, trouble, and waste of buying the wrong products-while directing you to the right ones. Ingredients are the only thing that should drive your purchasing decisions and once you’ve learned what all the jargon and 14-syllable words mean, you too will be better able to read a cosmetic label and figure out if it’s appropriate for you.
Again, products should be chosen based on their ingredients first, manufacturing practices, and formulations.

Also try to research the clinical trial data of the products, when available, to choose wisely those that have proven effective. Leading dermatologists recommend following these criteria before buying any skin care:
Make sure the product…

1. Contains the right ingredients for your skin type
2. Contains sufficient amounts of active ingredients to be effective
3. Do not contain counterproductive ingredients
4. Are formulated effectively for your needs
5. Are packaged to maintain stability of the active ingredients
6. Are cosmetically elegant (smell good and feel good)
7. Are approved from those who’ve used them
8. Are easily available for purchase