Comparing collagen supplements

3 facts about collagen 

1. It makes up 75 per cent of our skin. But our body's ability to produce it starts to dip from our twenties, dropping at a rate of 1.5 per cent a year.

2. Loss of collagen in the dermis, combined with loss of moisture, causes early signs of ageing. This is made worse by UV rays, pollution, prolonged exposure to air-conditioned environment, stress, lack of sleep, smoking and other unhealthy habits.

3. Eating more chicken skin, fish skin and pig trotters will not help to "load up" on collagen as the molecules are too big to be properly absorbed by the body.

Like sun protection, replenishing your collagen should be done on a daily basis.

Or so says Brand's. This is an excerpt from their promotional pamphlet from their marine collagen essence strip series. 

Skin Food

Taken from New Idea Magazine, have no idea which issue this is cause it's a torn-off page.

 

I wonder if the image is clear enough. Due to time constraints, I'll type only the headers and subheadings and little bits of pertinent info:

 

Every second beauty product on the market claims to be natural -- but is it? They may have natural extracts, but it is likely that synthetic substances are making them smell better and last longer. If you have sensitive skin or are concerned about chemicals, with a little time and energy your greengrocer could be your skin savior.

• Moisturisers:

  Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter (rich in fatty acids)

  
  
• Masks:

  Avocado (vit b,c,e. mash and leave for 15 min, rinse off with warm water and flannel), cherries and strawberries (mash and smear on face, 10 mins. rich in vit A and C, brightens. remove berry stains with olive oil), potato (puree raw potato and apply as a mask, 15 min. tightening effect.)

  
  
• Toners:

  Lemon (dilute with water before spraying over the face to tone pores. leave on.), Cloves (allowed to steep in mineral water and applied via an atomiser. antiseptic ability)

  
  
• Eye treatments:

  Cucumber (cooled cucumber has a mild astringent effect)

  
  
• Exfoliators:

  Pineapple (smooth it flesh side down over body then rinse off), Salt (mixed with olive oil. eliminates toxins)

  
  
• Body Treatments:

  Milk (smooth a face washer soaked in milk over your body while standing in the bath)

  
  
• Acne Treatments:

  Honey (antiseptic. dab an amount no larger than a five-cent piece, leave overnight), Watercress (cleansing. chop up, wrap in muslin. place in bowl of cool water, apply, let sit for 15 min)

  
  
• Eczema Treatments:

  Oat (calms inflammation. pour into muslin washer and tie corners. immerse in bath then smooth over skin while bathing. avoid hot water.)

  
  

 

URBAN Article: Effective Ingredients for Beauty Products

The Straits Times Singapore

March 9, 2012 Friday

Effective ingredients for beauty products;

This is a column that cuts through the industry spiel and jargon to give you the bare facts

SECTION: URBAN; Shopping Briefs; Beauty basics

  There may have been a slew of health scares related to beauty products and ingredients, but some have been proven to work. Here are eight tried-and-tested ingredients that address various needs.

Retinol

   This is a form of vitamin A that is medically proven to stimulate cell renewal and result in younger-looking skin.

   It improves skin tone and reduces the appearance of pigmentation spots. It is also commonly used to treat acne-prone skin as it encourages cell turnover. 

   Doctors may prescribe tretinoin, which is a stronger form of retinol. It is a prescription cream because it may cause redness and peeling in some patients.

Ceramides

   Ceramides are naturally occurring fatty substances, called lipids, that form part of the structure of the skin's surface.

   They help retain moisture in the skin and keep it smooth and glowing.

   Ceramides in creams are absorbed by the skin to replace the depleted ceramides in the skin's structure, thus helping to repair the skin.

   They are used to soothe and heal dry, damaged and sensitive skin.

   They can be used to relieve the itch caused by eczema, but those with acne-prone skin should avoid them as they may be too rich.

Antioxidants

   Antioxidants are the molecules that neutralise free radicals, naturally occurring particles that are one of the major causes of DNA damage.

   DNA damage results in the signs of skin ageing, which include wrinkles, pigmentation, skin discoloration and sagging skin.

   Antioxidants form a protective barrier on the skin's surface to neutralise free radicals before they cause damage to the skin's cells.

   Common antioxidants used in skincare products include vitamins C and E, idebenone, coenzyme Q10, niacinamide and green tea extract.

Hyaluronic acid

   This gelatinous substance is a humectant, which absorbs and binds to water molecules, hence boosting the skin's moisture levels.

   It sits on the surface of the skin to lock moisture in.

   This film also helps to give the appearance of firmer, line-free skin.

   When applied, it imparts a refreshing sensation to the skin, which makes it a popular ingredient in serums and moisturisers.

   It is suitable for all skin types.

Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA)

   This is a naturally occurring acid found in plants, fruits and animals.

   AHAs include citric, glycolic, malic and tartaric acids.

   They are applied to the skin to dissolve the top layers of the skin to reveal younger looking skin.

   The skin is stimulated to produce new skin cells in this way.

   They are used to remove blemishes and pigmentation on the surface of the skin, and also reduce the appearance of pores and wrinkles.

   Off-the-shelf exfoliators typically contain AHA in weak enough concentrations to be tolerated by most skin types, although those with sensitive skin should avoid these products.

   A doctor can also perform a peel using a higher concentration of AHA.

Peptides

   These are short chains of amino acids, which are the basic building blocks of proteins.

   They are small enough to be absorbed by the skin and can trigger cells into action.

   Although peptides have many functions, the ones used in skincare activate the cells into producing collagen.

   Collagen is a protein found in the skin that helps it maintain its plumpness for a wrinkle-free appearance.

Salicylic acid

   This acid is commonly used to treat mild acne.

   It works by exfoliating the top layers of the skin's cells to promote cell turnover, similar to the way AHAs work.

   It is not as strong as benzoyl peroxide, which makes it suitable for milder cases of acne.

   It can also be applied to patches of skin which are plagued with small bumps.

Benzoyl peroxide

   The exact action of benzoyl peroxide is not known but it is believed to have antiseptic properties, that is, it kills bacteria.

   It also helps to dry out acne pustules.

   As it is a stronger chemical compared to salicylic acid, it should be used only on more stubborn bumps.

   Over-the-counter creams are generally well tolerated by most skin types, but doctors can prescribe stronger formulations.

   Use this only for spot treatment, instead of spreading it over a patch, as it can irritate the skin.

~ KAREN TEE

Copyright 2012 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

All Rights Reserved

iS clinical

iS Clinical's Acne Kit System, from StrawberryNET

In a bid to enhance the appearance of my shallow but visible pitted scars, I consulted Dr Lee from The Sloane Clinic. I would blog about my positive experience at The Sloane Clinic another time, when I actually decide what to do with my scars. Surprisingly, Dr Lee was very forthcoming and told me that I didn't have to do anything with my scars. Especially given the fact that my walk-in interview was only a month from the consultation, it would be extremely risky to undergo Fraxel. Also, apparently Fraxel may cause skin discolouration which may take some time to heal. In the end, we decided on a session of Microdermabrasion since there wasn't any downtime. 

Or so I thought. 

There was downtime. I was able to resume normal activities immediately after the procedure, despite the pinkish tinge on my cheeks and forehead, but my face turned scarlet red towards the second half of the day (I did it in the morning). It really looked and felt like a sunburn, except that nobody in my family bought that. On the second day, my face was still pinkish, but didn't burn as much as the night before. My skin felt raw and red, and I tried to avoid the sunlight as much as possible. On the third day, the redness had all but subsided, and I was left with a healthy-looking glow. I kind of looked like I had blush on.  By the fourth day, all traces of redness were gone, and my skin really emanated a deathly pallor healthy glow. My skin was a tone lighter, and my pitted scars were still there, but everything else looked smoother. I used to have small pimples on my forehead, and a few pigmented spots on my cheeks, but they had all but disappeared. For the first time in my life I felt like I had good skin. And this hadn't gone unnoticed; people complimented me on my radiant skin.

That said, I've done extensive research on microdermabrasion and am aware that quick fixes usually come with downsides. One caveat is that the crystals used in the microdermabrasion device will probably be inhaled since they are so tiny and can enter your airways during the procedure. My eyes were covered, and so were my ears, but my nostrils weren't. And I don't think it could have been cause I would have suffocated to death if they were to have been stuffed with cotton. Bottom line is, you can go for it once or twice, but if you were to do it every single month for the rest of your life, then wow, you'd be inhaling enough crystals to turn you into a walking crystal mine!  

Anyway, I digress. Dr Lee prescribed iS Hydracool Serum as a moisturiser. He mentioned that I should apply it three times a day for the next four days. I dutifully followed his instructions, and am still doing it twice a day, every single day. Why? Because Hydracool really performs well as a moisturiser. I was rather wary of it when I first applied it and felt the cooling, or some would say, tingling sensation. But the ingredients seemed wholesome enough, aside from the alcohol content. Also, Dr Lee assured me that it was gentle enough for people with sensitive skin, or patients who had just undergone ablative laser procedures. 

Indeed, what I noticed about Hydracool was that you only need to spread four tiny drops of it on your face, but its moisturising powers last a whole day! Your skin feels silky to the touch upon application, and it controls the oily shininess (and the dryness) in your skin without feeling heavy. I have combination skin, and the areas outside of my T-Zone can be chronically dry and patchy. It is most horrible. Thanks to Dermalogica, I managed to get rid of the painful dry red patches. But since I tried Hydracool, I've switched. I intend to alternate between Dermalogica and iS Clinical though, because iS Clinical is just too damn expensive.

Encouraged by the good results of Hydracool, I decided to get more iS Clinical products over the Internet. Cause it's cheaper, of course. Though only marginally. I was quite disappointed to see that the set that I got from StrawberryNET isn't as fresh as I wanted it to be; the expiry date was the start of 2013. Dr Lee's products are much fresher. Hydracool, for instance, has an expiry date in the second half of 2014. 

I've read so many rave reviews about iS Clinical's Active Serum. Here's my take on it (to be updated):

Palmer's Scar Serum

Day 3 of application

Without flash:

 

 With flash:

Day 16 of application

Without flash:                                                        With flash:

I think the scratch has faded considerably. What do you think? May have healed with time, or it may have been Palmer's Scar Serum.