Ever wondered what is inside the cream you use so meticulously for your face and skin? If so, this article can provide you with some interesting information. Here goes.
The skin solutions that seem to be so effective at keeping your skin soft, toned and protected contain animal extracts, extracts of plants, several types of vitamins as well as some types of food that we eat. These are mentioned in detail below.
Extracts of Plants
These form the largest ingredient in cosmetics as there is a trend towards natural extracts rather than purely chemical based skin solutions. Plant based extracts are used for aromatic oils, phytosterols and certain acids produced from plant extracts. Aromatic oils used in perfumes and beauty oils are extracted from mint, lavender, jasmine, eucalyptus, chamomile and camphor. Phytosterols are found in plants and vegetable oils.
They are used in medicine and cosmetics. They are produced from extracts of soya oil, avocado, cocoa butter, coconut oil and milk, sunflower seeds and sesame. Some of the plants that are used for their extracts are calendula, jojoba, aloe vera, tea tree, chamomile, lavender, echinacea, etc. Some of the acids that are extracted from plant sources are linoleic acid and the hydroxyl acid. Plants like the foxtail plant and the primrose plant yield linoleic acid. Various vegetable and fruit extracts are used to produce hydroxyl acid.
Animal Extracts
The extracts that are mostly used are collagen and amino acids. Other extracts that are used are elastin, nucleic acid, amniotic fluid and placental extract, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, etc. The naturally produced proteins in the flesh of animals especially mammals is known as collagen. Amino acids are the basic substances found in proteins. They can be extracted from the organs, muscles, glands and tendons of animals
Elastin as the name suggests is used to keep the skin elastic. It is extracted from the connective tissues inside the animals. The hyaluronic acid is extracted from the tissue of animals. A serum of hyaluronic acid is used to provide skin its fullness and reduce wrinkles. Ambergris used in cosmetics is extracted from the digestive systems inside the whale. Fish scales are a common ingredient used in cosmetic products that are used to provide shine and gloss to the skin. Cochineal beetles are used for red colour in some skin solutions.
Food Stuffs
The food items ingredients of cosmetic products are honey, milk, the white of egg and propolis. These are well known for their moisturizing and enhancing effect on the skin. Propolis has effective anti bacterial and anti parasitic properties that can be beneficial for the skin.
Vitamins
The vitamins that are used in cosmetics are vitamin A, provitamin B5, vitamin B3, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K. Vitamin A helps in improving skin tone, elasticity and smoothness. Vitamin B5 keeps the skin moisturized and soft. Vitamin C protects skin from infections and also helps in controlling the affects of aging. Vitamin E has an anti oxidizing effect and keeps the skin moist. It also helps in reversing the effects of aging and reduces inflammation.