Skincare

In these times many women and men are seeking out 100% pure skincare products. It is a lofty goal, and everyone knows that natural products are generally healthier for our bodies. Taking a more holistic approach to skin care is always preferred.

The cold hard truth is that no skincare product is completely natural, despite what their marketing department will tell you. If your definition of natural is that none of the ingredients have been processed, then no skincare product is 100% natural.

Though many skincare products use ingredients derived from plants, some type of natural processing takes place before it can be used in a skincare product you can purchase. This processing is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it can actually increase a product's effectiveness.

This is why herbal supplements are more effective than the plants they come from, because it is often the extract that has a high enough concentration of the natural substance to be effective.

Now that you know that no skincare product is 100% pure, don't go off and just buy any chemical filled skincare product off the shelf at your local pharmacy.

The truth is that it does benefit you to purchase holistic, natural skincare products.

The first ingredient to watch out for is parabens. These are used in most skincare products because they are good preservatives. Several studies have linked parabens to cancer.

The reason large companies use parabens in their skincare product lines, is to allow them to maximize profitability by extending the shelf-life of their skincare products. But the question you should ask yourself is: how do I benefit from the use of parabens? You don't! Because skin creams are applied topically all over your skin, the chemicals used in them are easily absorbed into your body. So you apply chemicals all over your skin - for what? To make the product more profitable to the manufacturer? Wise consumers are choosing products without any parabens in them.

Other ingredients to avoid are fragrances if you want a 100% pure skincare product. Everyone likes to smell nice, so fragrant products usually get our attention. But these fragrances are made from dangerous chemicals that can actually damage your skin.

Holistic skincare products use natural ingredients that are also processed naturally.

It is also important that the ingredients used have been proven effective in scientific studies.

Some of the top ingredients to look for are:

Phytessence Wakame - this is a natural sea kelp native to Japan. One of Asia's best kept secrets, phytessence wakame has been used by women for centuries to keep their skin young and supple.

Cynergy TK -- extracted from sheep's wool in New Zealand, Cynergy TK works in skincare products because it contains functional keratin. Keratin is a protein that plays an essential role in the beauty of our skin. Cynergy TK has been shown to be effective in several studies, because it actually stimulates the body's natural production of collagen and elastin.

If you know about what makes skin healthy, you will know that collagen and elastin are the two chief proteins responsible for the firmness and elasticity of youthful skin. As we age our bodies produce less and less collagen and elastin, causing the skin to sag and wrinkle.

100% pure skincare may not exist, but skincare products that use natural ingredients like the ones mentioned here will go a long way towards achieving healthy skin naturally.

Holistic skin care does not have to be complicated. Just don't be fooled by the enormous marketing campaigns of large companies that put chemical preservatives into their products. There are small companies that believe in natural skincare and put the quality of their products above profits.