Skin Care Cosmetic Products

Your face says what you are from within. And what your face looks like depends upon your skin. Why only face, the skin of your whole body is important as it protects you from everything that is harmful to you, to your body! This is a fact which is understood properly by each and every woman on this earth. So, the skin care products, most importantly the skin care cosmetics are perhaps the most popular women cosmetics too. However, wrong selection of skin care products can lead to more harm than benefits. It is better therefore, to understand the skin care cosmetic ingredients as well as what types of skin care products are there that can give you a youthful glowing skin!

Skin Care Products List

There are many skin care products and cosmetics available in the market. Some of these have chemicals as their ingredients and others are natural skin care products like the organic cosmetics made of fruit and other natural extracts. When talking about specific skin care cosmetics, the products that fall under this category include those meant for preventing skin damage, rejuvenating skin, an well as those meant for repairing skin. Therefore, broadly, the skin care products list contains the following skin care cosmetics.

• Anti Ageing- creams, lotions and serum used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
• Acne Control- creams and lotions used for reducing pimples and acne as well as acne scars.
• Skin Tightening- products used for lifting up and revitalizing skin.
• Fair Skin- creams and lotions used for lightening skin color as well as discolored patches like blemishes, age spots, dark spots, brown spots, pigmentation etc.
• Sun Safe products- products that provide protection from UV rays like sunscreens.
• Skin Defense- skin care products like moisturizers, hydrating creams as well as night creams etc.

Skin Care Cosmetic Ingredients

Following is the list of skin care cosmetic ingredients widely used by women cosmetics manufacturers. These ingredients are specifically mentioned on the product packages. This list will help you identify the benefits and side effects if any of these skin care cosmetic ingredients.

Alpha-hydroxy Acids (AHAs)

Alpha-hydroxy acids- the naturally occurring acids- come from the sugars in certain plants. Some of the alpha-hydroxy acids and there sources include Glycolic Acid (Sugar Cane), Lactic Acid (Milk), Tartaric Acid (Grapes), Citric Acid (Citrus Fruits), Malic Acid (Apples), and Mandelic Acid (Bitter Almonds) etc. AHAs take good care of skin by preventing clogged pores, improving cell renewal through exfoliation, hydrating skin, and by increasing collagen production. The skin creams and lotions containing alpha-hydroxy acids help in reducing fine lines, pigmentation and age spots as well as enlarged pores. However, there are certain side effects of alpha-hydroxy acids like mild irritation and sun sensitivity. Also unsafe levels of alpha hydroxy acids can damage skin rather than helping in rejuvenating skin. Whenever buying skin care cosmetics with alpha hydroxy acid, make sure that it doesn't has AHA concentration of more than 10%.

Beta-hydroxy Acid

Beta-hydroxy acid is another type of hydroxy acid. Unlike the various Alpha-hydroxy acids that are exfoliants derived from fruit and milk sugars, there is only one beta-hydroxy acid – the salicylic acid. Beta hydroxy acid is used in those skin care products that are meant to reduce wrinkles, roughness, and mottled pigmentation of skin damaged due to UV rays. However, these cosmetics have to be applied daily for at least 6 months to see the positive results. Salicylic acid can penetrate oily skin and thus it is a better choice for breakouts, blackheads, whiteheads on oily skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties too which helps reduce irritation. However, it has side effects too- it can cause deep burns at higher concentrations or long exposure times and can also lead to salicylate toxicity whose symptoms include heavy breathing, dizziness, hearing impairment, lethargy, nausea and digestive disorders. So, when buying skin-care products with beta hydroxy acid, look for those having a concentration of 1% to 2% and those having a pH of 3 to 4 to avoid all its side effects.

Retinol

Retinol is the antioxidant vitamin A in its purest form. As it has a small molecular structure, it can easily penetrates into the top layer of the skin and from there it can move down into the elastin and collagen layers of the skin. Retinol stimulates collagen production, increases cellular rejuvenation, and decreases pore size and thus helps in creating softer, smoother skin. Thus this skin care product ingredient is widely used in such women cosmetics as anti aging serum, anti wrinkle creams and even acne creams. When used in moderation, there seems to be no side effects of retinol but the toxic propertiesof Vitamin A can be seen when it is used in excess amount. When used in high amounts, retinol can lead to such problems like eye and liver damage, vomiting and fatigue.

Hydroquinone

Skin care products having the ingredient hydroquinone lighten skin by inhibiting the production of melanin in the skin. Therefore, the bleaching creams and skin lightening cosmetics to lighten hyperpigmentation such as age spots and dark spots etc. have hydroquinone as an active ingredient. There are some side effects of hydroquinone that include mild burning or stinging, itchiness and redness of the skin where applied. It can also cause the skin to become more sensitive to the sun rays. So, when using cosmetic products with hydroquinone, women should always apply sunscreen lotion.