The Cosmedics
Simple, Cheap or Free
Simple facts, Easy Care, Healthy looking skin
Lemon in water
There is huge buzz about vitamin c and it's radiant properties when used in skin creams. It is now a trending skin care ingredient. But did you know getting this important vitamin from your diet has an even more beneficial effect compared to when you apply it topically.
Vitamin C works in two ways 1) as an antioxidant agent to protect the damage caused by UV radiation and 2) as one of the main promoters of collagen synthesis.
The jury’s out on how beneficial this ingredient is when applied topically to skin. From a cosmetic chemists’ point of view it’s an absolute nightmare to formulate with. The ingredient needs an extremely low pH less than 3.5 to be effective, which could be irritating when used daily on sensitive skin. So instead of spending the extra money on a questionably over expensive cream, add that fruity garnish to your drink.
Cucumber on your eyes
Whenever you see a picture of someone relaxing in a spa, it often looks like this: White robe, towel wrapped hair, face mask and cucumber on the eyes. So why does this humble vegetable have such a reputation for being a skin care saviour? Put simply it’s round enough to pop over our eyes, it’s watery so feels like it instantly hydrates and when chilled it definitely feels soothing. The skin around our eyes is a lot thinner so our eyes are unforgiving when it comes to our lifestyle choices. Late nights, lots of booze, poor diet. Our eyes love to share our sins. A slice of cucumber instantly adds water to the upper layers of the skin, and the chilled temperature will help to reduce puffiness. Some people go as far to say the electrolytes and vitamin c present prevent dark circles long term but again we’re pretty convinced of our skins ability to act as a barrier above anything else.
Change your pillow case
How much do you love your pillow? Soft, supportive and always there for you. A bio fully worthy of a match making site for sure. That being said, these comforting face planters are literally filth. You breathe, shed dead skin and dribble all over it. It’s the best breeding ground for bacteria (and their friends!). Apparently we should be changing our pillows every 6 months but how often does anyone do that? So if you’re not made of money and need to ensure that this isn’t the source of problems for your skin then the advice is to 1) use pillow protectors which can be washed weekly 2) wash your pillow case every other day 3) flip your pillowcase between washes.
Simple, cheap or free
Simple facts, Easy care, Healthy looking skin
Say no to face wipes and use a good old fashioned flannel instead
Face wipes have been a staple in many a bathroom cabinet for years. Often convenient, cheap and an easy methodo of removing makeup. However these environmental menaces have NO place in your skin care routine as they are not an effective cleanser. Switch to using a clean facecloth along with your cleanser to remove the remainder of impurities. So unless you are camping, without access to a sink, throw away those face wipes.
Eat Carrots to get your retinol fix
One of the best sources of retinol is carrots. Carrots contain high levels of beta carotene which can be converted into retinol. So these tasty, inexpensive vegan snacks can help with your skin care regime. At roughly 6p a carrot vs £10- £££ for a retinol cream we know what we would choose.
Keep your skin creams in the fridge
Most microbes love a warm, moist, oxygenated environment with plenty of food to grow. Your skin cream more often than not contains more than 60% water (but could be high as 95%.) With all the wonderful extracts and oils these microbes have plenty to feed on. Now most formulations are preserved adequately and undergo microbial testing but with food and water readily available in your skin cream then you might as well try and take away another one of its favourable growth factors- the warmth. Keep your skincare in the fridge and it will prolong the quality of the cream.
Simple Cheap or Free
Simple facts, Easy care, Healthy Looking Skin
Don't touch your face
It actually took the coronavirus pandemic for it to be widely reported that humans have a very unusual habit. We touch our faces a lot.. an awful lot! Why do we do it? Various reasons- from endearment, boredom to stress relief. Studies have reported we face play over 20 times in an hour, with every single touch introducing a new crop of bacteria and viruses to our skin. Horrible to think about! So yes.. if you want good skin then you really have to reduce the amount you touch your face. The Cosmedics key tip is to invest in a good manicure. We think that this little beauty treatment keeps your fingers away from your face.
Use a hair wrap at night
Washed hair, unwashed hair whatever the state of your tresses remember one thing.. it should be kept away from your face when you sleep. The last thing your skin needs is a flare up caused by product residue or bacteria from your hair. So wrap it up at night to avoid it going on your face.
Use a clean dry towel on your face
Towels are a breeding ground for microbes. They are damp, warm and in regular contact with skin. Any material that touches your face needs to be washed and dry before your next cleanse.
Always look at the Period after opening
This little symbol is on the back of every product. What it means is once opened the time the product will remain stable and safe to use.
So it's 2022, a new year, a new you, clear out your bathroom cabinets of anything that has been opened longer than this time.
Wash your hands before applying skin care
This is self explanatory really. There is no point in following a skin care routine if you are going to apply the creams using dirty hands. This can introduce harmful bacteria to the sensitive flora on your face and can contribute to spots. If you suffer from acne doing this alone will not cure your acne but is a significant step in preventing the introduction of bacteria, which can in some cases contribute. So wash your hands before applying skin care and remember DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE- "hands, face, space" has never been more essential
Wash and change your make up brushes regularly
Make up brushes....
Welcome to the daily routine of a make up brush. You use them with a product, then you use them on your face. They are transferred to whichever surface is closest (often near a toilet), they go in your makeup bag, in your handbag, back near the toilet and then it's back touching your face.
They are a fairground for filth. Wash your applicators regularly with a mild detergent.
Simple, Cheap or Free
Simple Facts, Easy Care, Healthy Looking Skin
Buy skincare in a tube not a jar
Skincare products in a jar. A cosmetic formulators worst nightmare. Why? Because every time you dip your fingers in the jar you introduce microbes which promptly ends back on your face. Not only that but those survivalists love to wreak havoc on our formulations and work against us to destabilise the texture, fragrance, colour.. or all three. Skin care in tubes are much more sanitary as there is less area for microbes to come into contact with the product. So much better for your skin. So if you’re in the store and you’re at a loss on what product to buy, then opt for the product that comes in a tube.