Archive for the ‘Ingredient focus’ Category

Açai (pronounced in the manner of a Martial Artist running towards you with Nunchucks, AH-sci-EE) berries contain powerful anti-oxidants and have been used effectively in supplements for a couple of years now. When lab tested on Human blood cells the extract did brilliant housework on those ageing free radicals. This is not massively surprising as these bonnie berries contain the highest concentration of anti-oxidants of any fruit or vegetable tested to date (source).

Skincare companies such as DDF, Kiehl’s and Jergens Naturals have busied themselves bringing out ranges to harness these brilliant attributes, but so far there is as yet NO scientific evidence that topical application has any positive effects.

Until an independent study has been commissioned, stick to popping it in pill or liquid supplement form, when it comes down to it that is the best way to make sure every cell in your body is feeling the benefits anyway. alexia inge

Bog Myrtle, also known as Sweet Gale or the Scottish Tea Tree, has been used for centuries in Scotland as an insect repellent to keep the midges and horse flies away, it is also a favourite of the British Royal family to use in their wedding bouquets.

But it is the high anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial properties that make the Bog Myrtle’s essential oil interesting to the beauty industry. It is an effective way of killing the bacteria that cause acne without irritating sensitive skins. For this reason Boots the Chemist are investing in expanding Bog Myrtle farms in Scotland and the rest of the UK in an attempt to champion the first essential oil to be developed in the British Isles for commercial use in more than 40 years. alexia inge

Where once our Elizabethan counterparts spent their days fretting about whether “to be or not to be”, our contemporary selves are plagued with far less existential concerns. To text or not to text. Tweet or not to tweet. Buy, or not to buy? And, the one that the beauty industry has had a furrow in its’ forehead about for some time now; should parabens be used as preservatives in cosmetics? To paraBEn or not to paraBEn. That is the question.

The ‘paraben debate’  is something that has had the brains of the beauty business slapping on their war paint since the suggestion was made that their use in skincare and cosmetics could be linked to breast cancer. The ‘precautionary principle’ – also known as ’scaremongering’ – is based on the premise that if it might, it probably will, so don’t let it. However, how can we adopt that outlook in some instances and not others? Surely, with such a dim view, we should all be banged up for plotting to overthrow the monarchy / pinch a Mars bar / murder our siblings / (insert crime here…). Whatever happened to good old, innocent until proven guilty?

Once thought to be a relatively inoffensive cosmetic preservative, parabens have been courting controversy and now things are getting heated. No longer the cosmetcic industry’s darling, they have had a serious fall from grace in recent years, following a scientific study that found preservative chemicals in samples of breast tumours; evidence that is supported by parabens’ ability to mimic oestrogen, a hormone that is known to play a part in the development of certain cancers in both men and women. As parabens are used in all manner of beauty products, including anti-perspirants, some speculators are suggesting that parabens could migrate into breast tissue from the underarm area and contribute to the development of these tumours, however, there’s no reason to go ‘au naturelle’ just yet – so far the findings are far from conclusive.

The American Cancer Society has advised that there is no real scientific evidence to support the notion that products such as deodorants increase one’s risk of developing breast cancer. In fact, some scientists have claimed that we currently ingest a far higher level of parabens through our food, than we are exposed to through the use of cosmetics. Plus, with regard to their oestrogenic effects, experiments on butylparaben revealed that it was 100,000 times weaker that Estradiol (the primary oestrogen), and this was at a concentration 25,000 times higher than that used to preserve cosmetics.

However, as with most chemicals, nothing is certain. It takes time for compounds to reveal their various secrets and sometimes, a thorough scientific investigation can be like opening Pandora’s box. Compounds can have miraculous short term benefits, but we have no real concept of what they could be doing in the long-term (whilst praying they’re making us age backwards).

So what should we do? Well, if industry experts are to be believed (and it’s worth remembering that often these chemical trials fall to universities, who have no invested interest and thus no reason to pull the wool over our eyes), then parabens are good at their job and pose no serious risk to our well-being. Without them, we’d be keeping our face wash in the fridge and replacing our moisturiser as often as our coleslaw (…mould mask anyone?)

Still, if you’re concerned, then the good news is that ‘natural’ alternatives can be found, look out for Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate and Grapefruit Seed Extract on ingredient lists but beware; while both products are a reasonably effective alternative to parabens. Although the former is derived from a naturally occurring amino acid and Grapefruit Seed Extract sounds like something you might have for breakfast, both substances undergo a myriad of chemical processes to make them suitable for the job and one could argue that if this constitutes being ‘natural’ then they are scarcely better than parabens which are a derivative of ‘natural’ benzoic acid.

Click here for Cult Beauty’s pick of the best paraben-free products.

If long working hours or a hard night’s partying have left unsightly dark circles under your eyes, and cover up just won’t do the trick, it’s time to boost your blackcurrant intake.

Better than any under eye concealer, new research from Hirosaki University in Japan has shown that blackcurrants can actually help eliminate the problem of tired looking eyes entirely. The new ’superfood’ reduces dark circles by improving blood flow around the optical nerves, which drastically reduces the effect of ’sagging eyes’.

Researchers believe that the beauty enhancing effects are thanks to natural components in blackcurrants, such as anthocyanins, which increase blood flow in the capillaries under the eye area, allowing more oxygen to be delivered to the tissues. This encourages the tissues to expand, helping to reduce dark shadows in the region.

Nature’s little gift to women, blackcurrants will help reverse the tell-tale signs of late night shenanigans in any form. Whether you like juices, jams, smoothies, or the real deal berries themselves, it’s time to factor a dose of blackcurrants into your five-a-day.

Made from tender leaves and buds handpicked from the top of the Camellia sinesis plant, white tea is a purer, unoxidised variant of the more traditional black and green teas.

Already applauded for its ability to break down fat stores, researchers from Kingston University, London, have found that white tea has significant potential to prevent skin ageing by inhibiting enzymes that attack collagen and elastase. In addition it mimics the actions of one of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes, preventing the skin from oxidative stress which causes a breakdown in cellular strength and function.

The study, published in the BioMed Central Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, tested 23 extracts from 21 plants for their anti-ageing capabilities and found white tea to be the runaway success story. Its showed the highest levels of defence against collagenase (87 per cent) and elastase (89 percent), two enzymes which pose a serious threat to skin by breaking down the natural collagen and elastin that keep it youthful. White tea also displayed the highest superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic activity, with levels of 87.92 per cent. SOD is believed to slow the process of ageing by reducing free radical damage.

Cementing the strength of white tea’s anti-ageing capabilities, the concentration of white tea used in the experiments was significantly weaker than that of a normal cup of the tea. Professor Declan Naughton, who led the study, told Cosmetics Design, “We were pretty blown away by the results.”

The study also found that white tea may have anti-inflammatory benefits, while a team of US-based scientists at the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University have proven that ingredients in white tea are effective in boosting the immune function of skin cells, protecting them from DNA damage caused by exposure to the sun.

White tea extract has already been harnessed in a variety of cult beauty products, which have pioneered its use for antioxidising, anti-inflammatory and sun protection benefits. Here are some of our favourites.

Sophyto Pholyphenol Drops uses white tea to create an extremely gentle, non-irritating serum that is effective in the fight against free radicals. £45.00

BECCA Mineral Primer not only moisturises and prepares a canvas ready for make up, it utilises the antioxidants found in white tea extract to prevent ageing and keep skin healthy in the sun. £33.00

DuWop Revolotion Bronzing Body Moisturiser lends skin a bronze tint with a slight shimmer. It’s rich in antioxidants, including white tea extract, which soothe irritation and reduce skin puffiness. £27.00

Neal’s Yard Remedies White Tea Eye Gel is a brilliant natural eye rescue gel for people who don’t like putting chemicals near their eyes. It uses bioactive white tea extract to reduce puffiness and combat the signs of ageing. £18.00