These recipes are an example of how to make your own DIY sun protection serum. The possibilities are endless, and ultimately you will decide which ingredients you like best.

Your choice of actives will depend on the solvents you are prepared to use. Some actives dissolve in alcohol or glycols, some in water, some in oil, and some in dimethyl isosorbide. BulkActives has a solubility chart that will show you the best way to dissolve all their cosmeceuticals.

Below are two recipe examples, one with alcohol (glycol) and one without.

Version 1 with propylene glycol

How to make this:

1. Combine all the ingredients of phase C, gently heat in the microwave at 5 second intervals, stir in-between until the powders have dissolved. DO NOT boil.

2. Combine the ingredients of Phase B, gently heat in the microwave at 5 second intervals, stir in-between until the powders have dissolved. DO NOT boil.

3. Combine Phase A, B, and C. Mix well, until all powders have dissolved and the water and oil have emulsified into a light cream/lotion.

version 2 no alcohol

How to make this:

1. Combine all the ingredients of phase C, gently heat in the microwave at 5 second intervals, stir in-between until the powders have dissolved. DO NOT boil.

2. Combine the ingredients of Phase B, mix well until the powder has dissolved.

3. Combine Phase A, B, and C. Mix well, until all powders have dissolved and the water and oil have emulsified into a light cream/lotion.

Important: These recipes do not use a preservative, they must be stored it in the fridge and made fresh every week.

Remember to check back, as I will be posting many more exciting DIY skin care recipes here.

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Posted: July 28th, 2008 under DIY, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Gynostemma, Jiaogulan, Lecithin, Make It Yourself, UVA, UVB, Uncategorized, Yeast beta 1-3 Glucan, anti-aging, antioxidants, beauty, cosmetic ingredients, education, ginkgo biloba, green tea EGCG, home-made, pomegrenate extract, recipe, self-improvement, silymarin, skin actives, skin care, soy isoflavones, sun care, sun damage, sun screens.
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Over the last two posts, we have covered the basics of UV damage, and we even discussed the dangers of some of the chemical compounds used in sunscreens. With that out of the way, it’s time to cover some botanical ingredients that can work to promote skin health.

When it comes to sun care and botanicals, you aren’t really going for UV protection. Instead what you want to accomplish is providing your body a way to prevent damage, and to promote healing from any damage that occurs. For that reason botanical sun care formulas are best used in conjunction with your sunscreen for days when there will be lots of UV exposure. On days when you won’t be out in the sun a lot, however, botanical antioxidants are the best choice.

They promote healing, help to reduce the damage done, and overall are better for your skin than chemical compounds found in the most common sunscreens. With that said, let’s cover the best ingredients for the job. This is by no means an extensive list of botanical skin care ingredients that work for UV exposure. Rather I have focused on the top ingredients for DIY sun care recipes.

Ginkgo Biloba

A recent study showed that Ginkgo Biloba actually provides mild UVB protection. In this case it really isn’t adequate as a sunscreen, but it is one of the best choices for sun care. The ingredient provides powerful antioxidant protection, and promotes healing. One study even called it cancer-preventative.

The term cancer-preventative may be a little strong, but one thing stands; for your recipe that is meant for both before and after UV exposure, Ginkgo Biloba is an excellent choice.

Green Tea EGCG

Another botanical that has been shown to have excellent benefits for sun care is Green Tea. In this case it should be used in formulas that are applied before UV exposure (studies found it most effective for this purpose).

Green tea works to prevent both UVA and UVB damage by preventing the formation of cancer causing free radicals. It has also been shown to reduce the appearance of sunburn. In both cases the ingredient works by promoting cell health, and working as an antioxidant, and not by actually filtering UV light.

Grape Seed

Grape Seed extract, or more specifically Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins, is another good choice for DIY skin care. This ingredient may be used in recipes for use before or after UV exposure.

As well as being a powerful antioxidant, Grape Seed has been shown to promote the cells natural defenses. In other words, along with providing protection from the sun’s rays by preventing free radicals, it also helps the body to fight that damage itself.

Pomegranate extract

Pomegranate extract is another powerful antioxidant that has also been shown to reduce the formation of skin cancers. Again this ingredient may be used either before, or after UV exposure, and is another excellent choice for your next botanical skin care recipe.

Silymarin

I covered the ingredient Silymarin in a previous post. Here is one area where this ingredient shines. As an antioxidant, the milk thistle extract is very effective. With the studies that have shown it to be cancer-preventative, and even work to reduce tumors, this ingredient is also a good choice to add to any sun care recipe.

So far we have covered UV damage, UV protection, and now botanical ingredients that work. Be sure to check back soon, as I will be posting up a recipe for one of the best antioxidants you can make!

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Posted: July 28th, 2008 under DIY, Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins, Make It Yourself, UVA, UVB, anti-aging, antioxidants, beauty, cosmetic ingredients, education, ginkgo biloba, green tea EGCG, home-made, pomegrenate extract, recipe, self-improvement, silymarin, skin actives, skin care, sun care, sun damage, sun screens.
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Last time, I talked about UVB and UVA rays, and how they affect your skin. Today it’s time to talk about protecting yourself from both. Now many people think that simply stopping by the department store and grabbing that SPF 30 sunscreen is enough. As we discussed in the last article though, some of those sunscreens don’t provide the right UVA protection. That’s only the half of it though.

There’s also the fact that continued use of some sun screen ingredients may cause as much damage as they prevent. There’s no need to worry. I will help you out. With this post we will cover sunscreen ingredients, and help you to choose the right ingredients to protect you and your family.

Sunscreen Ingredients to Avoid

The topic of UV filters that work is quite extensive. The main things you need to be aware of are:

• Photo-Stability: Some ingredients actually degrade in the sunlight. In other words that SPF 30 protection you started out with may be reduced to completely ineffective if you stay out in the sun for a long time. For a list of ingredients and their photo-stability see this article on the bulk actives website (link to the website article).
• Safety: Some UV filters have been shown to actually promote cancer causing free radicals. Although the issue is fairly controversial, studies have shown that ingredients avobenzone, bemotrizinol, or enzophenone-3 (Oxybenzone) can actually do harm, especially with prolonged use.
• Effectiveness: As stated in my last post, not all sunscreens provide the right kind of protection. You need to be aware of which ingredients protect from the whole UV spectrum, and which only protect from UVB. (See the same table I linked to earlier, it also shows this information).

The Right Sunscreen

Okay, so we now know some ingredients are less effective, and some of them are downright dangers, so what should you use?

To answer that question we need to take a few factors into account. How much time will you be spending in the sun? What time of day is it (UVB rays are highest from 10 until 2)? From there we begin to balance it all out and create a few simple ideas that work.

• Long Exposure - Elegant Protection - When you need to look good, and will be spending hours in the sun (a day at the beach for example), a good chemical sunscreen will suffice. I prefer a product from Bioderma. They make a PPD-rated line of sunscreens that use both Tinosorbs and avobenzone for excellent UVA and UVB protection.
• Long Exposure - Not so Elegant Protection - For a day in the sun, where elangance doesn’t matter as much, a sunscreen that uses zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide may be a good choice. In this case you want to choose a sunscreen that uses particles larger than 220nm as there are risks with the micro-particle sunscreens. These sunscreen provide excellent physical protection from the sun, but they obviously don’t look as good since they appear white in color.
• The Rest of The Time - When only a short time will be spent in the sun, it may be better not to lather up in chemicals. Instead use an antioxidant, a good botanical (the topic of our next article) will work to prevent and repair sun damage. It doesn’t provide the UV blocking properties of the sunscreen products, but it does allow your body a break from being covered in chemical products, and also works to repair any damage done.

Don’t Forget Your Antioxidant

Along with a sunscreen you should always use an antioxidant. A good antioxidant works to prevent the cancer causing free radicals that come from both UV exposure, and with the use of some sunscreens. Even when you’re wearing a good UV protectant, you should apply a decent antioxidant first!

Now that we know how to protect ourselves, with my next post I will cover anti-oxidant protection. For the times when you aren’t going to be out all day, it is important to know which botanical ingredients work for sun care!

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Posted: July 27th, 2008 under DIY, UVA, UVB, anti-aging, beauty, cosmetic ingredients, education, skin actives, skin care, sun care, sun damage, sun screens.
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When it comes to the sun’s rays it is important to know that you’re protected. Along with the apparent effects of the sun, UV damage is now known to be directly responsible for many different types of skin cancers. Since skin cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death it becomes important to understand how to protect yourself.

Before one can understand the protective measures that are required, knowledge of UV radiation and how it affects the skin is required.

In this post I will look at sun damage from UVA and UVB light. In subsequent posts we will cover the right ingredients to protect yourself.

With that said let’s get started with UVA and UVB radiation!

The Difference between UVA and UVB Light

The first thing that you need to know, before you ever bother buying a sunscreen or making your own, is that there is two different types of UV radiation that you need to protect yourself from. The most well known type is UVB, which is the type of radiation most sunscreens protect against. UVB radiation is the sun’s rays that fall into the 290-320nm wavelengths.

The other type of UV light that can harm you is UVA radiation. This type of light falls into the 320-400nm wavelengths, and can be further classified into two groups: UVA I or long wavelength UVA, and UVA II also called short wavelength UVA radiation. The type that is most harmful to the skin is the long wavelength category.

Both types of harmful radiation have different effects on the skin, and both types damage the skin in different ways.

UV Damage caused by both types of Radiation

With a basic understanding out of the way, let’s now cover what effects UVA and UVB rays have on your skin. The reality is that both types of light can cause serious damage, however the effects of UVA exposure may not be as apparent at first.

UVB Damage

The most well understood type of sun damage is that caused by UVB radiation. Sunburns, tanning, and all other sun damage that has an immediate and apparent effect is caused by UVB exposure. This type of radiation affects the epidermis (outer layer) of the skin, and repeated over-exposure to UVB light can cause other, more serious, problems.

These include (but are not limited to):

• An increase in free radicals which damage cells, and can further work to actually damage the skins DNA
• Acute Sunburn which, besides its painful effects, has been linked to tumors, cancers, improper function of the immune system, and other more serious problems.
• Damage to the DNA of the skin as a result of both of the above.

UVA Damage

The other type of UV light has a more subtle, but in some ways even more damaging effect on your body. UVA light is not absorbed or blocked by the epidermis, so the damage is done below the top layer of skin. This type of sun damage is most responsible for premature aging, and has also been linked to skin cancer(s). UVA light is also responsible for creating free radicals that damage cells, and can even damage the skins DNA

What makes UVA even scarier, in some ways, is that its damage builds with time. If you spent an hour in the sun today, and an hour in the sun tomorrow, and then three hours out next week, it isn’t like UVB damage. Your body won’t repair the damage that is done. Instead you end up with a combined effect. You get five hours of UVA damage done below the skin.

In any case it is important to understand that protection against both types of harmful radiation is necessary. You now have an idea of the types of UV damage, and a basic idea of the damage that can be done. Be sure to check back, as I will be posting more on the topic of protecting yourself over the next couple of articles!

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Posted: July 19th, 2008 under UVA, UVB, anti-aging, beauty, education, skin care, sun care, sun damage.
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In the world of skin care, antioxidants are important. A substantial amount of scientific research (published in peer reviews journals) have shown that these compounds are vital in protecting the skin.

Antioxidants are actives that interact with and stabilize free radicals. Topical use of antioxidants may therefore prevent cutaneous photodamage (UV-induced oxidative damage) and oxidative stress. Subsequently they may help prevent tumor formation.

One such antioxidant, that was shown to greatly help with overall skin health, is Silymarin. Studies have shown that this particular antioxidant prevents UV damage, works as an anti-inflammatory, and can reduce the chances of UVB induced skin cancer by up to 92%.

What is Silymarin

Silymarin is an extract taken from the Milk Thistle plant. It contains 3 flavonoid components: silybin (silibinin), silydianin, and silychristine. Silibinin is the most active component in health issues.

Throughout history the milk thistle plant has been used to treat things like gall bladder, spleen, and other disorders. It isn’t until recent times though, that we are beginning to gain a true understanding of the benefits of this substance, and in turn learning its benefits to the skin.

Silymarin is already being used clinically in Europe and Asia as an antihepatotoxic agent. Recent studies are finding many new uses for this naturally occurring extract.

UV Protection and Silymarin

One area where Silymarin was shown to have great benefits is in the area of UV protection, or more specifically anti-UV damage.

A 2007 study by the Palacký University showed that topical application of Silymarin prevented oxidative stress caused by exposure to UVA light (the most damaging portion of UV light).

Another study in 2008, which looked at the causes of UV induced stress, found that CD11b cells are responsible for many of the problems caused by UVB exposure. Applying Silymarin before or after UV light exposure greatly reduced these negative effects.

Simply adding Silymarin to sunscreens or other topical skin products will add more anti-UV damage properties to these products.

Skin-Cancer Preventative Silymarin

It isn’t just for UV protection that Silymarin is being found to be useful; there have been many studies into cancer prevention and inhibition with the substance. All of which have had excellent results.

1. A 2006 study at the University of Alabama showed that Silymarin taken as a dietary supplement significantly reduced cancers caused by UV exposure.
2. At the University of Colorado it was found that silibinin actually reduced tumor growth. It was also found that it was able to repair UVB-induced DNA damage in mice.
3. Another 2002 study at the University of Colorado showed that Silymarin was an excellent candidate for testing for cancer intervention in humans. They had excellent results in both prevention and intervention in animal tests. It was found that Silymarin had a 7-42% effective rate in regressing tumor growth.

   The list of studies could go on, and on. One thing is certain though. As research continues into this active it is very likely that Silymarin will become the key in creating skin-cancer preventative medicines.

Anti-Inflammatory Silymarin

Along with UV protection, and cancer prevention and intervention, Silymarin was also found to have anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-inflammatory activity of Silymarin is referred to in many of the studies quoted in this article. We highly recommend the reading of these studies, or their abstracts, to gain a deeper understanding of Silymarin’s function as an effective active for topical skin care.

More research continues into this active, but one thing is certain. Whether it is for cancer prevention, sunscreen supplements, or anti-inflammatory measures - Silymarin is sure to find its way into many new medicines, dietary supplements, and skin care products.

Silymarin is available from my favorite cosmetic ingredient supplier, BulkActives. They also provide some recipe ideas and solubility advice.

Make sure you check back here, as I will soon post some of my own recipes for Silymarin and more.

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Posted: June 26th, 2008 under DIY, Make It Yourself, anti-aging, beauty, cosmetic ingredients, education, home-made, recipe, self-improvement, skin actives, skin care, sun care.
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If you’re going to get started with DIY skin care there are a few things you are going to need to know. Terms like skin actives, cosmeceuticals, cosmetic ingredients, and active ingredients can all seem confusing to newcomers. Luckily you have me to teach and inform, and you needn’t worry when you come across terminology that you aren’t familiar with.

To help you get started here is a run-down of some of three terms that you’ll need to know. Having knowledge in these areas of skin care will help you to make sense of some of the reading material you will find on the topic. It’s also an important part of understanding the skin care ingredients you will be using in DIY skin products.

Skin Actives Defined

A skin active is less definable as a term, and more of a slogan used to advertise many types of cosmetic products. The phrase is used to advertise wrinkle creams, moisturizers, cleansing products, and more. There are also a number of products that use the phrase skin actives in their name, a website that uses the domain, and a number of other areas where you may hear the term.

As it applies to DIY skin care, most often you will find the term used with products that are meant for active shape modeling such as wrinkle creams, anti-aging formulations, etc. What they are referring to with the term is the active ingredients in the recipe (defined later in this post).

Cosmeceuticals: A Match Made in Heaven

The term cosmeceuticals is a combination of the two words cosmetic and pharmaceutical. It refers to products cosmetic products that also have drug-like benefits. It generally is used as a part of advertising slogans for cosmetic companies, but you will find this term used often in the world of skin care in general.

As it applies to the DIYer, cosmeceuticals refers to the properties of the skin care ingredients themselves. Antioxidants like vitamin C, de-pigmenting agents such as hydroquinine, and botanical substances such as green tea (among many others) all may be considered cosmeceuticals. To more clearly define what is meant by the term let’s take a look at a specific ingredient.

Coconut endosperm is an ingredient that is often used in moisturizers. It has properties that help to moisten the skin, which is a cosmetic benefit. The same ingredient also provides nutrition to the skin, promotes healthy cell growth, and helps with capillary health - all of which could be considered pharmaceutical benefits.

Active Ingredients - Getting it Done

The term active ingredients refer to the parts of your next DIY recipe that actually gets the job done. These are the ingredients that actually have effects on your skin.

As an example, if you were making a skin lightening cream, you may use the following ingredients: Distilled water, Dimethyl isosorbide, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Gelmaker, Preservative (list of ingredients used with permission: taken from the bulkactives.com skin care recipes).

In this case the Magnesium Ascorbyl Phospate (a vitamin C derivative) has active qualities as a skin lightener, and also as an anti-oxidant. The other ingredients have other purposes. Water and Gelmaker serve to make the cream, Dimethyl isosorbide helps to distribute the lightening qualities of the active ingredient more uniformly, and the preservative would be used if you wanted to keep the cream for more than a week.

In some ways all of the terms I just covered mean the same thing. But, with your new understanding of a few DIY skin care terms, and knowledge of how they apply to skin care ingredients, you should be prepared to read and understand that next great skin care recipe!

P.S. Be sure to check back, as I will be posting some of my own DIY skin care recipes soon.

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Posted: June 20th, 2008 under DIY, Make It Yourself, Uncategorized, anti-aging, beauty, cosmetic ingredients, education, home-made, recipe, self-improvement, skin actives, skin care, sun care.
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Working as a teaching professional I have limited funds available for high-end skin care products. Nevertheless, I am aging gracefully and have managed to reduce my fine lines and wrinkles, as well as deal with some unsightly acne problems. After an intensive study of beauty products and skin care I have achieved this by making my own skin care products, while staying well within my allocated budget for ‘luxuries’.

My colleagues and friends have watched me grow from a novice to a confident formulator, and I am always being asked what the best products are for taking care of many types of skin-related problems. Literally, on a daily basis, I get asked “what’s the best anti-acne treatment?”, or “what should I use for collagen production?” Answering those questions is actually one of the reasons that I am starting this blog.

The simple truth is that rarely do the store bought products work. It isn’t often that your $500 bottle of Intensive Night Restorative actually does anything (besides quickly remove five hundred dollars from your bank account).

There is definitely a better way to keep your skin looking young and healthy, and it won’t harm your bank account!

That better way is with DIY skin care.

By choosing to make your own skin care products, not only will you save yourself money, but you’ll enable yourself to find treatments that work for almost any skin related need. Do you need an anti-aging wrinkle cream? Maybe you’re just looking for something that will work for skin brightening. Whatever the case, you can find it with homemade skin care products.

What is DIY Skin Care?

DIY skin care is about making your own treatments, creams, moisturizers, sun-blocks, or any other type of product that you apply to the skin.

Instead of running out to the store to buy the latest chemically enhance and fragranced moisturizer, you would order the ingredients to make a better moisturizer yourself. With the active ingredients together you follow a simple skin care recipe, and you suddenly have a cream moisturizer that puts that commercial product to shame! (Mostly because it actually works)

Most of the ingredients you use in DIY skin care are natural extracts, which also makes homemade skin care solutions the holistic approach to keeping that youthful glow.

What Can I do With DIY Skin Care?

There aren’t many problems that can’t be overcome with a good skin care recipe, and a few active ingredients. Some of the areas where I have used DIY products for myself, friends and family include:

• Making anti inflammatory products
• Creams to promote capillary health
• Increasing collagen production
• Creams that reduce fine lines and wrinkles
• Making anti acne products that provide oil control
• Working to increase skin elasticity
• Skin lightening, and skin brightening creams
• Products that provide sun damage protection
• After exposure creams to promote sun damage repair
• Wrinkle relaxing and wrinkle tightening products

That isn’t a complete list, but it gives a good idea of some of the things you can do when you choose to become a DIYer.

How do I Get Started as A DIYer?

Getting started with do-it-yourself skin care isn’t difficult at all. All you really need are some active ingredients, and a little knowledge. Here are some places to get the ingredients.

The main site I use to order skin care ingredients is bulkactives.com. The site has a huge list of the ingredients you’ll require, and John (the gentleman who runs the site) has always been helpful in answering my questions. They also have a good list of skin care recipes.

Other sites I have used to order ingredients include TheHerbarie, and the Australian shop new directions.

Now that you have a couple places to order from, all you’ll require is a little knowledge.

Bookmark my blog (or add it to your blogroll) and come back often. I will be posting some of my own recipes for great skin care products that I use regularly. It’s very likely that you’ll find DIY skin care rewarding and fun. I know I do!

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Posted: June 18th, 2008 under DIY, Make It Yourself, anti-aging, beauty, cosmetic ingredients, education, home-made, self-improvement, skin actives, skin care, sun care.
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