Advanced Aesthetic Topics
We hear so much now of days about free radiclals, but what exactly are they and how do they work? Well free radicals are little aggressive, unstable, oxygen-containing molecules that are bouncing around in the air all over the place. They are bouncing around because they are unstable and are looking for an electron to complete them. So they steal an electron from other molecules, thereby damaging the cells from which they steal. Free radical damage causes aging. So that is why it is so very important that we get enough antioxidants both internally and externally through topical products.
Antioxidants are vitamins, amino acids and natural substances that neutralize the damaging effects that free radicals cause. My favourites are vitamins A, E and C, minerals, green tea and Grapeseed.
Our CRF (cell renewal factor), is what keeps our cells from building up and this process slows with age.
Babies – 14 days
Teenagers – 21 – 28 days
Middle age – 28 – 42 days
50 and up – 42 – 84 days
Our skins ph level sits at about 5.5. The ph scale runs from 1-14. Acids have a ph of 1 to 6, 7 is neutral and alkalines range from 8 – 14. So it is so important that we chose a cleanser that closely matches our skins own ph level so we don’t strip our skin of our hydrolipidic layer.
Our hydrolipidic layer is a layer of oil that our bodies naturally produce to keep us protected from environmental concerns, free radical damage, pollution and moisture loss through evaporation. Soaps can be very drying on our skin seeing they often sit around a 10 or 11. I find the best way to clean my skin is though dry brush exfoliation, followed by a shower. This way you are removing all the dead skin without striping it and it washes away down the drain. I follow by applying oil while I am still wet to trap that water in my skin. Pat dry so you do not remove the oil you just applied. (If you poured oil and water into a glass you would see the oil on the top and the water on the bottom, this is the same idea you want to achieve by applying oil over your highly moisturized filled skin)
