82 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 04/2011
BACKGROUND Our skin being the largest organ of the body is getting a lot of attention these days as baby boomers look for ways to defy aging. The aging process begins the moment we are born but that doesn’t mean we can’t fight to stay young and healthy looking for as long as possible. Today’s advancements in technology and the wisdom of nature allow us to find and use personal care products that can really make a difference in and on our skin. When I first began my skincare and esthetic studies, over 25 years ago, we were taught that the skin was this magnificent organ that worked to protect the body and did not let anything in and selected what it let out (such as sweat). Today, we understand that the skin is a magnificent organ that is actually capable of absorbing almost everything (think drug patch therapy) and communicates with the inner body to help regulate the body’s temperature, protects the body from foreign aggressors, holds essential elements in, and shows us what is actually happening in our bodies (the face never lies). With increased stress and the pace of our lifestyles today, our skin really takes a beating. Coffee for breakfast, “I don’t have time to eat”, too stressed, have business deadlines to meet and no time for lunch are all beginning to take their toll on our skin and our bodies. Sound familiar The skin even with all its capabilities just can’t keep up. It begins to show signs of fatigue, dullness, lack of oxygen, and just down right sluggishness. This appears on the face as wrinkles, dry skin, blemishes, yes, blemishes, even after you’ve cleared puberty, it’s now called, “adult acne”. The skin can appear pale in color, sensitized, and it begins to loose its tone and tightness. Help! How did this happen “How I look on the outside is not how I’m feeling on the inside.” Well, maybe it silently is. With the plethora of stimulants one can take to keep up with the rest of the pack and the lack of nutrients found in most people’s daily diets, maybe it is really true What the skin is showing on the outside is how our bodies are feeling on the inside. When was the last time you sat down and took time to eat a meal When was the last time you noticed the quality of oxygen you were taking in to support your body, it’s called diaphragmatic breathing Or when was the last time you took a good look at your face and realized that your lifestyle is beginning to show up like a road map on your skin Well the good news is that as we (society) begin to become a bit more conscientious about our health and wellness, there are some really effective internal and topical products available to meet our health and skincare needs and they really work! Today, skincare manufacturers are combining the wisdom of nature (and she knows a lot) and the advancements in science and technology to deliver high performance products that really make a difference in our skin and, on some levels, may even reverse the signs of aging skin…yes, you heard correctly, reverse the signs of aging skin. So what are some of the trends and ingredients in skincare that you should be keeping an eye out for I thought you’d never ask. Let’s take a closer look. 04/2011 OBTAINER WORLDWIDE 83