cosmetic products

Kermit the Frog used to sing, “It’s not easy being green.”
My, how things have changed since then! Today, companies and products are scrambling to reposition themselves as “green.” It’s certainly trendy, but how much of it is just marketing? Stand at any drug store cosmetics wall and you'll see the color green on fresh new packaging, along with words like Natural, Pure, Organic, Mineral. But what do new color schemes and claims really mean? What's different about so-called “green” or “organic” or “natural” cosmetics?

The success of injectable cosmetic Botox® in erasing furrowed brows, crow’s feet, and wrinkled lip lines has prompted growing interest in other subcutaneous therapies to achieve new kinds of cosmetic results.

Cosmetics is a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry with limited regulations. The FDA lacks the power to approve products or an ingredient used in cosmetics and has not specifically determined what is “safe.” Because compounds placed on the skin can readily be absorbed into the body, is this something to be concerned about?

All natural, fragrance free, safe for sensitive skin. These are words that we see a lot on beauty products. But what do they really mean? Many assume that using such products is somehow beneficial, but marketing terms may not actually mean what we assume. Here are a few thoughts about common product descriptions and what you need to know about them.

Today’s buzzword in many industries is green, including the personal care and cosmetics business. Words like natural and organic figure prominently on labels and in advertisements. But I’ve discovered it’s hard to get a handle on such terms, even when we are dedicated label readers.

Q: Are there alternatives to Botox for effectively treating my frown lines? 

A: Well that’s a great question, but the answer may be “yes and no” – let me give a little background. After thousands of repetitive motions, muscle contractions, like frowning, wear deep grooves in the skin. One practical anti-aging strategy is to find ways to lessen the impact of facial expression on our faces. That’s where Botox® Cosmetic often comes in.

Q: I don’t like the age spots that are starting to appear on my face. What can I do about them? 

A: So-called “age spots” are actually "sun spots.” Patches of uneven pigmentation affect many people and occur because the body distributes either too much or too little melanin (the pigment that creates skin, eye, and hair color) to an area. Uneven pigmentation results in a mottled appearance and can occur at different life stages, regardless of ethnic background or skin color. 

There are many different brands of soaps and cleansers on the market today designed for many purposes, from fighting acne-causing bacteria to providing moisture. With so many different types of soap available today, it is hard to imagine how we ever survived with plain old-fashioned soap that was not designed for a specific skin type or purpose. As with any innovation, soap has gone through many changes since its inception thousands of years ago to become as varied and beneficial as it is today.

Q: It seems like every time I get a pimple, it turns into a scar. How do I prevent that? 

A: You are right to focus on prevention. The first rule is, as tempting as it might be, don’t pick at your face! Picking at pimples irritates the skin and increases the risk of developing an inflammatory response that leads to scarring. Pay attention to how often you touch your face, consciously and unconsciously. Frequently touching your face can spread more bacteria, increasing the chance of acne scarring. Keep track of that habit and break it!

Q: I have tried many wrinkle creams, but none of them seem to work. Why?

A: There can be many reasons why wrinkle creams don’t seem to work. If you smoke, no cream can undo the damage to your skin. Smoking causes biochemical reactions in the skin that accelerate aging. Stopping smoking is the single most powerful “anti-aging” strategy there is. Aside from that, there could be other factors: