Are you a budding beauty addict?
Then you’ll be familiar, with some of the terminology for ingredients found in your lotions and potions.
However, some of this terminology may be completely alien to you.
For this reason, I have put together a glossary of beauty quotes, so you can really impress your friends.
GLOSSARY OF BEAUTY QUOTES
These are very reactive molecules that can really damage the skin and cause premature ageing.
The good guys are Vitamins A, C and E that absorb free radicals, trying to undo some of the damage done.
Benzoyl Peroxide
This is an ingredient that is commonly found in over the counter spot creams.
It works by gently peeling away the surface of the skin, unclogging blocked pores that can lead to breakouts.
Collagen
This is an elastic substance found in the underlying tissues of your skin, which provide support.
We like to describe it as scaffolding for the skin, helping to plump out the epidermis keeping it soft and supple.
In mature skin you can often see how old collagen fibres lose their resilience, which causes sagging skin, lines and wrinkles
Décolleté
A lot of beauty quotes and sayings are French such as décolleté, which actually means a low cut neckline.
In the world of beauty and skincare it is referred to as the chest area.
Elastin
These are crisscross fibres found within the dermis that give the skin its elasticity and snap back.
To find out more about how skin works on a cellular level, follow this link on anti aging skin care.
Dermatologically Tested
This means that a product has been patch tested on a panel of human volunteers.
This is done to monitor the product for any possible side effects or irritation, so that it is suitable for even the most sensitive of skin.
This is a process that works to gently whisk away stubborn skin cells from the surface of the skin, helping to encourage the skin’s natural cellular renewal.
Humectants
Hyaluronic acid is a really popular humectant.
Humectants are ingredients found in moisturisers for dry skin types.
They work by attracting moisture to the skin, helping to keep the surface layers hydrated.
Hypo Allergenic
These are skin care products that are fragrance free and contain minimum colouring agents and no known irritants.
Products that are hypo allergenic can be used on even the most sensitive of skin types.
Lanolin Free
This means a product that doesn’t contain the ingredients lanolin, which is the fat that is stripped from a sheep’s wool.
In our opinion there are far superior products out there that have not been exposed to sheep dip!
Liposomes
These are tiny fluid filled spheres that are made from the same material that forms cell membranes.
Their tiny size enables them to easily penetrate the skins living cells, they work like minuscule delivery parcels, releasing their active ingredients into the skin.
Non Comedogenic
Comedones are known as white heads or black heads.
Non comedogenic means the product has been screened to eliminate ingredients that clog the hair follicle and encourage blackheads and spots.
pH Balanced
The pH scale measures the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, with 7 measuring neutral.
Any number below this is considered acidic, and any number above is considered alkaline.
Healthy skin has a slightly acidic reading, which is why pH balanced products are slightly acidic, helping to maintain natural healthy skin.
We go into greater depth about pH in the how to wash your face article, which essentially looks at the soap and water debate.
Retin A
Also known as retinoic acid, this is a derivative of vitamin A which has been used for many years to treat acne.
It is only available on prescription and used under medical supervision,
A small amounts of retinoic acid is often included in anti-ageing skincare, to help reverse visible signs of ageing.
S.P.F
This means sun protection factor,
The SPF tells you how long the sun protection will protect you from the suns burning rays.
The higher the number, the more protection it will give you.
T Zone
Found on a combination skin.
This is the area across the forehead and down the centre of the face, where oil glands and sweat glands of the face are more concentrated
Ultraviolet Rays
No quotes on beauty would be complete without touching upon the damaging UV rays.
UVB rays will burn your skin if you sunbathe to long, whilst UVA rays are strong all year round and cause photo aging.
The best way to guard against this with a broad-spectrum sun cream, which contains both UVA and UVB filters!
Vitamin E
This is an ingredient that crops up in cosmetology all the time,
Vitamin E is often used in moisturisers to combat dryness and signs of ageing; it also helps to temporarily preserve a skin care product.
Water Soluble
Cleansers are described as water soluble, when they contain oils that work to dissolve grains of makeup from the skin, water soluble cleansers can be rinsed away.
