Real potential of beauty products
According to international legislation, cosmetics should have only an external effect. This means that no cosmetic additives should reach the layers of skin containing living cells and affect them. However, if these legal regulations were implemented, either many kinds of cosmetics would be withdrawn from sale or the claims they make would be drastically reduced since the preparations would act in a way they should not or in word only. Unfortunately, there is no proper practice of preparation approval for manufacturing in the cosmetics industry in contrast to the pharmaceutical industry. Due to this fact, there is a grey area where customers are made many promises of an action which cannot be controlled because there are no competent authorities.
What is the real potential of cosmetics?
Regular skin care can help the skin stay young longer. This occurs because good creams significantly improve the barrier function of the epidermis and protect it from the external factors of ageing. Both the epidermis and the living cells in the deeper layers of the skin and conjunctive tissues benefit from such protection. The lower the stress caused by the external environment is, the fewer wrinkles you have — it is an indisputable fact.
The greatest differences emerge when the question arises of whether certain active substances can or cannot turn back the ageing process, which has already started. Studies conducted in cell cultures using certain techniques and on live skin show that some improvement is achievable. The results of numerous consumer tests also indicate a positive effect. This applies both to reducing of the depth of wrinkles seen with the unaided eye and the improvement of skin elasticity. The following can be said with certainty: creams with certain active substances help to smooth out primarily fine wrinkles, lines emerging on the skin due to lack of moisture. Preparations with fruit acids (AHA-Alpha Hydroxy Acids), especially when they are used regularly for 4-6 weeks as a treatment in addition to routine skin care, can also be an aid to such smoothing. A cosmetic is hardly able to affect deep wrinkles.
Many effects caused by the various active substances are definitely present and clearly provable, for example:
Improvement of the water balance in the upper layers of the skin due to substances binding moisture. Cosmetics have achieved complete success in this area.
The protective effect of UV filters in sun creams.
Soothing effects of certain substances on the skin sensitive to irritations.
Activation of blood supply (natural nutrition) by certain substances in masks, lotions and creams.
Matting effect of additives absorbing oils in products for oily skin.
Enhancement of skin regenerative process. The most widely used active substances for this purpose are fruit acids, protein components (amino acids or polypeptides), enzymes, energy-rich sugar and phosphorus compounds (polysaccharides and phospholipids), vitamins and minerals. Biological materials from water plants and beans have become widely utilized. They should not directly interfere with cell functions, but send the authentic messenger substances to the corneal layer, which give impetus to metabolism in the germinal layer. Transfer of biochemical information does exist, but if the skin cells perceive that this information is from the cosmetics messengers has not been yet determined.
