Lavender As A Key Ingredient in Skin Care Products

Our skin is the reflection of our health and vitality, physical, mental and emotional wellness. A radiant and glowing skin indicates good health, positive attitude and vibrates self-confidence. One of the best ways to take good care of your skin is to feed it natural, nourshing ingredients. Avoiding toxins and chemical-laden products will do wonders to help many skin and health issues, such as; clearing up acne-prone skin, gaining a more restful nights sleep, fewer trips to the doctor or pharmacist, gaining an overall healthier appearance and energetic body and mind.

Of the many herbal and organic ingredients we can choose for our skincare and health regimes, lavender is by far the most-well-known, frequently used and most versatile.

What is Lavender?

Lavender’s botanical name is Lavendula officinalis / angustifolia. Lavender is a member of the Labiatae Family and is a native of the Mediterranean and Middle East regions, however, lavender plantations are now widely found around the world as species hybridisation
has enabled lavender to be grown commercially outside its natural climatic range.  The grey-green foliage and purple-blue flower spike of lavender is easily identified and commonly seen in herb gardens. Its aroma originating from the essential oil contained in lavender is readily recognized, especially when the flowers or leaves are touched.

Where does Lavender come from?

The most well known lavender comes from the Mediterranean region of France. The essential oil from the ‘French lavender’, is often preferred by Aromatherapists. However, there are two main species, Lavandula latifolia (spike or sweet lavender) and L. angustifolia (English/French lavender) that are used in commerce. Today, it flourishes throughout southern Europe, Australia, and the United States.

What are the properties in Lavender?

Lavender is used in many forms. Herbalists are most likely to use lavender in the form of tea or as a herbal extract. Aromatherapist
however, will use the essential oil extracted by steam distillation from the flowers of lavender in their treatments. And newer pharmceutical and skin care usage has seen lavender explode as a key ingredient in everything from soaps to skin creams to cosmetics.

Benefits of Lavender:

This versatile essential oil is familiar not only to many herbalists and skin care experts but to many laypersons as well. If you search the kitchen or first aid kit of any serious herbalist - lavender will most likely be there in the largest quantity. Lavender is one of the best natural ingredients to help stop the pain from minor kitchen accidents such as burns from the oven/stove or knife cuts. A drop of lavender can ease the pain, and only the addition of the gel-like innards of a freshly sliced open aloe vera leaf is as good a remedy for instant relief. Combining the two is recommended, as aloe vera instantly cools a hot burn.  For sunburn pain, lavender is also recommended. Pesky mosquito or other insect bites bothering you? Try adding lavender essential oil to the problem area(s) and your skin will thank you.

Headaches may disappear when you massage a tiny amount of lavender on your temples or the nape of your neck.

Lavender and relaxation are two words that are virtually synonymous with each other. However, according to author Erich Keller in his book ‘Aromatherapy Handbook for Beauty, Hair and Skin Care’ he writes: “Lavender is an all-purpose oil for skin care. Its effect is antibacterial, pain-relieving, healing for wounds, soothing for skin diseases, deodorizing, antiseptic, fungicidal, insect-repelling, rejuvenating, and anti-inflammatory. It may be used to treat all types of skin and is effective for acne and oily hair (as it regulates sebum production), itchy skin, hand care, cracked skin, bruises, shock injuries (in ice-cold compresses), acne scars, blisters, abscesses, furuncles, warts, boils, eczema, athlete’s foot (tea tree is more effective here, however), wounds, and burns. A bath with lavender soothes and heals the skin after sunburn.”

In either case, lavender has many powerful, therapeutic applications, which include:  Depression, insomnia, migraine, hysteria, nervous tension and paralysis.

Although it is not really anti-inflammatory, lavender is often useful where there is inflammation, hence its use in burns, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, boils, rheumatism, wounds, ulcers, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, cystitis, diarrhoea, laryngitis, etc. Lavender is well known for its wound healing, cleansing and toning properties and removes redness and heat from the skin, making Lavender oil a suitable addition to any skin care preparation and for any skin type.

Lavender has been shown to be very useful in the relief of burns in which case it can be applied neat to the area. Research has confirmed that lavender produces calming, soothing, and sedative effects.

Using natural ingredients is crucial to making good quality natural skin care products. Not only are using natural ingredients safer to use, but they also have less negative impact on our environment.  Lavender is suitable for use in any skin type. It’s gentle, soothing and calming properties are especially indicated for use on sensitive, dry and/or irritated skin. It is also a popular ingredient in shampoos, soaps, hair conditioners and body lotions.

Lavender’s use in skin care products is far and wide. Because of its soothing, calming properties it is an ideal ingredient in cleansers and moisturizers, but is also of value in toners and masks.  In moisturizers, lavender may be combined with other ingredients such as chamomile, jojoba, calendula, avocado and others, to reinforce the calming and soothing effects of lavender.

Cleanser and Soap Basics: Why Cleanse?

Why Cleanse the Skin?

Skin cleansing is necessary for skin health, hygiene and well being. Without effective cleansing, your skin’s surface can accumulate debris, sweat, air pollution, excess oil and bacteria. Cleaning the skin also helps to reduce the growth of microorganisms and reduce infection.

Washing with water alone will rinse some of the dirt and debris away, alone it’s not quite enough. Plain tap water will only remove about 65 percent of the oil and dirt on your skin, and will not effectively remove makeup. Skin cleansers, however, work as emulsifiers and help remove dirt, excess sebum (natural skin oils), bacteria, cosmetics and exfoliated surface skin cells.

Cleansers are especially important for those who use cosmetics, have sensitive or irritated skin, or use topical skin treatments.

Where Dirt and Debris Collect

When we cleanse our skin, we’re targeting the outermost layer of the skin called the epidermis. This outermost layer of the epidermis is composed of a tough protein-fat structure that produces a protective outer film, the skin moisture barrier. Part of the function of the epidermis is to waterproof the skin. While this film shields skin cells from the environment, it also traps and holds dust, pollutants, smoke, bacteria, cell debris, sweat and cosmetics.

Washing the embedded dirt off of your skin also removes some of this outer protective film and can irritate your skin, although mild cleansers have been developed to restore and maintain this protective covering.

The Disadvantages of Soap

Soap is the simplest type of surface-active agent - surfactant - and works by making fat and oil water-soluble and easily removed by wiping or washing. Made from fatty acid salts, soaps clean by reducing the surface tension of your skin with anionic agents such as carboxylate, sulfonate and sulfate ions which are potenial irritants.

At one time, it was thought soaps caused irritation by removing only fat from the outermost layer of the skin, but research indicates that soaps damage affects both the fat and protein structures of this top layer. This can cause unpleasant skin reactions and lead to a rougher skin texture. More bad news: the soap salts that emulsify dirt and oil are by nature alkaline and will raise the skin’s acidic pH as well as provoke swelling of the skin surface. Some studies have shown long-term use of a neutral or alkaline surfactant, such as soap, can increase the amount of bacteria on the skin, while swelling can lead to cellular damage or even breakage. Soap salts can also remove natural moisturizing factors and disrupt the skin’s protective barrier. The fatty acids in soap can have harmful effects too, by plugging follicles (pores) and causing acne.

Soaps may also contain fragrance (often to mask the strong odours of surfactants) and sometimes dyes or pigments. These ingredients can be irritating for people with sensitive skin.

Cleansing History

Today many people use the term “soap” to refer to any cleaning agent regardless of its chemistry. Traditionally soap is a simple combination of fats, oils and salt with a history stretching back to the ancient Romans. In fact, the word “detergent” is derived from “to wipe off” in Latin.

Soaps as we know them were first used about 600 BC by the Phoenicians who combined goat fat, water and potassium carbonate ash to form a solid soap.

More recently, in 1878, Harley Procter developed a new type of soap in collaboration with his cousin, James Gamble. They whipped air into a solution and created Ivory Soap, a product still sold today.

How to Cleanse Your Skin

1. Technique

Most mild, liquid cleansers can be used to clean the whole body, and some can be used without water. Lightly rub the cleanser over your skin to loosen cosmetics, debris and dirt, then rinse well with warm water or wipe off the excess with a clean dry cloth/tissue. Those with very sensitive skin should take special care to remove all the cleanser, as some ingredients could be irritating if left on the skin.

2. Frequency

Mild cleansers can be used once or twice a day on sensitive skin, depending on your preference and your doctor’s advice.

3. Moisturizers

Humans have moisturized their skin for thousands of years, and for good reason. Moisturizers increase the hydration of your skin by trapping and holding water as well as helping maintain and repair the skin barrier. Moisturizers also play a role in preventing contact dermatitis and can soothe inflammation in damaged or irritated skin. Avoid using too rich moisturizers, however, as these can lead to breakouts.

Understanding Hormones and Your Skin

“How to achieve beautiful, supple and young-looking skin”. You almost can’t avoid it - splashed on magazine covers, reported in newspapers and marketed on television and radio, the message to improve our skin would appear paramount to how we and others view our looks.
How does our skin age?  Skin aging is influenced by:

* Genetic differences
* Hormonal changes, e.g. estrogen and thyroxin
* Chronic sun exposure
* Wind, pollution

Blame it on hormones

Hormones are mostly to blame for skin changes as we age. Hormones are chemical messengers produced in organs such as the ovaries, adrenal glands, and thyroid glands, and all have an effect on other tissues.

Much of the reason why our skin begins to suffer is primarily due to hormones — and there is a massive industry manufacturing products to try to alleviate the results of these hormonal changes, notably as women reach menopause in their 40s and 50s.

As menopause occurs, estrogen is reduced and while it has a direct effect on thinning bones, it also creates significant changes in the skin. Women find:

* their skin becomes drier with increased wrinkles
* skin becomes more fragile, loses some of its elasticity, and is looser because the production of collagen is reduced
* older skin appears paler as the lack of estrogen reduces the number of blood vessels in the skin
* menopause also causes a reduction in the level of testosterone but not as significant a drop as in estrogen

Hormones and dry skin

Another hormone we have is thyroxin, produced by the thyroid gland, which influences skin appearance. Too much thyroxin shows a warm, smooth, sweaty, flushed skin. Under-activity of thyroxin produces a dry, coarse thickening of skin with reduced ability to sweat.

Hormones affect acne

The oil glands of the skin are in part controlled by the level and activity of the hormone testosterone in the skin. Testosterone is required to produce acne. This outcome can be seen in conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, which produce some elevation in testosterone, which in turn causes increased facial hair, irregular periods and acne. It has also been found that some birth control pills can block testosterone skin reactors to improve some of the consequences of increasing hormone levels. (See Acne Guide for more acne information)
Thinning hair

Hair will thin after menopause. In some women, genetic factors produce significant thinning. Abnormalities in the level of a thyroid hormone, in addition to the amount of iron stored in the body, can influence the volume of hair.

Estrogen encourages hair to stay in its growing phase (Anagen hair). This is seen in the significant thickening of hair towards the end of pregnancy. After menopause, however, the lower estrogen amount allows the scalp hair to grow towards the falling out stage (Telogen hair).
HRT and skin

Post menopausal women will notice that unlike their scalp, facial hairs increase. This is thought to be because estrogen — which opposes the effect of testosterone — drops relatively more after menopause than testosterone.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been used over the last 20 years to combat the signs of aging. HRT can promote a fuller-looking skin because the skin then becomes thicker with less loss of subcutaneous fat. Thinning and drying of vaginal surfaces is also minimized. This can also be achieved by using topical estrogen. The use of estrogen creams has been shown to maintain the elasticity and fullness of skin after menopause, although at this time it is not used extensively because of concerns about side effects and the variability of absorption into the body.

See your doctor or dermatologist to determine which solutions best suits your experience with aging skin.

By Richard Thomas, MD