Many people forego using eye creams, choosing instead to use their regular face moisturizer on their eyes. After all, eye cream is just moisturizer, isn’t it? Well, let’s look at the differences.

At their core, moisturizers are similar, using a lot of the same basic ingredients, such as oils, emollients, and emulsifiers; however, there are some key differences:

Heaviness:

Moisturizers are intended for the entire face, sometimes even for the rest of the body, and tend to be thick and rich. This makes them great for all over use, but they are not formulated specifically for thinner skin; eye creams, on the other hand, are typically lighter and less oily, making them better suited for the thin skin around the eyes.

Actives:

Many face moisturizers and creams will have general anti-aging peptides and vitamins, while some have no actives at all and are just formulated for moisturizing your skin. In comparison, eye creams and serums are formulated with blends of vitamins and peptides that are specifically designed to improve common eye area issues, including bags, crow’s feet, and dark circles. Some eye creams even contain caffeine, which may help tighten or firm fine lines around the eyes.

Sensitivity:

Moisturizers tend to have ingredients, such as fragrances, that are fine for most skin, but may irritate the eye area or the eyes themselves. Eye creams are specifically formulated to exclude any ingredients that could irritate the sensitive skin around the eyes, making them safer to use near your eye area.

So, all in all, is it worth it to use a separate eye cream, rather than just your regular moisturizer? They both have a lot of similar qualities; however, eye creams are designed to be better suited to treat and moisturize the eye area. With that in mind, even if you love the moisturizer you’re using, it’s better to use a separate eye cream to prevent irritation and see better anti-aging results.

Vitamin C serums are some of the most popular skin care products out there, and there are a lot of different ones to choose from. So, what is it exactly that people love so much about them? And how exactly do they work? Here’s the breakdown:

Vitamin C helps protect the skin by neutralizing harmful free radicals

Free radicals can occur naturally in our body, but they can also be formed from environmental factors, such as smoke, radiation, and pollution. They also accumulate more as we get older. When too many free radicals are present, they damage the skin, causing pigmentation problems and other skin problems. The best defense against these free radicals is plenty of antioxidants. Vitamin C and Vitamin E are two extremely effective antioxidants, and work well in skin care products. Many Vitamin C serums also contain Vitamin E, boosting their antioxidant power. These antioxidants neutralize the free radicals, reducing further skin damage.

Vitamin C helps to brighten the skin

                A significant portion of the visible damage caused by free radicals comes in the form of hyperpigmentation and age spots. Not only does Vitamin C help to prevent further damage, it also inhibits a key enzyme in producing skin pigment, helping to lighten discoloration in the skin.

Vitamin C helps to boost collagen production

                Another way free radicals damage the skin is that they can attack collagen structure. Protecting your body from them will help collagen to continue to be produced at a healthy level. Vitamin C is also an essential nutrient that the body uses in the production of collagen. These factors allow these serums to help improve elasticity in the skin.

Vitamin C serums use carriers to deliver Vitamin C into the skin efficiently

                Most Vitamin C serums use carriers such as Hyaluronic Acid to deliver the vitamin deeper into the skin to be fully absorbed. Hyaluronic Acid also gives these serums the added benefit of moisturizing the skin (especially when paired with vitamin E.)

Exfoliation is incredibly important when it comes to having healthy, young looking skin. Not only does it give the skin a smoother healthier look by removing deposits of dead flaky skin, it’s also helpful in clearing up and healing several different skin problems. Brushes and scrubs can be great for exfoliation, but they aren’t the only option.

There is a wide variety of chemical compounds and vitamins that gently exfoliate the skin more thoroughly than a brush or scrub can. Here are some of the skin issues exfoliating can help treat, as well as some of the best ingredients to use on your skin to help exfoliate.

Blemished skin/clogged pores: Excess dead skin cells on the surface of the skin can worsen, or even cause blemishes and clogged pores. The dead skin buildup (which is sometimes WORSENED by acne cleansers that dry out the skin) prevents the skin from properly releasing oils, and can cause them to become trapped in pores. Exfoliating can help prevent this, and helps in keeping the skin clean, further preventing blemishes and clogged pores.

Glycolic Acid and Retinol (Vitamin A) are great ingredients to exfoliate, and are both great at breaking down and removing layers of dead skin buildup.

Hyperpigmentation: These brown spots come from a variety of sources, including age, pregnancy, and hormonal changes. As the skin ages, these spots darken and become more visible. Proper exfoliation is essential in breaking up the pigmented cells, fading the visibility of these spots.

L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Is a great option because not only does it exfoliate the skin, it also has skin lightening properties that help further reduce the visibility of these spots. There are also Skin Brightening Serums that contain Glycolic Acid that are great for serving this purpose

Dry skin: Dry skin can increase dead skin buildup on the face, but it also prevents moisturizers from penetrating the skin to heal the dryness. Exfoliation is crucial to removing dead skin in order to allow the skin to absorb moisture and heal.

Vitamin C and Retinol are great exfoliants for this purpose, especially when paired with moisturizing ingredients such as Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid.

All of the ingredients listed above are excellent at exfoliating the skin for any purpose. Here’s a breakdown of what they are and how they work:

L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) is not only an excellent exfoliant, it also has great skin lightening and anti-aging properties. It also helps the skin resist harmful elements and external stressors. L-Ascorbic Acid is also the most highly researched form of Vitamin C when it comes to skin care, making it an excellent, reliable ingredient to incorporate into your skin care routine.

Glycolic Acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) and is found naturally in sugar cane. It has the smallest molecule of any AHA, and thus has the greatest level of penetration into the skin. Glycolic Acid deeply exfoliates, removing dry, dead, and coarse skin by loosening the substances that hold skin together, allowing for deeper exfoliation than scrubbing or brushing.

Retinol is the whole molecule form of Vitamin A, and this form helps it exfoliate the skin thoroughly, forcing the skin to create new cells. Low concentrations of this ingredient are enough to be affective, and people with sensitive skin or those who are new to Retinol should start with lower concentrations first to see how their skin reacts. It is also incredibly effective when paired with collagen-boosting peptides and antioxidants.

Causation of Wrinkles

1. Sun Damage
   Sun damage is likely the greatest factor in causing wrinkles in the skin. UV rays lead to collagen breakdown, which once started, continues gradually over your lifetime. Sun damage also leads to many other skin conditions and cancers, so it’s best to stay protected.For more on this, check out our blog on sun damage.
2. Smoking
   In studies, smokers have shown to wrinkle and age more rapidly than non-smokers on average. The best bet is to reduce or quit smoking in any way possible.
3. Dry Skin
   When skin is not properly moisturized, it can look dry, crackled, scaly and wrinkled. It’s important to moisturize, and to stay hydrated throughout the day.
4. Dead Skin
   The surface of your skin often consists of many dead skin cells. These dead cells resting on your skin will make you look dry, flaky, and wrinkled.
5. Squinting
   When you squint, your muscles pull and bunch your skin in a way that leads to eye area wrinkles such as crow’s feet and wrinkling between the brows. Sunglasses or a sun hat will help reduce the need to squint in the sunlight. If you’re having a hard time seeing at a distance or up close, consider getting an up to date prescription for eyewear, or getting some reading glasses.

Fighting Wrinkles

1. Sun Protection
   Protecting yourself from the sun is essential in maintaining healthy skin. Wear sunscreen if you’re going to be outside for 30 mins or longer. Seek Shade whenever possible. Sun hats or other sun protective clothing are also great at reducing your skin’s exposure to the sun.
2. Facial Cleansing
   Cleansing your face daily with a gentle oil-free cleanser will not only help prevent acne and clogged pores, but it will also help remove any dead or dry skin on the surface and make your skin look smooth and fresh.
3. Exfoliation
   Exfoliation is crucial in maintaining a healthy complexion. Exfoliating removes the buildup of dead skin cells that can cause you to look older and have less healthy and more wrinkled looking skin.
4. Moisturizing
   Adequate sleep will help prevent dark circles and bags from forming around your eyes. It will also improve the elasticity of your skin by producing more human growth hormone, and sleeping adequately will also prevent excess production of cortisol, which breaks down skin cells. Sleeping on your back will help to prevent lines from being pressed into your face by your sheets and pillow.
5. Using skin care products with collagen building ingredients
   The top 3 skin care ingredients for building collagen are Retinol (Vitamin A), Glycolic Acid, and vitamin C. Advanced Skin Care makes creams and serums that contain these individual ingredients in different concentrations, and also has some serums that contain several of these ingredients in one product.

Peptides can be found in a wide variety of skin care products today, and there’s a lot of buzz around them. So what are peptides exactly, and what is all the hype about? As to the first question, it’s also important to understand amino acids and proteins. here’s the simplified answer:

Amino acids are the most basic building blocks of proteins, and form some of the most essential compounds to the human body. Amino acids chain together to form peptides. Peptides group together into polypeptides, which then form together into proteins.

So, simply put, peptides are essentially protein fragments, and polypeptides are compounds formed by multiple peptides, and serve more specific functions in the body. Most of the peptides commonly found in popular skin care items are polypeptides, specifically the sort of polypeptides that interact with skin cells, muscles, and collagen production.

These peptides all serve vastly different functions, so to explain why they are such a big deal and are such highly sought after skin care ingredients, we’ll focus in on the function of a few of the most popular skin care peptides.

Acetyl hexapeptide-3, more commonly known as Argirilene, is a fragment of the protein Snap-25, the same protein that Botulinum toxin (Botox) interacts with to reduce deep wrinkles and lines caused by facial muscle contraction. Being a Hexapeptide, it is formed of six peptides linked together. Argirilene acts in a very similar way to Botox, by inhibiting reactions in the body that cause certain facial muscles to contract while smiling or frowning, visibly reducing wrinkles and fine lines. It is arguably the most popular peptide in the skin care market.

Matrixyl 3000 is composed of a palmitoyl-tripeptide, made up of three peptides, and palmitoyl-oligopeptide, composed of four. This pair of polypeptides are designed to work together to simulate the structure of broken down collagen. This signals the skin to produce the two most important proteins for healthy skin: collagen, the main structural protein in connective tissue that provides structure and fullness to the face, and elastin, the protein responsible for the skin’s elasticity. Based on a research study conducted by the company that owns the patent, Matrixyl 3000 was shown to be more effective at improving skin health than the original Matrixyl.

Syn-ake is a peptide that is formulated to reduce signs of aging such as crows feet and wrinkles. It is designed to mimic the effects of the peptide Waglerin 1, which is found in the venom of the Temple Viper. That may sound intimidating, but by replicating the effects of the venom in a controlled way, Syn-ake can safely reduce muscular contractions and cell movement, helping prevent and reduce the formation of wrinkles.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a chain of three peptides that deeply penetrates the skin into the deepest layers, allowing it to stimulate collagen production and healthy tissue growth. Early studies also suggest that it can communicate with skin cells, by replicating the body’s natural communication mechanisms, and cause them to flush out harmful toxins, or render them inert. This combination of functions makes this peptide highly effective at improving and maintaining skin health.

All of these peptides are topical, meaning they can be applied externally to the skin via serums and creams. This eliminates the need for painful injections. Also, because they vary so much in their function, it is more effective to incorporate several of these peptides into your skin care regimen.

Summer is coming soon. Whether you’re going to the beach, grilling in your backyard, going for a swim in the pool, or just walking around town, everyone loves having fun in the sun during Summer. Longer days and higher temperatures also increase the chance of UV rays from the sun damaging your skin. Sun damage leads to many types of cancer, and is a key contributor to forming wrinkles. Even if you don’t get a sunburn, your skin is still at risk. So how do we protect ourselves and keep our skin healthy?

1. Apply sunscreen regularly

Sun damage is caused by UV rays penetrating to the middle layer of skin (the dermis) and damaging it. Applying sunscreen or other high SPF products regularly can help minimize those effects by blocking the UV rays. It is recommended to use at least SPF 30 to get optimal protection for your skin. Be sure to apply to all areas that are exposed to the sun, especially the face, neck, shoulders, and ears 20-30 minutes before sun exposure. It should only take about 1-2 tablespoons to cover adequately. Re-apply every two hours (or more often for children) and after swimming, toweling, or excessive sweating.

2. Wear sun protective clothing

Sun protective clothing, such as sun hats which shade the face and neck, will greatly limit your skin’s exposure to the sun in those areas. You will still need sunscreen for the rest of your exposed skin, but the more you cover, the lower your risk of sun damage.

3. Seek shade when possible

In addition to wearing the right clothing and adequate sunscreen application, sitting or standing in the shade when possible greatly reduces the skins exposure to UV rays. In a backyard, find a nice shady tree, or consider putting up a sun tent. At the beach, umbrellas, sun tents, and other portable shade options are a great way to enjoy the outdoors without damaging your skin.

4. Try to minimize time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

During this time in the Summer, the sun’s rays are beaming down the strongest and the hottest. Although this is a great time for a lot of people to go out and have fun outside, it is safest to limit sun exposure during this time as much as possible. Try to plan outdoor activities around this time, or have shade options available.

5. Use skin care products like Retinol or peels at night

Certain skincare products, such as Retinol, or AHA’s can cause your skin to be more sensitive to the sun. To still enjoy the skin benefits of these products without increasing your risk of sun damage, apply them at night, and wash your face in the morning.

6. Don’t go overboard

There are some benefits of sun exposure, such as helping the skin produce vitamin D. About 2-3 20-30 minute sessions in the sun a week with bare skin will allow your skin to reap the benefits of sunlight without much risk of sun damage. For people with especially fair complexions who burn easier, vitamin D supplements are a good way to balance out avoiding the sun’s rays.