SKINCARE & BEAUTY BY JANA ELSTON

NMF (natural moisturising factor) is part of the natural chemistry of the skin. The skin cells produce certain substances to keep them nice and plump, hydrated and healthy. These substances are found within the cells, and the cells also excrete these hydrating substances into the surrounding tissue area to coat and protect the skin cells from drying out. NMF is composed of ingredients such as amino acids, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid. The NMF binds with the natural skin lipids that the skin cells synthesise to create a kind of natural moisturiser for the skin. This natural moisturiser sits in between the cells, holds the skin together and prevents excess moisture loss from the skin and the body as a whole. We call this the barrier function, and it is the body's first line of defence against moisture loss and infection. When this natural moisturiser is either missing or not complete, meaning the skin is not producing enough of these substances to keep the skin soft an...

When my daughter was younger, she was learning horseriding. One hot sunny day, she forgot to put on sunscreen and at the end of the day, she came home with a severe sunburn. Her back and shoulders were sunburned with inflammation, swelling, stinging and burning, the type of sunburn that would definitely blister.   I went out to my garden, cut some leaves off the Aloe Vera plant, cut the juicy leaf in half length-ways and scooped out the gel. I applied it to my daughter’s skin and she told me it immediately relieved her pain and stinging. I kept re-applying the aloe vera gel with cool compresses all through the night, which provided enormous relief so that she could sleep in comfort. By morning, the inflammation and pain subsided and within a few days the sunburn cleared up, with no blistering. In the beauty business, there are some powerful ingredients we work with that have an effect on the skin from the surface. Some of these are vitamins, anti-oxidants , plant extr...

When I do facials, I often see a clear line around the jawline where people stop when they apply moisturizer, and especially where they apply their sunscreen. The skin on the face looks protected, but the neck and décolletage are all weathered and look years older than the skin on the face. Your neck and décolletage are some of the first areas to show aging, brown spots, sagging and creepiness. To look after this delicate thin skin, make sure you extend your moisturizers and serums right down to your neck and décolletage. The same ingredients that are great for your face, that firm your skin, for example, vitamin C & peptides, and antioxidants that protect your skin from environmental damage, are also great for the neck area. Because the skin on the neck and décolletage is thinner, it is more prone to UV damage, which breaks down the supporting network of collagen & elastin in your skin, causing the skin to lose its elasticity and firmness. The UV also causes pigmentation which...