Use of SILICONE within COSMETICS

The reason for the massive use of silicones in cosmetics is linked to their chemical structure.
In recent years, the conscious purchase of beauty products has increased, especially due to the ease of acquiring information on the Internet.

To choose our own “cosmetic” we increasingly resort to reading the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) and its “decoding” using more or less correct tools from a technical point of view (e.g. “biodictionary”, online forum, blogger, etc.). If at first this attitude could be attributed more to a medium-low consumer target, now things are changing.

Many substances have ended up straight in the sights of consumers because consensus towards green, organic products is growing: petrolatum, silicones, parabens (indiscriminately) and SLES are experienced as undesirable elements in INCI.

REASON WHY…

Some technical answers relating to the usual “reasons why” silicones are opposed

Is it true that…cosmetic silicones are derived from the combination of silicon and oil substances?

Silicones and petroleum jellies are different chemical substances. Let’s clarify this straight away. Petroleum jellies (also called hydrocarbons or mineral fats) are a class of chemical compounds derived from oil refining; among these, the best known is vaseline or liquid paraffin. Silicones, on the other hand, are semi-organic polymers that are obtained from silica.

Is it true that…silicones can cause dry skin, block pores and facilitate blackheads?

The opposite is true. Silicones can be used in the cosmetic field just as moisturizing agents. They act through an indirect hydration mechanism, i.e. they create a film on the surface of the skin, capable of retaining water, preventing excessive evaporation. However, being highly hydrating substances, they should not be used improperly or excessively because they could inhibit the physiological mechanism of skin hydration.
However, as regards open blackheads or comedones, they are due to the accumulation of sebum, keratin and microorganisms inside the hair follicles. Therefore, it is oily and non-silicone substances, such as hydrocarbons, which could block the pilosebaceous ostia and cause the appearance of comedones following their prolonged action.
However, even these latter substances are not to be avoided at all. They can bring benefits to the skin if used appropriately, i.e. when there is an indication and on the right type of skin.

Is it true that…silicones are not biodegradable and are highly polluting substances?

Silicone derivatives are not biodegradable. However, it is not necessarily the case that a cosmetic ingredient of plant origin is safer in terms of impact on the environment (from production to disposal). Exemplary is the case of zinc oxide, considered an “”ecological”” physical sun filter and better than so-called chemical filters. In terms of environmental impact on the marine system, for instance, it is a highly harmful substance. Therefore, the commitment on the part of the institutions to manage and monitor the environmental impact of all the different types of cosmetic products over time is fundamental. This is an approach that can be traced back not so much to the individual product, but to a company policy borne by those who formulate and manufacture.
An example for everyone: silicone is cold processed, with much lower energy impacts than vegetable oils.
And again: we avoid volatile silicones, whose release into the atmosphere is uncontrolled (cyclopentasixolane) in favor of non-volatile silicones, which can be removed using the hydraulic channels then destined for purifiers.

WATER IS the prerequisite FOR LIFE

And we could end here. But perhaps, speaking of skin, it is worth clarifying some concepts.

The skin is in constant exchange with water: structured to not let it in – let’s dispel the myth of the skin “drinking” – it actually lets it out through the TEWL just enough to keep our body healthy. At the same time, it is activated to remain hydrated, soft and velvety; this is possible thanks to the functionality of the horny layer (stratum corneum) which guarantees the so-called NMF (Natural Moisturizing Factor) and the production of sebum, both at the basis of the balance of the hydrolipidic mantle.

Skin – the wonderful “fabric” that covers us – is actually the most “technical” that exists.

However, it requires care and attention like all fabrics, starting from cleansing to a real daily routine to safeguard its beauty.

AQUABLEND

Moisturizing concentrate

Aquablend is an innovative pool containing a combination of botanically derived active ingredients selected for their hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties. The effectiveness lies in their integration and synergy, in the way they interact with the aim of guaranteeing perfect hydration to the skin. The base of Aquablend consists of a series of very strong natural moisturizers:

1. Natural sugars: of plant origin, including Trehalose, Fructose and Maltose.
   In particular, Trehalose is obtained from an extremophile botanical species that inhabits the most desert areas of the planet and which survives despite levels of aridity that are in all respects incompatible with life. It integrates water into tissues and reduces dehydration-induced damage.
2. Hyaluronic Acid: known for its highly moisturizing properties, it is a key component of the skin, which gives the skin strength and firmness, also improving its ability to repair from damage.
3. Natural Moisturizing Factors: including urea, pyrrolidon carboxylic acid, sodium lactate, allantoin and glycerin, with humectant and physio-hydrating action. They are synthesized by the horny layer and boost cell proliferation with a long-lasting hydrating effect.

VITAMINS AND AVENANTHRAMIDES

A high-fidelity pool for skin health

1. Vitamin E or Tocopherol: it counteracts the harmful action of free radicals, helping to prevent skin aging and giving the skin a radiant, luminous, visibly healthy appearance.
2. Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid: it has undeniable hydrating properties that promote the integration of NMF while keeping the skin soft and elastic. It also has a hydrating, regenerating action, making the skin tissue more compact and firmer.
3. Vitamin PP or Niacinamide: it contributes to significantly improving the skin barrier by promoting the increase in ceramides and barrier proteins, i.e. keratin and filaggrin. Also important is the improving action that Vitamin PP performs on the texture of the skin, mainly due to the reduction of sebum and the minimization of dilated pores.
4. Avenanthramides: they are powerful polyphenols derived from Oats, a plant long known for its anti-inflammatory, calming properties. These active fractions have shown effectiveness in terms of attenuating redness, reducing skin inflammation and decreasing histamine release. And to top it off, an interesting antioxidant action, essential for preventing skin aging.”

AN exclusive BLEND DESIGNED BY Beauty Spa

Beauty Spa has created an exclusive Blend made up of three active ingredients that work in synergy for a powerful anti-spot and illuminating action.
The purpose is to consider the blemish of skin discoloration and treat it effectively starting from three areas:

• the control of excessive melanin production
• the treatment of skin inflammation underlying hyperpigmentation
• skin renewal, essential to make the skin smoother, more even toned and luminous

These actions are admirably carried out by the Blend: a combination of Resorcinol and Bisabolol, Porcelain Flower and Licorice Extract.

The scientifically proven result is skin that regains its even tone, smoothness and luminosity day after day, and which progressively learns to defend itself from daily aggressions. Treatment and prevention – two in one.

PORCELAIN FLOWER

Crystalline transparencies.

The Porcelain Flower, or Hoya lacunosa, is an oriental flower with a crystalline, luminous appearance, used in traditional medicine for its soothing properties.
In particular, the Beauty Spa Porcelain Flower is grown in Thailand, on a farm that guarantees its traceability and, as a protected species, it ensures the sustainability of the species and the protection of biodiversity.

Its composition is ideal for the treatment of skin affected by discoloration and skin spots. In fact, it contains terpenes, flavonoids and phytosterols with a soothing, protective and revitalizing action, ideal for dealing with the delicate issue of skin inflammation.

Furthermore, its transparent, crystalline, fragile and luminous image is associated with the concept of perfection and the reflection of light, essential to give the face a radiant look, in line with the most modern “nude trend”.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

OZONE AND ITS BENEFICIAL properties

The Ozoceutica line boasts a new version of the Ozone Beauty Spa: the enhanced Super-Ozone Sesazone 6000.
Produced in Cosmoproject’s “Ozone Chamber“, it is a high-performance ingredient, today with a molecule capable of incorporating a greater percentage of Ozonides. The dynamizing effect has high added value.

Ozone is formed during thunderstorms as a result of electrical discharges, and its typical odor is easily noticeable.

There are legends that tell of the ancient thousand-year old wisdom of Eastern monks who would place bowls of oil to oxidize in the air – well protected from the rain – in order to be able to act as a substrate for oxygen, precisely by virtue of the oxidation.

The proceeds were a thick liquid, somewhat unpleasant to sight and smell, but incredibly rich, so much so that it was considered a panacea that cured every ailment, an elixir of life, shaped by the wind and son of thunder.

OZONE PROPERTIES

• Skin dynamization
• Anti-aging action: the benefits in terms of reduction of the signs of aging are evident (fewer and less deep wrinkles), as is the improvement in the brightness of the complexion and cellular vitality.
• Sanitizing action: Ozone boasts a proven sanitizing action against viruses and bacteria, essential especially in places where the skin requires maximum protection (for instance, swimming pools and gyms).
• Re-epithelializing action: Ozone improves the skin’s ability to regenerate and stimulates skin re-epithelializing activity, proving essential in the case of skin that is sensitized, damaged or affected by environmental agents. It is essentially an excellent s.o.s. active ingredient to help the skin recover its comfort and well-being in the most difficult moments.

Ultimately, thanks to the use of products enriched with this active ingredient, the skin tissue finds the way to work better, repair daily damage and prevent hypoactivity. With benefits on cellulite, critical areas and now also on stretch marks thanks to the re-epithelializing skill of this special active ingredient.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS