What helps

Specific skin problems require targeted solutions to answer the question What helps? precisely and quickly. We describe some problems and their solutions.

 

What helps …Cracked hands

The hands are constantly exposed to environmental influences, whether cold, moisture, dryness or soap. Although the palm of the hand is protected by a thick horny layer, it has no sebaceous glands. On the back of the hand, the skin is very thin. The skin of the hands therefore dries out quickly and becomes chapped.

Cleaning should therefore be done with moisturising, skin-neutral lotions or vegetable oil soaps, e.g., with almond oil or olive oil. Water-in-oil formulations and creams containing glycerin should be used.

 

Active ingredients for chapped hands

ALMOND OIL

INCI: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

CAS No.: 8007-69-0 / 90320-37-9

Prussic acid-free, fatty oil of the sweet and bitter almonds of Prunus dulcis

Extraction: cold pressing from the almond seed

Description: almost odourless, fine, light yellow oil, quickly becomes rancid

Main components: Oleic acid (component of skin sebum), linoleic acid

Effects: Soft skin feeling, smoothing, promotes healing, moisturising, strengthens the skin barrier

OLIVE OIL

INCI: Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

CAS No.: 8001-25-0

Extraction: cold pressing from the stone fruits

Description: Fatty, yellow to greenish-yellow oil, quickly becomes rancid.

Main constituents: after saponification oleic acid (constituent of the skin sebum), palmitic acid (constituent of the lipid mantle), linoleic acid

Effects: skin smoothing, moisturising

GLYCERIN

INCI: Glycerin

CAS no. 56-81-5

Also known as glycerol, simple trivalent alcohol.

Extraction: synthetically from petroleum derivatives or from animal or vegetable fats or fatty oils as a by-product of their saponification

Description: clear, colourless and odourless, sweet-tasting liquid

Effects: water-attracting, high moisture absorption, protects the skin by sealing it against aggressive external influences, makes the skin soft and smooth

 

Products for chapped hands

Cream and oil soaps have a high content of refatting and skin-caring substances.

Hand creams with glycerin

Special night creams for chapped hands are ideal at night.

For intensive care, care gloves soaked with nourishing and restorative substances are also recommended.

Hand masks and hand serums also provide intensive care.

Cuticle oils or creams help with dry, brittle nails or cracked cuticles and compensate for fat and moisture loss. Nail oil sticks are a practical alternative.

 

What helps …flaky facial skin

Especially in winter, when the skin is exposed to dry heating air and the change from heated rooms to cold, but also with dry wind at any time of the year, the facial skin can become dry.

The skin barrier needs to be supported with water-in-oil products. Since in water-in-oil formulations the moisture is bound in the oil, it cannot crystallise as easily. Important: The skin needs oil, but also moisture. Such skin care creams or lotions should contain active ingredients that strengthen the skin’s protective layer, e.g., omega-3 fatty acids.

Mild lotions are preferable for cleansing, and a facial toner with calendula is sufficient in the morning.

 

Active ingredients for flaky facial skin

CALENDULA

INCI: Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil

CAS No.: 84776-23-8, 70892-20-5

Calendula or marigold is a medicinal plant that is widespread in Europe and North Africa.

Extraction: Extract from the flowers

Description: Light yellow-red, aromatic tasting oil.

Main constituents: Carotenoids

Effects: wound-healing, disinfecting, anti-inflammatory, skin-soothing, relieves itching, emollient, cares for dry, sensitive skin, cracked skin

EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID (EPA)

An example of an omega-3 fatty acid is the 5-fold unsaturated eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

INCI: Eicosapentaenoic Acid

CAS no.: 10417-94-4

Occurrence: Rapeseed oil, hemp oil, linseed oil, walnut oil, chia oil, almond oil, avocado, algae, fatty fish.

Extraction: from fish oil, algae oil

Effects: The lipid improves the skin surface, has an antioxidant effect, moisturises, soothes redness, promotes cell regeneration and new cell formation.

Ideal for sensitive skin, flaky, dry skin, mature skin,

 

Products for flaky skin

Cleansing with cleansing cream, cleansing milk, cleansing oil

Mild facial toners e.g. with calendula

Creams in W/O formulations for flaky, dry skin

Skin oils for facial care form a film on the skin surface and retain moisture and lipids in the skin and reduce water loss.

Moisturising masks compensate for deficiencies in dry skin; any residue is creamed into the skin.

 

What helps  …rough lips

The skin of the lips is very thin and has no sweat glands and hardly any sebaceous glands. It is therefore particularly sensitive and dries out quickly.

Products with dexpanthenol, shea butter and vitamin E are recommended for their care.

 

Active ingredients for rough lips

DEXPANTHENOL

INCI: Dexpanthenol

CAS No.: 81-13-0

Also known as D-panthenol or provitamin B5.

Occurrence: in all living cells

Extraction: synthetic

Properties: viscous, colourless, highly soluble in water and alcohol

Effects: very skin-compatible, moisturising, skin-soothing, promotes skin regeneration, strengthens the skin barrier, improves its elasticity and suppleness, anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant, skin-smoothing, moisture-retaining, penetrates well into the skin

SHEABUTTER

INCI: Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

CAS No. 1940-43-92-0, 91080-23-8

Also known as shea butter, comes from the nuts of the African shea tree.

Extraction: Cold pressing

Components: Triglycerides, fatty acids, wax esters, phytosterols, vitamins: A, D, E

Properties: tallow-like consistency with no particular odour, stabilised by the addition of antioxidants

Effects: skin softening, skin smoothing, refatting, antioxidant, moisturising, improves the absorption of other skin care substances, absorbs well into the skin.

Ideal for dry and very dry skin and lip care.

VITAMIN E

INCI: Tocopherol

CAS No.: 10191-41-0

This fat-soluble substance occurs in oils (palm oil, wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, nuts, cereal germ) and can also be produced synthetically. In the product, vitamin E prevents rancidity.

Extraction: synthetic or natural

Effects: Antioxidant, radical scavenger, protects cells and cell membranes, supports skin regeneration, improves the surface structure and moisture-binding capacity of the skin.

 

Products for rough lips

Lip care for hygienic reasons, especially for inflamed lips, preferably from a tube

Lipsticks

Special exfoliating creams for lips are adapted to the fact that the lips have only a slightly developed horny layer. They loosen the tiny scraps of skin that come off chapped lips.

 

What helps  …Red nose

When you have a cold, it is not only your nose that is red. The secretion also irritates and reddens the skin between the nose and upper lip.

A nasal ointment with dexpanthenol and soothing and calming agents such as allantoin or bisabolol is recommended.

 

Active ingredients for a red nose

DEXPANTHENOL

INCI: Dexpanthenol

CAS No.: 81-13-0

Also known as D-panthenol or provitamin B5.

Occurrence: in all living cells

Extraction: synthetic

Properties: viscous, colourless, highly soluble in water and alcohol

Effects: very skin-compatible, moisturising, skin-soothing, promotes skin regeneration, strengthens the skin barrier, improves its elasticity and suppleness, anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant, skin-smoothing, moisture-retaining, penetrates well into the skin

ALLANTOIN

INCI: Allantoin

CAS no.: 97-59-6

Occurrence: Urine of mammals, plants, e.g., wheat germ, comfrey roots, horse chestnut bark.

Extraction: mostly synthetic for cosmetics

Properties: colourless, crystalline powder, odourless and tasteless

Effects: Soothes irritations, regenerates cells, smoothes rough, cracked skin, improves moisture retention. Ideal for irritated skin.

BISABOLOL

INCI: Bisabolol

CAS No.: 515-69-5 / 23089-26-1

Occurrence: in the essential oil of chamomile

Effects: Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, skin-soothing, promotes healing, soothes redness. Ideal for the care of sensitive, irritated skin.

 

Products for red nose

Nasal ointment in a tube for the treatment of the affected nasal mucosa and the skin at the nasal entrance; ointments, creams with the active ingredients mentioned.

 

What helps …Dry skin areas

Body skin has fewer sebaceous glands than the face. Too hot, too long baths or showers, too many layers of clothing in winter and hormonal changes during the menopause can lead to dehydration, with some areas such as elbows, knees, shins and the outside of the upper arms often being particularly affected.

Products with shea butter, urea and linoleic acid are recommended for the care of dry skin.

 

Active ingredients for dry skin

SHEABUTTER

INCI: Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

CAS No. 1940-43-92-0, 91080-23-8

Also known as shea butter, comes from the nuts of the African shea tree.

Extraction: Cold pressing

Components: Triglycerides, fatty acids, wax esters, phytosterols, vitamins: A, D, E

Properties: tallow-like consistency with no particular odour, stabilised by the addition of antioxidants

Effects: skin softening, skin smoothing, refatting, antioxidant, moisturising, improves the absorption of other skin care substances, absorbs well into the skin.

Ideal for dry and very dry skin and lip care.

UREA

INCI: Urea

CAS No.: 57-13-6

Occurrence: in the urine of mammals; in the epidermis, component of the moisturising factor in the horny layer (7% in NMF)

Extraction: synthetically produced for cosmetics

Properties: odourless, crystalline

Effects: binds the water in inclusion compounds from which the water is slowly released, slows down the loss of moisture, increases the water content in the epidermis, promotes healing. Ideal for smooth supple skin

LINOLEIC ACID

INCI: Linoleic Acid

CAS No: 60-33-3

The doubly unsaturated essential fatty acid belongs to the omega-6 fatty acids.

Occurrence: unsaturated fatty acid in oils (sunflower oil, grape seed oil, olive oil, safflower oil, hemp oil, soybean oil, wheat germ oil, evening primrose oil).

Properties: colourless, oily liquid.

Effects: makes the skin smooth and supple, soothes irritations, reduces transepidermal water loss.

Ideal for dry, scaly skin, barrier and cornification disorders, for neurodermatitis sufferers.

Linoleic acid is a component of ceramide I, an essential component of the skin barrier that is responsible for regulating the water balance in the epidermis.

See also our article on vitamin F

 

Products for dry skin

Bath oils or shower oils coat the skin with a moisturising film and prevent it from drying out during bathing/showering.

Cream baths also protect the skin from loss of oil and moisture and are recommended for dry skin, as are shower creams or shower milks with a moisturising effect.

For body creams, prefer water-in-oil formulations or body oils that have an intensive moisturising effect and are ideal as carriers of fat-soluble skin care substances.

More solid ointments and butters are suitable for partial care of dry skin zones.

 

What helps?

Cosmacon develops formulations that provide specific answers to the question “What helps?”