In the United States, guidance surrounding a product's shelf life can be quite vague. That is because there is no government regulation requiring manufacturers to print expiration dates on the labels of cosmetic products (the category that includes skin care products). This factor has led to a generally blasé attitude among consumers, who tend to hold onto products (especially more expensive ones) until they have used every last drop in the bottle. Unfortunately, this practice puts them at risk for infection from the bacteria, mold and fungi that are most certainly contaminating the product. Read More

Vitamin Q, also known as ubiquinone, ubidercarenone and coenzyme Q (CoQ10), is an oil-soluble, vitamin substance that is present in eukaryotic cells, mostly located in the mitochondria. This plays a major role in the electron transport chain and participates in aerobic cellular respiration, results in creating energy in the form of ATP. In the human body, energy is created 95 percent of time from this process. Since the heart, liver and kidneys require the highest level of energy, these organs have the highest concentration of CoQ10. The body naturally makes CoQ10 to neutralize free radicals in cells. Read More

Scientists long ago discovered a class of naturally occurring organic pigments called carotenoids that are crucial for human health. Alpha-, beta- and gamma-carotene are the most popular carotenoids which are converted to vitamin A in the human body. Recently one of the carotenoids called astaxanthin has brought increased attention as a "super nutrient" for human body and skin health. Astaxanthin is a dark red powder which is insoluble in water but soluble in fat and some organic solvents. This carotenoid is found in microalgae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill, shrimp, crayfish, crustaceans and some wild berries. Read More

Tea tree oil is an essential oil distilled from the leaves of the melaluca plant which is native to Australia. This oil has a triple antiseptic effect by its ability to fight bacteria, fungi and some viruses. Speaking about bacteria, it also reduces the production of sebum in the sebaceous glands which reduces the production of the bacteria known to cause blemishes. It is believed that when used in conjunction with glycolic acid, tea tree oil can help destroy the bacteria that can cause acne flare-ups. Tea tree oil is a great moisturizer and cleanser because it opens clogged pores and removes the bacteria from the skin surface. Read More

Red clover grows wild in Europe, Asia and the U.S. This perennial herb is beneficial for anti-aging formulations and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains numerous nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine and vitamin C. Herbalists use red clover oil to treat skin conditions like acne, rosacea and eczema. The red ... Read More

Historically it has been one of the most important commodities to humankind, used in everything from food to cleaning products to cosmeceuticals. It is also the sixth most abundant element in the Earth's crust. What is this miracle element? Sodium. Sodium is an essential nutrient that regulates blood volume, blood pressure and our pH, and in the world of aesthetics it has a number of preparations (when combined with the right compounds) that reap tremendous benefits on the skin. Read More

Traditionally vitamin K is considered to be a key beauty vitamin, along with vitamins A, C and E. In fact, the discovery of vitamin K was hailed with a Nobel Prize in 1943. It is often used in five percent concentrations in skin care formulations for stretch marks, scars, rosacea and couperose because it improves the elasticity of blood vessels. In my practice, I love to use formulations with vitamin K on the eye area because it provides noticable results in the reduction of dark circles and puffiness. There is a theory that under-eye darkness is caused by fragile under-eye capillaries that allow blood to seep into skin. Read More

Today, vitamins and supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry, but few people have even heard of vitamin H. The 'H' in vitamin H comes from the German words "Haar und Haut" which mean "hair and skin." Long known for its benefits to hair and skin, it is no surprise that it has been referred to as the 'beauty vitamin." Otherwise known as biotin, vitamin B7 or coenzyme R, vitamin H is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin whose benefits go more than skin deep. Since it is relatively rare to be deficient in this vitamin, scientists discovered the importance of biotin rather by accident. Read More