Skin response occurs through extensive nerve supply designed for every situation- the temperature, wind direction, subtle movements of the hair strands, and even the fight or flight reaction. Such an excellent nerve supply tends to feel every touch, even of the water. Naturally, this will bring about a ton of sensations while cleansing, nourishing, moisturizing, and more.
The skin response occurs differently to sun exposure1, and various beauty products; this response is different from person to person and from time to time. While applying a beauty product to the skin, one may feel soothing, dryness, and redness. Is this an action or reaction?
Why do we feel natural products are more on our skin than others? Why my skin feels sensitive to certain products? What is the difference between the action and reaction of the cosmetics products?
Our skin comes into contact with various environmental factors, including pollution, synthetic chemicals, weather changes, masks for covid protection, etc. These factors interact a lot with the skin’s protection mechanism resulting in increased skin permeability, loss of water, dehydration, and loss of skin-friendly oils. Age and genetics also play some role in this process.
I feel dry skin after a shower or washing my face. Action or Reaction?
Taking a shower or washing your face even with just the water is supposed to remove some dirt, grime, and oil. Adding a soap, shower gel, or face cleanser will remove additional particles from the skin. Unavoidably, this process will also lift and remove some skin-friendly oils and the outermost layer of skin cells, causing a feeling of dryness; this is an expected part of the skin cleansing process. A shower gel from nature-derived substances may help reduce dryness. Read more about skin facts here.
A moisturizer followed by cleansing can help dry skin. Avoid occlusive emollients like mineral oils, beeswax, or petroleum, which can cause contact dermatitis.
For excessive dryness, try oil-based cleansers such as Face Massage and Body Massage before water-based cleansing.
It feels different after using this new cream or lotion. Action or Reaction?
A typical and expected skin response is to new stimuli. Skin’s activity also depends on how dry it is, how the product is applied, and how long it stays on the skin. Many people describe “relieved,” “tingling,” and “pulling” sensation. If the skin becomes red, itchy, or swelling develops, there may be a reaction or irritation to the skin.
Nature-derived ingredients may cause a transient feeling of warmth or redness when first applied. Such feeling is an expected action as the nature-derived ingredients stimulate skin cells to repair, rejuvenate, hydrate, and regenerate. Typically, this feeling resolves over time as the skin’s natural protective barrier restores.
On the other hand, products can use a combination of synthetic chemicals to inhibit irritation. Such products often create a layer of synthetic chemicals on your skin without action.
I used different types of products but did not see results; why?
Nature creates elements in a slow and controlled fashion. Products made using nature-derived ingredients produce practical results and provide long-term benefits. Using nature-derived products and adapting to organic living is crucial in achieving and maintaining a well-cared skin. Every person responds differently to the environment and beauty products, and therefore, we believe that setting reasonable expectations and changing the entire lifestyle is critical to success in skincare.
While it is customary to expect “results,” consider an alternative approach. As our slogan suggests, “Stay Beautiful…Naturally!” it is vital to maintain your beauty, tone, vitality, and radiance rather than focusing on reversing the changes in their entirety.
How do you feel after reading through this brief discussion? Let us know. We hope that you found this post informative and valuable. Feel free to share our beauty pearls with others. Use this link- kusumcosmetics.com/blog/
Disclaimer-This website and content, comment, writing, or authors/contributors/writers do not provide or suggest medical, legal, or professional advice, opinion, or service. The information shared on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
We discussed low carbon energy resources, carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, and nature’s impact in our previous post- Conserving nature: Kusum’s pledge. We also discussed easy steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint without spending hours trying to figure out complex calculations.
Most biological activities, human, animal, microbiological, or plant-generated, result in carbon production. Human activity, particularly manufacturing, transportation, heat, and electricity generation, contributes to most carbon production.1
Low Carbon Energy
Today’s post aims to explain our core business principles and help other businesses take action to reduce their carbon footprint.
1)Lovely for the skin. Good for nature.
Kusum’s ingredients fundamentally support nature conservation. Read more about it here. The points discussed here are in addition to the uniqueness of our products.
2) Location.
Kusum’s location is strategically selected to reduce sourcing, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution-related resource utilization. Our unique proximity to population, port, cultivation, and talent allows us to drastically reduce carbon emissions related to our day-to-day operations.
For example, we purchase locally cultivated ingredients as much as possible. Our employees live close to their respective job sites, many of them within walking distance, allowing them to work without driving. Air shipping produces a significant amount of carbon dioxide. The port within a few miles from us enables us to utilize ground/ocean shipping as much as possible.
3) Clean energy. Strategic utilization.
Kusum operates to optimize energy utilization during off-peak hours. This step reduces energy generation and distribution-related loss. Kusum’s operations use solar power whenever possible. Starting 2022, Kusum will use wind-generated electricity for the rest of the energy needs resulting in 100% electricity from green resources.
4) Energy efficient operation.
In addition to using energy-efficient, energy-star products, Kusum’s operations use natural sunlight and LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs for lighting and induction heating elements for improved heat conduction. Our low voltage, direct current equipment reduces voltage regulation-related energy loss.
5) Enhanced supplier selection.
Kusum’s suppliers share the same business ethics and support nature conservation, using cleaner energy resources, reducing waste, and promoting recycling.
6) Demand oriented manufacturing.
Low carbon production best occurs when the production amount is just as much as the demand. We adhere to demand-oriented manufacturing to reduce excessive energy spent transporting and storing supplies and finished products. It is common in the beauty industry to deeply discount leftover inventory (causing overutilization) or throw away excess inventory (inefficient resource utilization). Our unique business practice of demand-oriented manufacturing minimizes the waste of finished products.
7) Maintaining Product consistency.
Creating products with consistent results over continued, long-term use is vital to healthy skincare. The beauty industry often confuses consumers by creating new products, new packaging, and adding tweaks to existing products to create a market attraction. Such business practice is more prevalent than perceived and, unfortunately, leads to increased production, resource utilization, leftover inventory, and waste.
For example, new holiday baskets every year, where do the leftover ones go?
8) Improved packaging, reduced packaging.
Kusum’s products utilized glass, recyclable PET and aluminum containers, and recyclable dip tubes. Kusum’s primary packaging is sturdy enough to withstand the shipping process; this allows us to use less shipping material. The overall packaging design and clear instructions keep recycling as simple and effective as possible.
9) Hailing natural beauty while supporting a good cause.
Kusum Cosmetics has partnered with Green America to help create a socially and environmentally sustainable society.
10) Clean beauty with clean air.
At Kusum Cosmetics, the clean beauty concept goes beyond creating and promoting sustainable products. We encourage the cultivation and preservation of one of the valuable natural resources- the trees.
Why trees?
Trees help reduce land erosion and sudden shifting with the forces of nature. Trees help remove carbon dioxide to store carbon within their structures. Trees provide a home to countless living creatures. Trees offer shade shelter and add biodiversity to our planet. Trees help capture rainwater and reduce flooding. Kusum Cosmetics has partnered with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit organization that plants trees in six regions of 42 countries. In 2021, the One Tree Planted organization planted 23 million trees on over 86,000 acres2. Planting and cultivating trees in their natural habitats helps us reduce our carbon footprint and low carbon energy utilization.
How do you feel after reading through this brief discussion? Let us know. We hope that you found this post informative and valuable. Feel free to share our beauty pearls with others. Use this link- kusumcosmetics.com/blog/
Disclaimer-This website and content, comment, writing, or authors/contributors/writers do not provide or suggest medical, legal, or professional advice, opinion, or service. The information shared on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
We want to talk about taking good care of our skin, the largest organ of our body! And, we will discuss skin facts, fun information, myths and more. Happy reading!
Don’t want to read the entire blog? Listen to our blog post on YouTube!
Key Insights
* Skin Layers and their importance
* A touch on diet and the skin
* Interesting facts about our skin
* Common factors affecting our skin
* Terminology for Cosmetic products
* Suggested reading
Have you ever wondered how skin manages to protect our inside organs?
How about protecting our skin from various external factors? What are these factors?
The ways of nature are wonderful. Let’s face a bit of a challenge and learn!
Why the skin exists?
The skin protects internal organs by providing a dry barrier.
Our skin protects against mechanical injury, heat and cold injury, microorganisms, radiation, and chemicals.
Skin Facts-Single Organ, Many Roles.
Our skin also regulates the temperature of our body by sweating.
It also responds to the temperature changes by changing the pattern of its blood flow.
Fine hair on the skin increases its sensitivity to fine touch.
The skin helps in making vitamin D. Nerves of the skin detect touch, heat and cold, and pain sensations.
The structure of the skin contains specialized cells called Melanocytes that are responsible for skin tone.
The versatility of Our Skin
How does our skin manage to perform so many functions? The answer resides in the layers of the skin!
* The skin has three main layers. The outermost layer is the epidermis. It has many layers of cells with the oldest cells on the outside and the youngest cells on the inside. The epidermis also provides a dry, waterproof barrier.
* The second layer is the dermis. The dermis has connective tissues, hair follicles, and sweat glands.
* The third layer is the hypodermis or subcutaneous tissue. The hypodermis has fat cells, blood vessels, and connective tissue. The nerve endings also live in this layer.
Underneath these layers lays the muscle of the skin. The muscle causes movements of the skin such as shivering and feeling of tense skin during cold weather.
Skin Facts and Fun
1) The skin is the largest organ of our body.
2) The skin covers about 2 square meter area of our body on an average.
3) It has more than 250 million cells.
4) It weighs 10 lbs. and has more than 10 miles of blood vessels.
5) The skin varies in thickness. The thinnest skin (0.2 mm) is present on the eyelid and thickest on the feet (1.5 mm). But, repeated friction increases the skin’s thickness by forming a “callus”.
6) The skin sheds the outermost cells (about 40,000 old or dead skin cells every minute). Our skin renews itself completely every 30 days.
7) The skin’s pH is acidic, ranging from 4.5 to 5.5. This acidity helps our skin fight against many dangerous pathogens.
8) Our skin is home to more than 1,000 kinds of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses.
9) Any breakage of the skin heals with dense, fiber-like tissue (fibrous tissue) called a scar.
10) Skin represents your health, dietary pattern, and mental status. Read further on diet and skin health below.
Factors affecting the skin
Our skin receives nutrition through the bloodstream. The skin needs sunlight to make Vitamin D. Several factors affect our skin health.
The table below simplifies it.
Skin Facts- Sunlight helps the skin make Vitamin D.
Factors Affecting Skin Health
Internal factors
Effect on the skin
Inadequate sleep
Lowers skin moisture
Stress, anxiety
Change in hormone & oil production
High fat, low fiber diet
Decreased smoothness
Excessive sugar in the diet
Increased acne and eczema
Vitamin C, Omega-3 Fatty Acid in the diet
Increased Collagen, and smooth, shiny skin
External factors
Effect on the skin
Sunlight exposure (10-30 minutes/day)
Vitamin D production
Excessive sun exposure
Sunburns, cancer, and radiation damage
Chemical exposure
Dryness, irritation, inflammation, cancer
Repeated injury/friction
Scar formation, Callus (thick skin)
A touch on diet and the skin
Our body shows pretty much what we eat.
A healthy diet helps the skin fight aging. Vitamin C, Omega 3- fatty acids, Zinc, and Vitamin E are well known for skin nourishment.
Skin Facts, Fun, Myths And More! 21
Skin Facts- Skin friendly foods!
But, a diet rich in trans fats, sugar and decreased activity adds oxidative stress on the skin. This stress makes the skin age faster and causes wrinkles early.
Skin Facts, Fun, Myths And More! 22
Skin Facts-Yum but not so good for the skin!
Stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep affect skin health by reducing moisture and causing dryness, wrinkling and sagging.
Myths about the skin
Now we know a bit about the structure of the skin, its functions, and its favorite nutrients.
We also learned what factors affect our skin in good and bad ways.
Let’s look at several myths about skin and skincare treatments.
1) Creams claiming anti-aging substances can keep the skin looking young.
Our markets are filled with thousands of products claiming various anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging capabilities.
The cost of the product is driven by the brand name, marketing, and appearance of the product.
Most of such claims are untested, unproven and has no scientific data behind them.
2) Cleaning the skin with antibacterial soap is better than regular soap.
The skin is home to many microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses.
Many of these creatures are useful and take part in skins’ function.
Some of these microorganisms even protect us from other harmful bugs.
It is not possible to keep the skin completely free of bacteria or other organisms; it is not necessary.
Keeping your skin clean with regular soap is just fine.
Good and frequent hand washing prevents most infections.
3) Hot water provides better skin cleanse.
We feel great while taking a hot bath, don’t we?
Actually, hot water will strip the skin of its natural protectants (such as oil) and leave your skin very dry.
If your skin looks red after a wash, the water was too hot. Simple.
Skin Facts, Fun, Myths And More! 23
Skin Facts- Use lukewarm water for cleaning the skin.
4) Rubbing hard with a scrub means better exfoliation.
Ideal exfoliation removes the most superficial layer of the skin.
Hard and repeated rubbing of any type of scrub will injure the younger, budding cells.
The young skin cells give you that great look but you end up damaging them by friction!
The best exfoliation is the gentle one.
5)The price tag of a product speaks for its quality.
The brand name, aggressive marketing, and popularity drive the cost of a product.
Remember that gorgeous looking bottle with a shiny label claiming the ultimate cure?
You do. Remember its price tag of $130 for 0.5 Oz product?
A good cosmetic product is driven by the quality of its ingredients and how it helps reach your goals without causing harm.
Now, there is a price tag to this achievement and there is a reasonable method to assess the quality of a cosmetic product without having to use it.
A proper understanding of the label of the product is essential to identify a good product.
6) If a product is labeled “natural” or “chemical-free”, it must be good for me.
First of all, one needs to determine if you are allergic to any ingredient listed on a cosmetic product.
Natural or not, allergic reactions can be serious and therefore carefully read the back panel for a list of ingredients.
A label claiming chemical-free has a vast definition (or lack of thereof) and does not exclude chemicals introduced in its base ingredients.
Improperly preserved, “natural” products can promote bacterial growth. As a result, it may cause problems for you.
In general, reading the label thoroughly helps you understand the content and quality. It also helps you set your expectations out of using the product.
Make sure to thoroughly read the label on the backside of the product. Why?
Because it is the most important source of this information!
Read more about how to analyze a product label here.
Cosmetic Terminology
Last but not least, we want to discuss several terms used in the cosmetic and skincare world and their meaning.
* Acidic- normal skin pH ranges between 4.5-5.5. The neutral pH is 7. Any number lower than 7 is acidic. What is pH?
* Alkaline- any pH number greater than 7 is Alkaline.
* Anti-oxidant- a substance that reduces free-radical damage. In reality, most cosmetic products claiming to be “anti-oxidant” are not proven by scientific means. Avoid such marketing words while evaluating a product.
* Emollient- a substance that increases water levels in the skin, also known as a moisturizer. An example here.
* Essential oil- an oily substance extracted from the plant while preserving its fragrance.
* Flavonoids- substances found in pigmented fruits, vegetables, nuts, and the seeds. Some claim they possess anti-oxidant properties.
* Fibroblast- a cell responsible for collagen production and keeps the skin plump.
* Fragrance- a natural or chemically produced compound used as a scent.
* Free radicals- substances generated in our body by excessive sunlight, smoking, pollution, and unhealthy diet causing skin damage.
* Fruit enzymes- mild substances derived from fruit for gentle exfoliation by breaking down keratin of the skin. An example here.
* Humectant- a moisturizer.
* Gel- a thin, pasty substance/product. An example here.
* Lotion- a thin product made with water, oils, and butter for application on the skin for moisturizing, and improving dryness. An example here.
* Cream- thicker product compared to lotion, particularly for very dry skin. An example here.
* Body butter-Shea or other butter for dry skin, and areas with naturally thick skin (palm of hands, sole of feet). An example here.
* Toner- a product claiming to improve skin tone and texture. They come in all forms- creams, serum, oils, lotions, and gels!
* Hair oil- various oil preparations used to promote hair health and growth. An example here.
Suggested reading:
In summary, our skin is a showcase of our body and taking good care of our skin is essential for well being.
We hope that you found this blog post informative and useful. Don’t forget to routinely visit our blog and share it with your family and friends. Feel free to leave a comment below!
Disclaimer- This website and any of its content, comment, writing or authors/contributors/writers do not provide or suggest a medical, legal or professional advice, opinion or service. The information shared on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Do not sell my information.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
