Comedogenic Ingredients

This is a term used to describe ingredients, which have the potential to clog pores and cause acne. Always bear in mind that acne has been proven to be hereditary and can be influenced by stress, hormonal fluctuations, medications and most certainly by excessive exposure to sunlight.

Some women have the pre-conceived notion that foundations clog pores. This is simply not true. Unlike in the past, manufacturers today have a host of substitutes for any ingredient that is suspected to be comedogenic or has the potential to clog the pores.

Having said that, for your information, the following are a list of suspect ingredients:

• Acetylated Lanolin
• Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
• Algin
• Carrageenan
• Cetearyl Alcohol and Ceteareth 20
• Cocoa Butter
• Coconut Butter
• Coconul Oil
• Disodium Monooleamido PEG 2-
• Sulfosuccinate
• Ethylhexyl Palmitate
• Glyceryl-3-Diisosterate
• Hexadecyl Alcohol
• Isocetyl Stearate
• Isodecyl Oleate
• Isopropyl Isostearate
• Isopropyl Myristate
• Isopropyl Palmitate
• Isostearyl Isostearate
• Laureth
• Lauric Acid
• Myristyl Lactate
• Myristyl Myristate
• Octyl Palmitate
• Octyl Stearate
• Oleth-3
• Oleyl Alcohol
• PEG-16 Lanolin
• PG 2 Myristyl Propionate
• Polyglyceryl-3-Diisosteatate
• Potassium Chloride
• Propylene Glycol Monostearate
• Red Algae
• Sodium Chloride
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Sorbitan Sesquinoleate
• Soulan 16
• Steareth 10
• Stearyl Heptanonate
• Wheat Germ Oil
• Xylene

Skin Lightners

At Sacha we have taken a firm position against manufacturing any product designed to lighten your natural skin color. The potential damaging effects of skin lighteners, in our view, far outweigh the perceived benefits.

Bleaching creams as they are commonly called, generally contain hydroquinone which can cause irreparable damage to your skin. Prolonged use inhibits the production of melanin, a natural pigment which protects the skin from all the damaging effects of the sun. It also causes the skin to look transparent as it becomes “thin”. After discontinuation of use of these products, the skin continues to lighten, sometimes for several years, with no sign of stopping. Dark spots often become very light spots. Prolonged use can also cause your skin to become red, blotchy and blistered.

We strongly advise against using skin lighteners, especially those containing over 5% hydroquinone. We recommend instead that you use a sunscreen during the day containing at least SPF 15 sun protection and an alpha hydroxy exfoliant at nights. This is in our view, a far safer approach.

Night Moisturizers (with Alpha Hydroxy Acids)

Hydroxy acids are natural ingredients, which gently lift and remove dead cells from your skin. These mild acids are natural exfoliants which increase cell turn over and improve skin texture.

There are two basic types of these natural exfoliants:

• Alpha hydroxy acids have a “drop off” rate which means that it will only work when there are dead cells to exfoliate.
• Beta hydroxy acids do not have a “drop off” rate and will continue to exfoliate even after the point when the dead cells have been removed. They therefore have a greater potential to irritate the skin.
  

As often as required, use a night treatment which contains natural exfoliants to remove the dead cells. Sacha’s Overnight Renewal Lotion contains 5% alpha hydroxy acids to gently exfoliate your skin while you sleep. Allantoin contained in this product helps to reduce irritation. Though abrasive physical facial scrubs are widely used for exfoliation, they have a reputation of irritating the skin. A product containing alpha hydroxy acid is a wiser choice.

The Sacha chemists have cut out all the hoopla and have developed a skin care regime that is simple and very effective.

Night moisturizer

At the end of the day your skin needs to rejuvenate. At bedtime use a moisturizer that is rich in emollients and which contains ingredients that are designed to hydrate and revitalize your skin while you sleep. Sacha’s Overnight Moisture Lotion contains Babassu Oil, a super-rich emollient, which reduces fine lines and helps control the signs of aging.

Daily Moisturizers (with Sunscreen)

A mere quarter of a century ago, it was not as important to wear a sunscreen as it is today. The ozone layer, which surrounds the earth, serves to deflect the harmful ultra-violet (UV) rays of the sun. Over the years this layer has steadily deteriorated, allowing through far more harmful UV rays.

Every day you are exposed to UV rays that damages your skin causing sunburn, skin diseases and premature aging. UVB rays cause sunburn especially in the summer while UVA rays are responsible for premature aging. These UV rays are present every day whether the sun is out or not.

We strongly advise that you wear a sunscreen all year round. Sunscreen is no longer a summer time practice. It must become a part of your daily routine.

Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before exposure to the sun, giving it time to penetrate your skin. Reapply every 3-4 hours as well as immediately after swimming or profuse sweating. A waterproof sunscreen generally stays on about 30 minutes in water.

Sacha’s Daily Moisturizers with SPF 15 sun protection provide both UVA and UVB sun protection. Please bear in mind that a higher SPF does not necessarily mean better protection, but longer protection. An SPF 15 product for instance, will provide you with 95% protection while an SPF 50 product will give you 98% protection. The difference is negligable. Sacha’s Daily Moisturizer can be used alone or as an “under makeup” base. Moisturizers with a higher SPF factor tend to be too oily. Makeup worn over an oily base has a tendency to become discolored.

Moisturizers

Moisturizers act as a protective barrier between your skin and the environment. Although your skin manufactures its own oils, it is usually removed during the process of cleansing. It is therefore necessary to replenish these natural oils.

A basic moisturizer should contain water and other ingredients that attract and trap moisture onto the skin. It should also contain emollients which nourish the skin.