Volume XXVII - Nr.1 - November 2012
Passage from Lexicon Vol. XXV, Nr 1, 2010
Natural beauty products or natural cosmetics?
Natural Cosmetics certainly is to be intended as that one having -as ultimate
aim- to keep skin system in its anatomical, physiological and bio-chemical normality.
To restore and maintain the important functions of this fascinating system, the
main of which is the barrier function intended in bi-directional meaning (protection
against outside agents and control of water loss), above all it is useful to consider
that the skin is the first defense of our organism towards the surrounding environment.
Therefore, it's evident that balances that regulate skin functionality are fundamental
and that decisive is that these balances not only are to be left unaltered, but sustained by focused and appropriate treatments.
Beauty treatment certainly can give an important support, provided that there are some conditions for action possibility.
It should be emphasized that the basic principle to maintain the balance of all
the functions of the skin is to avoid mismanagements that, if consolidated, also
would make moderate -or even useless- the effectiveness of most specific beauty
preparations (incorrect feeding, change of the sleep-waking rhythm, intake of toxic
substances as alcohol, nicotine, drugs, application of improper substances, contact
with irritant agents, excessive exposure to sun and to suntan lamps, lasting permanence
at improper temperature and moisture, sedentariness, etc.).
The skin system is programmed to carry-on its "natural" functions and to do so, it needs to be respected according
its structure never forgetting that the aim is to guarantee skin functionality
according to nature. Therefore, while applying the concept of Natural Cosmetics,
the origin of ingredients should be deemed as secondary. The demand should be addressed
towards a selection of ingredients, excipients included, that offer wide guarantees
of harmlessness, stability in preparation and application conditions, as well of
effectiveness, according to fixed and expected canons.