While many are vigilant about respecting the sensitivity of facial skin, not many are equally as vigilant in respecting the sensitivity and health of their body skin. However, body skin plays the greatest role in protecting the body from pathenogenic bacteria, environmental toxins and infection. Protecting and nurturing the health of all of your skin is necessary for overall health. Healthy skin equals a healthy body. Using products that do not contain irritants and harsh ingredients will help you both look and feel better.
Sulfates, such as aluminum and sodium laurel sulfate and its slightly less irritating cousin aluminum and sodium laureth sulfate are known and recognized skin irritants found in most bath and body washes. In fact, in higher concentrations, they are used as degreasers for driveways and cement walkways. These surfactants are the agents that produce lather or foam in a cleansing product. They clean by breaking down and encapsulating oil and dirt so they can be rinsed away. However, they also strip the skin of not only excess oil and dirt, but of all oil. This includes the protective sebum needed by your skin to stay pH balanced, healthy and hydrated. This leads to irritation and roughness, which many cleansers try to negate by putting in moisturizing ingredients, when the simpler solution is to avoid sulfates altogether by using products that feature gentler, but less sudsy, ingredients such as cocamidopropyl betaine.
The majority of shower gels and lotions contain food and cosmetic grade dye and artificial fragrances (parfum) made up of produced plant alcohols that mimic the scent of a natural substance such as a fruit or herb in order to make the product more appealing to consumers. These coloring and scenting agents are two of the foremost triggers of skin sensitivity, but serve no practical purpose regarding the effectiveness of the product, nor do they improve the condition of the skin. By causing irritation, they create roughness on the skin leading to small tears that allow bacteria to enter the body. Products without added color or fragrance, or that use natural essential oils such as lavender or rose oil to scent the product, do not cause irritation and are better able to improve the condition of the skin.
Even with the right products, showering or bathing for extended periods or in water that is too hot can dry out skin. Most tap water contains chemicals such as chlorine that are used in the purification process. These chemicals can irritate skin and unbalance the protective pH of the skin. Very hot water strips the skin of its own natural moisture. Sorter showers in lukewarm water are best for skin health. If you must feel the warmth of hot water on your body, an initial or final rinse will to the trick without harming the skin. You should also pat, not rub, yourself dry and apply any lotions or moisturizers while your skin is still damp.
Laura Bramble is a freelance writer living in Atlanta. You may view more of her work at dermalogica special cleansing gel or dermalogica skin smoothing cream.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Bramble
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