Beginners skin science
July 28th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
We, humans, and the many bacteria that live in us and on us have evolved together for millennia. This stuff may sound yucky but what is actually is yucky it’s when the bacteria are not there. Our body needs them, they are crucial to the immune system and epidermal development and differentiation. Microbe colonization of our skin is no longer perceived as a threat but as a factor to be evaluated depending on the circumstances. Bacteria are so enmeshed with the human body that, for some purposes, they could be considered part of it. This relationship starts as soon as a baby makes its way through the birth canal, collecting…
July 10th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Using actives available from Skin Actives, it is possible to improve many make-up products. There are, however, some make-up products that can’t be “redeemed”, mascara is one of them. In fact, mascara is terribly effective at destroying eyelashes. Why? Let’s look at an ingredient list: The following is an example of a mascara “disguised” as care product: Water, Synthetic Beeswax, Paraffin, Stearic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Triethanolamine, Butylene Glycol, Carnauba Wax [cera Carnauba], Glyceryl Stearate, Polybutene, Triacontanyl Pvp, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehyrdroacetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Tourmaline, Rose Damascena Flower Oil, 1,2-hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Sodium Benzoate, Iron Oxides, Fragrance (Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Eugenol). Even…
July 9th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
I enjoy watching the videos from Epicurious, “4 levels of…”. They show how to make a variety of foods at different levels of expertise, and a food scientist explains how the flavors develop and the composition and interaction of different ingredients. You will find them here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcjhYlL1WRBjKaJsMH_h7Lg Have fun! Hannah
July 1st, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
There is more than hair loss as we age or are “hit” by menopause or illness. The hair becomes more fragile and thin; you will notice a change in the way it “waves” when you comb it. The good news is that Skin Actives can help in both these aspects. Our hair serum (patent pending) is the most complete topical treatment for hair loss, and it also increases hair thickness. If you like scalp massage, make sure you get triple benefits by applying hair serum first and and then some ELS with the massage. The bonus? You nails will also be stronger, because your nail beds need the same nutrients…
April 28th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
What causes uneven skin? Life does. From the day we are born, our body accumulates changes and scars as we grow up and grow old, but nothing is as visible as this scar or that sunspot on our face. Our skin changes color in response to the sun, the environment, and stress in general, including the products we apply to our skin. Skin pigmentation is a very complex process that involves different types of cells that originate in different parts of the embryo, several biochemical reactions, and transport across the cell and between cells. With so many interconnected processes, it is not surprising that things can go wrong. In my…
April 18th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
I don’t know of any papers that address this issue in skincare. But we know that microbes can adapt to the environment and even mutate, giving us bacteria that become resistant to antibiotics. I also know that even if products stay the same, the skin doesn’t. You may think that your kin has become “resistant” to an ingredient used to decrease sebum secretion, while what actually happened is that your skin has changed in response to the hormonal cycle. A product may have been bad for you from the start, and your skin may be responding to a constant change in acidity. Frequent peels will decrease the efficacy of the…
April 18th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
We ignore the menstrual cycle at our own peril because it matters. Acne is common in postadolescent women, and an increase in lesions may be noted in the last 7-10 days of the menstrual cycle. Why? Changing hormones across the menstrual cycle produces measurable variations in immune function and susceptibility to disease. The skin and scalp have estrogen and progesterone receptors in both the dermis and epidermis. Levels of estrogen and progesterone fluctuate during the cycle and influence numerous characteristics of the epidermis, including lipid secretion and sebum production, skin thickness, fat deposition, skin hydration, and barrier function. Dermal collagen content, which contributes to skin elasticity is also affected. Estrogen…
April 15th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
The question should be: how did you choose your favorite ingredient? If the answer is “everybody was talking about X” then you probably chose wrong. Ingredients that “everybody was talking about” included the following: a toxic plant extract (yes, believe me), idebenone (a CoQ10 analog that was allergenic for some people), media discarded from laboratory cell cultures, a copper salt that decreases hyaluronic acid synthesis, myriad non-biological synthetic peptides with unknown effects, a strong oxidant (benzoyl peroxide), plant stem cells, etc. This list includes ingredients that will do nothing for your skin and others that will damage and age it. Please remember that what makes people talk about something is…
April 12th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
It’s obvious (or it should be!). A good diet is necessary for health. Your heart, your lungs, your bones depend on a good diet. No proteins in your diet? No heart! You will find a long list of ailments that follow the deficiency of any vitamin. Why? Vitamins are chemicals we can’t make ourselves but, at the same time, are essential to the functioning of our body. For example, all of the water-soluble vitamins and two of the fat-soluble vitamins, A and K, function as cofactors or coenzymes. Coenzymes participate in numerous biochemical reactions involving energy release from food, as well as the accompanying anabolic reactions. In addition, vitamin cofactors…
April 9th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Do yourself a favor and don’t use a magnifying glass. Why? Even if your skin looks great, your stressed brain may tell you differently. Start by being nice to yourself, and that starts by avoiding the magnifying glass. You can use it to look at interesting insects or to do embroidery (I am told that embroidery is great at relieving stress!). Think moisture. Start by cleansing your skin with a mild cleanser that will not strip your skin of valuable lipids and proteins. Skin “cleaned” with detergents and alcohols will dry it and kill cells, including stem cells that reside in the basal layer and the pores. After rinsing the…
April 9th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Top up: fill up a glass or other partly full container. This is an important concept in the way we design products at Skin Actives. What we DO We “top up” the nutrients, growth factors, minerals, that are fundamental to skin biochemistry and that decrease in skin and scalp as we age or when we are under stress. We may add actives present in botanical extracts that have been used for many decades if not centuries. What we DON’T DO We don’t use ingredients that don’t exist naturally in our bodies, like synthetic peptides (there is no independent research to support claims of benefits or the absence of side effects).…
April 9th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Why are some countries banning Photoshop from beauty advertising? Because some women (and men?) may end up believing the fantasy and try to achieve it themselves. It’s true that Photoshop can erase wrinkles and pores. The problem is when a woman tries to imitate that look using acid peels. It’s true that Photoshop can “perfect” eyebrows. The problem is when women pull out their eyebrows and tattoo instead the shape that fashion dictates. When the fashion changes, will they change the tattoo? Good luck with that! Is it a problem when you use acid peels to lighten your skin? It is if you are one of the many people…
March 31st, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
To understand why and how are acids used in skincare, first, we have to understand what is an acid. The word acid is derived from the Latin acidus/acēre, meaning ‘sour’. Think lemonade, a solution of citric acid in water (plus other chemicals). A useful definition of acid: a molecule or ion capable of donating a proton (H+). When dissolved in water, am acid will give a solution with a sour taste, and react with bases (like sodium hydroxide) and certain metals to form salts. An aqueous solution of an acid has a pH lower than 7. A lower pH means higher acidity and has a higher concentration of free protons.…
March 20th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
What is “double cleansing”? Double cleanse means using two different cleansers — one with oil, followed by another with water — to get your face as clean as possible, without irritating your skin. The idea behind this trend is that after a day inside/outside there will be both water and oil-soluble stuff on your skin worth removing. It makes sense, as long as you don’t remove the precious lipids that make your skin a good barrier protecting you from the environment, microbes, and more. Disadvantages? Adding more and more steps to a skincare routine until it takes over your morning (and/or evening) is not useful. It distracts from the main…
March 14th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
There are many classifications of skin types. The question is, do they matter to you? The traditional Fitzpatrick skin phototype is oriented towards genetics and what would have been called “race” a few decades ago. How pale or dark the skin is, and how it reacts to the sun. Does it tan easily or burns? This is a simple classification and easy to use, if a bit obvious. It is important to understand that there is no unique scientific classification of skin types so any expert can make his/her own system and things can get really complicated. There is an obvious influence of genetics on the appearance and physiology of…
March 11th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
How many of our skin problems are self-inflicted? I don’t know, but my guess is that many of them are. Which ingredient is waxy and thick and will obstruct the pores. I would not worry about petrolatum because this very useful chemical is mainly used when our skin barrier is broken, like after a burn or wound. What about others? Any product can be applied thick enough to obstruct pores, and makeup would be first on this list because it’s probably the only product that is applied to cover-up color irregularities or even acne. Think about how thick you have to apply make-up to cover up a zit! Powders can…
March 1st, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
– lack of elasticity. Looking for glow and tightness – – Dry and sensitive skin, sun damage – large pores, greyish skin, rough texture. Short term (like you have a party tonight!) Tightness: DMAE, like in this SAS serum. Glow: !5% Ascorbic acid serum or massage with crystals and rinse well Dry and sensitive skin: avoid acids and exfoliation, physical or with proteases. Use ELS serum with hemp. Large pores, “greyish” skin, rough texture. Throw away the magnifying mirror in your bathroom. Change the light bulb to give a more “sun-like” spectrum. Then, if these changes don’t help, use some alpha/beta exfoliating solution, leave for 5 minutes and rinse very…
February 9th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Remember: some proteins are hormones and some hormones are proteins What are proteins? See my blog post. Lots of proteins are NOT hormones, but some are. What are hormones? A hormone (from the Greek participle ὁρμῶν, “setting in motion”) is any member of a class of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms, that are transported to distant organs to regulate physiology and behavior. Hormones are needed for the correct development of both animals and plants. The definition of a hormone as a signaling molecule that acts far from its site of synthesis includes many different classes of molecules. Substances considered to be hormones include eicosanoids (a type of lipid, e.g. prostaglandins…
February 7th, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
From the NYT: Dark Under-Eye Circles? The Kids Say It’s Cool A trend overtaking TikTok and Instagram has creators not only uncovering their under-eye bags but accentuating them. Say no to new fashions that promote the lack of sleep as “trending”. It reminds me of the times when “consumption” (tuberculosis) was the mark of the poet. I say no to anything less than 8 hours of sleep, but I agree that under-eye “bags” can be pretty, especially in the photographs of my mother and grandmother. It’s just the shape of the face and the way the light and shades play in the photo. Or admire Anna Magnani. If you…
February 3rd, 2021 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
We have the best proteins but it depends on what your skin needs. If you are young and healthy, you will probably not need our growth factors, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), and epidermal growth factor (EGF), because you have them in abundance. Give it a few years and you will be needing both KGF and EGF to top up your diminishing growth factors both in skin and scalp, and even your nails. The warning signs? Thinning skin, thinning hair, slow-growing or thin nails. As for our antioxidant proteins? All of them all the time, unless you live in a paradisiacal environment, without cars and without pollution. And even then, your…