Being a stylist the past twelve years women often assume that I am authority on all things beauty. Being a six foot two clean cut gay male does not automatically make me an authority however, I do keep my ears open and I always pay close attention to anything that might give me the edge in my business.
Recently I was applying highlights to a client's hair when she began a lighthearted conversation with a fellow stylist of mine. She began going on elaborately about the 54th birthday party she had just had. I was surprised beyond belief; this lady had been coming to me for 5 years, and I had always believed her to be just shy of 45, if not younger.
I listened for a few more minutes before my curiosity got the best of me. I absolutely had to know how she kept herself looking so youthful. Face lifts and Botox immediately came to mind but I have been wrong before, and this was no exception.
I managed to get the confidence to ask her how she did it, "Girl what are you doing to keep yourself looking so young?" After we shared a laugh together, she asked me "Do you promise not divulge my secret?" in an elaboratively secret manner. I agreed enthusiastically, and so as she pulled me close to her she said in a whisper, "I found the fountain of youth". I couldn't help but laugh.
My client elaborated; she told me about her success in capturing her youth by using an organic skin cream rather than the lab created skin creams she used to utilize. I was skeptical, however, I wondered if there was really that big of a difference between the two types of creams.
When I arrived home that night I decided to do a little research. I found that most skincare brands, even the ones calling their products organic, contained preservatives that not only water down the effectiveness of their product, but also raise the price.
It turns out the company my client referred uses no potentially toxic ingredients and all of their ingredients come from certified organic farms. They do not water down even their most potent ingredients and add no colorings agents or fragrances, both of which can affect results of the product.
I know now that it is vital to look at what potentially toxic ingredients are present in skin creams when looking for one to begin using; most will contain some of they are not 100% organic. A study done in 2004 found that Prebens, a preservative used in many beauty products, was also a component of 18 out of 20 malignant breast tumors. Overall, sticking completely organic products when searching for a skin cream is the most healthy, economical, and successful option.