How To Shop Smart.

Are you sick and tired of all those skin care products that don't do what they claim to do? Ever feel disappointed when you put high hopes on it? AND what's worst is, you pay a boom and burn a hole in your pocket.

As a smart consumer one must always be wise and always be on the look out for what you purchase. By doing so, you would be able to achieve the phrase "Every penny saved, is a penny spent wisely."

Now I'm not asking you to doubt every possible product that is marketed out there, but you do need to approach each and everyone of them with caution. I'm sure you would agree that there are companies out there which focuses more on the marketing and promotions rather than put that lump sum into Research and Development. Having said that, there are some products that are of course authentically made to help your skin look smoother, youthful, more radiant, reduce eye bags and fine lines.

So how do we avoid being a victim of over priced products that do nothing but make our skin worst? The answer is quite simple really...... by remembering this principle, "Most people would pay anything and simply would not take the time to research these products and understand the ingredients and its effect on your skin." You do not need to be in this category by educating yourselves to avoid this issue.

I've did a little research on the good and bad ingredients, let's start with the good ones.

Ingredients to look for:

• Collagen - Collagen is a protein that is fibrous in nature. What makes collagen different from other kinds of protein is that it consists great tensile strength, means it provides firmness to the skin.
• Vitamin A - Also known as retional is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that is used to combat skin wrinkles, rough texture, discolorations and thinning.
• Vitamin C - Also known as L-ascorbie acid is one of the relatively few topical agents whose effectiveness against wrinkles and fine lines.
• Vitamin E - High in antioxidant, protecting skin cells from UV rays, pollution and other contaminants that produce harmful free radicals that damages skin cells. It helps keeping skin hydrated and elastic.
  
• Alpha-hydroxy acids - Also known as AHA, increase exfoliation by loosening the “glue” that holds skin cells together. In doing so dead skin cells are removed, oil is controlled, the look of fine lines is reduced, skin coloring is improved and the tone is evened out. All glowy and smooth.

Ingredients to avoid:

• Sodium lauryl sulfate - It's commonly used in shampoos and cleaners to create suds and is relatively safe, but longer contract time can cause irritation and dryness because the detregent strips the skin of lipids.
• Monoethanolamine (MEA) - and triethanolamine (TEA) - They're common Ph stabilizers, but when they're exposed to air, they form potentially irritating substances called nitrosamines. And they have a tendency to clog pores and create blackheads.
  
• Dimethylethanolamine (DMAE) - This common "instant faclit" ingredients in wrinkles creams actually does its work by causing cell damage and swelling. Sure, the wrinkles will go away temporarily (they also will if you're slapped in the face) but that doesn't mean it's good for you.