Welcome to Sips Transformation Series IX
Your skin doesn't always reflect your diet or internal health as you might expect. Don't be mistaken! Some individuals can indulge in junk food and maintain a beautiful, radiant complexion, while others who eat healthily may experience the opposite effect.
While diet does contribute to skin health, the skin might have its own unique "Outer Body Experience.".
Air pollutants can harm skin health, causing premature aging, skin barrier damage, and worsening conditions like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne. This happens through mechanisms like oxidative stress and inflammation.
Mechanisms of Damage:
Oxidative Stress: Air pollutants have the ability to cause free radical damage to the skin, which can lead to the breakdown of important proteins like collagen and elastin. These proteins are essential for maintaining the skin's structure and elasticity. When they break down, it results in the formation of wrinkles and other visible signs of aging.
Skin Barrier Damage: Pollution has the potential to disrupt the skin's natural barrier function. This disruption makes the skin more susceptible to irritants and infections, leading to conditions such as dryness, increased sensitivity, and heightened inflammation.
Inflammation: Air pollutants can trigger inflammatory responses within the skin. This inflammation can contribute to the development or exacerbation of conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne, making these issues more pronounced.
Microbiome Imbalance: Pollution can disrupt the delicate balance of the skin's microbiome, which is the complex ecosystem of microorganisms residing on the skin. This disruption can further contribute to various skin problems, affecting overall skin health.
Specific Pollutants and Their Effects:
Particulate Matter (PM): Particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, is linked to premature aging, the development of wrinkles, and the appearance of pigment spots on the skin. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the skin, exacerbating these effects.
Ozone (O3): Exposure to ozone can result in various skin conditions such as urticaria, eczema, contact dermatitis, and other nonspecific skin eruptions. The presence of ozone in the environment can aggravate these conditions, making them more severe.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Volatile Organic Compounds, when combined with sunlight and nitrogen oxides (NOx), can lead to the formation of photochemical oxidant products. These products can contribute significantly to skin inflammation and damage, affecting the skin's overall health and appearance.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): PAHs are known to be associated with extrinsic skin aging, changes in pigmentation, the development of certain skin cancers, and acneiform eruptions. These hydrocarbons can have a profound impact on skin health, leading to various dermatological issues.
Cigarette Smoke: Cigarette smoke is a major contributor to premature aging of the skin, an increase in the incidence of psoriasis, acne, and various types of skin cancers. It is also implicated in allergic skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis and eczema, worsening these conditions over time.
Specific Skin Conditions Affected:
* **Premature Aging:** Air pollution can significantly accelerate the signs of aging, including the development of wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, and the appearance of age spots. These effects can make the skin look older than it actually is.
Atopic Dermatitis: Air pollution can exacerbate atopic dermatitis, which is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. It can worsen the symptoms and may even contribute to the development of this condition in individuals who are predisposed to it.
Psoriasis: Air pollution can worsen psoriasis, which is another chronic inflammatory skin condition. The presence of pollutants in the air can lead to flare-ups and increased severity of the symptoms associated with psoriasis.
Acne: Air pollution can contribute to the development and worsening of acne. The pollutants can clog pores and irritate the skin, leading to increased breakouts and more severe acne symptoms.
Skin Cancer: Prolonged exposure to certain air pollutants, especially when combined with UV radiation, can increase the risk of developing skin cancer. This combination can be particularly harmful and lead to serious skin health issues.
Other Conditions: Air pollution can also contribute to other skin conditions, such as contact dermatitis, eczema, and pigmentary disorders. These conditions can be exacerbated by the presence of pollutants in the environment, leading to increased discomfort and skin issues.
What we put on our skin can be absorbed into the body, meaning that substances in skincare and personal care products can enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body, potentially affecting our health in various ways.
Skin Absorption:
The skin, while acting as a protective barrier, is also a porous organ that can absorb substances, allowing them to penetrate deeper layers.
Transdermal Absorption:
This process, known as transdermal absorption, allows certain chemicals, ingredients, and even some drugs to pass through the skin and into the bloodstream, where they can then circulate throughout the body.
Factors Affecting Absorption:
The rate and extent of absorption can vary depending on several factors, such as the type of substance, the skin's condition, and the specific area of application on the body.
Implications for Health:
This means that the ingredients in products we use on our skin can have an impact on our overall health, both positive and negative, depending on their nature and composition.
Examples:
For instance, certain medications are specifically designed to be absorbed through the skin (transdermal patches), and similarly, harmful chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products can also be absorbed, potentially leading to adverse effects.
Importance of Ingredients:
Therefore, it's important to be aware of the ingredients in products we use on our skin and choose those that are safe and free from potentially harmful substances, ensuring that we protect our health and well-being.
We need to nourish the Outer Body with essential nutrients to effectively combat environmental stress. That's why we decided to create skin nutritional supplements in various forms, including soaps, lotions, sprays, and serums.
It is incredibly important to wash the body with soap. Washing your body with soap offers numerous benefits, such as effectively removing dirt, germs, and bacteria from the skin's surface. This practice promotes good hygiene and can potentially help with various skin conditions by removing dead skin cells and keeping pores clear and unclogged. Simply washing with just water won't do the trick, as it doesn't provide the same level of cleanliness and protection.
You might be thinking that all soaps are equal because they serve only one purpose, which is to clean your face, hands, and body. But on the contrary, they’re not. Some soaps are bad for the skin, while others are healthy. In fact, commercial soaps contain chemical ingredients that serve secondary purposes such as giving fragrance, preserving soap, or forming a lather. When these chemical ingredients come in contact with your skin, they may lead to harmful effects.
So, to protect your health and overall wellbeing, here are some of the most harmful ingredients you need to avoid when shopping for soap.
These are chemicals used to preserve the soap and prevent the growth of bacteria, mould, and yeast in beauty products. Although they’re effective in that sense, they are also dangerous to your health.
Parabens contain oestrogen-like qualities that are greatly associated with breast cancer and tumours. When absorbed into your skin, parabens can increase oestrogen activity in your body. As a result, these chemicals trigger elevated division amongst breast cells, which can then lead to the development of breast cancer.
Formaldehyde
This is another preservative commonly found in cosmetic products to prevent bacteria build-up. However, the International Agency for Research on Carcinogens (IARC) has deemed this chemical a carcinogen linked to cancer-related health issues. In addition, it can also damage the immune system and cause allergic reactions to the skin. That said, be mindful of this ingredient when shopping for body soap, shampoos, make-up, and cleansers.
Synthetic Fragrances
You might have encountered “fragrances” in the ingredients list when shopping for your soaps. But do you understand what it entails?
Generally, this term is used by commercial soap manufacturing companies to protect their so-called “secret formula.” But it was later discovered that “fragrances” cover a wide range of chemical ingredients that can cause allergies, respiratory distress, dermatitis, and reproductive health defects.
Phthalates
One of the chemicals under “fragrances” is phthalates. This ingredient works to increase the softness and flexibility of plastics. Often, you’ll find phthalates in cosmetic products like nail polish, lotions, perfumes, and hair sprays. But they’re also present in soaps.
Similar to parabens, phthalates can increase the risk of breast cancer by disrupting endocrine functions, which are responsible for creating and releasing hormones in your body.
Synthetic Colours
Typically, synthetic colours are derived from coal tar sources and petroleum. As such, they’re suspected to be human carcinogens, an agent that can cause skin irritation, neurological disorders, and even cancer.
Triclosan
Another harmful ingredient to watch out for is triclosan. This chemical is widely used as an antimicrobial chemical that's said to kill bacteria. However, studies have shown that using antibacterial soaps with triclosan offers no benefit over washing with other soap alternatives. What's more, triclosan can also disrupt endocrine function, leading to reproductive problems, birth defects, and organ toxicity.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
Besides triclosan, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is found in nearly 90% of all skincare products as a cleaning agent. However, as much as it does its job, it's harsh on the skin because SLS is an industry-scale agent made to use as a garage cleaner. In addition, because of the potency of this chemical on soaps, it can potentially be considered carcinogenic that can cause several health issues like hair fall, organ failure, and so much more.
Propylene Glycol
More than cleaning, soaps should ideally moisturise the skin. To do that, many commercial soap companies integrate a chemical called propylene glycol. This is an organic alcohol with skin-conditioning properties. Despite that, it is also classified to be a skin irritant associated with causing hives and dermatitis.
Lye
Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is considered a caustic chemical or a byproduct of saponification. When it touches the skin, it can cause serious damage like burns and irritations. However, many store-bought soaps remain to use lye as a main ingredient.
We don't just produce soaps; instead, we offer beauty bars and shower gels that are designed to clean, strengthen, energize, and nourish the skin. These beauty bars and gels are infused with nutrients that support all three layers of the skin, ensuring a comprehensive approach to skincare
Sips Beauty Bars & Shower Gels
The skin is made up of three main layers:
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Epidermis: This is the outermost layer of the skin. It acts as a protective barrier against the environment, keeping out dirt, bacteria, and other harmful substances. The epidermis is also where new skin cells are made.
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Dermis: This is the middle layer of the skin. It contains important structures like blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, and sweat glands. The dermis provides strength and flexibility to the skin because it has collagen and elastin fibers.
Note: Many chemicals found in cosmetics, including soaps, have the potential to inflame blood vessels and nerves, which can lead to serious damage over time. This inflammation might cause swelling, which can make the skin appear younger, but there is a cost to be paid later in life.
3. Hypodermis (or Subcutaneous Layer): This is the deepest layer of the skin. It is made mostly of fat and connective tissue. The hypodermis helps insulate the body, provides cushioning, and stores energy.


Heart Of My Heart Natural Beauty Bars & Shower Gels
No harsh chemicals and no artificial fragrances, great for sensitive skin.
The addition of fresh organic donkey milk gives the soap its unique properties and benefits.
Gentle and non-irritating, suitable for all skin types.
Contains 24k Gold Mineral Oil
Anti-aging: 24K gold can help stimulate collagen production, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Anti-inflammatory: 24K gold can help calm irritated skin and reduce redness
