Beauty Blog

100% vegan hair care produced in Sweden Maria Nila is not the usual hair care brand. Their 100% vegan and cruelty-free products are developed out of love for animals, and a belief they should not be part of hair care products. By providing high-quality vegan beauty, they make it easy for everyone to take a step towards a sustainable and friendlier world. When you choose Maria Nila, you choose cruelty-free, climate-friendly and color protecting hair care produced in Sweden. Their chemists develop products with carefully chosen ingredients that make a difference for clients, salons, animals and the environment. They have their own product development, production, filling, and warehouse in a factory in Helsingborg, Sweden. From there ship all over the world. Maria Nila 100% vegan shampoos, conditioners, and masques come in formulas True Soft, Sheer Silver, Pure Volume, Luminous Colour and Structure Repair. Maria Nila Colour Refresh is a gentle hair masque with non-permanent color pigments. By using Colour Refresh you can easily either intensify your current color or change the color in your hair. The color washes out successively and stays in your hair for about 4 - 10 washes. It ranges in 15 shades. In 2018 Maria Nila opened up the doors to their new innovative factory and beauty hub. Located south of Sweden, this hub multiplied the manufacturing capacity by four! In this facility, everything happens, from creative ideas to finished products. From trend forecasting and resourcing of new ingredients, to chemistry, formula development, filling of bottles and finally storing in a warehouse on their way to salons all over the world. This factory is designed to produce sustainable beauty, features like a solar panel covered roof, equivalent to the energy usage of 60 households, and a circular air condensation equipment. This allows for the residual heat to be transferred back into the production process, means great energy efficiency that makes the most out of the invested resources. The new beauty hub has a capacity of producing 5000 products per hour, generating less energy and emissions per produced unit than ever before! At Marian Nila, they have a more modern and holistic view on working conditions. They provide a fully equipped gym center, charging stations for all of the company's electric cars. They also have a 64 sqm plant wall to enhance the air quality, how cool is that! Inside the building, the laboratory 'The Innovation Room' and "˜The Beauty Studio' also make way for great creativity to further create upcoming trends, educate hairdressers and develop tomorrow' hair care products. Maria Nila has safety and quality checks in every step of the production chain. They assure that you that their products have the highest possible quality, in every single unit. By driving and controlling the entire process from concept to product, they are able to guarantee healthy working conditions and high-quality formulas.

They are so easy! The face mask has exploded because they make your face look and feel great and your beauty routine faster. But...with all the different types of masks available, how do you select the one or more that are right for your skin type. Let us help you! First, if you are under the impression that face masks are an indulgence, you are mistaken. Your skins need the love and care a mask can provide. Cream Masks These are great for normal to dry skin. They provide moisture, hydration and soften your skin. They also make your skin plumper and smoother. Look for ingredients like AHA's (alpha hydroxy acid), BHA's (beta hydroxy acid), essential oils and natural butters. Clay Masks These masks balance out oil levels and help to regulate oil secretion on the surface of your skin so they are best for oily or acne-prone skin. Clay masks help rid your skin of all the dust and debris that has built up; plus they remove blackheads. They help to resolve T-zone issues and firm skin. Look for ingredients like lactic and citric acids. Gel Masks Sensitive and dehydrated skin types should use a gel mask. They are gentle, lightweight and get absorbed quickly. They can hydrate and calm your skin while firming it. Look for ingredients like cucumber, green tea, and mint. Exfoliating Masks Skincare experts recommend a skin face exfoliation twice per week. This helps to get rid of dead skin cells that clog pores. Exfoliating helps to brighten, giving you a healthy glow. Look for ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid or papaya, and pineapple fruit enzymes. Thermal Masks Also know as self-heating mask, these use science to work miracles on your skin. The ingredients generate heat with exposure to air or water or both. They produce a deep cleaning, unclogging pores and enhancing blood circulation. They can pull out deep impurities in the skin. These masks are especially perfect in winter. Peel Off Masks Want an instant glow? Use a peel-off mask. They physically removed everything that has settle on the top layer of your skin - dead skin cells, dust, oil and blackheads. Look for ones that use fruit or plant based and use all natural ingredients. Hydrogel Masks Holding much more moisture than a regular gel, these are very, very effective for repairing fine lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging. They can be used by most skin types, reduce redness caused by inflammation and leave your skin baby soft. Vitamin C Masks Aging reduced your skin's capacity to produce collagen - the substance that gives your skin it's flexibility. A vitamin C mask will fortify you skin, fill up the tiny lines, and boost collagen production. Vitamin C (also called L-ascorbic acid), along with AHA's (alpha hydroxy acids) are some of the best anti-aging skin care ingredients.

Acacia Gum also known as Gum Arabic is one of the most ancient of the gums. Acacia gum is a safe and natural stabilizer and thickener in cosmetics. From mascaras to skin lotions to hair products, eyeliners, and lipsticks, Acacia gum is a safe and natural ingredient that will bring stabilization and texture to products. Acacia gum is derived from the sap of the Acacia Senegal tree and is harvested by making small cuts in the tree's bark and allowing the sap to solidify. The acacia tree is a thorny, scraggly tree that grows approximately 4.5 m tall. It is most abundant in regions of Africa, especially in the Republic of Sudan. During times of drought, the bark of the tree splits, exuding a sap that dries in small droplets or tears. Historically, these hardened sap tears served as the major source of acacia gum, but modern commercial acacia gum is derived by tapping trees periodically and collecting the resin semi-mechanically. In skincare: Acacia gum is used as a soothing ingredient and helps alleviate inflammations. Gums are also used to thicken natural liquid soap and cosmetics. Acacia gum can also be used in lotions, creams, and serums to improve texture and act as an emulsifier. It can also help lock in moisture, reduce eye puffiness, and tighten the skin. In Cosmetics: Acacia gum is used in mascaras, lipsticks, foundations, and other cosmetics to improve texture and consistency and to help makeup apply more evenly and last longer. It can also act as a natural film-former that coats and protects the skin and hair, and helps products like sunscreen and facial masks stick to the skin. In Haircare: Acacia gum can be used as a protective agent in hair products.

Welcome the truth with Truth Treatment Systems. Created by Benjamin Knight Fuchs who had a goal to formulate products that would provide topical nourishment for the skin that met the strictest performance standards. All products are made with 100 percent active and functional ingredients that will make a difference on your skin. No fillers, preservatives, waxes, emulsifiers, oils or fragrances. All of their topical treatments work with the biochemistry of the skin. Products augment and enable dermal processes at the skin cell (not surface) level. Ingredients activate fibroblasts, normalize keratinocytes, stimulate proteins and enhance the production of extracellular lipids. And that's the secret. Truth Treatment Systems products and regimens don't change skin chemistry, they support skin chemistry! Apply a pea-size amount of any balm and notice the soft and supple feeling. Work in a small dose of Omega 6 Healing Cream and notice the radiance. Use Retinol Gel once or twice a week before you go to bed and notice the subtle lifting of your skin and watch how fine lines and blemishes begin to disappear.

In order to understand what "non-comedogenic" means, it may be helpful to break the word down. A comedo (or comedones, if more than one) is a type of pimple, or lesion that can form on your skin. Pimples differ according to their appearance and what causes them. A comedo, the least severe form of acne, is the result of a clogged pore. Pores are the tiny openings in your skin that you can see when you look very closely, especially in a magnifying mirror. Inside those pores are hair follicles -- sacs beneath the skin that house the hair root -- and that's where pimples begin. When your body produces excess sebum, it can combine with dead skin cells and sometimes bacteria to plug up the pore. The result is a pimple -- a comedo. If the comedo is closed at the skin's surface, it's called a whitehead. When it's open at the skin's surface, and you can see the plugged follicle darkened by melanin buildup, it's called a blackhead. Substances that cause your pores to become clogged and develop comedos are said to be comedogenic. Non-comedogenic products shouldn't clog your pores. Non-comedogenic is essentially "non-pore-clogging". If you have combination, oily or sensitive skin, you should use "non-comedogenic" makeup and creams and cleansers. However, there is one thing to keep in mind: there aren't really any regulations specifying what a company has to do to call its cleansers "non-comedogenic", and products labeled that way may not work for everyone. The next time you want to hide your inflamed and large pores with heavy foundation, stop and think a moment. Are you making the matters worse? Your main goal is not to get a reversed effect. With no guidelines or standards in place, even the thickest, greasiest moisturizer can claim it "won't clog pores"! As a general rule, the thicker the product, the more likely it is to be pore-clogging. Instead, if you have oily or clog-prone skin, avoid products with a thick, creamy consistency. Look for products that have a liquid, gel, or extremely light serum texture, or a thin, water-based lotion consistency. Generally, products with thinner textures are less likely to clog pores or worsen breakouts.

Grab your soda maker! It's not just for drinks! It can also make a beauty treat for your face! Sparkling water not only helps cleanse your skin in a deeper way-its carbonation helps to break up the dirt and oil embedded in your pores-there are real benefits aesthetically. For example, at room temperature, carbonated water becomes a vasodilator [normal water needs to be heated to have a vasodilation effect], meaning it triggers your blood vessels to open up, bringing the blood supply to your skin's tissue. This, in turn, enhances nutrient delivery, like oxygen, to the dermis [skin]; and the better your circulation is, the better your system will function, and the healthier your skin will look. First popularized by women in Japan and Korea, sparkling water is slowly making its way to the U.S. The reason some aestheticians love this treatment, other than for its simplicity and timelessness, is because the mineral water can help keep the cells between collagen fibers strong, aiding overall firmness and plumpness of the skin. The sparkling water is also known to help mechanically wash out the pores without too much harshness. Because this treatment is known to be compatible with all skin types, aestheticians can turn to this treatment without being too concerned about irritation or being overly harsh on the skin. In addition to clear pores and a healthy glow, tap water's pH (of 7) can disrupt the skin's acid mantle (a barrier on the skin's outermost layer), which is slightly acidic at a level of 5.5 pH. That's the same pH of carbonated water. So when you cleanse with the sparkling water, the carbonation won't alter your complexion's pH; whereas washing your face with tap water can cause dryness, which can lead to tiny cracks in your skin, inviting bacteria to brew, and breakouts to occur. Yep, acne happens THAT easily. How to wash with sparkling water. Once or twice a week is enough. Some people say that any longer than ten to fifteen seconds is too much for the skin, and other folks will say that they soak for as long as they can hold their breath. The idea is that this shouldn't be overdone and should be carefully monitored to see how your skin reacts in order to find that sweet spot of how long your skin should be soaking for. Pour sparkling water into bowl that is large enough and deep enough to submerge your face. Submerge your face into the bowl of sparkling water for 10 seconds. Massage your favorite cleansing wash into your skin. Wash away the soap with the carbonated water rinse. Dab your face with a towel before moisturizing. TIPS: If the foaming effect is too strong, mix equal parts sparkling water and mineral water to dial down the fizz for a gentler rinse. Combine a 1:1 ratio of sparkling and green tea water, drench cotton pads with the solution, and then placing them on you face for 10 minutes. It's an amazing refresher! If you want to try sparkling water on your face and you don't have a soda machine, buy a bottle first. If you and your skin love the effects, over time it may be worth the investment in a machine. .

Microcrystalline Wax is a specific type of wax produced by de-oiling petroleum as part of the petroleum refining process. Typical microcrystalline wax crystal structure is small and thin, making them more flexible than paraffin wax. It is also more elastic than other waxes and has a higher melting point. It is used in cosmetics and beauty products as a viscosity agent, binder and emollient. It is considered safe for use in these products. There are many types of waxes used in many types of products including lipsticks, baby products, eye and facial makeup, as well as nail care, skin care, suntan, sunscreen, fragrance, and non-coloring hair preparations. Ozokerite, Ceresin and Montan Wax are mineral waxes, derived from coal and shale. Paraffin and Microcrystalline Wax are derived from petroleum. Emulsifying Wax, Synthetic Wax and Synthetic Beeswax are manufactured waxes. Waxes thicken portion of cosmetics and personal care products and help keep emulsions from separating into their oil and liquid components. These waxes lessen the brittleness of stick products and add strength and stability to lipsticks. These waxes also hold together the ingredients of a compressed cake. Industries that utilize petrolatum, such as the personal care, cosmetic, and candle industries, have pushed for more materials that are considered "green" and based on renewable resources. As an alternative, hybrid petrolatum can be used. Hybrid petrolatum utilizes a complex mixture of vegetable oils and waxes and combines them with petroleum, micro wax based technologies. This allows the manufacturer to incorporate higher percentages of renewable resources while maintaining the beneficial properties of the petrolatum.

Occlusives are one of the three pillars of moisturizers. They work alongside humectants and emollients to keep skin feeling soft, hydrated, and glowing. Occlusive substances work by helping to form a physical barrier or seal on the outer layer of the skin, to prevent trans-epidermal water loss; and keep moisture locked in. Although they don't increase the moisture levels of the skin, they can help prevent water reserves from being drained by external sources like wind, a dry environment, or injury. They are often fatty, waxy, or oily substances that can be found in moisturizers, masks, and other products. Occlusives can be especially beneficial for people with dry or sensitive skin. Occlusives can come from plant sources, like candelilla wax, carnauba wax, palm kernel, and heavy oils like macadamia, castor, and cocoa butter. Others, like mineral oil, petrolatum, and paraffin come from refining crude oil. Some are natural-identical like allantoin, a compound found in many natural sources, but are often produced in a lab for cost and sustainability reasons. You are already familiar with products high in occlusive agents without even knowing it. To get an idea of what they feel like think of barrier creams, foot creams, and good old Vaseline, which is made from 100% petrolatum - an ingredient derived from crude oil. Occlusive ingredients can feel heavy and greasy on the skin - therefore it's best to include them along with lighter-feeling ingredients when creating moisturizing skin care products. Natural occlusives: Beeswax is composed of monoesters, diesters, and triesters, as well as hydrocarbons, hydroxy polyesters, and free fatty acids. Because of the nature of beeswax, including its moisturizing and soothing qualities, it is very frequently used in moisturizers. Vegetable waxes - for those who don't like using animal products, there are some great vegetable waxes that are a great substitute for beeswax. Carnauba wax, also called Brazil wax and palm wax, Candelilla wax, and Palm kernel oil are great choices,. Plant oils and butter high in Oleic Acid. In general, most plant oils are considered emollients, but some oils, particularly those high in oleic acid, also work also have occlusive properties. These oils often have a thicker, greasier feel and include olive, avocado, rice bran, macadamia, castor, soybean oil, and shea and cocoa butter. Lecithin is a fat that is essential in the cells of the body. It can be found in many foods, including soybeans, chickpeas, and egg yolks. It is a multi-purpose ingredient that helps pump up the skin's barrier function and also be used as an emulsifier for oil in water emulsions. It can also help with serious dryness and eczema. It can be derived from many plant sources including sunflower and soy. Cocoa Butter is an amazing occlusive. It has properties of all the moisturizing components and is a go-to for the skin. One of the benefits of cocoa butter is its high tocopherol content. This is a cluster of compounds that together contain a lot of Vitamin E and is sometimes referred to as a form of that key vitamin. Tocopherol is a friend of the skin due to its antioxidant properties. These protect the skin from UV rays and ultimately make it look firm and healthy. By boosting collagen, Vitamin E also keeps your face free of nagging little spots and lines and wrinkles that may come from age.4. Allantoin - While allantoin occurs naturally in botanical extracts of the comfrey plant, it is generally chemically synthesized to be nature-identical for sustainability reasons. When formulating, allantoin will come in the form of a white powder that is dissolved in the water phase. Allantoin helps to create a barrier over the skin while healing and promoting cellular regeneration. Non-Natural/Synthetic/Petroleum-based Occlusive agents There are many great plant-based or natural occlusives, but some of the occlusives ingredients most popular with dermatologists and professional formulators are derived from petroleum products or made with some synthetic ingredients. Regardless of whether you use choose to use all-natural ingredients or synthetics, it's important to understand what options are available. . Petrolatum , or petroleum jelly and mineral oil. These are the two most popular occlusive ingredients because they are both inexpensive to produce and are effective occlusive ingredients. It's generally believed, that when properly refined, petrolatum has no known health concerns and is safe to use. Another concern is regarding the impact on the environment because both are derived from crude oil, a renewable resource. Dimethicone is one of the best and most popular synthetic occlusive ingredients because it is inexpensive and easy to produce and it excels at forming a nice moisture barrier over the skin. Another reason for dimethicone's popularity is that it is the only ingredient listed that has a greasy feeling when applied to the skin. There is a wide variety of ingredients-many of them all-natural-that can provide the occlusive component of your moisturizer. As mentioned above, some of them have emollient or humectant properties as well. This gives you a great chance to mix various emollient, humectant, and occlusive agents for a great moisturizer that works for your skin's unique needs. Capric triglyceride is a combination of coconut oil and glycerin. Oily skin types may want to avoid occlusives with comedogenic properties, like coconut oil because their skin is prone to acne.

PEGs (polyethylene glycols) are petroleum-based compounds that are widely used in cosmetics as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture carriers. PEG is not a specific chemical, but rather a mixture of compounds, of "polymers" that have been bonded together. Polyethylene is the most common form of plastic, and when combined with glycol, it becomes a thick and sticky liquid. PEGs are commonly used as cosmetic cream bases. In cosmetics, they function as emollients, which help soften and lubricate the skin. They also function as emulsifiers, which help water-based and oil-based ingredients mix properly. On the ingredients label, you may have noticed, PEGs are almost always followed by a number after their name, such as PEG 100. This number represents the approximate molecular weight of that compound. Typically, cosmetics use PEGs with smaller molecular weights. The lower the molecular weight, the easier it is for the compound to penetrate the skin. Often, PEGs are connected to another molecule. You might see, for example, "PEG 100 stearate" as an ingredient. What this means is that the polyethylene glycol polymer with an approximate molecular weight code of 100 is attached chemically to stearic acid. Now just to clear up a few misconceptions… PEGs are not found in anti-freeze; that's ethylene glycol, NOT polyethylene glycol. And yes, PEGs are found in some spray-on oven cleaners, but those PEGs are quite different in both molecular weight and structure than the PEGs found in your cosmetics. They are also used in pharmaceuticals as laxatives, again with a different molecular weight. So, are PEGs something you want or don't want in your skincare products? The answer isn't really a simple yes or no. The FDA considers PEGs to be Generally Recognized as Safe ingredients for cosmetics, and studies have shown them to be non-irritating to skin and eyes. However, some studies have shown evidence of genotoxicity, and PEGs can cause irritation and systemic toxicity if used on broken skin. PEGs can also act as a penetration enhancer, increasing the skin's permeability and allowing greater absorption of other ingredients, including harmful ones. The most important thing you need to know about PEGs is that they have a penetration-enhancing effect and are found in many skin creams. The penetration-enhancing effect is important for three reasons: 1) If your skin care product contains a bunch of other undesirable ingredients, PEGs will make it easier for them to get down deep into your skin. 2) By altering the surface tension of the skin, PEGs may upset the natural moisture balance. 3) PEGs are not always pure but often come contaminated with a host of toxic impurities. While the penetration enhancement is dependent upon a number of factors, the most important is the overall health of the skin. PEGs of all sizes may penetrate through injured skin with compromised barrier function. So it is very important to avoid products with PEGs if your skin is not in tip-top condition. .

Tocopherol, or vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin is a naturally occurring antioxidant which can be isolated from vegetable oil. When isolated Tocopherol, is a viscous oil that varies in color from yellow to brownish red. Rather than Tocopherol itself, esters of Tocopherol are often used in cosmetic and personal care products. In cosmetics and personal care products, Tocopherol and other ingredients made from Tocopherol, including Tocopherol esters* are used in the formulation of lipstick, eye shadow, blushers, face powders and foundations, moisturizers, skin care products, bath soaps and detergents, hair conditioners, and many other products. It is most often used as an anti-oxidant and/or an occlusive for skin conditioning products. (*Ester = An ester is an organic compound where the hydrogen in the compound's carboxyl group is replaced with a hydrocarbon group. Esters are derived from carboxylic acids and (usually) alcohol.) Vitamin E or "Tocopherol" is more than one ingredient. It may be listed as: Alpha-tocopherol. Alpha-tocotrienols. Beta-tocopherol. Beta tocotrienols. Gamma-tocopherol. Gamma-Tocotrienols. Basically, if you see "tocopherol" or "tocotrienols" somewhere on the packaging, that's vitamin E in disguise. Also, if you see the "d" prefix (such as d-alpha-tocopherol), it means it comes from a natural source. If you see the "dl" prefix (such as dl-alpha-tocopherol), it's made in a lab. They both work well, but the natural kind seems to do the job a little bit better. So, what is it that this Vitamin E can do? . Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. It constantly patrols your body, looking for free radicals. When it finds one, it quickly destroys it. Problem is, the vitamin E your body naturally makes depletes with age and sun exposure. Yep, the more time you spend in the sun without sun protection, the sooner your body goes through its supply of vitamin E. That's why you want to add some back through your skincare - you'll replenish the stock and kill even more free radicals. Take that, wrinkles! Vitamin E gives you some protection from the sun, too. Before you get too excited, no, it's NOT a substitute for your sunscreen. Vitamin E can help boost its protection, but it won't replace it. Studies show vitamin E reduces the severity of your sunburn and improves the effectiveness of the UV filters in your sunscreen. Vitamin E strengthens the skin's natural barrier, reducing water loss. Now that moisture's locked into your skin, it softens and plumps it up. It helps your skincare products last longer. Vitamin E isn't your usual antioxidant. It doesn't kill bacteria and germs that find their way into your precious lotions and potions. Instead, it prevents the light from oxidizing (i.e. making ineffective) the active ingredients in your products. Without its help, they wouldn't last you as long.