Skincare experts have different opinions about what we should and should not be using on our skin.
The difference has to do with their area of expertise.
A cosmetician is primarily concerned with your appearance.
Hiding blemishes and immediate improvements are the cosmetician's goal.
You would want that kind of advice if you needed to look your best for an upcoming wedding.
Many of the treatments available from cosmetic surgeons and day spas are similar.
Some of the treatments improve your skin's health.
A few improve your skin's appearance over time.
But most are designed to provide an immediate, but temporary improvement.
Dermatologists are concerned with your skin's health.
They realize that your appearance is important to you.
So they try to help you with that.
Dermatologists specialize in different fields.
Most treat acne, eczema, psoriasis and other chronic conditions.
Some specialize in anti-aging treatments.
Finally, there are the natural health practitioners.
They recommend different things based on their area of study.
A natural health expert might be trained in Ayurveda or in traditional Chinese Medicine.
He or she could be an herbalist or a nutritionist.
All of these skincare experts can provide helpful and valid advice.
They just won't always agree on the best treatments.
What ingredients should and should not be in skincare products is a major point for argument.
Many in the mainstream medical community feel that petrolatum and mineral oil are generally safe.
There is no doubt about the benefits provided by those ingredients.
There are none.
Yet, they are still the most common ingredients in inexpensive creams and lotions.
In a recent study, researchers found that moisturizers containing mineral oil stimulated the growth of cancer tumors in mice exposed to UV radiation.
Exposure to UV radiation can cause cancer tumors, but not always.
The mice treated with a moisturizer that was free of mineral oil did not develop as many tumors.
Ayurvedic skincare experts have for thousands of years said we should not put anything on our skin that we could not eat.
How many cosmetics in your home right now bear warning labels about accidental ingestion? Most, if not all of them, probably do.
Chinese, Ayurvedic and other natural skincare experts agree on many points.
The inclusion of toxins, allergens and irritants in cleansers and creams is a bad idea.
Dermatologists only agree with that if they have a patient with problem skin, in other words, someone who has frequent allergic reactions.
Redness, itching and irritation are the common symptoms of allergic reactions.
The most common causes are artificial preservatives and fragrance ingredients.
According to the major cosmetic companies, people want their skincare products to smell nice and feel good going on.
To feel good going on is important.
Smelling nice can be important, but not for the reason that most people think.
A rancid odor is a sign of bacterial contamination.
Perfumes can cover up the smell of rancid oils.
A strong unpleasant odor is likely due to harsh ingredients.
Perfumes can be used to mask those odors.
Compare what skincare experts have to say and make a logical choice.
Now that you've read this article, you might be smarter than an expert.