By Fred Cheng (R.Ph.) and Christine Cheng (R.Ph.)
“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”. Even though that’s a noble principle to live by, we can’t help but lose a bit of self-esteem if we get a pimple on our forehead, or our psoriasis resurfaces on our elbows, or our rosacea worsens, or, heaven forbid, our first wrinkle! What’s most important, of course, is that we live and eat a healthy lifestyle from within, but even the best of us could use a bit of help from the outside in.
There are countless cosmeceuticals and natural skincare lines on the Canadian market now, so how do you choose? A good skincare company will readily disclose all their ingredients (both active and non-active) and have it visible on the product label as well as in their pamphlets and websites. Ideally, the active ingredients would have adequate research backing any claims the manufacturer may portray, which is tough to find in the integrative medical world. Natural and organic ingredients are typically more agreeable with our skin. Ensure that the non-actives are there to actually serve a specific purpose and are used in as low a concentration as possible (eg. preservatives and stabilizers). Sometimes, fragrances are added and necessary in order to mask the “odd” smells of the natural ingredients. We have found a few lines that get top marks in all these categories; some are new, some are old: Viva, Riversol, Quantum Hydrox and SeaBuckThorn.
VIVA is a Canadian company based out of Richmond, BC, who prides themselves in using only natural ingredients. Their extensive line of skincare utilize a wide variety of ingredients, including grapefruit seed extract, white tea, ginger, ginseng root, sunflower oil, Vit.B5, etc. Their line includes exfoliators and cleansers and toners to rejuvenate the skin, as well as eye creams and a truly unique set of moisturizers derived from botanical stem cells extracted from an ancient Swiss apple tree and the high-altitude Alpine Rose.
QUANTUM HYDROX is a line of rejuvenating and smoothing skincare products that take advantage of a combination of biomarine peptides sourced from coastal British Columbia along with some rainforest amino-acids and phytochemical extracts. The entire line is oil-free, alcohol-free, fragrance-free and is pH-balanced to provide optimal plumping and tightening results without having to turn to things like Botox.
SEABUCKTHORN, a company based out of Peachland, BC, makes use of the over 190 natural chemicals found in the seabuckthorn plant seed, fruit, and leaf to benefit a multitude of skin conditions, including rosacea, acne, and eczema. The line consists of soaps (eg. BERRY BAR, TEA BAR), creams, oils, and capsules, combinations of which have helped many of our clients for many years.
RIVERSOL SKINCARE was developed by Dr. Jason Rivers (dermatologist) who has combined the knowledge from 30 years of research and clinical practice with a potent anti-oxidant called “Beta-Thujaplicin” (or “Beta-T”) from the Pacific Red Cedar Tree. The unique line was designed with sensitive skin in mind, and includes a cleanser, moisturizer, and a serum, which, when used together, can reduce redness, inflammation, irritation, while correcting sun-damage, wrinkles, and dark eye circles. Note that there is a minute amount of synthetics in Riversol products such as petrolatum and parabens.
Regardless of which line of skincare you fall in love with, a machine called the OXYLIFT ANTI-AGING OXYGENATED FACELIFT SYSTEM can help get the most out of your skincare. It is a small, electric device similar to those you see in facial spas. The high frequency (164, 000 cycles per second), low-level current gives your skin a youthful lift and glow, while nourishing your skin via creation of enriched oxygen right on your skin’s surface. This stimulation purifies and cleanses your skin, boosting collagen production, while improving the effectiveness of your skincare. Ultimately, your lines and wrinkles will be smoothed out and your skin will feel and look “lifted”.
When chosen wisely, a natural skincare regimen could be the most convenient and cost-effective method to looking as good on the outside as you feel inside. Come talk to us at CLOVERDALE PHARMASAVE and even sample and demo our extensive natural skincare lines and the Oxylift machine. As usual, be sure to work with your physician and pharmacist to rule out underlying diseases before trying any topical or oral supplement program.
(Christine and Fred Cheng are a passionate, charismatic sister-brother pharmacist team at their unique, family-owned and operated Pharmasave Integrative Compounding Pharmacy in Cloverdale, B.C. with a 34-year history [open 7 days a week]. They specialize in natural remedies and compounding for both human and veterinarian use. Everything mentioned in their article is available InStore.)
