Understanding the sugar

During PANDHY’S™ training courses the mechanism principle of sugar will be explained, which is also discussed in details in our textbooks (especially in the passage titled PANDHY’S™ Massages and Skin Rejuvenation with the Use of Sugar, within the chapter titled Medical Sugaring).  Following consultation with experts, I came to the conclusion that it’s worthwhile to deal with sugars more in details in order to clarify misunderstandings and overcome misconceptions with the help of understanding and knowledge.

Below I tried to make a professional information guide with the hope of providing sufficient information for both experts and laypersons on the topic of sugar. Furthermore, this material is aimed to clarify misapprehensions, reflect differences between several types of sugar and make a difference between oral and external administration.

General:

Sugar is a generic term which is used in chemistry to label several compounds belonging to the category of carbohydrates.

Sugars can be dissolved in water and crystallized, with a few exceptions they taste sweet. The most important sugars include sucrose (cane sugar or table sugar), glucose (grape sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar).

During the analysis of the issue, it is important to distinguish sucrose (table sugar) from the monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) utilized in PANDHY’S™ cosmetics.

I. First of all, let’s take a closer look at table sugar and its harmful effects

The sugar used during meals is sucrose, therefore this is the compound called sugar in everyday practice.  Obviously, you mean this when mentioning the harmful sugar.

In sugar industry it is either produced from sugarcane by the means of squeezing or from sugar beet with the help of diffusing it into water solution. The extracted raw sugar juice undergoes numerous cleaning and refining methods followed by evaporation and crystallization.

Grape sugar (glucose) is the most important source of energy in the human body. Refined sugar (called sucrose in chemistry) is a disaccharide consisting of two molecules: glucose (grape sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar). Being aware of this the question arises: what sorts of problems may cause the consumption of sucrose (refined granulated sugar) if it provides the essential glucose for the human body.

Blood glucose level should remain around 0.1%. During muscle work the cells use up sugar: the more sugar is needed, the more glucose in released in the bloodstream from the sugar storage of the liver (glycogen). White sugar does not require special digestion, thus it absorbs early into the blood flow. At this point, complex hormonal processes are about to begin. The pancreas produces insulin enabling access to glucose for cells, hence reducing blood sugar level. In the case of constant sugar consumption, the pancreas cells become exhausted after a while, firstly leading to impaired glucose tolerance that may, later on, turn into diabetes mellitus.

The main factor that makes refined sugar harmful is that the sugar content of plants found in nature is a great deal lower than that of the white sugar sold in shops. Whereas sugar beet contains 18% of sugar, this value is 95% in the case of refined sugar. Our body is not prepared for the processing of sugar with such concentration, therefore is unable to fully digest it.

Let’s have a brief look at the aforementioned harmful effects of refined sugar (I’d like to emphasize, that we discuss the orally consumed sugar advancing into the gastrointestinal tract, i.e. sucrose).

Alcohol production

The portion of sugar intake which cannot be fully digested by our organism will begin to ferment. (Fermentation: the decomposition of dissolved nitrogen-free organic matter mostly with the help of yeast and fission fungi.)  Best, who discovered insulin, drew the attention to the fact that sugar has the same effects on the human body as alcohol.

Alcohol affects liver and nerve cells the most, it is considered to be a cytotoxin. During detoxification liver cells are able to transform alcohol to a certain extent, however, the enzyme performing this process won’t be able to fulfill its task in other processes which are also required for normal body function.  Because of this, even if alcohol is neutralized, normal body function is inhibited. Unfortunately, all alcohol molecules cannot be neutralized. The additional work leads to the enlargement of the liver. That’s why liver enlargement is possible in the case of people who abstain from alcohol but eat a lot of sweets. Excessive sugar intake is followed by liver and kidney enlargement in experimental animals. This lesion of the liver can be observed even in children. Liver damage may also endanger the vision and the skin. Sugar plays a major role in the onset and progress of several skin diseases including acne and dermatitis.

Heart attack

In cardiovascular diseases, high blood sugar and disorders of glucose metabolism are quite common. It’s not only attributed to high blood fat and calcification, it’s also facilitated by excessive sugar consumption. Members of two tribes situated in East Africa (Masais and Samburus) eat a lot of fat, though they hardly heard of heart attacks. They do not consume sugar at all. On the island of Saint Helena the incidence of coronary diseases is reasonably high, however, they don’t eat large amounts of fatty food.  The yearly sugar consumption per capita accounts for 60-70 kilograms. Surveys indicate that those suffering from heart diseases tend to consume more sugar than the average. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that sugar binds cholesterol retaining it in the blood. The latter statement has been proven by animal experiments. As the sugar portion given the animals was increased, a raise in blood cholesterol could be detected accordingly – with no change in cholesterol intake.

Thrombus formation

In the case of high blood sugar, the platelets agglutinate more easily which increases the risk of thrombus formation a great deal. This may even lead to death.

Diabetes mellitus

The consumption of refined sugar overburdens the pancreas resulting in the exhaustion of insulin producing beta-cells. The human body has many stand-by storages, one of these is the ability to produce insulin. Our pancreas is approximately adjusted for 500 years. With excessive sugar consumption, this ability can be used up within 40-50 years.

Obesity

The consumption of refined sugar plays a major role in the onset of obesity. It is partly attributed to fat retention.

Gastrointestinal diseases

As the first destination of the digestive tract, the teeth are exposed to the negative effects of sugar. One of the characteristic features of sugar is that with no air and with the presence of bacterial fungi it begins to ferment. This phenomenon occurs during tooth decay because the bacteria stuck between the tooth and the sugar layer begin fermentation resulting in the production of acids harmful to the enamel.

Sugar stimulates the upper section of the digestive tract, such as the gullet or the pharynx. It also enhances the secretion of gastric acid making these patients more susceptible to gastric ulcers.  A diet rich in sugar may increase the volume of gastric acid by 20-30%. It is quite commonly the cause of gall bladder diseases, gastritis and duodenitis. Due to sugar intake, the number of harmful bowel bacteria may see a significant increase. This effect can be detected mainly in the case of coli bacteria. Studies indicate that babies consuming tea rich in sugar are more prone to gastritis and enteritis. Furthermore, their feces contain more putrefactive bacteria than that of babies held on a sugar-free diet.

The small and large intestine are also affected by toxic substances produced by fermentation causing inflammation. Refined sugar contains no fibers which have been lost during the process of its production. The consumption of fiber-free meals is deemed to be the primary cause of constipation.

Gout and osteoporosis

Sugar consumption increases the uric acid level of the blood because it is bound to sugar in the blood. An elevated amount of uric acid causes acidification forcing the organism to neutralize. Calcium streams into the blood released from bones in order to cease acidity. On the other hand, high uric acid level facilitates the formation of gout.

Experiments proved that following the consumption of 100 g of sugar, the amount of calcium excreted from the body showed a measurable increase.  The escalating rate of calcium loss – due to inadequate diet – cannot keep up with the pace of calcium integration, thus the acceleration of osteoporosis is expected to occur.  Sugar intake may cause more severe pain if a medical history with kidney stones of calcium oxalate is presented.  According to observations the effect of sugar on calcium metabolism is in part genetically determined, hence it is possible that osteoporotic patients are more sensitive to refined sugar than the average.

It should be emphasized that the source of complex carbohydrates rich in fibers (whole wheat bread, brown rice, muesli) do not cause symptoms resembling those of glucose, however, grains are also rich in glucose. The latter molecule is, however, attached to a chain in the form of starch. During the absorption of starch glucose (grape sugar) units are formed, their enteric absorption is slow and well-controlled in the presence of fibers. Besides the abundant amount of vitamins and minerals provides the components required for integration, thus leading to the appropriate composition of the skeleton.

Lack of vitamins and trace elements

Refined sugar deprives vitamin B1 of the body. As a result of this increased nervousness, aggressivity, constipation and difficulty breathing may occur.
Refined sugar contains neither vitamins nor trace elements. It’s interesting because for its digestion the presence of several trace elements and vitamins is needed. Therefore these substances are gained from the body.

Disorders of the endocrine system

Refined sugar impairs metabolism, interferes with the hormone system. As an effect of sugar intake, the enlargement of suprarenal glands may occur. Sugar accelerates the onset of sexual maturity and stimulates the sex glands.

In order to function the body properly, the glucose and oxygen levels of blood should be balanced. If we eat sucrose (refined sugar), it dissolves immediately and passes directly into the bowels, from where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Responding to this, the suprarenal glands produce hormones and the pancreas secretes insulin so that the danger could be repelled – but as the body needs to react quickly it tends to overshoot resulting in the sinking of blood sugar below normal levels. Afterwards, the body desires sugar again, because oxygen became predominant in the blood.  Furthermore, if the blood sugar level of the body is low, all cells are starving. Since brain cells are particularly dependent on the constant blood sugar levels, it is assumed that brain cells may become damaged most easily if the blood sugar changes constantly and drastically.

On the other hand, if we consume whole grains (e.g. brown rice) instead of sucrose, the so-called glucose shock can be avoided: due to the fact that glucose is transported via blood directly to the pancreas where insulin production is induced. Insulin is transported to the liver by blood, where unnecessary glucose is transformed to glycogen (complex sugar) and becomes part of the liver storage. However, if the blood sugar level is low, hormones of the suprarenal cortex will be released, which convert part of the glycogen stored in the liver into glucose.

Excessive sugar consumption compels the pancreas to produce excessive insulin, which overreacts and secretes more insulin as necessary to neutralize glucose. As a consequence, the blood sugar level decreases which is called hypoglycemia.

Fatigue

Due to sugar consumption pyruvic acid accumulates in the blood. Huge amounts of pyruvic acid lead to fatigue. Reduced blood sugar level has a negative effect on physical and mental performance. Natural carbohydrates normalize and stabilize the concentration of blood sugar.

II. Sugar in the beauty industry

As you are aware, our sugar products contain monosaccharides, namely glucose and fructose.

I’ve already discussed their chemistry, physiological effects and their role played in the function of the human body.

If we examine the question “Is sugar harmful?”, we should keep in mind the fact that  PANDHY’S™ sugars are applied topically, that is on the external surface of the body. They do not enter the gastrointestinal sytem, nor they go through a transformation.

During sugar depilation, only several features of the substance are utilized, so this technique is irrelevant from the aspect of the examined question.

When the sugar products are used as contact materials (e.g. massages) or carrier materials (for the infiltration of active agents), physical effects (adhesion, vacuum effect and lubrication) and chemical interactions appear between the sugar and the treated skin, so these sorts of administration should be examined from the scope of problems you’ve raised.

During these applications, glucose interacts with interstitial fluid by the principle of osmosis. The cells gain access to oxygen, glucose and other nutrients from here.

Most cells of the human body need glucose to produce energy, cells of the brain and the nervous system not only rely on glucose to fulfill their needs of energy but also their function is provided only if blood sugar reaches a certain level. The glucose usage of the organism depends on the presence of insulin. Insulin operates as a transport manager: it orders delivery of glucose to the cells of the body or gives instructions to store unnecessary glucose in the form of glycogen or triglyceride.

If the balance is upset and the blood level of glucose increases, the organism tries to restore the balance either by the means of enhancing insulin production or by the excretion of glucose in the form of urine.

In the case of healthy functions, the topically administered glucose should not upset the delicately regulated balance.

Not even a long-lasting massage with PANDHY’S™ sugar with an extreme duration (even for 24 hours) – which in fact never occurs in everyday practice – should lead to a significant raise of blood sugar level.  Without these, the above-mentioned processes are not likely to begin.

Given an example: no one gets drunk just because applying alcohol embrocation for a couple of hours.   Never believe that someone gets intoxicated due to this.

III. Finally, let’s check why is so remarkably beneficial to use topical glucose in cosmetics

Glucose hydrates the skin deeply by the rebalancement of the film layer, while nourishing and resting it. 

 Glucose opens hair follicles and pores, i.e. creates channels on the skin membrane through which various agents can penetrate.

It is well-known, that skin aging can be traced back to the fact that with the progress of age concentration of glucose  becomes lower and lower in skin cells. Since glucose plays a major role in the synthesis of collagen, elastane and hyaluronic acid, we can directly aid rejuvenation with the use of PANDHY’S™ massage sugar made of glucose, not to mention the direct rejuvenating effects of PANDHY’S™ medical-sugaring technique based on physical procedures. 

In the end, let me mention honey, which is willingly used since ancient times both in professional and home cosmetics. We are aware, that honey contains nothing else, just glucose and fructose, and of course a lot of enzymes and organic acids. No one raises concerns about honey, however, it would be wise to eat it in moderation, and to keep in mind its ingredients which we don’t really know such as pesticides, antibiotics, etc. Therefore, some caution is recommended whilst applying it externally.

Sugaring from top to toe

Regeneration by the power of glucose

Everybody has heard of sugaring. Sugar paste used to be a rarity, but by now it’s become indispensable in any refined beauty salon.

The latest sweet sensation is skin regenerating sugar therapy, which aims to facilitate new collagen synthesis and to improve skin activity.

During this therapy we exploit the fact that sugar epilation is proven to cause micro-scarring. The depth and size of these scars depend on the type of hair and the stage of its growth at the time of epilation. The scars set off the body’s own healing process, that’s basically the same as increasingly popular Medical Needling, only natural.

The procedure could be called medical sugaring, as it very similar to collagen induction therapy. Reducing the invasiveness of the treatment to the minimum, it activates the collagen production and the natural physiological processes of the body.

The procedure stimulates the immune system and increases tissue micro-circulation, activating the skin even more.

The entire body is covered with hair, even though the fine, pigment and subcutaneous tissue lacking vellus hair seems like nothing more than fluff. Getting rid of it causes micro-scars on the skin.

For customers disliking the idea of epilating vellus hair, and male clients worried about the connections of follicles, PANDHY’S™ sugar is nothing but good news. This glucose solution penetrates into deep skin tissue and offers gentle, non-extractive means of micro-scarring the skin.

PANDHY’S™ is a complex system of pure, safe ingredients of special biotechnological origin and of additional products to be used during salon treatments and as part of the home skincare routine.

Experience the sweetest of skin regeneration methods!

 

Talc issue

Hi Everyone,

There is again a hysterical hyperbole aroused, I have to react to avoid the escalation of the pseudoscientific reasoning.

This case the circus is around the talcum powder, and thanks God it has reached also our circles.

Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $72 million to the family of a woman who claimed her ovarian cancer was caused by talcum powder. Probably that is the news that generated the growing madness this time.

In terms of this order, I would draw the attention to the fact that this verdict was delivered by a jury in America, not a judge. It’s just the American judicial system. If anyone would take this case through courts where a judge, not “12 Angry Men”, would have to be convinced of the scientific evidence, I don’t think the complainant would stand a chance.

It is also good to know that perineal talc use has been associated with the lady’s ovarian cancer. ( Not hair removal talc use.)

Not only my personal opinion but also common medical advice is;  women shouldn’t use talcum powder in the genital area. Not because it can cause cancer, but because it can lead to pelvic or vaginal infections that could potentially cause infertility or chronic pelvic pain, etc.

It is also a fact that should not be forgotten, that ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death in women, the definite cause of it is still unknown and there is no screening tool for it. All science has been able to show so far are some of the risk factors.

Probably people are so keen to believe there is a connection is because so little is known about ovarian cancer in general.

Still a little additive to it;  as per The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) there is “limited evidence in humans” for an association between genital use of talc-based body powder and ovarian cancer.

However, the International Agency for Research on Cancer committee classified talc as possibly carcinogenic. (The phrase “possible carcinogens” seems a little ambiguous though since aloe vera whole leaf extract falls in the same category).

It is also worth knowing that talc was considered harmful because of its asbestos fiber content, since the 1970s no talcum is distributed that contain asbestos.

Although inhalation studies on rats showed a link to lung damage in different forms, this study does not extrapolate to humans. Plus, the study was conducted with rats being forced to inhale the talc for 6 hours a day for 2 years…

Anyway, do not inhale talc, or corn starch or not even rice powder!

I found a really decent, and clever article about the talc issue, here it is if you want to get deeper;     http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/92/3/249.full

If you’re concerned overall about talcum powder, then simply do not use it, that is what is so great about this whole personal care products industry…..your right to choose among the many products available.

My sincerest hope is that we all choose based on the facts and not out of fear perpetuated by misguided and scientifically challenged bloggers, literally taking everything they see written by others, and regurgitate it into the endless flurry of unsubstantiated science.

And do not forget that also smoking, drinking and having unprotected sex has long been considered risky behavior!

Final warning; do not use cotton swabs in your ear – it is said so and considered to be dangerous in the instruction that is printed on the Q-Tips’ box! 🙂

Have a good day,

Gertrud Borbiro

Beauty Bullshits

Natural, organic, and bio – those are today’s catchwords, the terms that determine both professional and retail needs if it comes to cosmetics and beauty. Everyone wants natural, organic and bio, even if most people do not exactly know what those words really mean. What is worse still; even the authorities of the industry itself are only starting to pull themselves together now. They only just started to set real and transparent standards and control of classification and registration.

When we created the signature line of PANDHY’S™ under the brand name of True Delight™, my only aim was to present a line that is something else, something that represents a special approach to the market demand, a creative answer for today’s needs and trends.

All our products are handmade in our artisan laboratory in France. For me creating and making natural cosmetics is a real adventure, it is a lot of challenge and also fun. Here there is a lot of room for creativity. We’re experimenting all the time. Testing methods and technologies, always hunting for something new and original.

One of the results of our experiments and quests is the beautiful pearl line.  We created something interesting, where nothing else but the actives are closed into little beauty balls, with a special spherification technology, just for the fun of it and the highest level of purity and concentration. These are our beauty spheres, just to name maybe the most unique element of the line.

Developing and manufacturing of natural cosmetics is not easy, sometimes it is a nightmare, I can tell you.

 

This is the field where you can never be sure and never really know what will happen.  When we are working with organic – by organic I mean what it really means; alive-  materials and ingredients there are so many unpredictable factors that are changing by time to time, by season to season, by harvest to harvest.

The other thing that further complicates our lives is the acceptance of the clients. They want natural products, untreated ones, but they want standard and steady colors, fragrances and textures. They not tolerating the smell of certain plants they want it to be masked, but they want to have synthetic-free formulas. Some cases we have to face the fact that the market is not necessarily grown up for the real nature cosmetics.

Of course, we are strict with our rules and concepts, and make all our products as simple, as clean and as natural as possible. We solve the preservation issue with clever blending and combination of certain additives, we try to harmonize the fragrances, but our main goal is to offer the purest and most effective formulas. We know we cannot please everyone, and we do not want to do so.

We sell our products in simple and functional packaging, Using lightweight biodegradable PET jars and bottles for our professional formulas.

If it is about natural cosmetics I cannot stand not to talk about the importance of knowledge and understanding. I feel I have o warn you about the misleading, interest-driven information. We all experience the ingredient hysteria and misconceptions, about the risk of the smear campaigns, the beauty bullshits of certain environmental extremist groups, spreading their doctrine on the internet and many other forums. I find it very dangerous and indecent to scare consumers away from using cosmetics and hygiene products, and preservatives and chemicals in general.

 

Even if we are offering natural formulas and concepts I have to defend the chemistry as such. Chemistry has made great developments, without which we would be in big trouble in many fields of human existence.

Awareness and caution have to be moderate and rational.

Let me illustrate how scientific illiteracy and fear of chemicals work together to create unnecessary hysteria. Does anyone remember the Dihydrogen Monoxide story?

 

Information warns were spreading, like; “also known as hydroxyl acid, is the colorless, odorless chemical. Its shown to mutate DNA, denature proteins, disrupt cell membranes, found in a number of explosive and poisonous compounds.

It constitutes a major component of acid rain. It is fatal if inhaled, and has been found in the tumors of cancer patients. Every year, it directly causes thousands of deaths. Despite these dangers, it is not classified as toxic. It is often used as an additive in food and even baby foods, and is found in common household products ranging from shampoo to coffee etc.”

Dihydrogen monoxide, of course, is none other than water. If you watch carefully, all of these statements are factually accurate, but as shown, communication and interpretation is everything. Believe or not, hundreds and hundreds of thousand people joined and signed for the campaign against water.

This worrying public perception problem also extends to the products we purchase. For example, people are much more likely to characterize chemical products as “dangerous” than as “useful”. Even people who should clearly know better have fallen into the “chemicals are bad” trap. Science Magazine published an article stating that a process that creates fiber from milk proteins “uses no chemicals or pesticides.”

As a result, it is not surprising that a myriad of cosmetics and skincare companies have embraced the term “chemical free” when describing their products.  There are now whole websites dedicated to “chemical free” beauty regimes. Major women’s magazines have endorsed switching to a “chemical free” beauty regime.

So what exactly is a chemical? Roughly speaking, the word “chemical” is synonymous with the word “matter”. Anything that is a physical substance is a chemical. So, just from a purely factual perspective, no cosmetic or skincare product can legitimately be “chemical free”. If a company makes that claim, they are lying to you.

I know it is hard to see clearly, there are so many experts out there and they are pouring out on us their doctrines, the unquestionable information and opinion constantly, we cannot see the ominous headlines from; ”Mineral Powder Ruined Anna’s Skin”, ”Girls Are Poisoned by Make-up”, “SLS causes cancer”, “Parabens have been detected in human tumors” etc.

Years ago, a Swedish beauty magazine organized a conference for bloggers and journalists in the industry to educate them on how the human body, chemistry and cosmetics work, and how they interact and benefit each other. I think this is an extremely noble thing to do, as by educating opinion makers, we are in the long run increasing the quality of information that reaches the masses.

Finally, let me give you a piece of parting advice and finish this session with my slogan; keep calm, avoid the media frenzy, refresh school chemistry knowledge and enjoy the natural beauty! … and if someone offered you a cocktail of butanol, isoamyl alcohol, caffeine, geraniol, 3-galloyl epicatechin, and inorganic salts, it sounds ghastly, but take it, yet it is just a cup of tea.

 

Cheers,

 

Gertrud Borbíró

Breathe (sk)in, breathe out – Misconceptions and Myths

Misconceptions and Myths

Breathe (sk)in, breathe out.

Many people are convinced that we pull in oxygen through our pores, and cosmetic companies capitalize on this belief — at least through unspoken messages — by claiming that their products “let the skin breathe.”

If pressed, the manufacturers would probably say what they really mean is that the cosmetics and creams are non-comedogenic, meaning they don’t block pores. This prevents acne from building up, not suffocation.

Some companies take it a step further and claim that their products contain oxygen that your skin will absorb. Since your skin doesn’t have the capacity to absorb and use oxygen, dermatologists warn that this is totally bogus. The closest thing to pure oxygen in a skincare product is benzoyl peroxide, which kills acne-causing bacteria by oxidizing fatty acids.

 

Many people believe the urban legend that Buddy Ebsen, cast as the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz,” nearly died because the aluminum in the makeup that gave him his silvery sheen clogged his pores. In fact, Ebsen did wind up in the hospital and was replaced, but it was attributed to an allergic reaction or an infection in his lungs caused by the aluminum dust. Needless to say, the makeup was modified for new scarecrow Jack Haley, and he danced through the role without incident.

Another famous movie incident involves 1964’s “Goldfinger.” After discovering his secretary has betrayed him, the villain Goldfinger paints her entirely — hair and all — with gold paint. Looking at her lifeless body, James Bond explains that the paint closed the pores she needed for respiration. In 1964, it seems, this was a medically accepted belief. The filmmakers took no chances and were careful to leave a patch of actress’s Shirley Eaton’s skin unpainted when shooting the scene.

When we breathe, we move air in and out of our lungs. We need oxygen to be delivered to different parts of our body and to release energy. We also breathe in order to get rid of excess carbon dioxide in our bodies and to help move blood around the body. It’s an amazing part of our human physiology and we would die without being able to breathe.

But does the human respiratory system include the skin? Of course not. The skin is the body’s largest organ and makes up about 15% of our body weight. It does lots of amazing things like hold all our internal organs together, but it doesn’t play an active role in helping us breathe. The skin can absorb some oxygen under the right circumstances but that isn’t helping it “breathe”.

I’m always amused when I read people saying that our skin breathes because I have a mental image of thousands of little mouths opening and closing on my skin, gasping for breath if I dare to put a moisturizer on them.

Mammals don’t breathe through their skin, apart from this awesome tiny Marsupial mouse called the Julia Dunnart which is too weak to inflate its lungs when it is first born, so it breathes through its skin instead until it leaves its mother’s pouch.

What does the cosmetics industry mean by letting your “skin breathe”?

They’re trying to tell you that their product won’t clog your pores and will leave your pores open – to “breathe”. Saying “our products help your skin breathe” always sounds better than saying “our products won’t clog your pores“. We understand what they’re trying to say, it’s just an unfortunate way of explaining the benefits of their product.

When a product or ingredient is known to block pores, it is also called “comedogenic”. A comedo is a blocked hair follicle in the skin – a spot or a pimple. Again, the internet is filled with helpful lists of which ingredients are comedogenic and which aren’t. What they don’t tell you is that this list is based on research done in the 1950s where researchers tested products on… rabbit ears.

I think regardless of your stance on animal testing and the cosmetics industry, we’re all likely to agree that our skin probably behaves quite different to that of a cuddly rabbit and its cute fluffy ears.

So, when you apply a skincare product and you let your skin “breathe”, you are effectively using ingredients that don’t cause pimples.

Now let’s have a look at one of the most maligned products in the world of skincare – mineral oil.

Does mineral oil form an occlusive layer on your skin?

The internet is full of articles from people telling you that mineral oil/paraffin oil / Paraffinum Liquidum will form an occlusive layer on your skin and… stop it breathing.

They’ll tell you that mineral oil has large molecules that don’t penetrate the skin and sit on your’s skin surface, much like a layer of cling film trapping sweat and bacteria beneath it. Is this true?

A study in 2011 compared mineral oil with jojoba oil, almond oil, avocado oil, and soybean oil. The study found that none of the oils penetrated the skin further than the top 2-3 layers of corneocytes – the upper layers of cells in the upper layer (stratum corneum) of the upper layer (epidermis) of the skin.

Only almond oil and soybean oil made it to the third layer, the other oils either sat on the skin’s surface or made it to the first two layers of cells.

In other words, vegetable oils act in the same way as mineral oil – forming a layer on top of the skin. The main difference mentioned by the authors of the study is that vegetable oils are similar in composition to skin lipids, so they are taken up by the skin through enzymatic decomposition while mineral oil is not metabolized.

Furthermore, many vegetable oils contain components such as triglycerides, flavonoids, phytosterols and tocopherols which provide additional benefits for your skin whereas mineral oil is very simple molecule made of only two atoms – carbon and hydrogen.

Oils applied to your skin trap water underneath them and make your skin feel temporarily softer and smoother. They provide moisture to the top layers of the skin. There is no difference in this process regardless of whether you use mineral oil or vegetable oil. Nonetheless, certain types of oils might be more conducive at blocking pores than others. It’s worth experimenting with different oils if you find that you break out every time you use one.

But one thing is certain about ALL types of oil – and all other skincare ingredients for that matter – they are not stopping your skin from breathing.

The sweet success

There is no person in the world who has not heard of sugaring yet. The sugar paste, which has recently been a unique product, has become inevitable for a good cosmetician. In the last years, the product range has also been extended significantly, with more and more manufacturers appearing on the market.

The PANDHY’S™ sugar still maintains its leading position and gains more and more market share in Europe and outside Europe as well. The sugar receives professional awards and scientific recognition. Even a PhD study has been written about it at a German university!

Gertrud Borbíró, the founding owner of the company is talking about the sweet success and its secrets.

First of all, our secret lies in the special patented recipe. This is the one and only product consisting of monosaccharide and water. This makes PANDHY’S™ sugar universal for the cosmeticians. Those who really understand the product are able to perform magic and I am not only thinking of depilation.

The PANDHY’S™ sugar has become known as a depilation material and procedure. Depilation is undoubtedly our “flagship”. Depilation with the sugar paste is the perfect depilation due to its natural method, tenderness and effectiveness. But only if it is done right!

The PANDHY’S™ sugar paste is different from the traditional sugars which are made of sugar, water and lemon juice or other acids according to the recipes of several thousand years because this one is a clear glucose solution. It contains the same glucose as the glucose produced by our bodies, therefore it is a molecule recognised by our body as its own. Due to this and the size of the molecule, the product penetrates perfectly. It does not contain any ingredients which would cause allergy or the contraction of the pores or would conflict the principles of PANDHY’S™ sugaring depilation technique for any other reasons. Irrespectively of the hair length, the extraction of the hair in the direction of growth is only possible if the sugar is able to penetrate the follicle at a certain depth to lubricate the hair perfectly.

 

When using the sugar, it is extremely important for those working with it to become familiar with and understand the product and parallel to this, to become the master of applying the different techniques in practice as well. Adequate knowledge is the key; it is both the key of our success and the success of the cosmeticians working with the PANDHY’S™ materials.

 

I am also proud to say that our other strength lies in the quality of our trainings. Our training books and materials have been recognised by professional awards in several countries. We pay significant attention to selecting our trainers and to their training as well, and quality assurance is also a top priority.

 

We provide consulting possibilities to all people using sugar, we organise regular trainings and workshops. We control our partners continuously, paying attention to the quality of their work.

 

Our goal is to provide the same high level of PANDHY’S™ treatments to the clients in all salons all over the world, and to let the people working with our sugar understand, feel and love it, because this is how both the cosmetician and her clients may enjoy it!

 

Our competitiveness is also enhanced by the fact that besides the salon depilation and the manual sugar paste technique, we also offer an alternative strip method called Sweet&Easy. This product also uses the unique PANDHY’S™ glucose-water solution, but in a diluted form. The hair is also extracted in the natural direction of its growth, using the patented FlexEpil™ flexible strip. The Sweet&Easy procedure also has a cartridge version.

 

The unique quality of its material allows the PANDHY’S™ sugar to become the tool of several other salon treatments as well in addition to depilation. Exploiting the free and deep penetration of the material, we may perform a range of facial and body treatments with the sugar. We have developed fantastic treatments and offer a wide range of active substances and accessory products to our users.

PANDHY’S™ is a complex system, there are several beauty salons in Europe working exclusively with PANDHY’S™ products, in line with the PANDHY’S™SweetTreat concept.

It is worth learning how to work with the sugar, because it turns to gold in the hands of those who know how to use it, to everybody’s satisfaction!

Physics of the perfect hair removal

Let us look to the bottom of PANDHY’S™SugarDepilation’s philosophy! In order to become the masters of sugar, it is necessary to understand its practical and physical background in every detail.

First of all, please allow me to define the concept of PANDHY’S™depilation itself.

What we are aiming at in this area is the scientifically and empirically well supported durable and perfect hair removal. Where perfection means the health and beauty of the treated skin and the structure control of the hair’s appearance. Also, where the guest may continuously enjoy the experience of lack of hair. Namely, we undertake nothing less than one of the most complicated functions of our organization, we wish to keep hair growth under control.

We know that the duration of the human hair growth, the length of the hair, its density, the color and thickness of the hairs is influenced by more than 1000 (!) known, scientifically described factors. We also know that there are at least another 1000 factors, mechanisms and functions in this subject, which we do not yet know.

Partially, these facts have led us to the conviction that it is best to approach this problem from the physical effects side. For everybody reacts to the physical effects, equally and predictably at all times, unlike for the chemical effects.

For this, we need a material that is able to serve this concept. Let us see what is inside the PANDHY’S™sugar jar:

Sugar and water. What kind of sugar? Glucose. What is glucose? A molecule also is known well by the human body, a monosaccharide. Why is this good? First of all, because we can completely rule out every allergy against it! Then also, because due to the quality of the material and to the size of the molecule it penetrates without any obstacle.

So given a molecular size material that is able to, with a properly applied either manual or applicator application, flow in the follicles to a certain depth.

What happens exactly during the application?

The sugar surrounds the hair, and being virtually embedded in the sugar it rises from the follicle during the extraction. This is the only way for the length of the hair to be indifferent from the viewpoint of successful depilation. Such a material is required, which is objectively capable of penetration, and of course, we need to use the technique well enough for this to actually happen during the application!

Hair growth is influenced by a number of known and at least as much yet unknown factors. What we factually know, however, is that the number of human follicles is on average 100.000. In the course of our lives, no new follicles develop, this is all we have and that’s that. We also know that the lifetime of the follicle is finite. Each follicle is capable of growing about 20 hairs in their lifetime.

Let us imagine an anagen, in other words, a growth phase hair! It is in direct contact with everything that surrounds it, what created it, what controls its formation and growth. We can see that the repeated hair removal in the anagen phase physically hurts, thereby damages the follicle, namely, it artificially accelerates the depletion of the follicles.

So, there is a tool in our hands with what we can physically damage the follicle, making it unsuitable to grow a new hair. We can do all this without intervening in the body’s hormonal, biological and chemical equilibrium.

Learn how You can deal with sugar, and have it turn into gold in your hands for the delight of your guests and you!

 

PANDHY’S™ SweetRetard – new candy on the PANDHY’S™ palette

Professional cosmetic trends that excite the market are upon each other. Now, in the area of depilation, we live in the era of hair growth inhibitor products. As a key player in the market, CosMed also gives you its answer to the problem.

People believe in the promise of permanent hair removal unto death and relentlessly. They believe that the beam of light flashes a few times, or that by the effect of the very expensive and very special solutions anointed a few times, as a rule, once and for all they will get rid of their hairs.

The SweetRetard family, created by the philosophy of PANDHY’S™, does not target and does not promise a universal effective for all causing ever-more-hair. The illusory marketing of permanent hair removal has been worn out by the manufacturers of laser-equipments and later by the manufacturers of IPL equipments. Those who offer modern time chemicals operate with this as well.

 

We know and believe that by PANDHY’S™ sugar paste and related hair removal procedure we have at our hands the most perfect instrument for regulating hair growth, through which all physical effects, applying them conceptually will work for everyone. However, we know that for this result it is essential to apply the technique perfectly, the appropriate frequency and the highest level of cooperation between the cosmetician and guest. Because these are unfortunately not always given; some assistance cannot hurt, this is why we created the SweetRetard products!

 

The duration of the human hair growth, the length of the hair, its density, the color and thickness of the hairs is influenced by more than 1000 (!) known, scientifically described factors. We also know that there are at least another 1000 factors, which we do not yet know.

 

Ergo, what the PANDHY’S™ SweetRetard concept is offering and promises that is the scientifically and empirically well supported durable and perfect hair removal. By perfection, we mean the health and beauty of the treated skin and the structure control of the hair’s appearance. This includes the elimination of the skin and hair growth disorders without the side effects and risks.

 

With the SweetRetard procedure, based on physical and chemical effects an average of 23-25% of retardation can be reached in about 3 weeks, and all kinds of inflammation and ingrowth can be completely terminated. The result is the perfectly clean pores, hydrated skin, a significant change in hair texture, color and density.

 

The physical base of the PANDHY’S™ SweetRetard concept is provided by the qualitatively and quantitatively competently executed sugar paste depilation.

 

The chemical ”assistance” is provided by the carbamide – that is one of the most important end product of protein breakdown, it can be found in almost all body fluids. It also occurs in the horn layer of the normal skin in about an 8 µg/cm² quantity. By reaching the papilla cells and the germinative cells of the hair root the carbamide, by significantly slowing down the cell metabolism, and by protein degradation destructs the hair growth.

 

The other active ingredient is the salicylic acid – willow bark extract also used for the treatment of acne, psoriasis, callus, corn, keratosis pilaris, and warts. It speeds up the peeling of the epidermis, thus the sebaceous glands do not clog up, and the new skin will form faster. Here we use the effect of the latter that also helps the penetration of the active ingredient, or, alternatively it is a good tool for the treatment and prevention of ingrowing and it has an intensive anti-inflammatory effect.

 

The vegetal peptides are also important, the magic walnut pore astringent um. with a tonic effect, the anesthetic and soothing effect of arnica, the menthol cools and helps the epithelium formation, and the soy softens the skin and soothes making the overall impact complete.

The truth about Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Cancer

You all know my personal standing point regarding the craziness around the harmful ingredients which based on different completely non-scientific gossips and urban legends.

Most of the people have not got the slightest idea about chemistry, but this fact is not stopping them to evaluate product labels and create strong opinions against some chemicals.

Serving the demand and the taste of the market, of course, we are trying to formulate our products according to the natural and safe guidelines, this what we did by creating the new washing foam line using sugar tensides as the surfactant, as we do also in the case of our upcoming hair care product line.

Understanding the market and all the importance of the marketing we came out with an SLS free product.

However, I cannot stop myself to “publish” the below information in order to save the destroyed reputation of SLS, and fight against ignorance with all my possible tools! I believe all you can benefit from knowing it!

Thank you for your kind attention to it!

The whole story of SLS bad rep is started back in 1998, with an e-mail.

Almost every shampo­o, shower and bath products you find in the hair-care aisle have sodium lauryl (or laureate) sulfate in it. Considering that these products have to be approved by health care authorities on before they end up on the shelf, can it really be that they cause cancer? Was the 1998 e-mail right?

As with so many widely forwarded, fear-inducing e-mails, it’s wrong. Sources from the American Cancer Society to health expert Dr. Andrew Weil to TreeHugger.com to the International Agency for Research on Cancer all say the same thing: SLS is noncarcinogenic [sources: Elton, LEDA and Snopes]. That SLS is an ingredient in garage-floor cleaners doesn’t mean much. Arsenic, an ingredient in wood preservatives, is also in our drinking water. But in our water, it doesn’t kill us — it’s all about the level of concentration.

So, if it doesn’t cause cancer or kill us, then what’s the deal with sodium lauryl sulfate?

Sodium lauryl sulfate can hurt you, but not in the way the e-mail rumor suggests. SLS can irritate skin under certain circumstances. It may seem strange that a cosmetic product like shampoo would contain an irritant, but the only way SLS actually irritates the skin is if it’s left on for an extended period of time. It’s entirely legitimate to say that if you like to leave the shampoo on your hair all day, you should probably go SLS-free or face a dry, rashy scalp.

You may also notice that your toothpaste container warns you not to swallow the stuff inside, and part of the reason for that is SLS. Will you get cancer if you swallow too much SLS-containing toothpaste? Doubtful. But you may end up with a case of diarrhea.

The worst-case scenario with an SLS-containing shampoo, then, is an irritation if you leave it on your head too long. Oh, and you’re looking at possible toxicity if you swallow about 16 pounds (7.5 kilograms) of SLS-containing toothpaste [source: Queensland Health].

The SLS-free market has really boomed since the late ’90s when that incorrect e-mail made the rounds — so much so, in fact, that many experts suspect the e-mail originated from a natural-foods marketing agency [source: LEDA]. Still, even with the total lack of evidence linking SLS and cancer, some people would rather stay away from a potential irritant. For them, there are lots of SLS-free shampoos offered by natural-cosmetics companies. You can find them in any health-food-type store and all over the Internet, and they don’t cost any more than most regular shampoos.

If you use shampoo to wash your hair, it probably works up into a nice thick lather. This nice th­ick lather, for many of us, really defines the shampooing experience. Imagine, then, discovering that this lather could kill you.

In 1998, an e-mail first made the Internet rounds that instilled fear in shampoo users around the globe. This e-mail, anonymous of course, claimed that your shampoo could be giving you cancer. The culprit, according to the e-mail, is sodium laureate sulfate, also known as SLES. This ingredient creates lather.

In fact, the more common lather-producing agent is sodium lauryl sulfate, SLES’s less-expensive cousin. The molecules are very similar, though.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is a detergent, a crystalline salt of sulfated lauryl alcohol. It’s good at general cleaning because it’s a surfactant — a substance that breaks up surface tension, the bonds between molecules in the outer layer of a compound. This is how SLS produces lather. It eases those bonds, allowing two separate entities — say, shampoo and your hair — to interact more effectively. Without this loosening of surface bonds, shampoo wouldn’t be as good at removing dirt and oil from your hair.

SLS is a common ingredient in all sorts of cleaning products. You’ll also find it in tubes of toothpaste, mouthwashes and, as noted with horror in the anonymous e-mail, garage-floor cleaners.

The most common reaction at this point is: Really? The stuff in our shampoo is also in garage-floor cleaners? How can that be safe?

It’s a bold claim, and the e-mail had the desired effect. Lots of people switched to “all natural” shampoos that proudly assert their SLS-free status, presumably to avoid shampoo-related cancer risk. But are these people really less likely to develop cancer than those of us who use regular old SLS-containing shampoo?  I doubt.

 

Preservatives in cosmetics

Much is said about preservatives in cosmetics, and when surfing around on the web, you will be supplied with literally thousands of pages of information dealing with it, but with such a variety of conflicting ideas and data that people simply do not know who and what to believe.

Placing preservative in cosmetics in perspective

  • The most important thing is that any cosmetic products must be safe for use.
  • Any product manufactured without an ingredient to prevent and control microbial growth will start to go off and may even start growing potentially dangerous pathogenic organisms.
  • To control microbial growth and to stabilize any cosmetic product, some form of preservative needs to be used.

Negative side effects of too many preservatives in cosmetics

The downside of preservatives also has some compelling arguments.

Some ingredients can cause allergies in susceptible people, including dermatitis and other side effects.

The most important word to keep in mind when discussing preservatives is the word “balance”.

You need to include enough preservative to control microbial growth, yet not too much so as to cause allergies, dermatitis or any side effects.

When you wish to achieve this balance it takes both time and money, as you need to do microbial and stability tests on your products.

Should a manufacturer decide not to spend the time or money on testing and refining a formula, a stable product can still be made, by simply including very high amounts of preservatives.

This will stop microbial growth but can cause all the negative effects – dermatitis, allergies, and other side effects.

How we use preservatives

We prefer to spend the money on developing a product, and tracking its entire manufacturing process, by batch, to ensure that our products are stable, yet not over-filled with preservatives.

Parabens and all their cousins are the most widely used preservatives in cosmetics, and if included and used correctly by the formulating manufacturer, are safe to use.

Yet due to consumers having a lopsided idea about parabens we are using paraben-free preservatives whenever it is possible.

Various allegations are made against parabens, and these claims range from their being a cause of breast cancer and liver problems etc.

Most of these claims are not applicable to cosmetics, as parabens are only used topically and not systemically, with due reference to our comments above regarding the quantities in the formulations.

It must also be noted that the European Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (COLIPA) affirm that parabens are hydrolyzed in the skin and that they do not enter the bloodstream. Parabens are not officially identified or listed as an endocrine-disrupting chemical by any government or regulatory organization.