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What Are the Ideal Components of Body
Lotions?
A body lotion is a
beauty product that has a
consistency halfway between that of a liquid and a
cream. It is generally applied to various parts of
your body so that the skin will be softer, smoother,
and even healthier (depending on the ingredients of
the body lotion.) This leads us to ask: What should
we look for in an ideal body lotion? Skin care and
body lotions are now developed to moisturize,
cleanse and treat.
Some body lotions rely on emollients to
restore the softness of the skin of your body.
Emollients function by sealing in the existing water
content of your skin by imposing an oily or greasy
layer on the skin surface. Some manufacturers eschew
emollients though because they are supposed to cause
clogged pores. You may need your dermatologist to
advise you whether to use a product with emollients,
depending on how rough and dry your skin actually is
and whether you are prone to developing clogged
pores (as is common with people who have breakouts
on their chest and back.)
It is important never to apply any body lotion
on certain sensitive parts of your body, such as
places where the skin is broken or weeping; or near
the eyes, nostrils and lips; and perhaps even your
crotch area. Some body lotions may contain
ingredients that can sting, which is why you need to
avoid those problem spots. You should also avoid
using body lotion on your cheeks and jaw after
shaving for the same reason.
You may want to look for products that are
labeled hypo-allergenic since this means they have
been tested for their potential to cause allergic
reactions in people. Though the risk of developing
an allergic reaction is significantly smaller with
hypo-allergenic body lotions, this does not mean
that no one will ever develop an allergic reaction
with the product. Theoretically, there may always be
an individual or individuals who cannot tolerate the
body lotion in question – the population of such
just becomes smaller after the product has undergone
thorough testing.
Another feature of body lotions should
be that they are non-comedogenic, meaning they will
not cause comedones to develop on your skin.
Comedones are the beginnings of acne, because they
cause the pores of the skin to become clogged. This
is why some manufacturers refuse to use emollients
in certain products, to prevent users from
developing comedones that result in full-blown acne.
You need to distinguish between products that
just smell good and those that really do relieve dry
skin. An ideal body lotion will assist in healing,
and add moisture to the skin without causing other
problems. The fragrance is just the icing on the
cake, so if you do get a product that hardly smells
like anything that does not mean it is a bad
product. Also, some people are allergic to certain
fragrances so products that do not have scents added
to them are actually doing consumers a favor.
Choose your body lotions and beauty products carefully so that your
skin problems will not escalate after usage. If you
find it hard to choose the right one, get an expert
like a dermatologist to help you.
Read more about effective body lotions and creams.
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