Allantoin – The Best Soothing Ingredient that Nature Has to Offer?

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acne, acne scars, alcohol, algae extracts, Allantoin, anti-irritant, Arnica, blue Lotus extracts, botanical, botanical extracts, breakouts, chamomile, cleansers, combination skin, Comfrey, cuts, debris, decongest, dirt, dryness, dullness, Europe, exfoliate, face masks, Glycerin, glycolic acid, hands, herb, hydrate, hydrolipid, ingredient, ingrown hairs, irritation, itching, Lactic Acid, lightweight, lotions, Magnolia Essential Oil, moisture, moisture balance, nails, natural sources, normal skin, nourish, oil, oily skin, organic, pore minimising, pores, purify, Salicylic Acid, salicylic acid serum, scrapes, sensitive skin, serums, Shea butter, skin problems, skincare, smooth skin, soothe, sugar beat, tobacco seed, urea, uric acid, Vitamin E, water, wheat sprouts, white meadowfoam oil

Photo by Ron Lach

As you’ll know if you’re a regular visitor to our site, we like to keep our fingers on the pulse when it comes to skincare ingredients and trends. One such ingredient which has been popping up a lot lately is allantoin. It’s something which has been around for some time, but it’s going through something of a renaissance, with many major skincare companies including in their products. Here’s the lowdown on allantoin:

What is allantoin?

As we mentioned above, allantoin is used in many skin care products, including cleansers, lotions, serums, and face masks. Due to its anti-irritant properties, companies tend to add it to products that hydrate and soothe the skin. This ingredient is perfect for sensitive skin and is usually derived from natural sources.

Where is it found? 

In its natural form, allantoin is found in several plants, such as sugar beet, chamomile, tobacco seed, and wheat sprouts. A popular source of allantoin is the extract of comfrey, a species of herb native to Europe. It can also be prepared synthetically for cosmetic use, either by oxidation of uric acid, reaction of dichloroacetic acid and urea, or condensation reaction between glyoxylic acid and urea. (Don’t worry, that’s the last time today that we’ll get so scientific!)

What is it good for?

Allantoin might be your ticket to super smooth skin. It’s one of those amazing ingredients that offers a major bang for your buck and is great if you’re dealing with dryness, dullness, irritation, acne scars and even cuts and scrapes. Allantoin is also known for its ability to add more water to your skin. It can help your skin hang on to moisture longer, and helps fight annoying skin issues like dryness, itching, and irritation, which can ultimately lead to more skin problems, like acne or oily skin. 

Which products contain allantoin?

Decleor White Magnolia Hand and Nail Cream

This light cream is ideal for use throughout the day to leave skin beautifully scented and provide essential care for hands and nails. Key active ingredients include white meadowfoam oil to regenerate the hydrolipid film, shea butter and allantoin to nourish and soothe, plus magnolia essential oil to help protect and reinforce the skin.

Lycon Ingrown X-It Solution

With allantoin, salicylic acid, lactic acid and arnica, Lycon Ingrown X-It Solution is a break through spray formula for the face and body. It mildly exfoliates, decongests and helps minimise the appearance and discomfort of ingrown hairs. 

Medik8 Blemish Control Pads

Pre-soaked in a clarifying maximum strength salicylic acid serum, Medik8 Blemish Control Pads dissolve oil and dirt from deep within the pore to purify problem complexions. Crafted without alcohol and infused with allantoin and glycerin, they protect the skin’s natural moisture balance to ward off dryness, while caring for the most sensitive of skin types.

Murad Clarifying Body Spray

Murad Clarifying Body Spray is a quick-drying formula that helps prevent body breakouts. Salicylic acid helps clear up blemishes as glycolic acid helps clear away pore-clogging debris. Allantoin and blue lotus extract help soothe irritation for healthier-looking skin.

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture

SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture is a lightweight, pore minimising moisturiser, designed to hydrate and nourish normal, combination and oily skin. It contains an exclusive combination of vitamin E, three nutrient-rich algae extracts, and a blend of seven botanical extracts including allantoin. 

Five of the Best Supplements for Beautiful Skin

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back, bacteria, balanced diet, betacarotene, bilberry fruit, body, breakouts, chest, clarified, clear skin, CoEnzyme Q10, collagen, dehydrated, diet, dietary restriction, dry, drying, face, fatty acid, fine lines, French maritime pine bark extract, grapeseed, grapeseed extract, green tea, gut biome, hair, harsh chemicals, healthy, healthy skin, hydrate, hydration, I make a six, intensive, lutein, lycopene, melon concentrate, minerals, moisturiser, MSM, nails, omega-3, plumpness, problem skin, radiant, science lead, shinier, shoulders, skin issues, smooth, stronger, superoxide dismutase, supple, supplement, thicker, turmeric root, vitamin A, Vitamin C, vitamins, water, wrinkles, yeast, younger, zinc

Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-white-and-yellow-medication-pills-3683077/

As well as following a targeted skincare regime which is made up of products for your specific skin type, one of the best ways to ensure your complexion is in the best condition possible is by following a healthy, balanced diet and making sure you drink enough water. However, making sure that you get the correct amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet isn’t always easy, especially if you have any type of dietary restriction. One of the brands that we carry, Advanced Nutrition Programme, creates supplements which contain patented combinations of the correct vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to tackle a number of different skin issues. Here are five of our favourites:

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Accumax

This supplement is an all-around skin saver, combining vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and phytonutrients to work from the inside out to support healthy skin. It’s completely free from harsh chemicals and contains a combination of ingredients that works to feed every cell in the body to help support all areas including face, chest, back and shoulders without drying out the skin.

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Clear Biome

Many of the signals which control the rest of our body come from the gut biome, and if this is off kilter, it can have a knock-on effect on your health. Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Clear Biome contains four specific strains of yeast and bacteria, as well as other ingredients like zinc, which work to rebalance your gut biome and deal with the underlying causes of problem skin. Skin will be clarified and free from breakouts. 

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Collagen Support

As we age, our body stops making some of the vital elements, such as collagen, which keep us looking youthful. This means that the skin loses its plumpness, and fine lines and wrinkles become more apparent. These plant-based capsules are packed with a clever cocktail of vitamin C, zinc, MSM, grape seed extract and melon concentrate which is rich in superoxide dismutase to help activate your skins’ collagen for younger looking skin. 

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Moisture IQ

If you suffer from very dry skin, sometimes simply applying moisturiser isn’t enough to restore your skin to a normal level of hydration. Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Moisture IQ is a science-led, 28-day smart supplement system uniquely formulated to hydrate dry and dehydrated skin. Carefully calibrated to support the appearance of hydrated, smooth, supple and radiant skin across the whole body, Skin Moisture IQ delivers an intensive moisture shot to skin, working from the inside out.

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Ultimate

This 28-day modern vitamin supplement system doesn’t just work on the skin – it also helps to maintain optimal hair and nail health, too. It contains a combination of vitamins A and D, as well as omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, a wide range of antioxidants derived from extracts of green tea, grapeseed, turmeric root, bilberry fruit, betacarotene, lutein and lycopene, AND coenzyme Q10 and French maritime pine bark extract! The supplements are conveniently packaged for daily use and with just 4 weeks of use, you’ll enjoy thicker, shinier hair, stronger nails and clearer skin.

Busting More Beauty Myths

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chemicals, cleansing, damage, deficiency, follicle, hair, harmful rays, hypoallergenic, ingredients, irritant, irritating, make up, make-up, makeup, misinformation, Myth, nail polish, nails, natural, natural ingredients, oxygen, safe, sensitive skin, shave, Shaving, sleep, sunscreen, synthetic, thicker, Vitamin D

Photo by Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash

Back in 2019, we wrote this post where we looked at some of the oldest and most persistent beauty myths around and gave you the truths behind them. The beauty industry seems to be awash with untruths about what is and isn’t good for you and your skin, and there are many more myths out there which need to be debunked, so we’ve come up with five more myths and the reality behind them: 

“Using sunscreen all year round causes vitamin D deficiency”

Sunscreen’s effect on vitamin D levels is actually minimal for most people. The truth is that everyone is at risk for vitamin D deficiency whether they have lighter skin tones or darker skin tones, even among people who live in sunny climates and are outdoors year-around. Skipping sunscreen is a case where the risk significantly outweighs the reward, so it just doesn’t make any sense to do in hopes of increasing your vitamin D levels.

“Wearing makeup every day is bad for your skin”

While wearing lots of makeup can be cumbersome for the skin on your face, wearing makeup consistently won’t actually make your skin worse. Granted, a day with no makeup feels great, but the real culprit of skin damage is not consistently washing your makeup off and leaving makeup on overnight. And no, using a face wipe won’t do the trick, either! Make sure you use a proper make-up removing cleanser and the effect of your make-up on the skin should be minimal. 

“Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker”

This is one of THE most persistent (and if we’re honest, IRRITATING!) beauty myths out there. Shaving will not make your hair grow back thicker, faster, or darker. The growth of hair is controlled by the follicle, and shaving doesn’t affect the follicle or growth pattern whatsoever. Your hair just might appear more stubbly because the blade cuts the hair at the thickest part. There are products which can help to slow the regrowth, but there’s no need to worry about turning into a yeti just from shaving! 

“Nail polish harms nails because it prevents them from breathing”

Nails are dead cells. The reality is that nails do not actually “breathe”; they receive their nutrients and oxygen from the bloodstream and not the air. If your nails are feeling weak and damaged, especially after having gel polish or extensions, using Protein Formula For Nails No:4 can help to restructure and strengthen damaged nails, whilst hydrating and promoting healthy nails.

“Natural ingredients are better for sensitive skin”

If you have sensitive skin, it can be easy to think that ingredients which are derived from natural sources will be less irritating than those which aren’t. However, this is simply not true. Some of our most potent products are made almost entirely from natural ingredients and in fact, it’s important to be selective about ALL ingredients, not just the synthetic ones. There are lots of synthetic ingredients proven to be hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. And even if a synthetic ingredient has the potential for irritation, cosmetic chemists have the ability to remove the allergenic portion of the ingredient in a lab, making it more tolerable for your skin.

Classic Nail Colours for Spring

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acrylic nails, Beauty Essential, colours, Destressed Denim, Detox My Socks Off, fashion, fashionable, fingers, flattering, gel nails, green, inspiration, Just Breathe, lavender, long nails, Love My Nails, manicure, Morning Mantra, multicolour, nail polish, nail varnish, nails, Orly, pastel, red, short nails, spring, toes, white, White Tips

Images from Pexels 

Spring is just around the corner and with it will (hopefullly!) come a change of weather and trends. This time of year gives us all sorts of inspiration when it comes to colours and our clothes, as well as the colours that we wear on our nails. With this in mind, we’re sharing with you some classic nail looks for Spring and the Orly polishes you can use to achieve them:

Lovely Lavender

This pastel purple shade is perfect for the Spring and Easter season and makes us think of painted easter eggs! It’s a great shade which will go with a number of different looks and it’s neutral enough to still look professional if you work in an industry where that matters. We recommend using the Orly shade Just Breathe to achieve this adorable look. 

Gorgeous Green

While some people associate green with Christmas vibes, green is also the perfect colour for Spring as it reflects the new growth around us. The Orly shade Detox My Socks Off has a slightly turquoise tint to it, for a slight variation on this look, and bold, darker colours look great on short, neat nails, as well as longer talons if that’s your style. 

Ravishing Red

Let’s be honest; has there ever been a time when red nails haven’t been fashionable?! Red is the ultimate in sophistication and makes a bold statement. Red nails can be worn to compliment a red outfit or to add a subtle splash of colour to monochromes. It’s a grown up look which works in Spring, and all year round, and can be recreated using Love My Nails. 

Wonderful White

White nail polish is adorable, if it’s done right, and Spring is the perfect time for white nails. They’re the quintessential neutral with a bold twist and they are another shade which perfectly complement shorter nails. In fact, white nails are super flattering and wearable by just about everyone! Orly’s White Tips is the ideal shade if you want to attempt this look at home. 

Marvellous Multicolour

If you’re feeling really adventurous, this multicolour look is perfect for Spring and is surprisingly easy to achieve! Using a combination of Destressed Denim, Morning Mantra and Beauty Essential, or any other colours you choose, this really is a freestyle look! Simply place neat blobs on the nail using the tip of the brush and allow each one to dry before applying overlapping blobs of contrasting colours. 

Save Your Nails from Damage

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bend, Camphor, chip-resistant, crack, cuticles, DBP, flexible, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, growing, growth, healthy, moisturised, nail, nails, Nailtiques Nail Moisturiser, non-greasy, oil, polish, split, toluene, trim, trimmer

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

There are many many things which can damage your nails from cleaning with chemicals to too many acrylic manicures and many things in between. Thankfully, there are also lots of things that you can do to revive your nails once they’ve been damaged, and although some of these solutions may be time-consuming, it will be well worth it to see your nails back to their best condition. Today we’re looking at five tips for saving your nails from damage and getting your hands back to their best.

Nourish Them

Nails which are suffering from damage are often dry and depleted from weeks and months of mistreatment. This means that you need to opt for a properly nourishing regime to help to replenish what your nails have lost. Nailtiques After Artificial Treatment Kit is a two-part treatment which nourishes and replenishes nails to quickly strengthen and rebuild them back to a healthy condition. Each formula should be applied every day for 5 days, and by the end of the ten day course, your nails will be revived.

Use a Nail Cream

Many people will use a moisturising hand cream, but forget that their nails also need to be moisturised. Nailtiques Nail Moisturiser is a non-greasy conditioning nail cream which is enriched with jojoba and aloe to nourish and condition the nails. This moisturiser will help your nails to build strength but remain flexible, which is the holy grail of the healthy nail.

Trim Them

If you’re trying to grow your nails, suggesting that you trim them may seem entirely counter-intuitive, but actually, trimming your nails will help them to grow evenly, which will make them stronger and healthier in the long run. Make sure you use a proper nail trimmer so that your nails aren’t bent and fractured in the process.

Opt for Nourishing Polishes

If you must use nail polish, you need to ensure that you opt for something which will both help to strengthen your nails, but do so without the use of damaging ingredients. We now stock CND nail polishes which are formulated without formaldehyde, DBP, toluene, formaldehyde resin or camphor and offer a week-long wah of colour and chip-resistant wear.

Don’t Forget Your Cuticles

Keeping your cuticles (the skin around your nails) healthy and nourished is also an important part of maintaining nail health. Nailtiques Cuticle Care Oil comes with a convenient rollerball applicator and instantly softens cuticles and sealing in moisture. It’s easy to apply and will help to keep your nails nourished and growing evenly.