Tag Archive for: natural

With the passing of the autumn equinox, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, dark nights will become more familiar than sunlight in the coming months. But by switching on the power of hydration, your skin doesn’t have to follow suit. Instead, help it glow with radiance—and guard it from the unforgiving winter weather—by introducing some high-performing, superhero products that work while you sleep. This season, it’s all about repair, repair, repair, and protect.

 

Goldfaden MD’s most powerful hydrators can be found in the Plant Profusion collection, which makes use of potent natural ingredients that you won’t find while browsing products at your typical, go-to beauty counter. Extracts from the white bird of paradise (not to worry, no animals were harmed—it’s the plant with banana-like leaves native to South Africa), garden cress, Butcher’s-broom; even raspberry and comfrey stem cells.

The powerhouse secret in Plant Profusion Supreme Serum? Japonica flower extract, which helps bring back skin to its youthful prime. “One of the most important medicinal herbs in history, it provides extraordinary levels of anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and calming properties for the skin. Loaded with regenerative properties to deliver the appearance of repaired skin,” explains Dr. Goldfaden.

The oil-free serum works in synergy with the super hydrating Plant Profusion Regenerative Night Cream, a must for mature skin (but for those with very oily skin, try out the serum on its own first). If you’ve been used to applying the same light moisturizer in the AM and PM all summer, there are more than a few reasons why you’d want to swap in a more hardworking SPF-free cream while you snooze. For the 6-8 hours you’re in bed, your skin fully absorbs the hydration and active ingredients (aka you’re not sweating it off by the time you arrive at the office, or mixing in city grime from the polluted air). Melatonin levels rise at night, which also helps fight free radicals (there’s always more strength in numbers). Many night creams contain higher levels of retinoids or lightening agents that increase skin sensitivity when exposed to the sun—so it’s best to use them at home, in bed, away from UV exposure. Goldfaden MD’s Plant Profusion Regenerative Night Cream calms, soothes and hydrates—blending into the skin almost immediately, with no strong scent at all, a sheer difference from other night creams that are typically super greasy or chokingly thick.

Other routine changes to check off: transition out of aggressive scrubs and exfoliators—put that brush away!—and try something lighter. Goldfaden MD’s non-irritating Lactic and Multi-Fruit Enzyme exfoliating facial peel, Fresh A Peel, will remove the dead surface skin cells to soften and smooth out texture. Keep eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and fruits and veggies, to stay hydrated from within. And never stop drinking water!

Summer is here which means more pool and beach visits, BBQ’s , sun dresses and bathing suits.  No one is really ever  bathing suit ready.   Cellulite, uneven skin tone, veins and  broken capillaries be gone! This year you don’t have to fear revealing more skin thanks to Dr. G’s tips on how to look summer ready.

photo via @margoandme

The culprits that scare us away from stripping down to our tiny bikinis are issues most women deal with. With a few tricks you’ll feel comfortable this summer!

“A fake tan is very helpful in disguising body issues. The darker the skin appears the fewer imperfections and uneven areas will be noticeable.”

Dr. G

The Culprit: Facial redness

The solution:

  • Limit the use of alcohol as it dilates blood vessels
  • Limit outdoor exercise during hottest hours of the day
  • Limit retinol, glycolic acid and aggressive exfoliators
  • Increase use of anti-inflammatory products with cooling/ soothing ingredients such as, red tea (Rooibos) alpha lipoic acid, green tea and oatmeal.

The Culprit: Cellulite

The solution:

  • A healthy diet full of essential fatty acids and leafy green vegetable and fruit is the best defense against cellulite.
  • Exercise is also extremely beneficial due to the increase in circulation
  • Sweating will increase circulation and flush salt out of the body
  • However, cellulite is genetic in some cases and not much can be down to fully get rid of.
  • Products that contain caffeine may be beneficial for smoothing out the appearance of cellulite.
  • Dry brushing skin removes dead skin cells and increases circulation. This may help to breakdown stubborn cellulite and prevent
  • Pour yourself a glass of bone broth. Bone broth is high in collagen, protein and Glucosamine, all help keep joints healthy, strengthen the immune system and fight cellulite.

The Culprit: Varicose veins

The solution:

  • Varicose veins are extremely hard to get rid of but can be managed by keeping weight at a healthy level, exercising and elevating the legs when possible.
  • Try wearing support socks or compression socks to assist in better circulation.
  • Self-tanners will help to cover uneven skin tone and color.

The Culprit: Lumpy Bumpy Skin

The solution:

  • Exfoliation is crucial in correcting lumpy and bumpy skin.
  • Look for a body scrub that contains both physical and enzymatic
  • Dry brushing. Dr. G tip: Remember to always brush towards the heart so the lymphatic system can flush and drain the fluid.

 

What constitutes a “natural” beauty product? There’s still no universally accepted standard, even though the market is growing at a rapid rate. The skin is the body’s largest organ and research proves it capable of absorbing up to 60% of the ingredients in the products we apply – that is a large number and we’ve become more aware of what ingredients are found in our products for this reason. Many synthetic ingredients have been recognized to cause irritation in some people and may have damaging effects longer-term.

All of Goldfaden MD products couple scientific expertise and nourishing active plant cell extracts to restore and improve the appearance of aging skin and are made without harsh synthetic ingredients. Our commitment is to create safe, yet effective products that utilize the most effective and innovative naturally-derived, result driven ingredients from around the globe.

Each Goldfaden MD product is developed naturally in the US with a quality guarantee: organic and natural ingredients, paraben-, petrochemical-, mineral oil-, alcohol-, silicone- and gluten-free, no animal testing, 100% vegetarian, hypoallergenic and free of artificial colors and fragrances.

Here is a breakdown of some key ingredients where we substitute natural alternatives:

Natural alternatives to chemicals

Vitamin A /Retinoids: found in and derived from animal based foods or chemically reproduced.

Goldfaden MD alternative: Carotenoids which are found in plant based foods. We use carrots. Pluses about Carotenoids are the stabilization of the product is better and they aren’t as harsh, which is better for sensitive skin.

Hydroquinone: Hydroquinone is a chemical, also called “benzene-1,4-diol.” (Benzene is a known carcinogen). It’s a type of phenol, which is just a fancy name for a certain class of chemical compounds that are similar to alcohols. Illegal for over the counter sale in many countries.

Goldfaden MD Alternative: Alpha Arbutin. Alpha arbutin is derived from the bearberry plant, specifically from the leaves. Alpha arbutin suppresses the pigment in the pigment producing cells as opposed to killing the cells, as hydroquinone does.

Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid can be derived from rooster combs, made synthetically in a lab or from a vegan source.

Goldfaden MD vegan alternative: We extract our Hyaluronic acid from sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes have the additional advantage of having high levels of magnesium. The mineral magnesium is essential for the synthesis of hyaluronic acid in the body. Many people struggle to get adequate amounts of magnesium in their diet; this is largely because the typical Western diet has low levels of magnesium.

Artificial Fragrances + Dyes

Chemical dyes: Link directly to skin allergies. Studies have found a breast cancer link to red 04 dye.

Goldfaden MD alternative: NO dyes whatsoever, we allow our products to be the color nature intended them to be. As for fragrance, we use only natural fruit extract when it is present in an ingredient.

Silicones + Mineral Oil

Dimethicone: A manmade toxic synthetic pigment and silicone-based polymer. Dimethicone sits on the surface of the skin and doesn’t allow it to breathe, causing irritation. Using Silicone-based skincare products also inhibit the actives from penetrating into the skin, which reduces the treatment amount in the actives.

Mineral oil: Petroleum-derived oil that suffocates the skin and is considered “comedogenic,”which means it can clog the pores and increase the risk of acne and blackheads.

Goldfaden MD alternative : Squalane from olives (vegan) form. Not to be confused with Squalene which is usually derived from shark liver oil but may also come from plant sources such as olives. The main reason Squalane is used is because it has a much longer shelf life and more stable in formulating.