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HOW TO SELECT THE BEST PRODUCTS FOR YOUR SKIN

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With the hundreds of thousands of ingredients available to a normal consumer how do you decide what is the best fit for you?  Even before you select the right skin care products you have to decide what your skin care goals are.  Just as you would set up a healthy diet plan to lose weight, you have to set up a regimen plan for healthy skin.

Do you need treatment, moisturizer, peptides, anti-oxidants or peeling agents?  Do you need to see the family doctor, Dermatologist or a Skin Care Professional?  And above all, what’s this going to cost?

The array of skin care products can be overwhelming.  How are you going to choose when every product claims to be the latest and greatest?  Many products are overpriced, make claims that they can’t support, are misleading and ineffective.  You can pick up a product that works great for a couple of weeks then it stops working.  Skin care is not one size fits all.  The skin care consumer has to be educated enough to know what ingredients work and how to work those products to get the maximum benefit for your skin and your overall health.

Here’s the thing, you have to know what your skin care goals are before you can pick the right product.  A product that has the statement ANTI-AGING is just one piece of the puzzle.  What ingredient makes it anti-aging?  Is it a treatment ingredient like glycolic acid, that make the skin move?  Or is it a peptide that’s a cell communicator.  Purchasing skin care products is like grocery shopping.  You know what you want to ear.  You should know what ingredients you need to apply to your skin.  Choosing the wrong product can cause more skin care problems even accelerated skin aging.

My personal Skin Care Plan and the products I use deliver the results I am looking for.  I’m very specific about how I want my skin to perform.  I don’t want my skin wrinkling, sagging, or discolored, I want a healthy glow and I want to look 40 when I’m 60.  Be specific about your goals even if you think there unattainable.  Just as a diet plan whereby you set a goal to lose 10 lbs in 1 month, you have to create a regimen plan for healthy happy skin.

The first step is to ask and answer a couple of question:

  • What are your skin issues?  Such as acne, acne scars, rosacea, dark spots, wrinkles, pigmentation etc.
  • Do you have any sensitivities?  Is your skin on the red side?  Does your skin burn easily?
  • What is your age?
  • What color is your skin?
  • What’s your nationality?
  • What skin program have you been on for the last 6 months?
  • Have you used a treatment product in the last 6 months?  Such as glycolic acid, Retin-A, microdermabrasion etc.
  • Are you taking any medication for your skin?
  • What brand of make-up have you used in the last 6 months?
  • What skin type do you think you have?
  • Do you just need a simple skin care maintenance program?
  • Do you need a complete skin makeover?

If you have skin issues or are aging over 40 you have to treat the skin.  If you don’t have issues and are young, you need to moisturize.  There are all kind of variables that I have to take into consideration when designing the right skin care regimen for each and every one of my clients.  The product, plan and percentage of ingredients has to be the right fit.  I use 6 products for almost everybody I treat.  A facial wash, Glycolic, microdermabrasion, Skin Water, Waterscreen, and an Anti-Oxidant.

Here’s a simple regimen I would design for a person with light color skin, age 19 to 25 with no real skin care problems:

Morning:  No facial wash, after shower gently dry off the face.  Apply a bit of Skin Water and a bit of Anti-Oxidant.

Evening: Original Facial Wash, apply a bit of Skin Water.

Here is a daily skin regimen that is for a client with more skin problems:

Morning Regimen: Before shower or bath apply just a bit of Waterscreen.  This is probably the most important step to take.  (Do not wash your face in the shower).  After shower, gently dry off the face.  Apply a bit of Skin Water and a bit of Anti-Oxidant.

EveningRegimen:  Facial wash.  Apply 5% Glycolic Acid, apply a bit of Skin Water, Seal with Waterscreen.

The following is a Treatment Plan which can be done twice a month:

Evening: Facial wash.  Apply Microscrub, massage into skin until all waxy build up seems to be gone, then rinse gently.  Apply 7% Glycolic Acid, let sting for 3 to 5 minutes.  DO NOT REMOVE.  Apply Skin Water like a mask.  Let set on face for about 20 minutes. Gently dry off any excess with a dry towel.  Apply a bit of Waterscreen.

Skin Care Products/ Ingredients have to make sense when applying them, and have to deliver the results.  If you would like me to write you a Skin Care Plan, answer the questions above, include your skin care goals and send me a photo to biokorium.vivian@gmail.com

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BIOKORIUM® SKIN WATER® WITH HYDRO-FORCE® TECHNOLOGY… WE HAVE YOUR BACK!

BioKorium Skin Water is the first hydrating product which can be used for Skin, Hair and Scalp…. Now with Hydro-Force Technology….We have your back!

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HAIR LOSS: THE FAMILY CURSE

By Vivian Moreno, Esthetician, My Hair loss Experience

     Reminiscing of my child hood from a very young age I remember my family as close, with an even closer extended family.  Growing up I remember listening to family members talk about the ‘family curse’, Hair Loss! Today 50 years later at our family gatherings 99.9% of all of my sisters and cousins have some form of hair loss, some more than others.  I have one cousin that is almost bald, and another with a full head of hair at 60 something, with everyone else in between. 

     I guess I was getting pretty close to bald, and would not even have notice if on one family occasion, my cousin greeted me and asked what was going on with my hair.  That’s when I became self conscious of my predicament, and began to increasingly take notice of this on more than one occasion.  There was one time I was having a conversation with someone, and notice their eyes moving up looking up at my blank scalp.  Well, it began to effect me so much that I would limit my exposure to normal living, and that wasn’t good.  I wouldn’t want to go anywhere or do much of anything, and would say to myself, “I had the worst hair on the planet”.

     Fifteen years ago my mother of all people, started wearing wigs religiously.  She told me that her hair loss started effecting her life, just as it had mine, and wigs were an option for her. She tried on Human hair, Synthetic Hair, Long hair and Short hair.  I tried to see the light in it when my mother would get complements on her hair, and my sister and I would just look at each other knowing it was the infamous #33, The Mona Lisa Wig at $39.95.  I had to hand it to her, you could not tell she was truly wearing a wig.  My Grand Children didn’t even know her secret, they never knew she wore a wig, and always knew my mom as having a lot of hair. Last Christmas my mom stayed with them for the holidays and when she came down the stairs one morning without her wig, they were traumatized by the sight of her with almost no hair. 

     I said to myself wigs were not going to be an option for me. I WANTED MY HAIR BACK! and I wanted all my hair back…

     I decided to conduct an experiment on my scalp and keep a photo journal. I knew enough about the skin and how it worked, so I started to apply those principles to the scalp, because after all, the scalp is skin, and my hair grows out of skin. My goal was to make my scalp as healthy as possible, because my theory was that if I made my scalp healthy my hair would grow back.  This I would do by removing all and any build up that would impede hair growth thru the follicle.  I went to my husband “the Pharmacist” to design and concoct a hair and scalp serum.  The final hair serum product was 3% Minoxidil, 60% Grapeseed Extract, Açaí Extract- produced in our lab, a Japanese extract with studies behind it- Eriobotrya Japonica (Loquat) Extract, Saw Palmetto Extract, Gingko Biloba Extract, Panthenol B-5, and some impressive French Extracts noted for hair growth-, Lupinus Albus Extract, Juglans Regia (SwissWalnut) Seed Extract-from a 400 year tree, Fractionated Soy Protein in Peptide Form.  All had some study to describe increasing follicle activity with of course, the end result, new hair growth.  This concoction would be an addition to the other products designed to  be incorporated into the planned hair regimen. This was my plan, and based on everything I believe to be true about Skin Care, it should work.

      I started taking pictures Bi Weekly, then monthly, then I got crazy and would photos daily  many photos daily. There were some days that I thought it was working and some days I thought It wasn’t working at all I stayed on course and I just let it happen. My hairdressers would let me know if they felt it was getting better or not. Only sometimes they felt it was getting better. I had highs and lows. Some days I believed and some days I didn’t. I started this experiment the beginning of August 2009 and here are the results as of December 2010.

With continuing the same treatment plan, here are the most current results as of March 2, 2011.

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IT’S THE SEASON! BIOKORIUM PUMPKIN & CRANBERRY LOTIONS

Don’t forget to order BioKorium’s Pumpkin and Cranberry Lotions for the Fall Season and Winter Season.  Our Pumpkin is made with pumpkin extract and natural moisturizing pumpkin oil in a delectable Holiday Pumpkin Scent. Our Fresh Cranberry Lotion is made with real Organic Cranberry Extract Fruit Juice produced in our lab and mixed with natural moisturizing Cranberry Oil in our own signature Holiday Cranberry Scent.  All holiday lotions will be reduced to $12.95

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POMEGRANATES: FRUIT OF THE GODS, I GET IT!

In ancient times, the Greeks and Egyptians used the fruit of the pomegranates to heal and revitalize the body.  Then, Pomegranate was also known as the fruit of the gods, because of the belief and myth that the fruit could transform and heal a person’s body and mind to be closer to that entity, and a secret to beknownst only to them.

     Until recently, scientific studies indicate that pomegranates have benefits far transcending ancient symbolism and leading them into the realm of true medical literature. Early on, a Reuters article dated  Oct 29, 2003, reported, “that compounds found in fruits such as Pomegranates and Grapes may help protect against the changes that can lead to skin cancer”, researchers told a conference of the American Association of Cancer Research. These were proven by test on mice which demonstrated that these extracts can slow down or prevent the damage done to skin by chemicals and sunlight.   

     Like all other antioxidants such as Green Tea, Grapeseed and the Açaí berry;  Pomegranate extract was found to help in mediating ultraviolet light damage.  In other words, this meant that your skin attained the ability to be more resistance to damaging ultraviolet rays.  By this, your skin may burn less or recover much more quickly than without it.   Interesting enough, this was a phenomenon we were seeing early on with our first antioxidant product of Grapeseed creams and serums.  Our clients were coming in after a day of sunning or going to areas such as Hawaii and telling us they weren’t getting burned as much with our product, compared to other times without it.    

     The reason for this protective factor, is that Pomegranate Extract is rich in polyphenols, a potent antioxidant also commonly found  in Green Tea and other antioxidants. One of the most powerful of the Pomegranate polyphenols is Ellagic Acid, which has been shown to be promising in a study for it’s anti-cancer and healing benefits.  

     One study confirmed that Ellagic Acid effectively protected cells from damaging free radicals of ultraviolet light.  In addition, it was found that other antioxidants in the fruit of the pomegranate combined synergistically with Ellagic Acid to greatly  increase pomegranate’s potency as an antioxidant.  In other words, it was found that this red fruit contained more than one antioxidant which worked together in a cascade effect to counteract the damage done to cells by chemicals, radiation and sunlight.  It did this by significantly lowering the swelling in damaged skin tissue and further, decreased the overgrowth of unnecessary skin cells, which could turn cancerous.

      In another study at the University of Wisconsin, a team tested pomegranate extract against a tumor causing chemical called TPA. In the skin of newborn mice.  In the TPA treated group, all the mice developed tumors at 16 weeks; whereas the mice treated with Pomegranate extract only 30%  exhibited tumors at the 16 week point.  BioKorium has been always been on the cutting edge of Antioxidant development since 1994, interpreting and understanding  what clinical studies reveal regarding the importance of certain fruit extracts and their relation to skin health. 

     At BioKorium we are proud to offer what we feel is the best handmade pomegranate fruit extract products in the form of facial creams and lotions formulated,developed and produced in small batches by Dr. Javier Moreno, PharmD, RPh , available since our conception 17 years ago.

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SUNLIGHT: THE BODIES NATURAL ENERGY SOURCE

From fire and water came the spark of life of which emerged a complex biological system of what we know now as the human body. The purpose, the biological purpose of how are body was designed in order to survive the challenges of our environment is not only rudimentary, but primordial in origin. Sun exposure, temperature changes, food intake, immune strength; these our all elements that effect and challenge our bodies future level of survival. A lack of sunlight, for example, can have an effect on lowering Vitamin D levels which could result in larger health issues later. A lack of Vitamin D can also increase the risk of many types of cancer and lung diseases. This is the top reason for our need to be exposed to sunlight in order that our body receives and produces enough Vitamin D. The fact that electrons from the sun must pass through the skin to be processed in cells is example which demonstrates that ‘skin’ is a natural receiver or conduit of sunlight, in the form of electrons. These electrons are then processed within our skin to produce active levels of Vitamin D which maintain healthy processes within our body. This is another reason why we should not overlook the importance of maintaining healthy skin in relation to sun exposure. Ten minutes daily is sufficient. Sunlight also prevents many bacterial and viral infections. More importantly, sunlight strengthens our immune system by providing the platform to build our white blood cell count, and having a normal healthy level of White Blood Cells by which our body maintains a healthy immune system. The importance of maintaining our skin should not stop at our appearance, it now becomes a health issue pertinent to the very nature of our survival.

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SKIN AND THE FRENCH CONNECTION

 Lets look at the relationship between skin and the French connection.  What you need to know is that the French perception of beauty and skin care is much different from the American perspective.  Skin does not soley exist by itself, but by the personification of our actions.  Why is it that Americans have always looked toward the French with the anticipation that they hold the the secret to the fountain of youth of skin and its ageless existence.  Well for one thing that the French and Americans do not have in common is overbathing.  As I remembered in younger days are month trip to Europe, and our concerns with bathrooms and showers, which caught the attention of hotel attendees.  American’s so were preoccupied with cleanliness and showers, soaps, scrubs and why is it that the French don’t shower as much?  Maybe that it is naturally unconvenient or inaccessible or part of French culture and  or simply just not important.  But the contradiction of not bathing was that your skin would retain its natural oils and its visual heathiness.  I don’t condone not bathing, but simple smart bathing.  Smells are produced by bacteria.  Its not important to lather up or soap up your arms chest legs hands.  Simply because these areas just don’t get dirty. Showering or bathing daily, every other day etc. I only cleanse with mild soap as they would say my “private parts”.   Underarms, and you know the rest, if your male or female…  the other parts of your body do not need to be salt scrub, loofah’d, wash clothed to death or brushed to the perceived illusion of cleanliness.  Cleanliness is not about tearing and stripping your skin to oblivion.

When I was young my Father would make lite regarding the event of bathing, “It wasn’t Saturday”, he would say.  In other words bathing was a once a week event.  My father would work the fields and handle cattle on a ranch, you could only imagine, but this was acceptable part of society for that time, late 1930’s. Of course, during the rest of the week people would use a wash cloth or rinse off, in order to quick cleanse. But there was that one day, Saturday, that would be bathing day.  When you take a look at the past and analyze the present there is a difference.  It’s just important to be aware that there is a different truth and reality than what is mainstream marketed.

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MINERAL OIL: NATURAL OR NOT NATURAL, A MARKETING FALLACY?

I often am posed questions with regards to our products use of mineral oil, and how destructive it is to the skin. Though I have never seen studies to show otherwise. I found that representatives of the cosmetic industry have been passing the information of bad news of mineral oil. The perception that mineral oil as an undesirable ingredient continues through word of mouth, without any real basis in fact. Actually, mineral oil is a safe, effective, time-proven ingredient, preferred by many formulators. Yes, its inexpensive, but by far has effective characteristics that cannot be beat, the bottom line is that they work. Mineral Oil unfortunately gets a bad rap because it sounds so unnatural, but is actually as natural as any plant.  It is actually one of the most exceptional, least irritating, least problematic-causing ingredients for the skin.  Mineral Oil is of course a “natural” product, derived from purifying crude oil, and it’s  origins are derived from the degradation of plant material.  Therefore mineral oil in not sythesized, it occurs naturally in the earth, and is simply purified to the final state.

When mineral oil is incorporated into a cosmetic product, it requires less preservatives than using natural products. There is no doubt that there are impeccable qualities in “naturally” derived plant oils, but of course, need more preservatives to counteract growth of molds and bacteria, due to many nutrients that it contains.  In addition, mineral oil has little or no allergic reactions when compared to natural oils, and is number one recommended as a moisturizer for acne-prone skin.  Orally, mineral oil can be ingested with no side effects.  It is also known that hydrocarbons of a parafinic structure, such as mineral oil, exist naturally in human skin.

Mineral oil remains a key moisturizing ingredient due to (1) its well-documented reduction of transdermal water loss, and (2) its greater barrier to water vapor transmission than that of many other commonly used emollients.  In animal studies, it has been shown that mineral oil has no comedogenic potential.  More astonishing, when mineral oil was tested on humans, it was found to be completely non-comedogenic, compared to many plant derived oils.  Topical use of mineral oil does not represent a local or systemic toxicity risk to humans.  The most common function that mineral oil plays in cosmetics is one of moisturizing. It has been known for decades that efforts to overcome dry skin usually involve applying a moisture barrier to the skin surface which will retard the loss of water from the stratum corneum through evaporation. The reduction of this transepidermal water loss is what is meant by the term “moisturization”, even though no water is actually lost.

Remember, Petrolatum and Mineral Oil are natural products derived from degraded plant material from prehistoric times.  Be aware of mainstream marketing.  For example, just because a cosmetic company claims “oil free”, doesn’t mean it is.  Synthetic oils must be called “oil free”, because it was not derived naturally.  Only a natural derived products can be identified as an “oil”.  It is alway imperative not to believe everything that is mainstream marketed, but question and seek answers.

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FRAXEL LASER AND LASER TREATMENT: WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?

Fraxel laser treatment, affects a fraction of skin tissue at a time with thousands of microscopic columns-each one-tenth the diameter of a hair follicle. These microscopic laser columns penetrate deep into the dermis to create tiny wounds, which inadvertanly triggers your body’s natural defense system to heal those tiny wounds. Inadvertanly, the process expedites your body’s remodeling of collagen and elastin, which results in tighter, fresher, more youthful looking skin. The question is does it work? Fraxel laser treatment is also known as fractional photothermolysis. The word photothermolysis comes from three Greek root words – “photo” meaning light, “thermo” meaning heat, and “lysis” meaning destruction. Pretty destructive terms wouldn’t you say, I call it microwaving your skin. By sending laser light below the skin levels, with heat enough to damage or wound living tissue, in the hopes that your skin will by the inflammation process, heal, and regenerate newer better looking skin. Does this sound like anyway to attain healthy skin? Skin is not a TV dinner that can continually sustain reheating in the hopes that younger skin will arrive. It is my opinion, that continued reheating treatments by laser can only have repercussions in eventually damaging skin and promoting the aging process.

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GLYCOLIC ACID: HOW IT EFFECTS AND IMPROVES YOUR SKIN

BioKorium has been experimenting and applying Glycolic Acid to their clients and family for 15 years. We are convinced it is the safest way to remove debris from the skin. At BioKorium no two facials are alike, every facial is determined on the client’s skin condition on arrival. All BioKorium’s Creams and Salves are handmade and compounded by co-founder Dr. Javier O. Moreno, Pharm.D., R.Ph. These products are designed to work.  Facials at BioKorium are treatment facials. Results from BioKorium facials using Glycolic Acids are noticed immediately. Every product that we utilize serves a purpose and works.  At BioKorium we believe every woman and man over 40 needs to be on treatment products that work. If we can teach them at 30 the importance of treatment early on, we are ahead of the game. BioKorium Skin Care is not a luxury it’s a necessity.

Glycolic Acid is one of a group of naturally occurring fruit acids also recognized as Alpha Hydroxy Acids or AHA’s. AHA’s are among the oldest of skin care products. Milk baths were included in Marie Antoinette’s beauty ritual, red wine was often the choice of English aristocracy, and raw sugar cane was used on the skin of Polynesian women; all which contain forms of AHA’s.  Glycolic Acid is derived from sugar cane and is non-toxic. It has the ability to dissolve the glue from the upper layer of skin cells allowing a more youthful, smoother looking appearance to be revealed. Unlike other AHA’s such as lactic acid from sour milk or citric acid from citrus fruits, to name a few, Glycolic Acid has the smallest molecular size, therefore it can penetrate the skin more efficiently. It also has the ability to absorb water upon exposure to air therefore functioning to add moisture back into the skin. 5% Glycolic Acid is what we consider “baby glycolic” almost any one can use.

The cells of the Stratum Corneum start life in the Stratum Basal as Basal Membrane Cells. The transformation of the Basal Membrane Cells into Stratum Corneum Cells is shown in the figure to the left. The average transit time of the basal layer to your skin’s natural exfoliation process is approximately 8 weeks. The upper most layer of your skin is composed of the Stratum Corneum, which is a stack of 15 to 20 layers of dead skin cells. Structurally, this layer contributes to the overall elasticity and smooth appearance of the skin.  As we age, the rate in which the Stratum Corneum naturally exfoliates,  decreases, therefore the layer of dead skin cells at the surface increases.  This build up of cells, in conjunction with the decrease ability to retain water, leads to a series of age related surface irregularities. These include the lack of luster and smoothness of the skin, as well as in ones appearance.  The skin at the surface becoming  rough and dry, ultimately leading to the most visible sign of age dependent change……wrinkling.   The first important thing to bring back  is the health of the skin, the side effect will be increased vitality and luster, contributing to ones overall appearance.  Without the health of the skin, you will have neither.