niacinamide for skin Archives

Kristals Tips: Best Anti-wrinkle Cream Ingredients

Between the hype swirling about new “miracle” ingredients and complicated lists that may feel like you need a Ph.D. in chemistry to decipher, it’s hard to know what actually works. How do you decode the lists of anti-wrinkle cream ingredients on products you find at the store?

We’re bringing in the Kristals beauty & skincare experts to see what they recommend as the best anti-wrinkle cream ingredients – so you can cut through the clutter and get to the good stuff, whether you’re choosing a cream, moisturizer, or serum.

Kristals Tips: Best Anti-wrinkle Cream Ingredients

Retinol

This vitamin A derivative has proven effects to stop wrinkles while boosting collagen and elastin production. Retinol is one of the very best anti-wrinkle cream ingredients you can find.

Here’s a small selection of what Kristals offers with retinol:

Kristals SAPPHIRE Retinol Age Correcting Cream (sapphire + retinol + zinc + vitamin E)
Kristals SAPPHIRE Retinol Firming & Lifting Eye Cream (sapphire + retinol + vitamin E + shea butter)

Antioxidants

These are specific vitamins like vitamin C, A and E that fight the free radical oxygen molecules that age our skin. Some of them even help stimulate collagen (hello, vitamin C!) and promote the repair of skin cells.

A lot of Kristals products have antioxidants plainly because they are immensely powerful. Here are a few:

Kristals GOLD 24K Gold Eye Perfecting Cream (gold + vitamin A + vitamin E)
Kristals PEARL Neck & Chest Extra Firming Cream (pearl + vitamin E + vitamin B5 + boron)
Kristals AMBER product line (amber + vitamin C + vitamin E + vitamin A + red algae)

Peptides

These proteins help bind moisture to promote hydration and seem to have positive effects on improving intercellular communication to help skin cells repair themselves. On labels, you’ll see them referred to by their specific names, like Tetrapeptide-26, Tetrapeptide-7 and oligopeptide.

A few stellar Kristals products contain peptides – let’s highlight the following:

Kristals GOLD 24K Gold Facial Perfecting Serum (gold + our exclusive Matrixyl 3000 peptide + palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7)
Kristals AVENTURINE Collagen Booster Gel [aventurine + Chronogen (Tetrapeptide-26)]

Niacinamide

Derived from vitamin B3, niacinamide is great for treating dark spots or discoloration that comes from sun damage or simply the passage of time, in addition to being an anti-aging wonder. It’s also helpful for treating skin inflammation and acne.

Anti-wrinkle Kristals products with vitamin B3 include:

Kristals AVENTURINE Collagen Booster Serum (aventurine + vitamin B3 + vitamin B5 + vitamin E + Matrixyl 3000 peptide)

Hyaluronic acid

This is a highly recommend moisturizing agent that dermatologists recommend time and again, since hydrated skin usually looks full and radiant.

There you have it: 5 of the best anti-wrinkle cream ingredients so you can make sure your skincare investments are worth it and you can get the results you seek!

Keys for Getting Started with Crystals

People have been intrigued by the healing powers of crystals for centuries. For the skincare and beauty researchers at Kristals Cosmetics and other skincare companies, those powers are harnessed in the form of finely ground gemstone powders for the skin.

But crystals can heal your body and soul in other ways, as well. And as it turns out, getting started using the healing powers of crystals is actually not all that difficult. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

#1 Try Wearing It or Carrying It
If you’ve found a crystal that you feel drawn to, really the best first step is to just try to “bond” with the crystal. You can make it into a necklace that you wear, or put in a bag to carry around in your pocket or purse. Either way, spending some time with the crystal is a good way to feel out its healing power and make the most of it.

#2 Put It in a Room Where You Feel Comfortable
Other than having it on your person, another approach to healing crystals is to place them in a room where you spend a lot of time and are at your most relaxed and thoughtful. You can absorb the power of the crystals in this setting, and they can assert their healing power on both you and the room itself.

#3 Harness Their Powers Both at Work & Rest
Two other places where crystals can have a positive impact are at your desk at work and on your nightstand beside your bed. In either instance, they can have a calming, focused presence that can help you either settle in for the task at hand or relax so you can sleep.

#4 Use It to Think & Meditate
As you become more familiar with the crystal, you can start to place it on your heart while you meditate, or even hold it in your hand while you sleep. These steps can enhance the bond and increase the crystal’s healing power.

#5 If It’s Not Working, Try Another One
Different crystals work for different people, and your first inclination might not always be the right one. It might require trying a few different crystals before you find the right one for you.

About Kristals Cosmetics
Kristals Cosmetics has unlocked the holistically healing power of gemstones to promote vibrant, radiant skin with a deep range of products, including creams, masks and serums. Kristals complements its gemstone-infused skincare products with leading-edge ingredients designed to pair perfectly with precious gems, including peptides, niacinamide and Vitamin C.

Why Gemstones Became Huge in Cosmetics

There’s no question that there are some dubious, questionable and downright strange approaches to skincare and cosmetic routines. For example, celebrities such as Kate Middleton and Gwyneth Paltrow have been known to use products with bee venom in their skincare routine, while Kim Kardashian has done a facial with her own blood.

At first glance, gemstones in cosmetics seem to be just another fad along these lines. But as the skincare and beauty researchers at Kristals Cosmetics and other companies began to examine the power of these stones, they began to find real, tangible results for your skin. Here’s how they can help.

#1 Amethyst Detoxifies and Purifies
This semiprecious gemstone in cosmetics seems to draw toxins and other impurities out of the skin, while at the same time boosting the body’s natural antioxidant potential. The end result is a base ingredient for skincare products that helps detoxify, purify and revitalize the skin. This makes amethyst a star gemstone for cosmetics.

Read a review of Kristals Cosmetics’ Amethyst Oxygen Instant Energizing Reviving Treatment at the New Spirit Journal here and see our Amethyst Oxygen Instant Energizing Activating Serum featured in FabFitFun! You can also check out the entire Kristals Cosmetics Amethyst product line reviewed in Currently Crushing.

#2 Amber Evens Out Skin Tone
This smooth, organically formed gemstone can be ground into a fine powder that has a number of powerful properties when used in cosmetics. In particular, amber appears to have a balancing effect, diminishing the appearance of dark spots and helping with pigmentation issues by evening out the skin tone.

#3 Pearl Promotes Healthy Cell Growth
The gemstone of the sea also appears to be quite useful when ground into a powder for cosmetics and other skincare products. Pearl has been traditionally known as a powerful stimulator of cell and tissue growth. When it comes to the skin, this occurs in the form of collagen and elastin to promote healthy, youthful-looking skin.

#4 Rose Quartz Stimulates the Immune System
This semi-precious gemstone has been used as a healer for thousands of years. In cosmetics, rose quartz seems to have immune-boosting potential, while also promoting healthy cell growth. It’s why Kristals Cosmetics and other companies turn to this powerful gemstone in their cosmetics.

4 Secrets to Gemstone Beauty

For centuries gemstones and crystals have been part of the healing tradition of all kinds of civilizations. For example, the ancient Egyptians protected their dead by burying them with quartz crystals. And the Chinese would often use crystal-tipped acupuncture needles as part of their medical treatments.

But they also have great potential to be used in skincare, as researchers from Kristals Cosmetics discovered when they looked at the lore surrounding gemstones, crystals and precious metals and tested their skincare properties. Here’s what they found:

#1 Even out Skin Tone with Amber
This smooth, organically occurring gemstone has a natural balancing effect when ground into a powder and added to skincare products. Not only does it give the skin elasticity, but it can also even out your complexion and help with dark spots or other pigmentation issues. Kristals Cosmetics frequently pairs amber with vitamin C to boost its antioxidant potential. This is true for its Amber Multi-Vitamin C Brightening Serum, its Amber Multi-Vitamin C Hydration Cream and its Amber Multi-Vitamin C Dark Spot Corrector.

#2 Feed Skin with Oxygen Using Amethyst
There’s no question that oxygen can provide a boost of freshness and youth to the skin. Many people are now turning to oxygen facials to refresh the skin and boost the growth of new cells and collagen.

With that in mind, Kristals Cosmetics researchers leveraged the power of amethyst, which traditionally has been used for a number of respiratory ailments, to boost the levels of oxygen to the skin. The result was products like Amethyst Oxygen Instant Energizing Activating Serum. It pairs oxygen-boosting amethyst with ingredients like lactic acid and alpha hydroxy acid to exfoliate and nourish the skin.

#3 Firm Skin with the Power of Pearl
Science has shown that skin components like collagen and elastin are keys in keeping your skin looking renewed and refreshed. When these skin components start to disappear due to age or neglect, the result can be saggy skin.

However, pearl is well-known historically for stimulating cell growth and regeneration. And Kristals Cosmetics product formulators examined whether pearl would work in modern formulations and discovered that it’s a superb complement to skincare superstars like hydrotensyl complex that delivers much-needed collagen and elastin to the skin to stop sagging and firm it up in products such as their Pearl Neck & Chest Extra Firming Cream.

Read & watch a video review of the PEARL Neck & Chest Extra Firming Cream from Kristals Cosmetics over at TheInsideOutBeauty by Heidi.

#4 Fade out Wrinkles with Sapphire
Sapphire is known as the wisdom stone, and this gemstone traditional brings calm and peace through clarity. Kristals Cosmetics enhances its healing power with added ingredients such as retinol in its Sapphire Retinol Age Correcting Cream.

Skincare Screw-ups You Need to Stop Making

In the rush of everyday life, we make many mistakes when taking care of our skin and without knowing it, these can result in dull, wrinkly skin. To that end, here are some skincare screw-ups we need to avoid ASAP.

Sleeping with makeup on. This is one of those mistakes that can happen after a long day—or just become a bad habit we end up adopting out of convenience, since removing makeup can often be a real chore. However, leaving makeup on clogs pores and leads to bad buildup that in turn can lead to acne breakouts and other issues.

Pimple-popping. As much as we hate those blemishes and think we’re taking matters into our own hands with a good squeeze, dermatologists constantly advise not to do this. Basically, popping those pimples just spreads the infection and can worsen your problems with acne, not to mention leave unsightly acne scars.

Changing products too often. This hurts us in a couple of ways. First, products need time to work, and making quick switches out of impatience may deprive us of the results we wanted—and would have gotten—if we had waited a bit more. In addition, leaping before you look as you make these abrupt changes can result in allergic skin reactions to ingredients, causing redness and acne breakouts.

Non-professional facial cleansing. While there are tons of recipes online for DIY (do it yourself) facial masks and more, sometimes these DIY treatments can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Morever, an experienced dermatologist will set up cleaning according to your skin type and concerns, using more powerful ingredients that really get in there, as opposed to a promised quick solution you get over the counter. Pore strips are a good example of these: they just don’t work. To really get at blackheads, for example, a dermatologist is by far your best bet. They have the talent, the tools and the know-how to band blackheads with specialized treatments.

How to Use Ruby for Skincare

In Sanskrit, the word for “ruby” actually means “king of the precious stones,” showing how long this gemstone has been valued for its beauty and holistic healing properties. Motivation, love, power, self-confidence and increased concentration are among the emotions and traits that have been associated with ruby over thousands of years. But after years of research, the product formulators at Kristals Cosmetics also noticed that the stone has impressive properties to benefit skincare. Their findings showed that ruby helps with wrinkles and to promote radiant complexions. With this in mind, products formulators at Kristals Cosmetics looked to create the right combination of ingredients to work well with ruby to augment its effects on the skin.

As part of that, Kristals Cosmetics several products based on ruby. Below, you can see for yourself how these ruby skincare products can be used to promote youthful-looking, radiant skin:

Gemstones for Healing

Gemstones for healing are a hot ingredient in skincare products right now. And, when paired with other helpful ingredients like peptides, pro-vitamin B5, vitamin C and niacinamide, they can make a real difference in the look and feel of your skin. That’s why the skincare and beauty researchers at Kristals Cosmetics have been mixing gems like diamonds, amethysts, rose quartz and others into their cosmetic formulations.

But there’s a secondary benefit to gemstones that goes beyond skin deep. And that’s their ability to promote healing. Here are five gemstones you’ll want to check out for their unique healing properties.

Gemstones for Healing

#1 Diamonds

As the hardest of the gemstones, it’s not surprising that diamonds can exude a feeling of power. This makes them a great ingredient for both exfoliating and strengthening the skin. But beyond that, the feeling of strength and dominance created by diamonds can bring power to other parts of the body, as well, such as the nails and eyes.

Read a review of the Kristals Cosmetics diamond products line at Jess Oshii here.

And for under your eyes, Kristals Cosmetics has a product that brings quick results: our Diamond Select Anti-Gravity Spark Eye Mask, which Glossybox is featuring in its December 2016 box.

#2 Amethyst

Another common gemstone in skincare, amethyst has a healing reputation as a positive gem. It can help to tamp down negative emotions and help you feel your best each day.

#3 Pearl

The healing power of pearls are so intriguing that it’s starting to be used as a nutritional supplement in addition to a skincare ingredient. It strengthens the blood and helps to build healthy cells and bones.

Read & watch a video review of the PEARL Neck & Chest Extra Firming Cream from Kristals Cosmetics over at TheInsideOutBeauty by Heidi.

#4 Rose Quartz

If you need a pick-me-up in your self esteem, then a product with rose quartz in it might be the ticket. The mineral has a nurturing, warm energy that can help you love yourself and feel worthy of the love of others.

#5 Sapphire

Like its cold, calculating color, sapphire might be the gemstone to try if you need to focus in on the task at hand. The stone promotes intelligence and clear thinking.