Beauty And Skin Care Dictionary From A – H part I
A
Acetone – solvent used in nail polish remover. It can be found in some astringents /toners/ fresheners.
Acne Conglobata – the severest form of acne that leads to severe scarring. Characterized by burrowing and interconnecting abscesses and irregular scars. More common in males. the cause of acne conglobata is unknown.
Acne Fulminans- a rare ulcerative form of acne which most commonly affects adolescent boys. Also known as acne maligna, characterized by fever, symptoms of severe and often ulcerating acne, inflammation and aching of joints, especially hips and knees.
Acne Rosacea- Unlike common acne, rosacea is not primarily a plague of teenagers, but occurs most often in adults. Rosacea typically causes inflammation of the skin of the face, particularly the forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin.
Acne – the world’s most common skin disease. Acne is an inflammatory disease of the skin that starts when oil and dead skin cells clog up the pores. It requires very serious skin-care regime and much patience. Composed of a variety of skin lesions – blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, red spots, zits, nodules, papules, pustules which usually occur on the face, neck, shoulders, back or chest.
Acne Vulgaris – Characterized by comedones, postules, papules, nodules, cysts. Acne Vulgaris is the most common form of acne.
Active ingredient – substance that does the work. The other ingredients are usually just filler, fragrance etc.
Age spots – known also as liver spots. Occur on the hands, face, chest and back. Usually are result of over exposure to the sun. Very common in adults older than age 40. Age spots can be treated with freezing, acids, skin sanding, electric needle and any other methods which causes a superficial destruction of the skin.
AHA /fruit acids/ – Alpha hydroxy acids. Natural acids that help the exfoliation of dead cells, thus diminishing the fine lines and wrinkles appearance. Alpha hydroxy acids are found in a variety of skin care products including moisturizers, cleansers, eye cream, sunscreen, and foundations. They are often found in products claiming to reduce wrinkles or the signs of aging, and improve the overall look and feel of the skin. also used as chemical peels. Include – Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Pyruvic Acid, Tartaric Acid and Maleic Acid.
Alcohol free – Traditionally meant that certain cosmetic products do not contain ethyl alcohol
Allantoin – Active ingredient with soothing, regenerating and healing effect.Derived from natural products or produced synthetically. Speeds up the natural replacement of body cells.
Allergen – substance that causes an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction can be caused by any form of direct contact with the allergen eating or drinking a food you are sensitive to, breathing in pollen, perfume or pet dander.
Almond oil – oil deprived from almonds with softening properties. Helps the skin to balance water loss and absorption of moisture. Relieve irritation, inflammation and itching. Keep the skin youthful and moisturized. A rich, emollient oil good for dry-to-normal skin types and babycare.
Aloe Vera – helps the skin replenish lost moisture, heals and soothes. Aloe vera has been used externally to treat various skin conditions such as cuts, burns and eczema. Also alleged to be useful for dry skin conditions, especially eczema around the eyes and sensitive facial skin. Contain vitamin B1, B2, B6.
Alopecia Areata – The medical term for hairloss which occurs in patches on the scalp.
Amino Acids – The most important organic compounds in the skin. Most of the skin and hair care cosmetic products contain amino acids. Amino acids are the basic structural building units of proteins.
Anti-aging – substances that prevent premature aging of the skin – refine fine lines and make the wrinkles appear smaller and less visible.
Antibacterial – substances that kill bacteria and treat infections.
Anti-cellulite – agent that counteracts bacterial infection of skin tissues.
Antioxidants – Substances with protective effect against the influence of free radicals.Help protect the skin from environmental damage caused by the free radicals and the UV rays. Antioxidant preservatives are also added to fat-based cosmetics such as lipstick and moisturizers to prevent rancidity.
Anti-perspirant – prevent perspiration and the odor it causes.
Antiseptic – substance that stops the growth of bacteria / alcohol, boric acid, hydrogen peroxide, phenol, sodium chloride/.
Aromatherapy – a form of alternative medicine that uses scents and aromas of herbal and floral extracts and essential oils. Aromatherapy is the supposed treatment or prevention of disease by use of essential oils.
Astringent - Toners helpful in controlling surface oils and in lowering the pH after cleansing.
Avocado Oil – oil deprived from avocado, softens and condition skin and hair.
B
Bacteria – A group of single cell microorganisms that can cause disease by producing poisons that are harmful to human cells.
Beeswax – ingredient in cosmetic preparations, used as an emulsifier to soften and protect the skin.
Benzoyl Peroxide – chemical that causes drying and peeling on the skin. It is the best topical treatment of acne lesions. a powerful bleaching agent. Increase skin turnover and clears the pores. Common ingredient in facial cleansers, toners and lotions.
Beta Hydroxy Acids – agents that exfoliate and renew skin cells. Improve wrinkling, roughness, and mottled pigmentation of photodamaged skin. Suitable for acne-prone skins. improve overall skin texture.
Biotin – an essential nutrient in human nutrition known as vitamin H, keeps the normal condition of nails and hair. Counteract the problem of hair loss in both children and adults. plays an important role in energy metabolism. Known also as vitamin H.
Blackheads – caused by hardened masses of sebum, formed in the ducts or the sebaceous glands. They are direct result of skin pores becoming clogged with sebum and dead skin cells.
Blemish – inflamed pore.
Blotting – A process which removes excess oil or moisture from lipstick or any other creamy makeup
Body fat – percentage of a person’s body mass.
Body mass index – a method of evaluating individual people to see if they are under or overweight.
Boil – collection of pus.
Botox – Known also as Botulinum Toxin. Temporarily paralyze a muscle and eliminate wrinkles. It works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the injected muscles; this reduces the activity of the muscles that cause those persistent lines to form.
Breast augmentation – a surgical procedure to reshape the breast in order to make it larger.
Broad spectrum – means that the sunscreen will protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
Bronzer – a tanning product used to make the skin look darker.
C
Callous – excessive build up of the hard tough layers of skin.
Capillary – small type of blood vessel.
Castor oil – an emollient used in makeup and hair products, thickens eye lashes and eyebrows, nourish the hair.
Cell Renewal - replacement of the skin cells from the basal layer to the stratum corneum
Cellulite – fat trapped in pockets beneath the skin. It can be seen on the back of the legs, arms, thighs and buttocks
Ceremides – lipids found in animal cell membranes; natural substance that reduces the natural water loss and forms a protective barrier; protect skin against moisture loss; an important ingredient in the hair and the outmost layer of the skin.
Chemical Peel - a procedure in which a solution of varying strengths is applied to the entire face or to specific areas, such as around the mouth, to peel away the skin’s top layers.Educes new smoother, youthful skin through use of an acid solution; eliminates and reduce fine lines, corrects uneven skin pigmentation, softens acne and treat scars.
Citric acid – astringent and antioxidant.
Clinically proven – means that the product has been clinically tested.
Cocoa Butter – antioxidant that soothes and nourishes the skin. Moisturize the skin leaving it soft and smooth. Common ingredient in most of the body lotions and shower gels.
Collagen – natural substance and main protein of connective tissue . Widely used in cosmetic surgery and common ingredient in anti-aging face creams and serums. Give the skin strength and elasticity. It can be injected into the skin to plump up particular areas, provides shape to skin and cartilage, raises skin tissues to smooth wrinkles. Collagen controls cell shape and differentiation.
Comedone – acne lesion. A plug of sebaceous and dead skin material stuck in the opening of a hair follicle. There are two types of comedones – open comedone /blackhead/ and closed comedone /whitehead/.
Concealer – a cosmetic product that covers dark circles under the eyes, redness caused by broken capillaries or any imperfections.
Conditioner – hair product used after shampooing. A conditioner coat the hair shaft with a thin film that smooths down roughened cells and fills in the uneven surface.Restores hair to a natural balance.
Cucumber Extract – An extract with anti-inflammatory actions and skin tightening properties.
D
Dandruff – shedding of the dead skin cells of the scalp. Mild cases of dandruff may need nothing more than daily shampooing with a gentle cleanser.
Dehydration - Loss of water/moisture from the body or skin.
Depilation – hair removal on the surface of the skin – includes shaving and using depilatories.
Depilatory – Destroys hair by breaking the chemical bonds that hold it together.
Dermabrasion – a cosmetic procedure in which the skin is sanded. With this treatment a high-speed mini-sander is used to remove the top layer of the skin. Dermabrasion smooth wrinkles, refine and clear enlarged pores, clogged pores, and face acne scars. After the procedure the skin looks brighter and feels clean and soft, lines seem less pronounced.
Dermal – related to skin.
Dermatitis – An inflammatory condition of the skin that is characterized by itching and redness.
Dermatologist tested – means that the product has been tested by a dermatologist.
Dermis – the lower layer of the skin.
Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) – a self-tanner.
E
Eau De Perfume – contains around 15 /20 % essential oils. Eau de Perfume has the highest concentration of fragrant components. It is very intensive and evaporates slowly, but unfortunately is very expensive.
Eau De Toilette – has 8/ 17 % essential oils. It is appropriate for daytime use and is lighter than the perfume.
Eczema – a skin condition that causes areas of the skin to become red, itchy and scaly.
Elastin – a natural component of the skin. Important for the elasticity and softness. Widely used in cosmetics as it alleviate the effect of dry skin. Used as moisturizer or added to topical preparations to improve hydration of the skin.
Electrolysis – the practice of electrical epilation to permanently remove human hair.
Electrolysis destroys hair follicles with the heat generated by an electrolic current. Electrolysis can remove the unwanted hair permanently after five/ six sessions.
Emollient – a combination of fats and oils, a substance that softens and soothes the skin,
Emulsifier – a substance added to a product to thicken it.
Enamel – nail polish.
Epidermis – the uppermost layer of the skin.
Epilating – hair removal beneath the skin. Include waxing, electrolysis, laser hair removal, plucking, tweezing.
Essence – oil extracted from plant or herb.
Essential fatty acids – unsaturated fatty acids. Restore the dry and scaly areas of the skin and improves the condition of the damaged hair and brittle nails.
Essential Oils – deprived from the distillation of different parts of the plants or by expression of citrus fruits. Used in perfumery, cosmetics, aromatherapy as they produce the strongest odors.
Exfoliating – removing of the dead skin cells on the skin with exfoliators.
F
Facelift – a surgical procedure which lifts sagging tissue and excises redundant skin. Known also as Rhytidectomy.
Fat-free – means that there less than 0.5g of fat in a product.
Fat-soluble vitamins – vitamins A, D, E, K
Firming – products with ingredients that will plump up the skin and provide a fuller look.
Follicle – pores in the skin from which a hair grows. Acts as a sheath that surrounds the root of the hair.
Fragrance free – no noticeable smell and no added chemical fragrances.
Furrows – very deep wrinkles.
G
Gloss – polish that gives a superficial luster.
Glycerin – a humectant which absorb moisture from the air and keep skin and hair moist; with water binding capabilities; holds water particles together; provides humectancy and emolliency in cosmetic formulas, added in everything from lipstick to body lotion.
Glycogen – an energy source in body that improves cell renewal process and maintains the skin firmness.
Glycolic Acid – AHA deprived from sugar cane. Helps reduce the buildup of excess dead skin cells. Finds applications in skin care products, most often as a chemical peel; reduces build up of excess dead skin cells.
H
Highlighting – lifting in color in specific sections of hair.
Hirsutism – is the term used for increased hair growth in women in areas that are not usually hairy – hairs over the face, chest, back, stomach, thighs and upper arms.
Humectants – substances that attract moisture, draw moisture from the air.
Hyaluronic Acid – a component of connective tissue whose function is to cushion and lubricate. Found in a natural state in the skin it is capable of retaining water. Important ingredient in moisturizing products.
Hydrating – adding moisture to the skin.
Hydroquinone – a bleaching agent, reduce pigmentation in brown spots, age spots, freckles, malasma.
Hyper pigmentation - Darkening of the skin, commonly produced by ultraviolet radiation, which provokes melanocytes in the skin.
Hypoallergenic – product that won’t provoke allergic reaction.