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Dark eye circles are known as periorbital hypermelanosis or periorbital hyperpigmentation, which affect both eyes and typically the lower eyelid skin. Some people who have this condition often feel they look extremely tired or sad.   What causes dark eye circles? Causes for prominent circles can be the result of excessive pigmentation in the skin, loss of fatty tissue in the eyelid or around the eye, puffy eyelids, thinning of the skin and prominent shadowing due to skin laxity. There are other factors that can be partly controlled by one’s genetics, other factors such as aging, smoking, fatigue, dehydration and...

Natural is a very popular claim that can mean different things. Strictly speaking, “natural” should mean that ingredients are sourced from nature, are usually plant-based, and have been purified to some extent for health and safety reasons. A manufacturer can not responsibly use ingredients straight from a plant source without purifying or cleaning the material. Some examples of natural materials that are commonly purified according to government requirements are colorants and vitamins. Petroleum and/or animal by-products can also be considered natural, however, most people avoid using these materials for a variety of reasons. When buying products the difficulty comes with...

What are retinoids? The retinoid family is a group of compounds that are derived from vitamin A. They have been available in skincare since the 1970s and scientific studies  shows they are the only topical agents that repeatedly demonstrate anti-aging effects. Retinoids help minimize the appearance of wrinkles, slow the breakdown of collagen and fade pigmentation or age spots. They work by improving skin cell renewal and stimulating collagen production. There are several forms from over-the-counter to prescription strength in topical and oral medication form. Over-the-counter (OTC) retinoids are most often found in eye creams, night moisturizers, and serums. When...

Our knowledge about the human microbiome has advances in next-generation sequencing technologies. This has revolutionized our knowledge about the skin and its natural inhabitants. The skin is a major barrier between the body and its environment. After we are born, microbes rapidly start to colonize our skin and they form a complex ecosystem that lives alongside us. This includes bacteria, viruses and fungi. It is often said that in, and on, our bodies, microbial cells outnumber human cells by a factor of ten! Can you believe we are more microbe than human! This set of microbes and their genetic material...