Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2019 June 11

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June 11

Cleanser

A cleanser can be used as part of a skincare regimen together with a toner and moisturiser. People with such sensitivity should find cleansers that are pH-balanced cosmetic balanced, contain fewer irritants, suit many variating skin types. Cleansers should work with the skin not against it. I've chosen the right cleanser for my face but what about toner and moisturiser how do you know whats good for your face? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 110.151.109.163 (talk) 06:15, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

This is bordering on medical advice, which Wikipedia does not provide. Dbfirs 06:23, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

Nonsense. Go into any the cosmetics department of any major department store and you'll find various attractive ladies available to give advice on exactly this kind of question, none of whom are medical practitioners. --Viennese Waltz 08:25, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

I don't think so. No hint of treatment of any medical condition here. SinisterLefty (talk) 08:27, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

It was the "People with such sensitivity" that rang an alarm bell for me, but perhaps I was being over-careful? Dbfirs 16:18, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

Yes, "sensitive skin" is common and not considered a medical condition. That would be equivalent to people who don't like perfume having "sensitive noses". SinisterLefty (talk) 16:34, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

As far as moisturizer, the main difference is in thickness. That is, some have more water (thin) and some have more oil and/or wax (thick). The thin ones need to be applied more often, but avoid that greasy feeling associated with thicker ones (such as Bag Balm, with a lanolin base). And if applied before sleeping, the thick ones may end up smeared on the pillow. Another consideration is perfume. An unscented moisturizer may be less objectionable when applied to the face. However, certain moisturizer bases, like Vaseline with a petroleum jelly base, have strong smells all by themselves, so you might avoid those. Personally I find an unscented moisturizer with a cocoa butter base smells pleasant, and has the advantage of being inexpensive, as well, at least in generic form.

And whether one is using enough moisturizer is easy to gauge by if one's skin is dry and flaky (too little) or oily (too much). If one has naturally oily skin, no moisturizer may be needed, and perhaps instead an astringent, like witch-hazel, in an alcohol base, could be used to dry the skin. It's also possible to have "combination skin", with some dry areas and some oily areas, like the "T zone" (nose and forehead). In that case, moisturizer should be used on the dry areas, and the astringent on the oily areas.

Additives to moisturizers such as vitamins, aloe and sunscreen may also be considered, but go beyond the basic goal of moisturizing.

One final consideration is the container. For liquids, I suggest the pump type, as that allows dispensing a controlled amount. A squeeze tube, on the other hand, tends to dispense either none or way too much, like a ketchup squeeze bottle. I've also seen such products in roll-on bottles, like deodorant. That might be good if you don't want to get your hands messy. For thicker gels, a shallow screw-on top container that allows you to easily reach the bottom is best. SinisterLefty (talk) 08:27, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

Are vitamins (Vit. C apart) absorbed through the skin? And I would suggest any container that can be recycled is best, preferably a refillable multi-use or glass container. Richard Avery (talk) 09:40, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

The vitamins don't necessarily need to be absorbed all the way into the bloodstream, in quantity, if the goal is to help the skin right at the application site. However, I have no idea if they do any good. SinisterLefty (talk) 17:27, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

One container type I forgot about is spray-on. I certainly wouldn't recommend that for the face, as it would get in the eyes and nose and on the lips. And for the rest of the body, I'm skeptical that it would over-spray onto the furniture, and you would probably need to use your hands to spread it around evenly, defeating the purpose. It would also only work with a rather thin formula, requiring respraying often. SinisterLefty (talk) 17:44, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

Strong hair, smoother skin etc

Products aimed at women. Are women more susceptinlev to these than men would be to products aimed at men? 80.2.21.170 (talk) 23:49, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

I mean, how strong is hair, and why would you want to make it stronger?80.2.21.170 (talk) 23:54, 11 June 2019 (UTC)

It's the language of the fashion industry. Any relationship between that and correct English would be accidental. HiLo48 (talk) 01:06, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

We have an article called Hair care which may help. From the medical press, see How to get thicker hair. Alansplodge (talk) 09:52, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

You want strong(er) hair so that it doesn't break, either during brushing or normal wear and tear. Broken hair is harder to manage and tends to look bad. Matt Deres (talk) 13:56, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

Split ends, in particular, can result from some of the crazy things women do to their hair. SinisterLefty (talk) 16:37, 12 June 2019 (UTC)