shelf-life of cosmetics
unopened, our products all have a shelf life of at least 30 months. the length of time for which the products should be used once opened is indicated by means of a symbol showing an open pot of cream followed by the period in months (PAO = period after opening).

skin types
the basic features and the character of a person’s skin are inherited; as we age, our skin type may still change. the skin’s requirement in terms of care and moisturising may also change as the seasons change from winter to summer. in general four skin types may be identified, each with different characteristics:

the (rare) "normal" type of skin: rosy, small pores, not too dry, not too oily, not sensitive.

the greasy "shiny" type of skin: produces too much oil (sebum) and is therefore shiny and has an oily, large-pored appearance.  It is prone to blemishes and spots. this skin type appears very thick and the circulation poor because flakes of skin are not shed so readily as is normally the case.

the (frequent) "dry" type of skin: fine-pored and thin. it is prone to the formation of wrinkles; also flakes and stretches quickly because it contains too few oils and moisture. insufficient moisture is secreted. other features are dilated blood vessels on the cheeks (couperose), barely visible pores and an absence of blemishes. in addition it features only a thin hydro-lipid film (acid mantel), this has an adverse effect on the barrier function.

the "combination" type of skin: both oily and dry and/or normal areas of the skin. the so-called “t” zone (forehead, nose and chin) is predominantly oily (large pores and prone to blemishes). dry skin (fine pores inclined to flakiness) is often found around the temples, eyes and cheeks.

the skin is also further sub-divided into light-sensitive types (see “sun protection”)

solvents
these include “ethyl acetate“, “butyl acetate“, “Isopropyl alcohol“, or “acetone“ and form the basis of nail polishes or nail polish remover products. as a result of their rapid evaporation the nail varnish dries nice and quickly or it is subsequently removed from the nail without leaving any residue in the varnish removal process.

storage of cosmetics
once opened, the shelf life of the products is indicated by means of the PAO symbol, i.e. the open pot depicted on the label. the number shown indicates the number of months for which the products can be used. for optimum life, store the products in conditions that are not too warm, protected from light and where they are kept dry – this will help to preserve their quality even longer.

sun Protection
how the skin reacts to sunlight is very diverse from one individual to another. intensity and duration of sunbathing and the sun protection used in each case will therefore need to be coordinated with the appropriate skin type:

skin type I
characterised by noticeably light skin with freckles, blue eyes and reddish hair. in high summer this type of skin fall will victim to sunburn after 5-10 minutes over the midday period. it never goes brown.

skin type II
characterised by blond hair, grey, blue or green eyes. although this type of skin will redden after 10-20 minutes if unused to the sun, it will in time develop a moderate tan.

skin type III
characterised by dark blond hair, grey or brown eyes. this type of skin can stay in the sun for 20-30 minutes without a tan before succumbing to sunburn. following repeated sessions in the sun it will progressively turn brown.

skin type IV
with its light brown skin manages to avoid sunburn to a major extent. this type of skin mostly goes with dark hair and brown eyes. if the skin is not used to the sun it will start to turn red after 40 minutes at the earliest.

the choice of UV protection factor also depends on the intensity of the sunlight: in the vicinity of the equator or in the mountains the sun will burn more intensively whilst on water or in the snow the risk of sunburn is higher because of reflection. basically: better to go for a higher sun protection factor – you won’t go any less brown, at worst it may only take longer … but your tan will last longer and even when you’re old you will still have beautiful skin! another very important point: always use sufficient sun screen and keep topping it up, if you don’t use enough you won’t get sufficient protection. in addition, before sunning yourself you should always cream up well. despite everything, remember: do not expose yourself to extreme sunlight for too long, this will do damage to any skin – don’t risk sunburn. small children and infants should never go in the sun but should wear lightweight protective clothing.

salicylic acid
this has the effect of softening the skin but it also acts as a disinfectant. for instance, it is an ingredient of the essence “foot mask“ and is used to soften the somewhat harder skin on the feet. In the “bye-bye anti-spot patches“ it also helps with spots.

silicones: a collective term.
there are very light or even volatile and inflammable silicones that ensure, for instance, than an eye shadow base dries nice and quickly. but there are also long-chain silicones that make the skin supple and ensure that the product is distributed pleasantly and  quickly.

Sealing
see top coat