Masquerade: Magic Potions and Cures

By Alf Orpen

Out of Paris, New York, London and Rome continuously come sensational ‘new’ claims of substances that are anti-ageing, remove wrinkles and rejuvenate skin cells. Cosmetics are big business, with 500 million units of cosmetic products being sold every year in Australia alone. Couple this with the $200 billion a year environmentally-friendly product industry which is only beginning to grow and you create a recipe for any marketing team to go overboard.

It is in fact impossible for any cosmetic to reverse the ageing process and remove wrinkles. Here in Australia some years ago mainstream advertisements began being modified, with words like ‘hide’ and ‘appear to’ replacing ‘anti’ and ‘remove’. This was due to fifteen of the major cosmetic companies being issued with warnings by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) concerning such claims.

How all this hype developed is that during the 7Os the American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) requested product ingredients to be listed. This caused some problems, as the larger companies could only list such things as: water, animal fat, chemical emulsifier, preservatives and artificial fragrances. How was it possible to maintain the high prices charged for such basic ingredients? Obviously ‘new’, sensational substances had to be ‘created’.

Yesterday, the sensational new substance was collagen, which lost its popularity when it was revealed that it was a by-product from the slaughter of cattle and chickens. Then came liposomes, claiming ‘deep penetration’ of the skin (as many still do today). The frightening thing is of course if this is true, if these substances do in fact penetrate the skin then we are abusing one of the skin’s purposes, as a protective layer. If these substances penetrate the skin, then everything else must  go with it, bacteria, germs and a host of synthetic chemicals, artificial preservatives and fragrances. Surely this can only contribute to the fast ageing process of the skin.

Today the sensational substances are AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), Glycolic acid and other ‘fruit acids’. Interestingly, Glycolic acid is sold on the world market as a metal etcher and a few ‘clever’ people thought why not use it to etch dead skin cells. High concentrations of such ‘acids’ have the potential to damage the skin’s acid mantle therefore causing serious burning and scarring of the skin.

Tomorrow’s sensational substances shall without a doubt be camouflaged as ‘natural’ and/or ‘organic’ due to the growing demand for such products. However, many of these so-called natural products are in fact plants that have been chemically treated to extract the required ingredients and therefore terminating a good deal of their life force. When we look at a substance in nature and we look at the same substance in a refined form, there is an extraordinary difference.

If the ingredients don’t read like anything picked from a tree or shrub, it is for certain that the claimed ‘natural’ ingredient has been grossly chemically treated and that the body through its immune system will use an incredible amount of energy to repel these ‘enemy’ substances.

Here in Australia and now many countries worldwide we are blessed with regulatory bodies that also insist that product ingredients be listed on packaging in descending order of quantity. In the past (as it still is in most countries worldwide) a package would state what it contained without disclosing the total sum of ingredients. For example, a product may contain 1 per cent of the total ingredients ‘oatmeal and witch hazel’ and list only these two ingredients, excluding from its packaging the other 99 per cent. This is, of course, misleading, hence the legislation.

Sure some creams give you a nice shiny appearance. But how is this achieved, is the question you must ask. The sad thing is that some creams are in fact chemicals derived from petrol that produce a thin plastic film over your skin. Short-term benefits of ‘appearance’ are no reason to allow long-term damage to your skin.

In understanding skin care, one must firstly be aware of the skin itself. The skin is a living organ made up of an array of layers. It helps to regulate blood pressure and its complex nervous system detects pain, heat and cold, instantly passing findings along to the brain. The skin is also the body’s largest waste eliminator. When pimples and blemishes appear we can be sure that it’s a sign indicating one of two things. The body is either eliminating toxins from the inside or there is a build up of toxins on the skin, which originated from pollutants in the air or from chemical build up which has been applied directly to the skin. Many toxins are absorbed into the body through the skin. So, please treat your skin with care. Be careful what you put onto it and you will be taking positive steps in leading a healthy life.


Alf Orpen has been a leader and innovator in Australia’s Organics industry over the last twenty years. For six years he served on the board of Australia’s leading organic certification body. As a Director of Organic and Natural Enterprise Group (ONE Group) created over six years ago, the world’s first certified to organic food standards skin, hair and body-care range — Miessence. Alf is passionate about the environment and travels extensively throughout the world, educating the public, on ‘green’ business solutions and the devastating effects of pesticides and commonly used synthetic chemical ingredients.