Astringent - A Substance for Skin Care

According to the dictionary astringent means tending to draw together or constrict tissues, styptic or sharp and penetrating. The word "astringent" derives from Latin astringere , meaning "to bind fast".

In science, it is a chemical substance that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues. Astringent medicines can cause the mucous membranes to shrink. Astrigen substance is also used to look after discharge of serum or secretion of mucous in sore throat, diarrhea, hemorrhage and peptic ulcer. Astringent is also applied externally which helps in mild coagulation of skin proteins. It also helps in protecting the skin from dryness and hardness. Astringents are used in wide range of problems but especially in wound healing and conditions of the digestive system. Mildly astringent solutions also helps in attaning relief from skin irritations which occurs because of allergies, superficial cutsand insect bites. Astringent solution contains silver nitrate, calamine lotion, tincture of benzoic, zinc oxideas its main constituents. It also contains vegetable substances like Gallic and tannic acids, oak bark and catechu. A few metal salts and acids can also acts as astringents. Some astringent contain alcohol, most often alcohol used in cosmetics is ethanol. Ethanol is prepared by the fermentation of sugar or starch or by the hydration of ethylene, an acryl ate copolymer. It can be problematic if it use as a medicine for long-term, and can be deleterious to health because there may be an eventual inhibition of proper food absorption across the gut wall. Shave lotions, cologne and cleansing creams are made from astringents only. We can also use home made astringent and the methods of producing homemade astringent are first make a juice of two large lemons, one tablespoon tincture and sixteen tablespoons of distilled water. Dip a cotton wool in this juice and gently on your face or you can also do it by rubbing your face with the juice of two tomatoes, wait for half an hour. Wash it off when it soaks, apply this twice a week and you will get oil free and acne free skin in four weeks. In today market it is the most common skin care regimen which is used by the people. Astringents are best for maintaining and preventing skin and if you already have a pimple-free face, then astringents are recommended for maintenance. Those who already have dry skin should avoid the use of astringent because it will irritate, causing it to burn, itch and skin become red. Most often the alcohol used in cosmetics is ethanol. Ethanol can be made by the fermentation of sugar or starch or b the hydration of ethylene, an acryl ate copolymer