Yonka’s ALPHA-PEEL—AHA renewing gel (formerly Alpha-Complex)

UPDATE: 2017
Alpha-Complex has a new name: ALPHA-PEEL. I was told the formulation has not changed, only the name. Therefore I will simply change all references to Alpha Complex to the rebranded name, Alpha-Peel.

---

From Yonka headquarters:
ALPHA-PEEL is an AHA resurfacing, regenerating, anti-wrinkles concentrate. With an 8% concentration of AHA-rich fruit extracts, this renewing gel gently eliminates dead cell buildup that accumulates and can cause clogged pores and dehydration. It reveals a new fresh radiant skin, with smoothed wrinkles and lines, with refined texture.

As you may already know, if you have redness, irritation, rosacea, couperose, or sensitive skin, I would use this or any other AHA product with caution. Due to the acid compounds in this or products like it, AHAs can exacerbate any red, irritated skin condition, especially couperose and rosacea. Don’t trade one thing (smoother skin) for another (skin irritation). There is another way to exfoliate that is actually preferable—for everyone (in my opinion), which is Yonka’s Gommage. See link below.

Essential ingredients:

• Botanical AHA’s 8% (glycolic, lactic, tartaric, and citric acids)—exfoliating, refining, hydrating, stimulates cell renewal
• Mimosa bark extract—regenerating, speeds healing, remineralizes, antioxidant
• Aloe vera—regenerating, soothing
• Hyaluronic acid—hydrating
• Beech tree extract—enzymatic action on cell renewal
• Vitamin B-5 (panthenol)—stimulates the metabolism

Directions for use:

In the morning and/or evening:

• After cleansing and spraying on Yonka Lotion toner
• Apply ALPHA-PEEL to the face and neck
• Avoid the lips and eyelids
• Use day or night treatment cream over the gel
• Apply eye cream

Note: You may experience a slight tingling sensation the first few times the product is applied. If you ever, with this or any product, feel a burning sensation, quickly remove the product (probably best to use your facial cleanser) and apply a soothing, cool compress.

For more information, see:

• What IS Gommage?
• GOMMAGE YONKA—Soft Peel Miracle
• What are AHAs? Miracle ingredients or not?

Yonka ALPHA COMPLEX—DISCONTINUED & given a new name (Alpha Peel)

If you’ve read any of the “discontinued” product articles, you will be familiar with my attitude these days: There has been so much change in the past several years with the Yonka line, it is hard to keep up! However, I think I am pretty up-to-date with most of the alterations, and below is just one more on the list. Still, it is a nominal change compared to come of the bigger earthquakes that have happened lately.

Alpha Complex is just going through a name change. The new title for this AHA resurfacing gel: ALPHA PEEL. So in this particular case, it is just a one-word change! Below is the original article for Alpha-Complex, which is essentially duplicated with changes in the name only, but as with all of the products that are off the Yonka lineup, I keep the originals here in the discontinued category.

---

From Yonka headquarters:

ALPHA-COMPLEX is an AHA resurfacing, regenerating, anti-wrinkles concentrate. With an 8% concentration of AHA-rich fruit extracts, this renewing gel gently eliminates dead cell buildup that accumulates and can cause clogged pores and dehydration. It reveals a new fresh radiant skin, with smoothed wrinkles and lines, with refined texture.

As you may already know, if you have redness, irritation, rosacea, coupersoe, or sensitive skin, I would use this or any other AHA product with caution. Due to the acid compounds in this or products like it, AHAs can exacerbate any red, irritated skin condition, especially couperose and rosacea. Don’t trade one thing (smoother skin) for another (skin irritation). There is another way to exfoliate that is actually preferable—for everyone (in my opinion): Yonka’s Gommage.

Essential ingredients:

• Botanical AHA’s 8% (glycolic, lactic, tartaric, and citric acids)—exfoliating, refining, hydrating, stimulates cell renewal
• Mimosa bark extract—regenerating, speeds healing, remineralizes, antioxidant
• Aloe vera—regenerating, soothing
• Hyaluronic acid—hydrating
• Beech tree extract—enzymatic action on cell renewal
• Vitamin B-5 (panthenol)—stimulates the metabolism

Directions for use:

In the morning and/or evening:

• After cleansing and spraying on Yonka Lotion toner
• Apply ALPHA COMPLEX to the face and neck
• Avoid the lips and eyelids
• Use day or night treatment cream over the gel
• Apply eye cream

Note: You may experience a slight tingling sensation the first few times the product is applied. If you ever, with this or any product, feel a burning sensation, quickly remove the product (probably best to use your facial cleanser) and apply a soothing, cool compress.

For more information, see:

• ALPHA PEEL—AHA renewing gel (formerly Alpha-Complex)
• What IS Gommage?
• GOMMAGE YONKA—Soft Peel Miracle
• What are AHAs? Miracle ingredients or not?

More questions about using a clay mask

I have a lot of blackheads that are very stubborn around my nose and chin. I’ve used a scrub to help the problem, but I don’t want to cause any damage to my skin yet I do want the blackheads to go away. Any suggestions?

The best product to super-clean your skin and the least likely to cause any damage would be a clay mask. If you have stubborn blackheads, I recommend using a mask more often at first and seeing how effective it is. With clay, and especially when using it frequently, you really need to heed my advice and keep the clay moist when it is on your face. Clay deep cleans and can definitely help to de-clog your pores. The more stubborn the problem, the more diligent you need to be about doing your routine.

I would be careful about using scrubs on stubborn blackheads. Why? Because when you have a lot of impacted material (dead skin and oil) held within the pores, you want to gently lift it out, not potentially drive it back into the pores. When using a scrub, the motion is to mash it into the skin—no matter how gently you are using it. If you do drive the debris back into the pores, you may cause infection, leading to all kinds of problems that are worse than stubborn blackheads. There is not a lifting action during the scrubbing process like there is with a clay mask.

I’ve heard toothpaste is good for clearing up zits.

Where this rumor got started I’ll never know. Just like the myths about using common household cleansers for problem skin, the best things to use on your skin are products made for your skin. Clay mask along with essential oils like geranium or lavender are your best bets for clearing up blemishes. Try using toothpaste, but I am sure you will find it does nothing, except possibly dry out and even irritate your skin. Toothpaste is for cleaning your teeth not for clearing your skin!

One of the tips I got from your book [Timeless Skin] that I do religiously now and have benefited enormously from is the clay masking. I've always had dry skin and have avoided clay masks a all costs until I read your tip about keeping it moist. That has been a tremendous help for my skin. Once or twice a week I use a clay mask as well as geranium oil for overnight spot therapy on the occasional monthly blemish. Thank you for your helpful tips!

For more about the importance of using a clay mask and other helpful information, see:

• What is a clay mask and why use one?
• Clay Masks Q & As
• Blackheads & Whiteheads explained
• Help for Breakouts

MYTH: Drinking coffee is good for your skin

Before I get started (and as you’ll read below) I am not saying don’t ever have any coffee—and do not take my one cup a day away from me! I just want to give you a rundown of what coffee/caffeine does to the body—especially in excess.

I haven’t ever heard that coffee is “good” for your skin exactly, but we have all heard the reports that tout coffee (caffeine) as good for your body. In fact back in February of last year I read an article in The Washington Post that recommended drinking up to 5 cups a day (to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes). Since last I checked, skin is an organ and is connected to the body, therefore skin is affected positively or negatively by what affects the body. So if coffee is good for the body it must be good for our skin, right? Regardless, I stand by the implyed title of this article and say coffee is not good for your skin.

Here is a short list of what coffee—caffeine—can do to your skin:

• Coffee causes dehydration. How? Coffee acts as a diuretic in your system, taking precious water out of your body. Less water internally equals dehydration; less water superficially on the outside skin also means dehydration. So does coffee cause dehydration? In a word—yes! 

• Coffee dilates your capillaries. Why is this important? Capillaries are the blood network for the skin on the face. Throughout your life you want to limit the dilation and contraction of those vessels to limit redness down the line. This dilation is why caffeine can be helpful to relieve headaches, which involve constricted vessels.

• Caffeine increases heart rate, increasing blood pressure. You don’t have to go far to read research about coffee’s effect on our heart rate. Isn’t that why we drink it—to increase our energy and give us get-up-and-go? That is due in part to your heart and blood moving harder and faster.

• Coffee decreases appetite. Perhaps that is precisely why you drink coffee—to keep your weight down by decreasing your desire for food. For me, I know my one cup in the morning does decrease my appetite and therefore I am less likely to eat breakfast. This, for me, is not a good thing. I’m not trying to lose weight and I am a big believer in breakfast (as in break-the night’s-fast). Eating first thing is important for maintaining proper metabolism and keeping my blood sugar in balance. Without breakfast and with coffee I am sure to get low blood sugar (ie: jittery and shaky). Still, please—don’t ask me to forgo my one cup a day!

I’m not advocating giving up caffeine completely. For me, my day just doesn’t feel right without my morning cup of coffee. It is a habit and a routine that brings me pleasure. However I only have one cup a day.

I encourage you to take stock of how much coffee you are actually drinking and cut down if you’re going overboard or simply drinking too much.

For more information, see:

• Caffeine does more than just wake you up (a client profile that might shed some light on what coffee can do to your skin)
• Alcohol: What drinking does to your skin
• Smoking, wrinkles, and hoping for an anti-aging miracle

It looks so innocuous and happy, doesn’t it?

Yonka Products for Problem Skin

I wanted to post some information to help you put together a skin care program using Yonka products if you have problem skin.

Click on any product name to be taken to its corresponding article on this blog.

You first need to determine the amount of oil your skin produces to truly understand which products to use. Please read:

• Determining Skin Type

I have a lot of breakout:

• Gel Nettoyant or Lait Nettoyant
• Lotion PNG or Emulsion Pure
• Creme PG or Creme 93
• Creme 15
• Gommage Yonka (formerly Gommage 305)
• Masque 103
• Juvenil
• Geranium or lavender essential oil (available at most health food stores)

 

I have a lot of whiteheads:

Oil-Dry with whiteheads:

• Gel Nettoyant or Lait Nettoyant or Nettoyant Creme
• Lotion PS
• Pamplemousse PS
• Phyto 58 PS or Phyto 52
• Gommage Yonka (formerly Gommage 305)
• Masque 105

Oily with whiteheads:

• Gel Nettoyant or Lait Nettoyant
• Lotion PNG or Emulsion Pure
• Creme 93 or Pamplemousse PNG or Creme PG
• Creme 15 or Phyto 58 PNG or Phyto 52
• Gommage Yonka (formerly Gommage 305)
• Masque 103

I have sensitive skin with breakout:

• Gel Nettoyant or Lait Nettoyant or Nettoyant Creme
• Lotion PNG
• Creme PG
• Sensitive Masque (formerly Creme 11) or Creme 15 or Phyto 52
• Gommage Yonka (formerly Gommage 305)
• Masque 105
• Juvenil

I have a lot of blackheads, but no breakout:

• Gel Nettoyant or Lait Nettoyant
• Lotion PNG or Emulsion Pure
• Creme 93 or Creme PG
• Creme 15 or Phyto 58 PNG or Phyto 52
• Gommage Yonka (formerly Gommage 305)
• Masque 103

There are dozens of articles on this blog pertaining to breakouts, problem skin, and some of the potential causes of skin problems—namely sugar. Please do your research and become familiar with what breakout is and how to help stop it from happening vs. going with the attitude that products can perform miracles.