The Best Personal Skin Care

/in , ,

Even though we ignore it sometimes, we are all aware of how important personal skin care is. Every person has their own opinion on how it should be done. There are people who believe they need to have their skin care done professionally, and others believe it should be handled in the privacy of their own home. There are also other categories of people who have unhealthy skin care habits.

Some believe that skin care is an event that only happens once or twice per year, and others are so preoccupied that they never give their skin a rest. No matter where you stand in the skin care debate, we can all agree that skin care is best taken care of when you follow a routine.

Even before you begin your skin care routine, you must pinpoint your personal skin type. Is your skin normal, sensitive, oily, or dry? Does your skin have a mixture of possibilities? Make sure to purchase skin care products that are right for your personal skin type. In order to determine exactly what you need, you may have to try a few products.

Now that you have your skin care products, here is a routine that works best for most people who have normal skin, with minimal variations.

Step 1

The first step in any good personal skin care routine is cleansing. There are three ingredients that should be found in your cleanser, oil, water, and a surfactant. The oil and surfactant in the cleanser pulls dirt from your pores. The water then flushes the pores, and washes away the oil and surfactant. This will ensure that your skin is clean and clear of dirt and overbearing oils.

To make sure you have the right cleanser, you may have to try more than one. This will let you see how your skin feels using different products. Any cleanser you use should be free from soap, and soap based ingredients.

When you are washing your face, you should use Luke-warm water. This will prevent any damage to your skin. Make sure you do not over clean your face because it can cause damage to both your skin and your pores.

Step 2

The second step in any good skin care regimen is to exfoliate the skin. Your skin automatically follows its own natural schedule. It removes the dead skin cells and replaces them with healthy, new cells. When you exfoliate, you are helping the skin complete this process faster. Since dead skin cells cannot respond the way you need with skin care products, if you do not exfoliate they will absorb the products you are using. This keeps your skin care products from making it to the new skin cells, which is what you want to show.

For the best results, you should exfoliate right after you cleanse. You should make sure you understand how much you should exfoliate. For people with oily to normal skin, exfoliation should happen four to five times per week. For people with dry and sensitive skin, exfoliation should happen one to two times per week. If the weather is hot and humid, you may need to exfoliate more often.

Step 3

The third step in any good personal skin care routine is to moisturize. This is one of the most important steps in taking care of your skin. Even if you have oily skin, your skin will need a moisturizer to remain healthy. A moisturizer helps to seal healthy moisture in your skin. Your skin will also be able to attract moisture as it needs it. You should read the directions on your moisturizer to ensure you use the right amount. If you apply too much moisturizer, you can cause your pores to clog, which will damage your skin, and create acne. Moisturizer should always be applied when the skin is still damp after cleansing.

Step 4

The final step in a good skin care routine is to apply sunscreen. Many moisturizers already come with UV protection, but you should still apply sun screen. This will provide extra protection and keep your skin healthy, even in the sun.

When you are experimenting with skin care products to determine which one is best for you, you will also be able to determine how much of the product you choose will be needed. Always determine the exact amount you need to achieve healthy feeling, and healthy looking skin. If you have a preexisting skin condition, you should visit a dermatologist to treat it, and determine what skin care products are best for your skin type.

The Organic Approach to Skin Care

/in , ,

“If it can be done naturally, why go for artificial means” – this is the basic premise on which ‘organic skin care’ works. Organic skin care is the most natural way of ‘skin care’. In fact, ‘organic skin care’ was probably the first one to be used by man when it first woke-up to the needs of his skin.

‘Organic skin care’ is not only friendlier to skin, but also inexpensive. If exercised in the right way, organic skin care can prevent the occurrence of a lot of skin disorders and can help keep your skin healthy and young-looking for a much longer time.

organic

Organic fruits and vegetables are the most popular things on organic skin care routines e.g. cucumber is very common in organic skin care routines. Turmeric, apple, papaya, ginger are others that find a wide use in organic skin care routines. These organic materials have a very refreshing and vitalizing effect on your skin. Almost every skin care book/guide has section on organic skin care (including the actions of various fruits and vegetables on skin). So choose the ones that are more suitable for your skin type and start experimenting with them until you finally select the ones that are most suitable for inclusion in your organic skin care routine. It’s important that you use fresh organic fruits/vegetables. Don’t try to utilize the rotten ones for your skin, their only place is the garbage bin.

Milk is known to possess good cleansing properties; in fact, the name of some skin care products contains the word ‘milk’ in them. A combination of milk with ground oatmeal acts as wonderful cleanser.

Ground oatmeal is especially good for oily skins and is a popular ingredient in organic skin care regimen. It is used in various combinations e.g. with egg, honey, milk and fruits, for preparation of organic facial packs.

Wheat germ is another ingredient in organic skin care procedures. It is rich in vitamin E and is known for its exfoliation as well as moisturizing properties. Wheat germ, in various combinations with other organic materials, is used to prepare facial masks for normal and dry skin types. Wheat germ oil is another way in which wheat germ is used for organic skin care.

Yogurt and sour cream are other organic materials that are popular for their exfoliation and moisturizing properties.

Use of organic honey is also popular in organic skin care procedures. It helps in retention of moisture and helps impart a glowing look to skin.

Rose water takes its place as a toner in organic skin care routines. Lavender water is popular too.

‘Organic skin care’ uses combinations of various organic materials that complement each other and enhance each other’s effectiveness. Moreover, these combinations are also helpful in over-riding the harmful effects (if any) of various organic materials that form them.

Organic skin care is really an art that, once perfected, can give wonderful results in a very cost effective manner.

3 Tips for Healthy Anti-Aging Skin Care

/in , ,

What happened this morning when you climbed out of bed and found yourself looking at all the wrinkles lining your face? Did you think “Oh My Gosh! not only do I feel old, but I look old.”

This doesn’t have to be such a rude shock when you apply the following anti-aging skin care tips.

aging

1. Drink Plenty of Water

Were you aware that one of the most harmful things you can do to your skin is failing to drink enough water? This one thing can quickly begin to age your skin. The dryer you are under the surface of your skin, the more damage it does to the top layer of your skin.

One of the first things you will notice, without proper hydration, is the wrinkles on your hands and arms. You will also notice the dryness in and around your elbows and heels. In addition, you will see a dramatic increase in the wrinkles on your face.

It’s never too late to slow down this process and begin to heal the damage already done. Even if you don’t like water force yourself to consume at least 64 ounces of water a day.

2. Vitamin C and E Will Reduce Skin Aging

As you continue to age there are certain environmental pollutions which play havoc with your skin. Such as:

  • Cigarette smoke
  • Harsh chemicals
  • Plant Herbicides
  • Air Pollution
  • And others

It’s true it takes years for these things to work on the surface of your skin. However, as they work on you they break down the living cells in your body, which causes major problems under the skin. This damage affects the collagen and the elasticity of your skin. This in turn will cause your skin to droop and produce more wrinkles.

You should avoid situations where you are exposed to these problems as much as possible. But you can significantly reduce the damage by getting plenty of Vitamin E and C. The best way to do that is to eat foods high in those vitamins or at least supplement your diet with vitamin E and C capsules.

3. Stay Out of The Sun

Over exposure to sunlight will do an astonishing amount of damage to your skin. A deeply tanned young body looks great and sexy. However, as you age, sun damaged skin will begin to look like a wrinkled mess of leather.

This doesn’t mean you can’t get outside and enjoy the outdoors. It means you have to use common sense about sun exposure. You can use a sunscreen to reduce the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

If you do that make sure you check the time to determine how long it is effective. Most sunscreens begin to lose their protective ability once exposed to the air and body chemicals. Therefore, you should be sure to reapply the sunscreen to maintain proper protection.

One other side note about sun damaged skin you need to be aware of is skin damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet rays; causes’ skin cancer. What you may not know is that skin cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. It is second only to lung cancer in cancer caused deaths.

As you can see there is nothing radical about the three tips, drink plenty of water, avoid situations which expose you to environmental pollutants and protect yourself against the deadly ultraviolet rays of the sun. You will be pleasantly surprised how your skin will appear, when you use common sense and these 3 healthy anti-aging skin care tips.

Natural Skin Care – The Right Way

/in , ,

Put simply, ‘natural skin care’ is caring for your skin in a natural and chemical-free way. Natural skin care enables the skin to take care of itself without any assistance from synthetic materials or chemicals. ‘

Natural skin care’ is about inculcation of good habits in the way you lead your day to day life. A lot of natural skin care measures are actually the same as those for body care in general.

natural

So, let’s see what these natural skin care measures are.

Well the first and the foremost natural skin care measure is – ‘Drink a lot of water’. Around 8 glasses of water is a must every day. Water helps in flushing out the toxins from the body, in a natural way. It helps in the overall upkeep of the body and promotes good health for all organs (not just skin).

General cleanliness is another inexpensive way of natural skin care. Daily shower, wearing clean clothes and sleeping on a clean mattress/pillow are all part of general cleanliness. After all, clean skin is the key to keeping the skin disorders at bay.

Regular exercise is the next thing on the cards. Exercise increases the flow of blood that helps in getting rid of body toxins and keeping you healthy. Exercise also helps in beating stress which is the worst enemy of good health.

Healthy food and eating habits are also recommended for natural skin care. Some type of food (e.g. oily food) is known to cause acne and should be avoided as much as possible. Your diet should be a healthy mix of various nutrient providing foods. Raw fruits and vegetables are known to provide freshness to your body and help in getting rid of body toxins.

A good sleep is also instrumental in maintaining good health and in beating stress. As a natural skin care measure, a good sleep delays slacking of skin.

Beating stress is another natural skin care therapy. Stress causes overall damage to body and health. Drinking a lot of water, getting a sound sleep and exercise has already been mentioned as stress busters. Indulging in a warm bubble bath, listening to music and playing your favorite sport are also good ways of beating stress. Yoga is yet another way of beating stress; it is fast gaining popularity amongst the masses.

Avoiding excessive exposure to sun (by wearing long sleeved clothes, hat and umbrella etc.), is another natural skin care strategy. Sunscreen lotions are also recommended as necessary.

A lot of traditional and homemade natural skin care products/ measures are also known to be very effective. Such measures are not only natural and easy-to-follow, but also relatively inexpensive.

Besides that, a lot of natural skin care products are available in the commercial market. These include things like lavender oil, aloe Vera etc., which don’t have any side effects.

Skin Care – Let’s Get Serious

/in , ,

Are you looking for a serious skin care regimen? Do you know what you hope to gain from it? A serious skin care regimen is all about developing and maintaining healthy, glowing skin for the rest of your life. As you age, your body’s natural skin elasticity becomes weaker.

So your skin care routine will need to change as the needs of your skin change. This means that you need to constantly analyze and evaluate how your skin is changing, and what changes you need to make in your environment, and skin care products.

skin care

A serious skin care routine is also about personal awareness, technological advancements, and following research that is being brought to light on a regular basis. The composition of skin care products is also changing with time. These advancements allow us to make better choices, utilize natural, organic products that are better for our skin, and the removal of chemicals that are detrimental to our skin’s health.

Make sure that you know how to use each and every skin care product you have. Do not assume how it should be used, find out how the company achieved the results they advertise. Know the basics of how general products should be used. For example, moisturizers should be applied while your skin is still damp after washing. It should be applied using upward strokes to ensure it is properly absorbed, and penetrates deep enough to make a difference. You should always remove your makeup before you go to bed. You should always wash your face before applying a moisturizer, or putting on makeup. You should know how much of a skin care product you should use. By knowing how much to use, you can achieve the maximum benefit from its use.

If you wish to obtain healthy, vibrant skin, you should avoid coming into contact with harsh detergents that are sometimes found in skin care products. Always choose products that are gentle on skin, especially the sensitive skin on your face.

Avoid over-exfoliating, as it can cause significant damage to your skin, which will take time to repair. Never use low-quality products, or anything with a strong chemical base.

If you need help in determining which skin care products are right for your skin type, visit a dermatologist. If you want to have healthy, vibrant skin, you must take preventative, proactive measures to develop overall health. As you use the skin care products recommended for your skin type, you will see dramatic changes in just a short period of time.

Oily Skin – The Right Skin Care Approach

/in , ,

To start the discussion on oily skin care, it’s imperative to first understand the cause behind oily skin. Put simply, oily skin is a result of excessive production of sebum (an oily substance that is naturally produced by skin). As is known to everyone, excess of everything is bad; so excessive sebum is bad too.

It leads to clogging of skin pores, resulting in accumulation of dead cells and hence formation of pimples/acne. Moreover, oily skin spoils your looks too. So, ‘oily skin care’ is as important as the ‘skin care’ for other types of skin.

oily skin

The basic aim of ‘oily skin care’ is the removal of excessive sebum or oil from the skin. However, oily skin care procedures should not lead to complete removal of oil. ‘Oily skin care’ starts with the use of a cleanser.

However, not all cleansers will work. You need a cleanser which contains salicylic acid i.e. a beta-hydroxy acid that retards the rate of sebum production. Cleansing should be done twice a day (and even more in hot and humid conditions).

Most of the oily skin care products are oil-free; however, it is always good to check the ingredients of the product, before you actually buy it. This is especially important if a product is marked as ‘suitable for all skin types’, instead of ‘oily skin care product’. ‘Oily skin care’ is also dependent on the degree of oiliness, if you aren’t too oily, so some of these ‘suitable for all’- type of products might be work for you too.

For extremely oily skin, only oily skin care products are suitable. Your oily skin care routine can include an alcohol based toner (for an extremely oily skin). This can be the second step in your oily skin care routine i.e. just after cleansing. However, excessive toning can harm your skin.

The next step in your oily skin care routine can be a mild moisturizer. Again, the degree of oiliness of your skin will determine whether you need to include this in your oily skin care routine. If you do decide to include a moisturizer, be sure to use one that is oil-free, wax-free and lipid-free.

You could also use a clay mask (say once a week) as an oily skin care measure.

As far as the oily skin care products go, you might need to try out a few before you arrive at the one that is really suitable for your skin.

In case these measures don’t give you the desired result, consult a good dermatologist for advice. He could prescribe stronger oily skin care products like vitamin A creams, retinoids, sulphur creams etc , which can help counter the problems of oily skin.

 

10 Skin Care Tips You Should Follow Daily

/in , ,

Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This article on skin care tips is an effort to bring the 10 best skin care tips to you.

The list of skin care tips has been restricted to 10 because anything more than that would not only be difficult to remember, but also shadow the more important skin care tips. So let’s see what these top ten skin care tips are:

skin care

  • Knowing your skin type is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important because not every skin care product suits everyone. In fact, all the skin care products specify the type of skin they cater too.

  • ‘Drink a lot of water’. This will not keep your skin moist but will help in overall upkeep of your health (and in turn your skin). It might seem a bit awkward to some, however, this is an important skin care tip.

  • Cleanse your skin regularly (1-2 times every day).  A very effective skin care tip that helps in getting rid of the dirt and other harsh elements from your skin. Cleansing is especially important when you have been out of your house (and hence exposed to pollutants, dust etc.). This skin care tip also advocates the use of Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin)

  • Be gentle, after all it’s your skin. Don’t scrub/exfoliate too hard or too often. Similarly, don’t apply too much or too many skin care products. A must-to-follow skin care tip.

  • Keep your skin moist at all times. This is one of the most important skin care tip.  Don’t let your skin get dry. Dryness causes the outer layer of your skin to break, leading to a rough and unattractive appearance. Use moisturizers/ emollients. Moisturizers work best when applied while the skin is still damp.

  • Avoid the use of soap on your face. Soap should only be used from below the neck. A small but important skin care tip.

  • Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sun’s harmful UV radiations. You can use day-time moisturizers that have sunscreen built into them. Use them even when it’s cloudy. UV radiations are known to cause skin cancer, so follow this skin care tip without fail.

  • A bit of exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack. Moreover, exercise and sleep also help in beating stress.  So besides being a skin care tip, this is also a health care tip.

  • Treat skin dilemmas with care.  This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas. Consult your dermatologist before you go on to use a skin care product (lest you do end up harming your skin even more).

  • Beat the stress. The harmful effects of stress are known to everyone, however, sometimes stating the obvious is essential too (and hence this skin care tip found its place here). Yes, stress harms skin too. So, take a break or indulge in a warm bubble bath or just get good sleep.

An Herbal Approach to Skin Care

/in , ,

Skin care is not a topic of recent times; it has been in practice since ancient times, when herbal skin care was probably the only way to take care of skin. However, skin care has transformed in a big way. Herbal skin care routines have been replaced by synthetic/chemical-based skin care routines.

The herbal skin care recipes which once used to be common place are not so popular today (and even unknown to a large population). This transformation from herbal skin care to synthetic, can probably be attributed to two things – our laziness (or just the fast pace of lives) and the commercialization of skin care.

herbal

Even herbal skin care products have been commercialized. These commercial herbal skin care products have to be mixed with preservatives in order to increase their shelf-life, hence making them less effective than the fresh ones made at home. However, it seems that things are changing fast and more people are now opting for natural and herbal skin care routines. But still, none want to make them at home and hence the commercial market of herbal skin care products is on the rise.

So, what are these herbs or herbal skin care mechanisms?

Aloe Vera, which is an extract from Aloe plant, is one of the best examples of herbal skin care product. Freshly extracted aloe Vera is a natural hydrant that helps in soothing skin. It also helps in healing cuts and treating sun burns.

A number of herbs are known to possess cleansing properties. Dandelion, chamomile, lime flowers and rosemary herbs, are a few examples of such cleansers. Their herbal skin care properties get invoked when they are combined with other herbs like tea.

Antiseptics are another important part of Herbal skin care. Lavender, marigold, thyme and fennel are good examples of herbs that are known to possess antiseptic properties. Lavender water and rose water also form good toners.

Tea plays an important part in herbal skin care. Tea extracts are used for treatment of skin that has been damaged by UV radiation.

Oils prepared from herbal extracts present another means of herbal skin care. Tea tree oil, Lavender oil, borage oil and primrose oil are some popular oils used in herbal skin care. Some fruit oils (e.g. extracts from fruits like banana, apple and melon) find use in shower gels (as a hydrating mix)

Homeopathic treatments and aromatherapies also come under the umbrella of herbal skin care remedies.

Herbal skin care is good not only for the routine nourishing of skin but also for treatment of skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis. Most herbal skin care products don’t have any side effects (the most important reason for preferring them over synthetic products) Moreover, herbal skin care products can be easily made at home, hence making them even more attractive. So, herbal skin care is the way to go.

However, this does not mean that you totally discard the synthetic products. Some people go to the extent of debating with their dermatologist, if he/she suggests a synthetic product. You should accept the fact that some skin orders might need usage of clinically proven non-herbal skin care products.

Dry Skin – The Recipe for Skin Care

/in , ,

Dry skin cannot be ignored. Dry skin leads to cracking of the upper layer of skin and gives it a real bad appearance. The main causes of dry skin include: dry climate, hormonal changes, too much exfoliation and treatment of other skin disorders. Moreover, dryness could be the inherent nature of one’s skin. Whatever be the cause, ‘dry skin care’ is very important (but not very difficult).

Dry skin care’ starts with moisturizers, the most effective remedy for dry skin. Generally, moisturizers are classified under 2 categories based on the way they provide ‘dry skin care’.

The first category includes moisturizers that provide ‘dry skin care’ just by preserving the moisture within the skin e.g. Vaseline. These moisturizers are relatively inexpensive and are readily available (even at grocery shops).

The second category includes moisturizers that work by drawing moisture from the environment and supplying it to the skin. This is a very effective way of ‘dry skin care’ in humid conditions. The moisturizers that provide ‘dry skin care’ in this way are also called humectants. For proper dry skin care, you must use a non-greasy type of moisturizer, as far as possible. Humectants fall in this category. The ingredients of humectants include propylene glycol, urea, glycerin, hyaluronic acid etc.

‘Dry skin care’ is not about just using moisturizers but also using them properly. The best ‘dry skin care procedure’ is to cleanse the skin before the application of moisturizer. You can make your ‘dry skin care’ even more effective by applying the moisturizer while the skin is still damp (after cleansing). Also, make sure that you use soap-free products (especially on your face, neck and arms). Exfoliation does help in dry skin care, by removing the dead skin cells. However, don’t exfoliate too hard. Your dry skin care procedures/products should also take care of sun protection. Avoid too much and too direct exposure to sun (simply by using an umbrella/hat etc.). Use a good sunscreen lotion before going out. A lot of moisturizers provide sun protection too, along with dry skin care.

You also have natural products for ‘dry skin care’ i.e. products that provide ‘dry skin care’ in a natural way (without the use of synthetic chemicals). These dry skin care products supply lipid enhancements to the skin, hence enabling moisture retention within the skin. Another, important thing for ‘dry skin care’ is the temperature of water you use for shower or for washing your face – Use warm water; too hot or too cold water can cause dryness too.

‘Dry skin care’ is also about being gentle with your skin. You should avoid harsh detergents and alcohol based cleansers. Also, after a face wash, do not rub your towel on your face, just pat gently to soak the water off.

Overall, dry skin care is really simple for anyone who takes that seriously.

Caring for Your Skin – Skin Cream Verses Lotion

/in , ,

There is no dearth of skin care creams and lotions in the market. Name an ailment, and you will find hundreds of skin care creams, lotions and other products for it. As a result of ongoing research and due to ever increasing demand, the number of skin care products seems to be on the increase. Skin care lotions and skin care creams are the most popular forms in which these products are available, and there always seems to be a debate on which form is better?

Well, there is no definitive answer to this. It seems more like a matter of personal choice. However, greasy creams are surely less popular as compared to the non-greasy (or less greasy) ones. Since the application of skin care creams is easier, they seem to be preferred (over lotions) in cases where the skin care product is not to be removed immediately after application.

skin

So, skin care creams seem more popular as moisturizers than as cleansers or toners. For toners, lotions seem to be preferred over skin care creams. There are some skin care creams that acts as toners too, but generally the toners are available in liquid form only. For cleansing, lotions and skin care creams are equally popular; however, the tilt seems more towards lotions.

Creams are known to be most effective in keeping skin moist; hence, the most popular form of skin care creams is moisturizers. Due to the same reason, a lot of people tend to associate skin care creams with dry and sensitive skin. Though it is true to a certain extent, skin care creams are not used only for dry skin, they are also used for making products for oily skin e.g. vitamin A creams and Sulphur creams that help reduce the rate of sebum production.

Skin care creams are also used for products that cater to skin disorders especially for disorders that require the application of product over a small localized area. This is again due to the fact that skin care creams are easier to apply (without wastage) on the affected area. However, in cases where skin needs to be washed using a medicine/product, lotion is a better choice. Mostly, the manufacturers to realize this fact, making it easier for you to choose between a lotion and a skin care cream

Eye-creams and anti-ageing creams are other examples where skin care cream is preferred over its lotion counterpart.

Whatever your choice be, cream or lotion, knowing how to use it effectively, is more important than anything else.