Thursday, April 10, 2008

Summer Skin Care

Summer is the season of sunshine and outdoor leisure activities. After a long and chilly winter, warm sunshine is great and enjoyable for everyone. However, intense sunshine and your sensitive skin are not good friends. Take more care of your skin and you will have a wonderful summer and fantastic skin.

Vitamin D from sunshine will help your bones become stronger. You just need a little sunshine a day for that process. Too much sun exposure can be very counter-productive and even cause winkles, burns and skin cancer. Early morning sunshine is the best for your health. You should avoid sun exposure from 12PM to 2PM because that is the time when sunshine is the most intense.





Don't forget to apply your sunblock before going out. Using sunblock doesn't only help prevent irritating burns caused by intense sunshine but also reduces the risk of skin cancer and cataracts. You should buy sunblock with an SPF number no lower than 15. In fact, you should go for as high a number as possible and remember to apply the sunblock as least 20 minutes before going out as it may take some time to start working.


In a hot summer, your body in general and your skin in particular can easily lose water. Drinking water frequently improves the excretion of your skin and prevents pimples. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day and drink more if you often have to go out.

If you feel your skin burning after being in intense sunshine, tonic lotion can help cool down your skin and speed up its recovery. Using cleanser and tonic lotion every evening will make your skin fresh and clean, remove dead cells and extra oil which can clog your pores.

You should remember that summer is the season of insects. Be ready for that by buying creams and lotions which can relieve the redness and burning sensation if you are stung by mosquitoes or other insects. You should ask your doctor for advice about what kinds of creams and lotions are suitable for you if you have sensitive skin. If you choose a cream which doesn't suit your skin, the result can be much worse than a sting.

In addition, you should supply your skin with sufficient nutrients to cope with the hot summer. You should eat food which is rich in selenium, beta-carotene, vitamin A, C and E. Selenium can be found in meat, crab, shrimps, cheese, etc. Beta-carotene and vitamin A are found in carrots, egg yolk, fish liver oil, etc. Vitamin C can be found in most fruits, especially in oranges, lemons, strawberries and pineapples. Milk, butter, nuts and vegetables are rich in Vitamin E, which slows down the aging process of your skin.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Michael_Russell

Caring for Your Oily Skin - 9 Best Ways To Do It




For most people, summer is a very welcome treat. But for those with oily skin, summer can be very disastrous indeed! Anyone with oily skin knows that alongside the heat comes the heightened tendency of the skin to produce more oil. This, in turn, adds that unwelcome shine on your cheeks and forehead.

There are many factors, which lead to the development of oily skin. Heredity is one. If your father or mother has oily skin, there is a good chance that you will have it, too! Sadly, it does run in the family.

Hormones can also be blamed for this condition. Do you notice how many teens and young people under the age of 20 have that peculiar shine on their faces? And do you know that there are a lot of women who notice that their faces suddenly become oily when they are pregnant, are about to have their monthly periods or during menopause? All those hormonal changes going on at once in their bodies bring about this unpleasant change.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways for you to keep your oily skin from ruining your day. Here are some of the more proven techniques guaranteed to keep facial oil in check:

1. Keep your skin clean at all times. When your skin is unbearably oily, it does not only look dirty. It feels dirty! To prevent this, keep it clean at all times by washing your face at least twice daily using glycerin soap. It will also help if you can splash on some clear cool water on your face several times during the day to remove excess oil.

2. Seek help from astringents. To control oily skin, wipe the oily parts of your face with a suitable astringent in between washings. Or for a more affordable yet equally effective solution, try using rubbing alcohol or a combination of alcohol and acetone instead of perfumed astringents. You can also use pre-moistened alcohol wipes (available in the cosmetic department of most stores) to do the job. They make great travel companions especially when you are constantly on the go!

3. Wipe it up! Forgot to bring your alcohol wipes? No problem. You can use plain old tissue paper or some special oil-absorbing tissues to wipe away the oil.

4. Mist it! Cleansing and wiping all day long might eventually lead to over-drying. You wouldn’t want that, would you? To prevent this from happening, use facial mists! Facial mists are specially prepared mineral water loaded with beneficial herbs and vitamins. They can be very good in adding moisture to your skin without having to add oil or chemicals.

5. Say no to moisturizers. Putting moisturizers on oily skin unnecessarily clog up the pores and may eventually lead to acne. So be kind to your skin. Just say no to moisturizers.

6. Scrub it! Scrubs are great in removing excess oil from the skin. However, if you have facial acne, you need to skip this part since it can only aggravate the condition.

7. Masque it! Facial masques can be used to reduce your skin’s oiliness. You can try using clay masques or make your own masque by mixing Fuller’s earth with a small amount of water (just add enough water to achieve a pasty texture). Apply the masque to your face using an upward motion and leave on to dry for about 20 minutes. Rinse with cool water and pat dry.

8. Show off your natural beauty. As much as possible, go without makeup and let the world see you at your most natural splendor! Or if you should wear makeup, go for water-based ones.

9. Try some cupboard magic! Common place cupboard essentials can prove to be of great help in easing your face’s oiliness. Freshly squeezed cucumber juice and aloe vera gel are both proven effective in combating oiliness when used as facial masques. Fenugreek seeds and red gram seeds can both be ground and used as effective facial scrubs. In fact, there is a whole lot more natural ingredients that can be used in countering the excessive oiliness of your skin!

Oily skin can be troublesome but if you follow these simple tips, you can be sure that you will get some great results!



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Michael_Russell

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Acne Skin Care Tips




Most aghast teenagers address acne eruptions by manically scrubbing and dieting under the mistaken assumption that the problem is somehow related to poor hygiene or improper nutrition. While avoiding those cheeseburgers is definitely commendable for other health-related reasons, it is going to have no effect on the acne. As for skin hygiene – while increased cleansing is definitely called for, laying on a face wash of harsh toothpaste with a pumice stone is hardly constructive.

Another mistaken assumption is that astringents will discourage excess oil secretion. Astringents clean off superficial oils while causing the skin to contract, thereby clogging pores and causing long-term aggravation for short-term cosmetic benefits. The best course of action is using a mild cleansing agent to wash down the entire face, not just the fabled T zone or only acne-affected areas and regular shampooing of the hair. Oily hair will directly translate into facial oiliness, especially in people with chin or shoulder-length hair.

Most importantly, picking at or rubbing acne blemishes must be strictly avoided, since this can lead to permanent scarring and skin discoloration that will require measures like laser treatment to correct later on. Excessive exposure to sunlight is also a definite no-no, especially if one is using a compound like trenitoin that increases the skin’s photosensitivity. For that reason, tanning lamps must also be given a wide berth.

Females affected with acne must rigorously scan the contents of their cosmetics before using them – only those without an oily base and with the tag ‘noncomedogenic’ (non-obstructing to skin pores) on the label should be used. Finally, sports headgear such as headbands and cycling helmets as well as fashion accessories that result in constriction or irritation of facial skin must be avoided.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Alison_Cole

Skin Care - Tips in Preventing Wrinkles

Wrinkles, facial lines, crinkles and creases. No matter how much we take care of our skin, these telltale signs of aging will eventually find its way to us. Sooner or later, each one of us will have wrinkles etched on our faces and our age will start to show. Aging may be an unavoidable event each one of us will have to go through but that does not necessarily mean that we have to endure having a prune-like complexion as we reach our senior years.





How do wrinkles develop?


The natural aging process may cause the skin to eventually thin out and the fat underneath the face to gradually disappear but these only occurs as a person reaches his or her 70s. So what really leads to the formation of wrinkles?

Among the most common factors that lead to the premature formation of wrinkles are the sun and the earth's natural gravitational pull. The ultraviolet rays of the sun actually destroy the fibrous protein of the skin known as collagen and elastin. When these proteins are damaged through constant exposure to the sun, the skin loses its natural suppleness and elasticity; giving rise to the formation of wrinkles.

The earth's natural gravitational pull also plays a significant role in this problem. "Whatever goes up must come down". This adage is a universally accepted truth and our skin is not exempted from this rule. As we get older, our facial features begin to change as the corners of the lips and our eyelids begin to drop. There are also several noticeable changes in the appearance of the nose (as its tip begins to point down) and the ears (they get longer as we grow older).

The formation of wrinkles can be unavoidable but we can follow these simple suggestions to minimize and/or delay its appearance.

. Protect your skin from the sun. The sun is the greatest factor, which hastens and aggravates the formation of wrinkles. It is therefore imperative that you religiously wear your sunscreen in every single day of your life! An effective sunscreen not only helps delay the formation of wrinkles. It also helps shield your skin from the harmful effects of the sun that can cause skin cancer. A little more bit of advice - avoid excessive sun exposure from 10:00 in the morning up until 2:00 in the afternoon when the sun's rays are the strongest.

. Use an appropriate moisturizer.
Applying a good moisturizer locks in the moisture in your skin and can temporarily improve the appearance of wrinkles.

. Smoking can aggravate the appearance of wrinkles. Aside from being one of the leading causes of cancer, smoking can also promote the formation of wrinkles. It was observed that smokers noticeably have more wrinkles compared to their non-smoking counterparts. Smokers also tend to have excessive crow's feet (from squinting to avoid getting smoke in the eyes) and vertical lines around the mouth (from puffing on a cigarette).

. Modify your sleeping habits.
If you favor sleeping on your side with your face pressed on your pillow, you may now consider making a vital change. Sleeping on your back may greatly reduce the formation of facial lines and creases.

. Facial expressions. Consider modifying some of your facial expressions to avoid having creases and lines in places where they are not welcome.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Michael_Russell

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Skin Care Tips For Healthy, Beautiful Skin







Some people are more fortunate than others when it comes to how good their skin looks but how they achieve this is not a secret; just by following some basic information regarding skin care, then spending time each day carrying this out, means you can have more beautiful skin. For a long time now, cosmetic surgery seemed to be the preferred method but times are changing and women are learning that more natural techniques are available. The financial benefit of beauty care products over conventional cosmetic surgery is huge but there are also health benefits which any other type of cosmetic enhancement procedure cannot match.

The days of cold creams and the like are over with modern formulations light years ahead of what they once were. The importance of our skin cannot be stressed enough and like other areas of our body, requires a little care and attention.
The first step in skin care is making sure your skin is clean as pollution like dust, bacteria and make-up all take their toll, so the skin must be clean. Removing the dirt and other materials from your face requires the cleaner to be placed on a soft pad and gentle massaged into the skin finally being removed with warm water.

To ensure your PH balance is not disrupted, you will need to use a tone after the cleanser has been applied. Lotions and moisturizers massaged into the skin help to reduce the effect of wrinkles and ensure the skin is more supple. Moisturizing beauty care products ensure that all the work you have just carried out to clean, tone and condition your skin does go to waste.

To ensure a more complete skin care cleansing experience and to remove dead skin cells, you will need to exfoliate or use a peel up to twice every week. This step means that you will need to cleanse and then use a toner on the skin otherwise the dead cells may not be completely removed.

Skin around the eye is very delicate and needs to be looked after so special beauty care product creams help alleviate the dark rings and puffiness that some people suffer ensuring the sin is much more supple and youthful looking. Water is another undervalued commodity that helps detoxify and improve the skin tone along with regular exercise and a good diet. It is important to remember that we are covered in skin from our head to our toes and rely on it to protect us, in order to make sure that we maintain the health of this organ we want to look after all of it.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Suzane_Dass

Skin Care - Using Beauty Care Products

Some people are more fortunate than others when it comes to how good their skin looks but how they achieve this is not a secret; by performing some simple skin care techniques every day, results should be seen quite quickly. Whilst plastic surgery, liposuction and other invasive techniques have been incredibly popular in the past, mainly because they provide near instant results, that is no longer the case with modern beauty care. The financial benefit of beauty care products over conventional cosmetic surgery is huge but there are also health benefits which any other type of cosmetic enhancement procedure cannot match.

The problem has always been our image of beauty care products like cold cream and the anti-aging formulations. Today's products are able to do much more after the research that has been carried out and are an important addition to your personal care regime. We often forget that our skin is an organ that needs looking after as it has a difficult job to and needs regular help.





The first step in skin care is making sure your skin is clean as pollution like dust, bacteria and make-up all take their toll, so the skin must be clean. Gently massage your cleanser into your skin in circular motions using your fingertips and then rinse off with warm water but only pat your skin with a soft towel to dry it.

Each person's skin has its own pH balance and if you use a toner once you have cleansed your skin, it will re-establish your natural PH balance. To reduce the number of wrinkles and help make your skin soft and supple, use moisturizing creams or lotions once you have finished with the skin toner. Moisturizing also has the added bonus of locking in the moisture that can be lost without its use, so do not skimp on this beauty care product.

Once or twice weekly you should treat your skin with an exfoliant or natural peel to remove dead skin cells and to deep cleanse your skin as part of you skin care routine. This step means that you will need to cleanse and then use a toner on the skin otherwise the exfoliant may not be completely removed.

Skin around the eye is very delicate and needs to be looked after so special beauty care product creams help alleviate the dark rings and puffiness that some people suffer ensuring the sin is much more supple and youthful looking. Along with these simple steps above ensure you drink plenty of water, exercise regularly and eat a nutrient rich diet, all of which will help keep your skin looking youthful, radiant and beautiful. The health of your skin should not be underestimated, not just for vanity reasons but for our overall health as it is a barrier against the elements, pollution and disease.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Ray_Lam