Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Skin Care Secrets And Tips


The skin, like all other portions of the body, is susceptible to wear. While most of us have this impression that it's pretty resistant to harmful external elements, the skin does not have an invisible force field that can shield it forever. Therefore, you have to take care of your skin before it reaches its weakening time.

The skin is the number one hardworking organ of all, given the truth that it is the largest. It is the most misinterpreted body organ since the main thing that we usually think about are our internal organs, never stopping to worry about the external ones. And because we take it for granted, the skin problems that would have been prevented at the peak are causing most of us serious dillemmas right now.

Aside from what has just been mentioned, the skin also has the ability to protect us from the harshness of the environment. And since it us our upfront resume, we need to make the effort to make sure that it is able to do its purpose well. Our skins are the first things people notice upon the first meeting and, mostly, it is what first impressions are based on. If you're meeting a potential love at a party, unless you have a magnetic character, don't expect that the other person will choose you over the another with clear skin off the bat. Unfortunately for those who are pimple-clad, some people have this belief that those whose skins are breaking out all over do not practice good hygiene.

To effectively take care of the skin, you can begin with keeping a lean and healthy lifestyle, as well as maintaining a regular skin cleansing habit. Simply washing our faces with mild soap and water before we sleep and when we wake up each day is enough, but if you're already having massive breakouts, a trip to the skin doctor is required. Your dermatologist will be able to tell you what medications to take or topical medications to apply. If you want your face to be absolutely pimple-free, you must use products that are non-comedogenic. The best skin care results are given by the products manufactured by Therapy Systems, which are, by the way, unbelievably (but believe it) all-natural.

But of course, you can never deny the truth that life would be a lot comfortable if you could predict the future. No matter what you do, your skin will age just as your age increases in number, which means breakout preventions are deemed to be really necessary. Having regular skin care advice from the professionals and using antiaging treatments will help delay the natural breakdown process. In addition, you must use only the best skin care products around and quit changing from one product to another. The lineup of health and beauty solutions under Therapy Systems has proven itself effective against all sorts of skin requirements and problems -- from everyday skin care needs to acne solutions.

Since our skin work mega hard just to protect our bodies, it is only fair that they get a reward for the protection they have offered. Some people think that beauty regimens are only for the vain, but it is very far from that. Our skins take care of us, so we should also take care of them. We can do only that much for the many years they have done their tasks for us.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Tips for Natural Skin Care


Our skin is the reflection of our health and vitality, physical, mental and emotional wellness. A radiant and glowing skin indicates good health, positive attitude and vibrates self-confidence. On the other hand, a dull and blemished skin shows an unhealthy body, stressful lifestyle and carelessness towards one's own personality.

Who doesn't want to look good, and good looks start with good skin. You may think it's not such a big issue; there are several products in the market to make the skin beautiful and glowing in a jiffy. But as you use them, you must also be realizing that it is not so. These cosmetic products produce temporary effects on skin, have lots of side effects, and are very costly and not suited to all skin types. Then, what's the way out? Here's where we come to our topic of discussion, to care for the skin in a natural way that is natural skin care.

Natural skin care is not just about using skin products produced without chemicals; it's an ongoing process of a result of a healthy life-style, right diet and off-course right skin products to be applied directly.

First of all, natural way of caring for skin starts with some life-style changes we need to take care of. Getting enough sleep: �Beauty sleep' is not just a saying; its meaning goes far beyond that. As the rest of the body, for healthy skin, sleeping adequately is a must. At least 7 � 8 hours of sleep (hours vary for person to person), ensures a relaxed mind and body, normal blood flow, takes care of all wear and tear during the day, energizes you and brings the glow back in the morning. Dark circles around the eyes, blotchy skin, and lifeless appearance of face are all side effects of not getting enough sleep. So switch off that TV, log-off your laptop, and get from the party on time to catch a good night's sleep.

Get Moving: Now that you've got enough sleep, its time for some exercises as well. Be active, walk, jog, exercise, hit the gym, do stretches during office hours too, take the stairs, do anything to keep moving. Inactivity affects the skin by promoting bloating and puffiness, cellulite and loss of muscle tone. Exercise also helps us to relax and de-stress, both necessary for a healthy skin.

Drink lots of water: Water helps to detoxify the body's system, bathes the cells, eliminates waste products, help in digestion, purify blood and the list goes on and on. The point is to have at least 2 liters of water a day, avoid carbonated and sweetened drinks and have fresh juices and soups as additional source of fluids.

For a shiny and smooth skin, drinking honey mixed in warm water in the morning helps a lot. Secondly, natural way of caring for skin by eating right. Let's discuss some basic points: Have lots of fiber: Eating food that is rich in fiber help a good digestion and constipation is totally taken care of. This eliminates the root of many skin problems like acne, psoriasis, spotty skin etc. we must have lots of fruits, fresh veggies, whole grains, and salad. The idea is to cut on processed food and fast food because these contain almost no fiber. Eating things in their natural form is the mantra to get the most benefit out of it.

Cut on excess sugar: The more we take sugar, the more sugar enters our bloodstream. Over some time, this results in a process where the glucose molecules damages protein molecule by sticking to it. This causes damage in collagen, cartilage and ligament, thus forming wrinkles. So, the next time, you are adding the second spoon of sugar to your tea/ coffee or going to bite on your favorite sweet�think again!!

Get some good fats: These are the fats needed to build cells, membrane, hormones etc. Lack of the good fat can lead to eczema, acne and dry skin. The sources to get these fats are cold-water fish, walnut oil, flaxseed oil, nuts; also you can try fish oil supplements.

Apart from these basic dietary requirements, we need to have a balanced diet containing Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, Fats, all essential ingredients which comprises an adequate diet. This is absolutely vital for a healthy body and mind along with a smooth, glowing skin.

Last but not the least, we come to the most interesting part of out discussion. Natural skin care products, to be applied regularly for best results. According to the classic definition of natural skin care products, these are products found and used in their natural or raw form without any chemicals and manufactured in such a way so as to preserve the integrity of the ingredient.

There are many products, which can be bought from the market, manufactured by reputed companies. But best is to spend a little time and prepare some easy recipes for taking care of common skin problems and daily cleansing and toning.

Skin Care Tips:

� Stop using soap on your face (if possible, on body also). Use gram flour and milk to make a paste. Apply it gently and rub a little, then wash off with water. Believe me, it's much better that any soap!! � Massage body with mustard oil 10 minutes before bath, and then take a warm bath. Your skin will be moisturized and smooth. � Massage your body with milk. Milk moisturizes your skin naturally. � For daily cleansing, mix sandal wood powder with rose water and add 4-5 drops of milk in it, then apply on face and body. After 10 minutes, take a warm bath. � Warm honey and mix with lemon juice, then apply on face. Let it dry, and then wash off with warm water. It refreshes and cleanses your skin. � For preparing natural bleach, mix lemon juice in milk. Then massage it on your face and body. It bleaches you skin naturally. � To remove sun-tan, mix cucumber juice with tomato juice, rub on skin, wash off with cold water. � Mix milk cream with flour, apply that paste on to your skin, then wash off to get a smooth skin.

These are the basic ways of caring for skin naturally. The glow and radiance that comes with the natural care practice is for all to see and is everlasting. Just remember: Beauty is not skin deep�still it starts with the skin!!

Monday, January 29, 2007

Simple Tips for Daily Skin Care


Once you have spent some time improving the health of your skin and giving it the tools it needs to rebuild itself, you can work on establishing the best possible maintenance routine. Remember that habits are made in three to four weeks. Start with what you know you can follow for those three weeks. If that means just working on establishing your skin maintenance routine for a month, then your hair routine, that's fine. Just don't forget your foundational routine improving your nutrition, hydration and rest!

FACIAL SKIN MAINTENANCE

Cleansing

All makeup should be removed before bed each evening. There are a countless number of products for cleaning your skin, with different formulas for each skin type. Unless you use heavy makeup, it's easiest to pick a cleanser that also removes makeup. Another option is to just use makeup remover or oil on eye makeup, as foundations and blushers usually come off easily with most regular cleansers. Either way, clean your facial skin every evening before bed, and again in the morning. If you've cleaned your face properly in the evening, morning skin will just require a light washing to remove sebum and sweat and prepare your face for your makeup.

If using a water-based cleanser, wet your face with lukewarm water. If using an oil-based cleanser, apply directly to dry skin.

Using your fingers or a soft cloth, gently apply cleanser in small circles over your face, working from your nose to your hairline. Don't forget to apply cleanser to your neck, using soft swipes upward towards the jaw line. Be careful not to pull or stretch the skin when cleansing.

Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. If you are planning to take a shower or bath, apply your cleanser before getting into the shower/tub to give it a few minutes to work on your skin.

Toning

Toning restores the skin's natural pH and provides a protective acid mantle that makes the skin stronger. It helps remove any cleanser residue and reduces the size of pores. Depending on your skin type, toners will range from gentle acidic formulations to highly antiseptic formulas.

Soak a cosmetic pad liberally with your toner and gently wipe your face from your nose outward and over the forehead. Don't forget your neck. You can use cotton balls, but cotton cosmetic pads are easier. You should avoid the delicate skin around your eyes unless using a very gentle toning formula that contains absolutely no alcohol or peroxide and only then to remove oil and dirt from the eyebrows.

Protecting

Your skin should be protected from harmful UV rays daily. "Protecting" is a two-step process. The first part of the process is providing your skin with antioxidants and ingredients that will help it protect itself by maintaining natural protective enzymes. The second part is providing it with sunscreen protection.

If you are going to use a vitamin/nutrient antioxidant solution or serum, you can soak a cotton ball with your solution and apply to face, patting your "problem areas" first, then gently wiping over the rest of your face. Apply to neck in upward motion. If using a commercial antioxidant serum, follow manufacturer's directions.

Moisturizing

As women get older, their natural sebum production slows. Skin needs inner and outer hydration to maintain is strength, flexibility and integrity. Moisturizers also reduce the risk of mechanical damage to the skin, by reducing friction and reducing the chance the skin will be stretched or torn by contact.

You can protect and moisturize in one step, but use an all-inclusive skin lotion that provides vitamins C, E, and A, and oils to moisturize and a sun block. You can also provide your own antioxidant protection by applying solutions of nutrient vitamins/herbs to your skin, then using a moisturizing sunscreen. We'll show you more about which ones to chose and how to apply them in later chapters.

Apply moisturizer lightly to face in outward motions. Apply to neck in upward motions. Be careful not to pull or stretch your skin. For daytime, if your moisturizer does not already contain sun protection, apply a grease-free sunscreen to your face, throat, as well as all body skin exposed to the sun.

Exfoliate

As your skin grows and repairs itself, the outer layer of dead cells slough off. To expedite this process and get to the fresher, newer cells below, it's recommended that you exfoliate your skin at least once a week. There are basically two ways of doing this, mechanically and chemically. For mechanical exfoliation, you can use a good skin scrub, a microdermabrasion cream or a loufah pad. Chemically, you can use one of the common acidic exfoliating preparations, glycolic acid peels, lactic acid peels, alpha-hydroxy, etc. Some skin cleansers come with this step built right inside the formula. Your skin type will determine how often you should exfoliate and which method you should use. Irritated skin, like that with acne, eczema or rosacea will not appreciate the heavy scrubbing of mechanical exfoliants, and even a chemical formula may be too irritating for more than occasional use. Older skin that is highly sun-damaged may require either or both methods, perhaps more often, to remove the layers of damaged skin and help stimulate the production of healthy collagen structures in the deeper layers of the skin. Again, we'll show you how to determine how often and which method of exfoliation will work best for you.

Whatever formula you plan to use, exfoliants should be applied similar to cleansers. If you are using a chemical peel, avoid "scrubbing" your skin, let the chemicals do the work. If using a scrub, apply VERY light pressure, and work in tiny circles. Again, be careful not to pull or stretch the skin.

Most exfoliants will require some time to "work". Applying exfoliants right before showering is a good idea, because you can rinse them off under the shower, which helps in removing any residue.

Masks

Facial masks serve several purposes, the most important one being the deep cleaning of pores. Masks are also made for super-hydration, the increase of circulation and for sheer enjoyment. Which kind you use and how often will be determined by your skin type and your results using the P-Method. Generally, it is a good idea to use a deep cleansing clay-based mask at least once a week. Various cosmetic clays are used in these masks because they "pull" and absorb impurities, dirt and dried sebum out of your pores, allowing sebum to flow naturally and smoothly, brightening the appearance of the skin, helping to prevent acne infections, and improving the texture of your skin. Several types of clay masks are available for every skin moisture type.

Apply the mask gently and allow it to dry. Most clay masks will require 10-15 minutes to absorb all the impurities and wastes from your pores. Rinse the mask off gently with fingertips � don't pull. Again, it's a good idea to apply these before getting into the shower.

After exfoliating or using a mask, tone, protect and moisturize your skin.

Example Routines

MORNING:
Cleanse: Use a gentle cleanser to remove any sweat or sebum from your skin.
Tone: Use the proper toner for your skin type. Using toner will help your makeup go on smoother.
Moisturize: Use a non-oily moisturizer if wearing makeup. The combination of an oily moisturizer and foundation can make a made up face look cakey and greasy within a few hours � even on dry aged skin. If you don't wear makeup, you can use an oilier moisturizer.
Protect: Absolutely necessary � use a sunblock of at least 15 SPF daily (unless you work the graveyard shift). Even the darkest skin should be protected from the harmful rays of the sun. Sun protection can also be found in some commercial foundation formulas. If you use a moisturizer or foundation with a built-in sunblock of at least 15 SPF, you do not need to add a separate sunblock, though you should reapply these throughout the day.

EVENING:
Cleanse: Cleanse your skin thoroughly before bed at night. Remove all makeup and use a cleanser that is right for your skin type.
Tone: Use a toner to remove cleanser reside and restore pH balance.
Protect: Add any anti-oxidant serum to your skin and allow to soak in (may be combined with your moisturizer.
Moisturizer: Add any special eye cream plus skin moisturizers gently to your skin.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Why You Lose Your Youthful Skin Appearance


If you want to keep your youthful skin appearance, you need to know why your skin starts to change as you age. I have listed some of the most important things that affect skin appearance and some of the ways to prevent the skin from aging too fast. The sooner you start applying these ideas the longer you will keep your youthful appearance.

As you age here are some of the changes that will occur:

* Your top skin layer, epidermis, becomes thinner and more fragile

* Your skin becomes drier, since oil glands produce less oil

* The number of blood vessels decreases in your face and throughout your body. Blood brings nutrients to your skin cells, giving your skin a healthy and rosy look

* Less skin cells are repaired or replace quickly

* The sun and pollution start to show their effects on your skin by breaking down collagen and elastin, which give your skin its elasticity.

* Your good or bad diet starts to show it effects on your skin. Your bad diet did not provide the nutrients your skin needed to be flexibly, hydrated, oxygenated, and healthy.

* The un-healthy skin products you have been using start to show their bad effects on your skin.

Now, you can see that skin beauty is dependent on what kind of food you eat, how you have exposed yourself to the sun and pollution, and what chemicals your facial and skin products have. Excessive exposure to the sun and pollution will damage your skin and accelerate its aging appearance - age spots, blotches, wrinkles, roughness, sagging.

Here are some things you can do to slow down the aging skin.

* Use sunscreen every day - You can slow down wrinkle formation and even prevent it, if you use sunscreen early in your life. Use sunscreen that contains Zinc Oxide. It is better then those that have Titanium Dioxide. Daily, use a broadband SPF 15 and for heavy out door sun activities use SPF 30. If you wear makeup, put your sunscreen on first.

* On hot days and even when it is overcast use your sunscreen and a hat. Stay in the shade when possible.

* Keep away from highly polluted areas and don't smoke. Smoking changes the elasticity of the skin fibers leading to rough and wrinkled skin.

* Get enough sleep. Your skin repairs itself when you sleep.

* When you sleep, don't sleep with you face into the pillow.

* Drink plenty of water. Your skin loses water during hot days and needs plenty of water to keep hydrated. Water is found in raw fruits and vegetables. Sodas, sugar drinks, tea, (except herbal teas) coffee, or milk are not water. Rotate between buying and drinking Reverse Osmosis and Distilled water.

* Minimize drinking alcohol. Alcohol can lead to spider veins and broken capillaries. It also causes your skin to become dehydrated.

* Eat more fruits and vegetables. They provide plenty of antioxidants, which protect you from sun and pollution damage.

* Take an antioxidant supplement, which should include up to 2000 mg of vitamin C. You may have to take the Vitamin C separate.

Start using these ideas and you will see improvement on your skin. This improvement may take a few months to appear on your skin. Be patient and persistent and you will be rewarded with good skin appearance.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Dry Skin Care Advice


Dry skin often results from overexposure to sunlight, high temperature, inattention, bad selection of skin care products and many other reasons. Fortunate are those who are borne with radiant skin. But even the good healthy skin can also get converted into dry patchy skin if not cared properly.

Dry skin needs extra care and attention and so the process of caring begins with your waking up till the time you go to bed. Only applying expensive skin care products will not help you much you also have to be very cautious about your diet. Propel yourself constantly to go through your systematic plan for skin care therapy never missing out a single day. Personal discipline is also significant in order to gain maximum results for your dry skin.

There are certain dos' and don'ts, which should be followed when carrying out a skin, care treatment. Let us first discuss the dos' of skin care treatment. It is very important that you keep your face clean from any heavy make-ups when you are at home and for that you mild soap or cleanser to remove the make-ups on your face. Several branded cleansers are available in the market that you can go for but before that you need to know the texture of your skin. Expensive skin care products could be of no use if it does not suit your skin. However you also go for safe products and they are home made products that are inexpensive and safe to use. When you wake up use lukewarm water to wash your face and then apply moisturizer while your skin is still moist. If your skin is very dry then apply a rich moisturizer. Generally creamy and oil-rich make-ups are ideal for your dry skin. People with dry skin should make it a routine to exfoliate their skin once in a week to remove the dead skin cells that give them unimpressive looks. They are called scrubber that remove the dead cell and add glow to your skin.

There are certain don'ts that you should strictly follow besides following the dos' to achieve better result. Never use coarse soap to cleanse your face. Strong chemical content in your soap bring excessive dryness to your skin. Avoid using washcloth or abrasive facial pad to get quick result because it will further damage your skin. It is completely a wrong idea that applying moisturize too often will improve your skin instead it will activate skin blemishes. Therefore choose a heavy enough moisturizer. Seborrhea dermatitis is a skin problem, which is confused with dry skin but actually such skin rash disorder that appears like dry skin shows that your skin is oily and so avoid using moisturizer to save your skin from getting damage.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Beautiful Skin Care Tips


Sensitive skin? Resorting to using organic baby skin products? Well, no need for too drastic actions or solutions. In order to achieve clear and smoother skin tone and texture, one must be ready and determined to modify current unhealthy lifestyle, avoid bad eating habits and follow a healthy diet.

Whether you are doing it for good, in preparation for an important occasion such as wedding, birthday or grand dinner, or even celebration of festive season, or simple for looking good and self-grooming purpose, a change in your everyday lifestyle plus using proper skin care products are vital for achieving better looking skin.

Use a range of good and affordable skin care products. It can be of any brand, as long it does not irritate your skin. Sometimes, acne or pimples take time to heal, therefore there is no need to switch to another brand hoping to see your acne or pimples disappear within one or two days. Use a range of natural based skin care products which do not contains harmful or strong ingredients

Go for once a month facial regularly. Take vegetables and clear soup, without oil. Stay away from oily food, fried food, starchy food, sugary food, dairy food, creamy soup, thick gravy, spicy food, caffeinated drinks and food.

Try to avoid or reduce consumption of eggs, peanuts, seafood and alcohol. These are foods which trigger acne and pimple breakouts. Took a cup of warm sugarless soya beverage or just a slice of wholemeal bread with slices of tomato almost daily. By mid morning, Took one medium size apple. As for lunch, Took clear soup with green vegetables and lean pork or chicken slices.

During dinner, Took clear soup with other vegetables differ from my lunch menu, with some added fish or chicken sausages. One more secret ingredient, used to blend the small bitter gourd into juice and drink it immediately. did it anytime of the day, but limit to once a day. It is a cooling drink. Well, this diet works great for my skin and keep me in shape too. You may try this diet.

Take lots of fresh fruits and fruit juices. Take lots of fruits especially in the mid morning or during night supper when you still find myself hungry for food. Avoid snacks such as biscuits or chips. Blend fruit juices once a while when you grew tired of chew and munching fruits. If you prefer, go organic on your food (no need for organic baby skin products....).

Exercise daily. Try to exercise daily, sweat it out, sweat out access toxins. It promote blood circulation thus making skin look radiant and revitalized.

Keep your hair away from your facial skin. This is very important too. Keep very long hair in my early twenties. Tied up my hair in order to make sure that no strands of hair touching my facial skin. You may use a hair band instead. Keep your hair tidy and wash regularly to prevent dandruff build up. organic baby skin products

Try not to touch your facial skin often. Avoid the bad habit by using fingers or hand to touch your skin especially your nose and chin area. Place your hand away from your face when answering phone calls or chit chatting. This will reduce the chances of getting an inflamed skin due to bacteria build up. organic baby skin products

Drink lots of water. Drink plenty of clean, boiled water to cleanse your body system and keep skin hydrate.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Skin Care - How to Get Beautiful Skin?


Skin is the largest organ on the human body consisting of many layers. The pigmentation of skin varies from country to country. The skin type also varies from dry skin to oily skin. The main function of skin is to protect the body and to insulate and regulate the body temperature. In fact unclean skin breeds diseases.

Moles and warts:

Moles are small black spot on the human skin. They are foreign to the body but reside on it. Moles were once considered to be a beauty spot but nowadays unwanted moles are surgically removed. Every light colored body skin has one or two moles. Warts unlike moles are caused by viral infection. They appear on the skin of the person like a small rough tumour. They appear typically on hands and feet. Moles and warts make the skin look awkward. Hence, removing moles and warts has become more popular among beauty-skin conscious people.

Lightening of skin:

Skin lightening or whitening is a cosmetic method used for de-pigmenting the skin. Under this method, unwanted moles and birthmarks are removed. In the case of leukodermia the unaffected portion is coloured to have uniform appearance. Skin lightening has become an important part of beautification of skin.

Skin care for men:

Skin care for men is just as important as it is for women. The first thing in skin maintenance is that it should be hygienic. That is why people are advised to bathe at least twice a day. Scant respect for keeping the skin neat and clean leads to skin diseases. The dead cells mixing with the secretions of sweat and dirt on the surface of skin form a foul smell. Using of cosmetics on skin should be carefully done as some chemicals in the cosmetics cause incurable diseases.

Skin is of two types. One is dry skin and another is oily-skin. When the skin becomes dry it causes the peeling of the outer skin layer, causing itching sensation and developing cracks on the skin layer. In the case of oily skin, over active glands form this and a substance called sebum is produced, In fact sebum is natural healthy lubricant. Though oily skins are not liked by many people, they are considered to be very healthy in that oil help retain moisture on the outer layer of the skin. However the oily type skin leads to blemishes and pimples.

Wrinkles:

Wrinkles are caused on the body skin due to aging. They are caused by over exposure of the body or skin inside water. This type of wrinkle is temporary in nature, which is called prune fingers or water aging. The permanent type of wrinkling is called aging wrinkles. In the beautification of skin, losing wrinkles is very important as they give an old look to the skin. Wrinkles-free skin is most sought after thing by many people.

Skin is the largest organ of a human being though it is not felt as an organ by us. It performs three important functions as protection of body, maintaining body temperature and finally giving us sense of touch. As a protector of our body it gives us a nice look (compare our figure with human Skelton). It keeps us in good health by maintaining our body temperature around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius).

Through skin, we feel some body touches us or we touch something. This sense is vital as through it we come to know many things. Maintaining a beautiful skin not only gives a good look but also helps the skin perform the three basic functions. Keeping the skin clean is very important as otherwise the cells will become dead and through them diseases spread.

Bathing twice a day with cold water and mild soap is very important for keeping the skin clean. Beautification follows cleanliness

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Black Skin Care Product - Knowing What To Choose


Each year, millions of dollars are spent on black skin care product. Everyone uses them on a daily basis and probably never think twice about what is in them. We take for granted that items such as deodorant, eye shadow, body lotions and any other black skin care product are good for us. But are they really? Do you know what's in that bottle of shampoo? Could there be something in your skin cream that is hazardous to your health?

Commercial deodorants, hair spray, nail polish, perfumes, hand and body lotions all have what are called phthalates. This chemical has been known to create birth defects and has shown up in higher than normal levels in pregnant women. Some may say to basically using treatments with phthalates, but the problem is that not all treatments list them on their labels.

One would also think that by walking into a health food store and simply getting "all natural" cosmetics would easily fix the problem. The bottom line is this is a lot more difficult than you would imagine. Much of this is due to companies wanting to cash in on the movement towards "all natural" products. Just because a product says there are one or two natural ingredients in it, such as lavender or aloe, does not a safe product make. Get in the habit of reading labels, take a close look at what is going into the product you are buying and don't take the advertisement's word for it that all the ingredients are safe.

Finding black skin care cosmetics, such as eye makeup, blush, foundation, lipstick or any other black skin care product is much more difficult to find than hand and body lotions. Again, read the labels. There are a few companies out there that do make an honest attempt to keep their products as natural as possible. Some of these companies are Origins, Aveda, and Clarins. A search on the web of any one of these companies will bring up more information on the companies themselves, as well as manufacturers of all natural cosmetics.

One final note to consider is that as with any black skin care product or any cosmetics for that mater, natural cosmetics can cause allergies when they come in contact with the skin. Always try a test patch on your skin before you fully use the product. If you know you are already allergic to a specific ingredient, avoid purchasing that product. Some of the ingredients attributed to allergic reactions are jojoba oil, tea tree oil, and lavender. There have also been cases reported with vitamin E and aloe causing allergic reactions in people. Knowledge is power, do your research.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Skin Care Lotions For Sensitive Skins


Sensitive skin can make it difficult to maintain a healthy look. Having this type of skin will cause you to eliminate strong lotions that may have the ability to help keep young looking skin. Dermatologists who have recognized this have also found ways to meet your needs, allowing you to keep your youthful look and to help your sensitive skin. Following are recommended sensitive skin care lotions for anti-aging.

Sensitive skin care lotions work best when they have a particular amount of different ingredients in them. Typically, those with sensitive skin will need to have a type of cleansing cream that allows for some moisturizer, while taking away the problems with extra ingredients that cause reactions. This means that any lotion with too much oil or chemicals in it can cause problems. Instead, alternative solutions for moisture and extra support for anti-aging should be looked into.

The first recommended skin care lotion for sensitive skin is from Neova. This particular lotion does not have as much grease in it. It is a combination of ingredients, mostly which includes copper combinations. It also includes vitamin E and squalene, which can help to initiate a support system for your skin cells. If you have sensitive and dry skin, this particular lotion is known to be a great way to stop aging.

Another sensitive skin care lotion that is recommended for those who are trying to find the best is from the line of La Roche-Posay. This particular French line has an entire set of ingredients that is based on sensitive skin. You will want to look for the Toleraine line, which combines hydrating ingredients with what is needed to keep you looking young. The formula in this particular set of lotions is based around supporting sensitive skin without the side effects.

If you want to take a more natural route, SkinCeuticals can help. This lotion does not have a particular type for sensitive skin; however, it stays recommended because of the natural ingredients that are used. Most likely, this will allow less of a reaction by your skin while giving the correct amount of moisture and skin rejuvenation. This combines vitamin E, algae, botanical extracts and soy isoflavines. Each of these is used in order to produce more healthy skin cells and to eliminate the cells that are causing aging.

Another possible recommendation for skin care lotion is Kinerase. This has a variety of products, all which have been recommended according to skin types. Each of the different lines will have a different set of natural ingredients that are applied to the lotions, dependent on the focus of skin type.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Skin Care - Vitamins For Good Skin


If you really want to be successful and not suffer from acne again it is important that you take care of your body from the inside out.

The reason why I say this is because there have always been lots of treatments to rid your of acne ranging from surgical procedures cleansing regimes over the counter products and medications some can be cheap and some can be quote pricey.

So it is always important in my view to know basics of what you need to solve your problem. Am sure we all know by now that if you change your diet to and more healthy way that you will look and feel better well the same principle applies to rid yourself of acne. This is because the body needs certain vitamins to function and deficiencies in these vitamins cause certain effects like acne.

So to remain acne free you will need a program to consistently have certain vitamins in the body. I will briefly go through the vitamins so you know how they can help you.

Vitamin A

This vitamin is found in carrots, oranges, green vegetables and bananas is a natural inhibitor of excess oil and innate antioxidant.

Vitamin B

This vitamin is found in green peppers, sweet potatoes and chicken peas. Vitamin b acts as an antioxidant and it is found in many different vitamins.

Vitamin C

|As we all probably know this vitamin is responsible for fighting the common cold is found in citrus fruits. This vitamin also increases immunity and is one of the best vitamins you must have to eradicate acne. So it must be part of your acne treatment.

Vitamin E

This is the healing vitamin which heals the skin and protects it from future outbreaks of acne. Remember it is always best to take a mixture of everything to provide all the functions that the body needs. This can be done by having a good natural diet. Also taking to much of any vitamin is always dangerous so be careful. If you like help on the best way to take all vitamins talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Remember when you reward the body with what it needs it will reward you by making you healthy.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Anti Wrinke Skin Care Product - The Youth Fountain


People today seem willing to try just about anything, including antiaging skin care product, anti wrinkle skin care product and even antiaging HGH, to reduce the signs of aging and try to achieve younger looking skin. This antiaging HGH movement worries many medical professionals who suggest that the best way to look and feel younger is to actually get healthier and use natural elements to achieve the goals.

Unlike antiaging skin care product or anti wrinkle skin care product, antiaging HGH is actually taken through an injection of a hormone. This prevents the patient's own production of human growth hormone and actually slows down the aging process. Does this process sound risky? It should. There are many side effects to taking antiaging HGH, such as high blood pressure, soft tissue swelling, muscle weakness and even arthritis. Isn't it ironic that all these symptoms develop after taking a product that is supposed to reduce signs of aging?

People who take an anti aging hormone often are desperate to avoid the signs of aging and are willing to try just about anything to postpone the effects of natural aging. The slew of medical problems anti aging hormone procedure can cause should be enough to scare people off of antiaging HGH, but it isn't.

Many people want to take the easy way out and use antiaging HGH rather than natural treatments such as antiaging skin care product and anti wrinkle skin care product. Many people are unaware of the anti aging benefits of vitamins and nutrients. Anti aging nutrients are, in fact, the best way to fight off signs of aging in a complete and healthy way.

For this reason, people turn to HGH with the hope that this antiaging human growth hormone medicine will actually work to slow down the clock. Of course, this ignores the fact that any sort of tinkering with the body's internal mechanisms, especially for the purpose of ultimately eliminating signs of aging, is risky. HGH anti aging does not take this advice.

Antiaging HGH is a clinically proven form of medicine, but it is dangerous and has many side effects. Most physicians take a moderate point of view towards aging and recommend nutrients, vitamins, antiaging skin care product and anti wrinkle skin care product. Anti aging HGH injections are, quite frankly, too dangerous to be taken seriously by many reputable professionals.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Skin Care Treatment - Natural and Herbal Remedies For Skin Care


The main reasons for unhealthy, acne prone skin are faulty diets, lack of oxygen-rich blood flow to the skin and inadequate cleansing.

A healthy diet of essential nutrients and minerals containing liberal quantities of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits, supplemented by special protective foods like milk, vegetable oils, yogurt, honey and yeast are necessary for maintaining high levels of energy as well as healthy skin. Vitamins A, B and C along with adequate amounts of protein help in producing beautiful skin, reduce deficiencies in the blood and help to keep the body healthy and young.

There are several natural and herbal products specially used for skin care that are useful in promoting healthy and beautiful skin.

Lime Juice

Add some lime juice to a glass of boiled whole milk with a teaspoon of glycerin and stir well. This mixture should be applied every night before going to bed for a fresh, healthy and young Looking skin. It also prevents the build-up of acne.

Skin of Peach

Use the inside of the peach skin to gently massage the face every night before sleeping. It cleanses the skin and frees the pores allowing the skin to breathe easier. It also has astringent properties, which help to tighten the muscle of the face thus preventing sagging.

Anti-wrinkle cream

A natural anti wrinkle cream can be made through a mixture of egg with a teaspoon of oil. Massage it lightly on the face and neck and let it remain till skin is dry. Dip a cotton pad in hot water mixed with soda-bicarbonate to remove the cream from the face.

Beauty Mask

You can make your own beauty mask with all natural ingredients to enhance the youth and beauty of your face if used regularly.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of gram flour
1/4 teaspoon orange peel powder
1 tablespoon beaten yogurt
1 teaspoon olive oil

Mix the ingredients well and apply the paste to your face and neck. Let it remain till the skin starts feeling dry and then rub your face till it glows. Wash your face first with warm water and then cold water. This will remove all the blemishes from the skin to make it look soft and smooth.

Natural cleansing lotion

cleanses and purifies the pores of the skin. Mix one teaspoon each of milk and cucumber juice with a quarter teaspoon of lime juice, stir well and apply to face and neck. Wash off after fifteen minutes and the result will be a naturally healthy and glowing skin.

Watermelon, Tanjerine and Orange Juice Treatment

Citrus Fruits containing essential vitamin C are extremely good for a glowing complexion. A simple remedy is to apply freshly squeezed tangerine or orange juice liberally over your entire face and forehead. For treating acne, you could use the paste made from powdered sun-dried pips of unripe oranges at bedtime. Similarly, the juice of watermelon is also useful in removing blemishes on the skin.


Orange and Carrot Tonics
Mix two tablespoons of milk and one tablespoon each of carrot and orange juice to a ground paste of blanched and dried almonds and apply all over face and neck. Leave on for half an hour before washing off. It helps to removes scars and blemishes from the face, prevents acne and makes it soft and smooth.

Tomatoes

The pulp of a tomato applied liberally on the face helps to attain a clear and good complexion. The application of one tablespoon of tomato juice and few drops of lime juice to your face is very effective for shrinking enlarged pores. To remove excessive sunburns use two teaspoons of tomato juice and four tablespoons of buttermilk.

Cucumber

Apply a grated cucumber over the eyes and face and leave for 20 minutes. It is a great tonic for the facial skin. Regular use of cucumber prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles, and dryness of the face. A cucumber lotion of one tablespoon of cucumber juice and milk with a few drops of rose water is an excellent whitening agent for the skin and leaves your skin glowing.

Apple tonic

Apple makes an excellent tonic to fight the rigors of oily skin. Mix one tablespoon of apple juice with one-fourth teaspoon of lime juice, apply on face and leave on for 20 minutes before washing off. It is guaranteed to give you healthy glowing skin, free of acne.

Amarnath Juice Treatment

The juice of amaranth, applied over the face with a pinch of turmeric powder, bleaches the skin, prevents it from drying and wrinkling, cures pimples and makes one look fresh. If added to milk and lime.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Skin Care - Coffee Perk Up Your Skin Too?


If you are like the majority of Americans, you probably rely on your daily cup (or pot) of coffee to help wake you up in the morning. Or, at the least, you enjoy a coffee-based drink on occasion to jump start you when you are tired. Coffee makes you feel clear and alert and helps you put on a better appearance for those you are around.

Maybe because coffee is so effective at turning tired, groggy people into alert and healthy looking people, skin care companies have been starting to experiment with adding caffeine to different skin care products. This has resulted in an explosion of coffee-based products that are meant to do everything from reduce the appearance of cellulite to making under eye circles look less noticeable. In fact, just last year, more than a hundred products containing caffeine were introduced to the market. This makes it easy for you to try out some of these products if you are interested.

So exactly what can you expect if you decide to use a caffeine-based product? First of all, you should not expect to get the same buzz from a coffee face cream that you get from your morning cup of joe. Though some of the coffee may be absorbed through the skin and reach your bloodstream, this process is extremely slow and not very efficient. It would be nice to be able to combine your coffee drinking with making your skin look better, but it just isn't going to happen that way! However, if you choose a product that comes with a coffee scent, you might be able to perk up a bit from that. Since smell is a powerful sense, just smelling a coffee scent might be enough to wake you up a bit. If nothing else, if you enjoy the smell of a fresh pot of brew, you will like smelling your skin care products!

Aside from getting to smell one of your favorite beverages, these new coffee based products might be able to solve some of your common skin problems. For instance, many of these products are touted as being able to firm and tighten your skin, which helps counteract wrinkles and aging skin. There are three different ways in which these products are thought to work, which makes them effective from a variety of angles. Among the ways caffeine works on the skin is as a diuretic, a vasoconstrictor, and an antioxidant. These properties help it do everything from firm up skin to tightening it.

Among the products currently on the market are cellulite-reducing creams, eye gels, and body scrubs. Caffeine seems to help reduce cellulite by dehydrating the cells that cause the lumpiness. This makes these products perfect for thigh and buttock creams. And, for people with puffy eyes or dark circles, caffeine seems to temporarily tighten the skin and reduce the problem.

Some people are even making their own coffee-based products by combining coffee with their favorite skin care products or making scrubs out of the grounds. If you really like the effects of coffee on your skin, it might be a good idea to combine a bunch of different methods to get the effect you are looking for.

While coffee might not solve all of your skin care woes, it might be able to help with quite a few. It is definitely worth trying out because if it works for you, you can start enjoying your coffee before you are even out of the shower in the morning.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Natural Skin Care Product - Useful Info


Natural skin care products bring in big bucks for manufacturers of health and beauty products every year. Consumers spend massive amounts of money on beauty skin care products in an attempt to grasp the famed fountain of youth. Some aging consumers swear that their money is well-spent, while others wouldn't spend a dime on a natural skin care product. The great debate seems to be if there are any worthwhile benefits from using skin care products.

The environment we all exist in suffers badly from pollution. The temperature is rising all over the world and there is a growing voice morning the wrack of the world we live in. Most living things suffer from the shift in the environment and the human skin is one of them. Our sun is one of the bigger enemies of the skin and the more exposure to it the more damage accumulates. As we get older, we must receive more help to conceal the battle waged upon our skin.

Anti aging products are among the most popular types of natural skin care products on the market. While many anti aging skin care products claim to produce drastic results, in reality, factors like diet, lifestyle and heredity determine if we will age gracefully or not. An anti aging natural skin care product can help reduce fine lines, smooth a complexion or slightly fade age spots, but it cannot stop time for your skin.

Aging natural skin care is different from caring for young skin drastically. Youthful skin replenishes its own moisture and nutrients to a high extent. Aging skin produces less collagen, resulting in lines and wrinkles and a collective thinning of the skin all over the body. Aging natural skin care products add extra moisture, collagen and vitamins crucial to improve damaged skin. Aging natural skin care focuses on restoration, not maintenance.

No matter if you choose to grow old gracefully or fight Father Time for every wrinkle, natural skin care products touch nearly everyone in America at some point during this journey we call life. There are probably a few natural skin care products hiding in your medicine cabinet, even if it is just moisturizer. A natural skin care product will be here long after most of us moved on to a better place and our children will pick up where we left off.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Real skin care beyond beauty treatments


The skin is perhaps is the most pampered part of the human body, a least, for most women. From soaps to lotions to whole body scrubs --- women spend thousands of dollars each year just to achieve that smooth, clear, flawless look. They want smoother skin and finer pores. Even if they have to spend a fortune, these women repeatedly go to their favorite salons to get rid of their dark spots, acne scars, and fine lines. Some try all the latest skin treatments hoping that the next one would really make them look whiter and rosier.

While most women visit their dermatologist for purely aesthetic reasons, there is quite a number of women who need medical care for their skin. Skin infections account for many of the visits of women to the local dermatologist.

But what is a skin infection?

A skin infection is an invasion and growth of pathogenic microscopic organisms. The infecting organism or pathogen interferes with the normal functions of the skin. Skin infections can be divided into following classes or types based on the source of infection:

l Fungal - Common types of fungal infection include tineal versicolor, yeast infection, ringworm, jock itch, and athlete's foot.

l Bacterial - Bacterial infections include folliculitis, furunculosis, impetigo, erysipelas, hidradenitis suppurativa, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, cuts, scrapes, etc.

l Viral - Common viral infections include chicken pox and measles.

Non-pathogenic organisms that normally live on the surface of healthy skin can become pathogenic under certain conditions. Any one who has a break in the skin is at risk of getting a skin infection. Diabetic people are also at greater risk of infection since the poor blood flow to the skin does not allow for faster healing of wounds. Skin damaged by scratching and sunburn can also be exploited by organisms that are actively searching for a host.

It is also important to have information about the microscopic particles that actually cause the infection.

l Virus- a submicroscopic particle consisting of a core of nucleic acid surrounded by protein that can grow and reproduce by infecting other organisms.

l Bacteria � are uni-cellular organisms that come in spherical, rod, and spiral shapes.

l Fungi (fungus) � are heterotrophic organisms that have a cell wall. These organisms were originally considered as plants with no chlorophyll. In general, humans have a high level of innate immunity to fungi and most infections are mild and self-limiting. Humans are usually resistant to certain fungi due to the following reasons:

1. The pH content of the skin, mucosal surfaces and body fluids help prevent fungal infection.
2. The fatty acid content of the skin helps fungi from living on the skin surface.
3. Cilia of respiratory tract helps prevent fungi from entering the body.

The presence of microscopic organisms merely shows that skin care is truly skin-deep. It is not enough to just focus on the smoothness, clearness, or rosiness of skin. The viruses, bacteria, and fungi that are ever-present need to be controlled so as to prevent skin infections that not only ruins a woman's beauty but also poses health risks.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Selecting A Natuructal Skin Care Product


When it comes to skin, most people will spare no expense to make sure that it looks soft, smooth and as blemish clear as possible. However, when it comes to the choices for most women, and a lot of men, the mere magnitude of skin care products on shelves in Natural Health Stores, drug stores and cosmetic counters can be mind-boggling.

When it comes to skin care, most women agree that they don't want to be slathering on a lot of extra oils or chemicals, whether for facial needs or the rest of their bodies. More women these days are leaning toward products that prevent wrinkles and other signs of aging, but regardless, many products are being marketed today that contain all natural skin care product essentials. What, exactly, are those essentials?

Start with the vitamins and minerals that your skin needs to stay healthy, hydrated and clean. The more you know about basic ingredients, the better off you'll be when it comes to finding just the right skin care product to suit your needs, whether those needs include oily skin, dry skin, or a skin condition such as acne, eczema, psoriasis or occasional yet frustrating rashes. Different skin types call for different ingredients, and knowledge, as we all know, is information. Basically, anything that is grown in the ground, on a plant, tree or flower can be considered a natural product. So can things found in the ocean or in other bodies of water, with or without salt. But just how far do you go to find an all-natural product to use on your skin? Would you go outside and peel the bark off your neighbor's birch tree to get to some of the sap underneath? No? Well, you might if you knew that birch tree sap is known as a perfect astringent and has plenty of antibacterial properties.

Still, do you go really natural, or do you purchase items from the store that have some of the more common natural ingredients in them? That choice is an individual one, but nevertheless, one that requires a bit of homework. Knowing what a product can do is different than what it will do if mixed wrong, or in combination with other ingredients, either natural or otherwise. Deciding on how far you want to go with a natural skin care product is up to the level of your interest and determination.

Another example is the aloe plant. The juice from this cactus has been known for hundreds of years to provide relief from cuts, burns, bruises and scrapes. Breaking a limb from the plant and rubbing the juice from it directly onto the skin may be a little slimy, but its healing properties are known and understood and accepted in most medical circles. When applied directly to facial skin, it can increase healing and provide wonderful moisturizing and emollient abilities. Still, some people don't have the space, or the dirt, to grow their own aloe vera plants and prefer to purchase a cream or ointment with aloe vera listed as one of its prime ingredients.

Keep in mind however, that the closer to nature that you stay, the more benefits you'll get from an all-natural product. Sure, finding some ingredients may be a little challenging, but there's no doubt that these products have been gathered and used for hundreds, and even thousands of years, by some cultures around the world. You think they knew what they were doing back then? You bet they did.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Skin Care - Five Things is Must For Skin Care


Skin care is a delicate matter. Skin is baby soft when we are born and becomes dryer, rougher and more saggy as time goes by. Hormones can cause pores to clog, which will result in pimples and acne. Age causes skin to sag and wrinkle. The environment and life choices such as smoking can further the damage. Five things in particular are useful in fighting the effects of time and our surrounding on our skin.

All skin care routines should begin with a good cleanser. It is important to take note of what kind of skin you have. Some people have oily skin while others have dry tight skin. Some people have a combination of both types. There are also many people with sensitive skin. Many cleansers are specially formulated to fit any skin type. Excess oil on the skin can lead to an increase in pimples. Dry skin feels extremely tight immediately after cleansing. Dry skin may flake off. Combination skin will feel oily in the T zone and dry elsewhere. Good skin care requires cleansing in the morning and at night.

Moisturizer is the second thing that is essential to skin care. Moisturizer helps to restore natural oils washed away during cleansing. Lotions used on the body should not be applied to the face. Certain moisturizers are specially formulated to protect against wrinkles as you age. Some moisturizers contain sunscreen to help protect against the sun during the day. Different moisturizers should be used at night to revitalize the skin while you sleep. Moisturizer should always be a part of any skin care routine.

Water is the third thing that should be included in any skin care regimen. It is recommended that you drink 6 to 8 glasses of water everyday. Water is needed to help the body function properly. It also helps to cleanse the pores and keep skin looking vibrant and radiant. Water helps to keep the skin hydrated from the inside.

Exercise is also important to skin care. Many experts agree that exercise can improve the look and feel of skin. Exercise improves circulation and helps to flush out toxins. It helps to deliver nutrients to the skin and encourages the production of collagen, which reduces wrinkles. Exercise is also effective in reducing stress, which can in turn reduce acne. It is important to remember to cleanse immediately following exercise to prevent the pores from getting clogged.

Diet is the final essential ingredient in a good skin care regimen. Like water, a healthy diet keeps the body functioning properly. Diet is also responsible for delivering important nutrients to our skin. Vitamin A obtained from low fat dairy products will help keep skin looking vibrant. Antioxidant rich foods such as berries will help skin appear younger. Healthy oils help keep the skin hydrated. Green tea, whole grains, salmon and nuts are all beneficial to skin as well.

Good skin care doesn't come easy. With these 5 things, skin will be healthy, vibrant and younger for a long time to come.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Dry Skin Care - Tanning Lotion


"You know all of the great reasons that you should use tanning lotion when you tan. You've read about how tanning lotion can improve the appearance of your tan, speed up the tanning process and protect your skin from the sun. But did you realize that tanning lotion is also a terrific product for combating dry skin? It makes sense when you think about it; after all, tanning lotion is a lotion and that's what lotions do. But many people fail to think about the moisturizing benefits of tanning lotion which can help you to limit the dryness of your skin.

Skin dryness is something which is caused in part by dehydration, a problem which is increased when people are tanning. Tanning lotion helps to combat dry skin by moisturizing it during the tanning process. When you put tanning lotion on before your tan � especially if you get some good advice about the right tanning lotion to use at your tanning salon � you give your skin the nutrients it needs before the tan even begins. So, instead of just repairing dry skin after it's happened, your tanning lotion is actually preventing your skin from drying out at all. When combined with proper water hydration and good tanning habits, this can prevent a plethora of other problems related to dry skin, such as wrinkles and early aging.

Tanning lotion can be used to combat dry skin outside of the tanning booth as well. You should make sure that you know which tanning lotions can be used for your daily activities before you use it for this purpose. But the right tanning lotions can be applied throughout the day � or at the start of each day � to moisturize your skin on a regular basis. This helps to repair dry skin damage from past exposure to the sun as well as to prevent future dry skin problems. And of course it has the added benefit of helping you out with a more natural tan.

Different tanning lotions make use of different ingredients to combat dry skin. It's a good idea for you to discuss your specific tanning lotion needs with a professional working at your local salon to get the best information about products that will help you combat dry skin. For example, some people find that tanning lotions which use shea butter are best for their skin. Others find that a water-based or oil-based tanning lotion makes more sense for helping them to fight dryness. What you need will depend on a number of factors including your skin texture, skin tone, tanning habits, tanning goals, and potential allergies.

Using tanning lotion to help moisturize your skin will also improve the other benefits of tanning that you've been seeking. For example, tanning lotion will help you to get a more even tan at a more rapid pace. And moisturize, healthy skin will be more capable of showing off that tan as well as giving off that glowing look that makes a good tan even better. So, you should use tanning lotion to fight dry skin but you'll be happy with the other benefits that you see from it as well!"

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Skin Care - How Face Masks Works ?


Our skin has a natural protective barrier of fats that creates a nice smooth waterproof layer to keep the moisture in and foreign substances out. The skin's ability to stay hydrated is an important factor in its ability to maintain softness, suppleness and elasticity. Unfortunately, the drying effect of the cold weather or the air con, the damaging effect of the harsh sun and pollution from the environment can cause our skin to look fatigue, dull and blotchy. And combined this with the aging of the skin, the lack of sleep and our hectic stressful lifestyle, our skin can become wrinkled, flaky and look older than it should. In addition, the use of makeup on our face also could clog the pores of the skin, preventing carbon dioxide inside our body from coming out and fresh oxygen from entering the skin. This causes the skin to lose its glow and attractiveness. Facial masks are an ultimate nutrient delivery system in anti aging skin care. They are much thicker than a moisturizer or topical treatment, and because of its extended application time and the inner warmth generated, pores easily open and the penetration of nutrients into the skin occurs more efficiently.

Basically all face masks have some kind of a cleansing function; they remove excess oil, environmental debris and pollutants much more gently than astringents, toners or scrubs. Various anti aging skin care ingredients are used in the face masks, depending on the skin type and to some extent on the availability of materials. Clays form an important constituent of many face masks as they are excellent absorbing agents. Gums and polymers are added to lend sticking properties to the clays. They help to remove dirt, sebum, and dead skin so that the skin looks clean, soft and youthful.

Some facials are also meant to exfoliate, clarify and unclog pores. They work by causing an abrasive action against the skin that removes the top layer of dead cells from the skin and accumulated dirt, leaving behind fresh healthy-looking skin. Regular exfoliation can reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkle and improve the clarity, tone and radiance of the complexion. Some facial masks contain antioxidants to protect against free radicals. Facial masks for dry skin hold water in the skin, making it softer and more flexible. Facial masks for oily skin often contain natural fruit extracts and hydrating marine extracts. These oil-free facial masks peel away dead surface skin cells and refine the pores.

Applying a facial mask once a week helps revitalise the skin and keeps it smooth and youthful. Normally, the face mask is applied on the cleansed skin for about ten to twenty minutes, thereafter, wash the face with lukewarm water and afterwards apply a thin layer of cold-cream or a moisturizer.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Skin Care - Myths About The Causes And Treatment Of Acne


When it comes to health and skin care, acne is one of those skin care problems that has as many myths about its causes and treatments as there are real treatments. Whilst anything about the human body has many myths, acne seems to be the most common of those health problems with a variety of myths, probably because it is something that a majority of people have to go through at one time in their lives. Since myths about acne have been prevalent over time, the only way to do way with them is with proper awareness about acne in order to know the true causes and treatment options that are available today.

Some of the most common myths about acne can include any of the following:

Myth 1: Only the Doctor can help you Treat your Acne

This statement is general not totally true and depends on the type of Acne you actually have as some types of acne may not need any professional medical treatment or advice and can be treated quite easily from the comfort of the home by the same individual.

Should the acne of the type that is called cystic acne, then a doctors treatment and professional expertise will be required as this type of acne is a painful type which tends to leave many scars that may last for life. Cystic acne is deep in the skin and leaves red sores that can be extremely painful and can only treated with prescription medicine that is prescribed by the skin specialist and time.

However, if the acne is more of the regular types with little whiteheads and don't normally hurt then these can be treated at home by any individual. These types of acne also do not leave scars as they disappear which makes it easier for anyone to treat it themselves.

While you do not always have to see your skin doctor, it does not mean that you shouldn't seek advise from them as any questions you may have can be answered by them.

Myth 2: Only Teenagers or Young Adults Get Acne

This is False! Anyone, whether they are male or female can get acne at anytime in their lives. Even though it is through the new hormones that are going around a teenager's changing body that makes them prone to acne, it is not caused by age. The primary cause of acne is the bacteria in the pores of the skin that get infected in many different ways. Cleanliness and personal hygiene has as much to do with acne as age. With skin that is kept unclean, it is more likely to get acne in it's many forms such as pimples, zits and spots, so keeping your skin relatively clean is important in it's prevention of bacteria infection. Myth 3: Scrubbing your face is needed when you wash It.

This is Generally False. You should actually wash your face or skin gently, scrubbing is not recommended as the skin is very sensitive. The use of warm water (not very hot) is ideal. You should also pat your skin dry and not scrub it dry with a towel. Knowing the proper way to take care of your skin helps prevent acne and in many cases it is through the basic hygiene that acne is prevented and treated.

Myth 4: Alchohol based solutions work better in removing Acne.

This is Wrong! Some over the counter acne treatment products that smell of alcohol or have an alcohol base are sometimes too harsh to be able to treat your acne properly and safely. Whilst it may get rid of oils and excess dirt on the skin, they also tend to take away part off or even all of the sebum on the skin which just happens to be the body's natural oil that keeps your skin healthy. When your body skin looses sebum, the body counteracts this loss by reproducing sebum in even larger quantities in order to compensate for the loss of sebum. It is more advisable to use gentle skin cleansers or moisturizing agents and soaps in order to remove the excess dirt and oil, and this is much safer for your skin and is a healthier habit.

Conclusion.

No matter what type of acne you have, it is better to know the common mistakes that have been happening in the past and be proactive in the ensuring that you do not commit the same by obtaining the proper and correct knowledge. This information can be taken either from your skin specialist (dermatologist) or by doing extensive research in the library or on the internet. Knowing what the correct practices are will help you with improving your skin health and even perhaps save time and money that you would have spent following myths.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Natural Skin Care Recipe - Skin Care


Organic skin care product is usually expensive. Although we can improve our skin condition by eating well, avoiding stress, move to a cleaner environment, one must not neglect using an organic skin care product. In your own kitchen you may find use of a natural skin care recipe and create perhaps an olive oil skin care product. Buy utilizing ingredients you have in your kitchen, you may save money and enjoy a nicer skin complexion, feel better and look younger.

From the time we are born we need adequate skin care. Healthy skin starts with good soap and water. Preventing diaper rash is the first step in babies skin care. Children need cleansing and moisturizing to maintain their healthy glow. Adolescence brings new problems, including pimples, oily skin, and blackheads. Mature skin is even more sensitive than adolescent skin. Mature skin is very dry. As we mature the natural, organic treatments become more important to our skin.

Our skin is highly sensitive to materials it comes in contact with. What ever materials we apply for skin care are absorbed and affect our body. Following a natural skin care recipe utilizing olive oil will produce an olive oil skin care product. If you choose to free your body from hazards chemicals, your skin will thank you and as a side bonus you will save money.

Effective skin treatments that you can make at home are not hard to create. Follow a natural skin care recipe and feel the result:

Facial masque - blend honey and egg yolk. Put on a thin coat over your face, wait fifteen to twenty minutes, and rinse (some find honey tickling too much, if so leave it out. This masque tightens your pores without the use of honey).

Most of commercially moisturizers use oil. Olive oil achieves the same result and does not cost as much. Smooth it on your skin and receive a wonderful moisturizer. It is even eases sunburn!

To exfoliate, experiment with baking soda. While in the shower or bath, gently scrub with a small amount. You can rub a bit firmer in areas with blackheads, like the nose or the notorious T-Zone.

Replace your deodorant with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. Vinegar is non-irritating and it is a great deodorant. Wash your foot in vinegar to ameliorate athlete's foot.

Tomatoes are excellent skin toner. Slice them thin and lay across oily places of your face, but If you have sensitive skin, you need to skip this treatment.

Create your own natural skin care recipe. Make an olive skin care product. Research and Collect information on organic skin care products to save money and treat your skin with better quality treats costing less money. Do not be fooled by packaging and advertisement - they are not necessarily the right treatment for you. Look within your kitchen for remedies and treatments to your skin and enjoy a healthier condition.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Tanning Lotion: Combating Dry Skin


"You know all of the great reasons that you should use tanning lotion when you tan. You've read about how tanning lotion can improve the appearance of your tan, speed up the tanning process and protect your skin from the sun. But did you realize that tanning lotion is also a terrific product for combating dry skin? It makes sense when you think about it; after all, tanning lotion is a lotion and that's what lotions do. But many people fail to think about the moisturizing benefits of tanning lotion which can help you to limit the dryness of your skin.

Skin dryness is something which is caused in part by dehydration, a problem which is increased when people are tanning. Tanning lotion helps to combat dry skin by moisturizing it during the tanning process. When you put tanning lotion on before your tan � especially if you get some good advice about the right tanning lotion to use at your tanning salon � you give your skin the nutrients it needs before the tan even begins. So, instead of just repairing dry skin after it's happened, your tanning lotion is actually preventing your skin from drying out at all. When combined with proper water hydration and good tanning habits, this can prevent a plethora of other problems related to dry skin, such as wrinkles and early aging.

Tanning lotion can be used to combat dry skin outside of the tanning booth as well. You should make sure that you know which tanning lotions can be used for your daily activities before you use it for this purpose. But the right tanning lotions can be applied throughout the day � or at the start of each day � to moisturize your skin on a regular basis. This helps to repair dry skin damage from past exposure to the sun as well as to prevent future dry skin problems. And of course it has the added benefit of helping you out with a more natural tan.

Different tanning lotions make use of different ingredients to combat dry skin. It's a good idea for you to discuss your specific tanning lotion needs with a professional working at your local salon to get the best information about products that will help you combat dry skin. For example, some people find that tanning lotions which use shea butter are best for their skin. Others find that a water-based or oil-based tanning lotion makes more sense for helping them to fight dryness. What you need will depend on a number of factors including your skin texture, skin tone, tanning habits, tanning goals, and potential allergies.

Using tanning lotion to help moisturize your skin will also improve the other benefits of tanning that you've been seeking. For example, tanning lotion will help you to get a more even tan at a more rapid pace. And moisturize, healthy skin will be more capable of showing off that tan as well as giving off that glowing look that makes a good tan even better. So, you should use tanning lotion to fight dry skin but you'll be happy with the other benefits that you see from it as well!"

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Beat Your Eczema Skin Disease Now


Eczema is very common these days, and there are millions of suffers all over the world. It's worse for some than others, some people don't even know they have it, while others are living lives that are permanently altered because of it. You'll find some tips below that will help you get some relief, no matter how badly you have the condition.

Use Coconut Oil-
Many people would have you believe these days that coconut oil is just about the healthiest thing in the whole world. I don't know if that's true or not, but there are certainly many benefits being reported by eczema sufferers. Coconut oil contains something called Lauric Acid, which is only found in one other place-human breast milk. The human and soothing qualities of this substance are pretty powerful-apply coconut oil to the areas affected by Eczema, and you will see exactly how powerful it can be.

Bathing-
If you suffer from Eczema, one of the most important things is to keep the area clean and free from bacteria, dust etc. Nothing does this better than bathing or showering regularly, some specialist recommend it as often as twice a day. This can work wonders, but you have to take extra care, as the constant washing away of the skin's natural oils will result in drier skin, which is in turn prone to increased Eczema intensity. This leads to the next point�

Moisturize-
As we said, drier skin is much more prone to Eczema, and this is because it is less flexible so will often crack and flake, especially areas around our joints. The key to avoiding and preventing this is to moisturize regularly. If you can do it after bathing, all the better. Applying the moisturizer to damp skin is excellent as it will allow some of the moisture to stay sealed into your skin.

Diet-
You are what you eat. Sound familiar? The food we eat is the fuel our body uses for every single process, including healing and fixing skin. You can run your car on coca cola and beef burgers can you? Well your body struggles to run with that kind of fuel just as much. It's thought that foods with very acidic content can cause an increase in Eczema symptoms, but this can create complications, as many very good foods are high in acid-fish, tomatoes etc. The best way to combat this is to see a dietician and get some meal plans custom made for you. You can also combat the acid by taking kelp supplements-these are very high in alkali, and can neutralize the acids in your system.

Eczema is truly a nightmare for many people, but it really doesn't need to be. In most cases, if you take some time and apply some intelligence, you can see real benefits. Hopefully these guides will provide you with some benefit.

Monday, January 8, 2007

Natural Skin Care Tips and Advice


Skin is the body's mirror of our inner health and wellness, both physical and emotional. Prolonged stress and poor diet can affect appearance and accelerate aging of the skin. Simple and generic skin care that may help you improve your skin. Essential fats are thought to keep your heart healthy, fight inflammation, and possibly prevent cancer. They are also particularly important to people with inflammatory conditions such as eczema and acne, and also for people with dry skin. Men have approximately 15% oilier skin and significantly larger pores than women do. A good scrub is essential for healthy clean skin. It will remove dead cells and smooth the surface of your face. The scrub should be strong without being damaging. Moisturizing is a necessity. Always use a light moisturizer on your face after cleansing and shaving. Most people lack fiber in their diets - the average person eats only 12 g of fiber a day. Healthy skin is young looking skin. There are preventative techniques that can promote the best skin possible and keep it looking its best longer

All types of skin need to be exfoliated. This is the removal of dead skin cells that form daily. Most people do not realize this but excess sugar is considered one of the main causes of premature aging. The more sugar we eat, the more sugar we have entering our bloodstream. It is available in liquid form, or just break open a capsule and apply the oil directly to the skin. Sunscreen is important in winter as the sun's reflective powers are great year round - 17% on the sand and 80% on the snow. Apply a heavy layer of moisturizing broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to the face, hands, and any other skin that may be exposed. Dry skin probably need a heavy, well balanced moisturizer with a very good humenctant. Facial oils are not recommended for dry skin as a moisturizer because they do not contain water in the formulation. Aromatherapy treatments are good for dry skin if they provide moisture and oil as well as the essential oils such as a moisturizer or a cleansing milk.

Natural Skin Care Tips

1. Keep vitamins such as C and E in your diet regimen.

2. Apply the mixture of honey and milk on the face . This will make your skin glow.

3. Cauliflower juice applied on warts regularly will make them fall.

4. Mix half teaspoon dried curry leaf powder with multani mitti (fullers earth) and apply on the face. Wash it after it gets dry.

5. Apply the mixture of tomato juice and honey on the face and neck , wash it after 15 minutes.

6. Apply the mixture of carrot juice and basin. Leave it till it dries and wash the face.

7. Add two teaspoon of tomato juice with 4 teaspoon of curd and apply on the face.

8. Add a pinch of yeast with 2 teaspoon of cabbage juice and apply.

9. Mix 1 table spoon of barley powder with half teaspoon of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of honey. Apply it on the face and wash after 20 minutes.

10. Mix pineapple juice and carrot juice together and apply it on the face and wash it after 15 minutes.

11. Mix vinegar and rose water in equal quantities and apply.

12. Mix curd and cucumber juice and apply it on the face.

13. Apply the mixture of coconut water and thick pineapple juice.

14. Make a paste with 1/2 teaspoon of milk powder, 1/4 teaspoon of egg white and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and apply on the face.

15. Apply the mixture of raw turmeric and cream of milk on the face and wash it after 20 minutes. It will make your skin fair.

16. Apply the mixture of honey, basin, cream of milk and olive oil as a face pack.

18. Apply the paste of fenugreek with milk on the face and let it dry. Wash off with luke warm water.

19. Make a paste of red sandal wood and apply it on the face every day for glowing skin.

20. Make a paste with red sandal powder and coconut milk and apply on the face for soft skin.

22. Essential fats are thought to keep your heart healthy, fight inflammation, and possibly prevent cancer

23. Mix honey, lemon and vegetable oil .This mixture is a good moisturiser for dry skin. Apply this mask for 10 minutes.

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Health Food and Vitamins: Getting The Skinny On Fats


Nearly everyone is concerned about too much fat in his or her diet. We are constantly hearing about the link between fat and heart disease and other life threatening diseases such as diabetes. But how much do we really know about fats and the effects of fat on our health. Did you know that you actually need fat to metabolize fat? This is why low-fat diets do not always result in weight loss. Therefore, should we add fat when we are preparing healthy meals or leave fat out? It all depends on the type of fat and how we use it. We need our meals to be a good source of health food and vitamins. Here is the skinny on fats and what you need to know when preparing healthy dinner recipes.

There are three basic types of fat: saturated, unsaturated and trans fats. Generally, we should get about 20-30% of our daily calories from fat and only 10% of that should come from saturated fats.

Saturated fats come from animal or diary products and are the least healthy choices to include in your diet. The reason for this is they increase the levels of triglycerides in your bloodstream, which is what causes blockage in the arteries over time. The general rule to remember is the redder the meat the higher the saturated fat content will be, hence the higher the triglycerides in the bloodstream. When eating beef or pork be sure to choose the leanest cuts and remove any visible fat before cooking. It's always best to include more chicken, with the skin removed and fish in your diet because these are lower in fat. When buying yogurt, or other dairy products choose 1% or 2% fat or those made with skim milk.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats come from certain nuts, fish and oils such as olive, canola and flaxseed oil. These fats are known to actually reduce triglycerides by producing good cholesterol referred to as HDL. Polyunsaturated oils are also found in beans and soy products. These are important health foods for vitamins and nutrients because they contain omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. These oils are important for maintaining healthy blood and helping to prevent the development of plaque. The best oil products to use when serving salads is a first cold pressed virgin olive oil because it contains the freshest of nutrients. Regular olive oil (not cold pressed) can be used when cooking at heats less than 600 degree F. Other alternative choices when baking or frying are shortening or vegetable oils.

Trans fats (or hydrogenated) are the worst fats of all because they increase triglyceride levels and hence bad cholesterol (LDL). Trans fats are commonly found in commercially produced foods and vegetable oils, hydrogenated margarines and spreads. Products are now being developed and easier to find with No Trans Fats written on the packaging. Try and reduce the amount of processed foods in your diet and you'll avoid most of this type of harmful fat.

A health food diet will always include the essential vitamins and nutrients. At your next dinner start out with a fresh salad using an olive oil based dressing. Then a serving of fish, chicken or lean red meat along with some whole grain breads or pastas and steamed vegetables. Finish up your meal with a light dairy product or low-fat ice cream or yogurt topped with fresh fruit. Remember, we need fat to metabolize fat and by choosing the good fats in olive oils, fish, chicken and nuts we can help our bodies slim down and prevent diseases all at the same time.

Saturday, January 6, 2007

Moisturize and Heal Skin Conditions Naturally


Sensitive skin does seem so crummy but it can be agonizing to people who actually have to live with it on a daily basis. There are skin care products that claim to help relieve the common afflictions associated skin sensitivity like rashes, dermatitis, and dry skin but many truly fall short of their labels promises. With the help of a biological element and a wild rose bush, you can now naturally hydrate and renew your skin with no harsh side effects. The problem is how do you decide whether your skin affliction is the result of a random outbreak or a sign of truly sensitive skin? Does your skin constrict and turn red at certain times of the year? There are so many triggers for people with sensitive skin that it is unrealistic to eliminate each and every one from your daily routine. Instead of avoiding every irritant, it is easier to just use a more effective skin treatment. Skin Moisturizer and Remedy for EczemaBlotchy rashes are regular problems for kids and adults alike. Things like bacteria, the sun, anxiety, washing detergents, and even strong winds can chafe and inflame skin. Yes, even anxiety can make your sensitive skin condition worse. The rash that you have on your arms requires a treatment that relieves the skin and tries to help limit future sensitive skin related issues. People use moisturizers and store bought skin care creams that occlude the skin to avoid water loss when affected by dry skin. Your skin needs to be able to purge toxins and impurities in the form of perspiration and open pores. What a normal dry skin product does is block the exit of water which can temporarily improve skins health by keeping water in but in the long term, it can lead to premature aging signs. Keeping moisture in can lead to the skin being heavy and sagging. The term eczema is an vague term to describe a variety of inflammations involving skin itching, dryness, scaling, cracking, and blistering. At some instance or another in everyone's lifetime, they will experience the discomfort of eczema. An eczema treatment should center on a few different aspects of the inflammation. It should relieve the rash and remove the peeling or flaking lesions while working to avoid future problems. People once again use pharmacymoisturizers and face creams to treat eczema. We talked about earlier what a normal dry skin therapy cream can end up doing to your skin. When water can't escape, the skin stays soft which may seem beneficial but after a few weeks, the toxins become stuck under the skin and can fester into deep skin lesions. While trying to care for dry skin, you end up inflaming the condition. Natural Healing of Eczema, Dry Skin, Rosacea, Psoriasis, and Skin RashesThere is a new all natural ingredient that can treat your skin affliction without any harsh side effects like sagging or lesion development. You can, through topical usage, stimulate the natural renewal process of your own skin and shed old, damaged cells and let new, clean ones emerge to give the skin a more dynamic appearance. This is the easiest way to naturally exfoliate your skin and treat rashes, eczema, and a variety of other conditions. When applied to clean skin for a period of at least 2 months, the all natural skin care cream will help alleviate skin problems by:* destroying bacteria on the skin's surface and make it an undesirable area for bacterial breeding grounds. Preventing bacterial growth helps avoid future issues like skin cracking.* moisturize and naturally hydrate the skin from within by retaining water within and bolster the ability of your body to construct the water holding components in the skin matrix. Glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans give skin tenacity, resilience and the ability to endure tension and over-stretching.* digest blockages and damaged tissues while arousing the proliferation of new, healthy tissues. This is called skin regeneration and it is an important aspect of having healthy skin. * The balm contains rose hip oil, a natural source of both trans retinoic acid (Vitamin A) and essential fatty acids that have healing, moisturizing and rejuvenating qualities. It aids cell renewal, boosts levels of collagen and elastin fibers, and helps to repair and fix dry, irritated skin back to health.

Friday, January 5, 2007

Maintain the youth and health of your skin by using Ahava Dead Sea cosmetics!


The Dead Sea has a unique combination of minerals in just the right quantities. Specialists have transformed them into skin care products such as Ahava Dead Sea cosmetics. The Dead Sea is actually a large lake that does not communicate with any sea. It has unique characteristics, such as the fact that it contains five times more salt and minerals as compared to any other ocean and therefore little life is identifiable in the Dead Sea. Because of its geographical placement, this sea has special spa advantages: exceptional solar energy and climatic conditions, enriched oxygen environment, sea salt supplemented with minerals, mineral springs, and mud that contains many helpful minerals.

Dead Sea cosmetics companies have transformed the minerals that make the Dead Sea such a unique place into skin care products. Now you are able to purchase Ahava Dead Sea cosmetic line online. The Ahava cosmetics line is a combination of the best minerals the Dead Sea can offer. Ahava cream has more power than any other cream and can rejuvenate your skin leaving it looking younger and healthier.

All types of Ahava cream replenish and moisturize the skin. Their development has considered the complexity of all skin types and has tried and succeeded to match their own particularities. No matter what kind of skin you have there will always be a combination of minerals extracted from the Dead Sea minerals and water that will benefit and compliment your beauty.

Ordering unique skin care products such as the Ahava Dead Sea creams was rather difficult in the past, but now you have the guarantee that you get the genuine products right from the shore of the Dead Sea. Delivery fees are small and your products will arrive safely and promptly. Online ordering has several advantages. Consider only the fact that you will always have access to the latest news concerning new product releases on the cosmetics market. Moreover, the delivery will leave you fully satisfied.

There is even an Ahava Dead Sea cosmetic line for men that you can buy for your partner or friends. Men's skin has different requirements as compared to women's skin, so it is important to get them different Ahava products. All Ahava Dead Sea cosmetics help the anti-aging process. There is a special Ahava cream that will even make your skin younger in a very short time interval.

People come from all over the world to the Dead Sea to be able to use the therapeutic and miraculous mineral-rich mud. However, not everybody can afford to travel to this wonderful lake, but everybody could benefit from its qualities. By purchasing several Ahava cosmetics, you can make sure that these products complement each other and form a reliable treatment for your skin and hair.

Ahava cream helps with the tonus of the skin leaving it with a fresh clean look. The Ahava Dead Sea line removes all excess substances on your skin and all the chemicals we collect each day through make-up and pollution. In this age of technology, pollution is at its highest and this does take its toll on our skin. Stress and lack of sleep all leave skin looking old and tired. The Ahava products revitalize you and make you feel great about yourself so for a new fresh look start using Ahava cream.

Thursday, January 4, 2007

Skin Aging and Wrinkles


Skin aging and wrinkles are a person's two worst enemies. Although there is little one can do to prevent these tell-tale signs of aging, there are ways to delay their appearance. Skin begins the aging process almost from the moment you're born, so if you want to control skin aging and wrinkles, start early!

Causes of skin aging and wrinkles

Over time, the important skin components elastin and collagen start to break apart and skin begins to lose its elasticity, its underlying structure and its ability to spring back into shape. Cell reproduction slows with age causing fat cells and oil glands to atrophy. As this happens, production of emulsions designed to keep skin moist slows and skin starts to become dry. Add in the effects of gravity and soon the jowls, arms and eyelids begin to sag.

Several other environmental factors contribute to the onset of skin aging and wrinkles. Cigarette smoking, air pollution, laughing and frowning, and unprotected exposure to the sun all play a role. What's different about these environmental factors is that most are within a person's ability to control. So while there is no way (as of yet) to stop the aging process, the factors that contribute to its acceleration can be stopped.

Skin aging and wrinkling can be slowed by always protecting the skin from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. These rays can penetrate unprotected layers of skin. They produce radiation which can seriously and permanently damage the cells that form skin tissue. UVA rays are believed capable of releasing oxidants, unstable particles that cause extensive cell damage.

Cigarette smoking promotes the release of oxidants as well. Oxidants slow the production of new collagen and elastin. Known also as free radicals, the best way to protect against their negative effects is to consume a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Smoking also restricts the blood flow in the epidermis so skin doesn't get the quantity of nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

The repetitive nature of cigarette smoking, specifically the repetitive contraction of the muscles surrounding the mouth, accelerates skin aging and wrinkling as do the muscle contractions that occur when laughing and frowning. Air pollution contributes to wrinkles by depriving the skin of Vitamin E, another important antioxidant.

Skin care for anti-aging and wrinkles

Keeping skin clean and moist is the best skin care regime for anti-aging and wrinkles. It's better than most of the higher-priced solutions that promise to end wrinkling. Wash with warm water and gentle cleaner and pat skin dry so some moisture remains. Hot water and harsh soaps deplete skin of essential oils and increase dryness. Also avoid products with dyes or perfumes which may further irritate skin. Gently remove eye makeup as the skin surrounding the eyes is very delicate and prone to wrinkling. And there you have it � simple, inexpensive skin care for anti-aging and wrinkles.

Aging is an unstoppable process and unfortunately, so are wrinkles. So protect your skin by living a healthy lifestyle. Eat right, exercise, don't smoke and avoid excess alcohol consumption.