Article Vault A - Z (Skin / Skin Products)


Skin Care Advice For Everyone

Taking care of your skin should not be confusing nor should it require you to use a large multitude of products just to make your skin feel cleaner. In spite of all the sales hype that we see on TV and in print trying to persuade you that you need all different kinds of products most people only need a gentle cleanser and a moisturizer with anti-aging ingredients included. With that said, there are exceptions that may have a type of skin needing special care so it is important to know what kind of skin you have.

Begin by assessing what your skin type is. If your face feels dry and tight with possibly some rough patches or redness you probably have dry skin. You may even suffer from flaking and irritation. The best treatment for this type of skin is to use rich moisturizers and never use cleansers that strip oil from your skin. You should also add Omega-3 oil to your diet.

If your skin is shiny or feels slick, especially on your forehead, nose, and chin then you probably have oily skin. Although, you may not think of it as a blessing when you are young it is actually a blessing in disguise because it naturally guards against wrinkles and the effects of aging. With oily skin, you want to use cleansers that will clean the skin without removing this natural anti-aging oil.

Skin that is prone to acne and those who are older are more unique and will require more specialized treatment. Mild cleansers are still best and moisturizers should be oil free but formulated for the specific condition you may have.

People with severe skin conditions such as severe acne should seek the advice of a dermatologist who may wish to prescribe medicines and specific skin creams that are made to deal with tougher cases.

It is very easy to care for your skin once you know what your skin type is and can even become enjoyable as you use the correct products and see improvement.


Causes Of Dry Skin

Skin can become dry for many reasons, but more often than not it is a combination of reasons. In this article we are going to look at the many dry skin causes which will hopefully help you to look after your skin better and be more in the know about general skin care.

Dry skin causes can be:

- Cold, wind, rain and low humidity. Environmental factors such as these cannot really be avoided, but there is one way which can really help keep your skin from drying so much. People are seldom aware how much central heating within their homes can dry their skin. Air humidifiers within the home during the winter months of central heating usage help to stop this from happening so much.

- Exposure to the sun: Exposure to the sun is another cause of dry skin. It is highly important to use a very high factor sun cream to prevent skin from burning and becoming dry.

- Excessive / Bad washing and skincare practices. When a person sees they have dry skin, their first thought can often be to apply water, to moisturize it. What this in fact does is wash away the protective sebum layer from the skin leaving the skin exposed to further damage. The way to moisturize your skin is to use a proper moisturizer regularly, but particularly after skin-damaging practices such as shaving or washing. Washing too frequently (i.e.: more than once a day) and using hot water as opposed to lukewarm water will dry your skin out. Using a flannel or loafer which scrub the skin will also remove more sebum and cause more harm than good, as will wiping or rubbing the body dry with a towel after bathing, as opposed to dabbing.

- Vitamin A, B, C and Sulphur Deficiency. Most people consume lower than recommended levels of all vitamins, and could do with taking vitamin supplements. Vitamin A, B and C supplements will help the skin grow healthy, as will foods which contain sulphur such as onions and garlic.

- Underlying illnesses. In addition to chronic skin complaints such as eczema, sometimes people whom have diabetes or under-active thyroid glands develop dry skin as a symptom. In these cases, the illness or ailment itself must be treated to minimize symptoms as well as a good skin care practice.

- Aging. As a person gets older, their sebum production levels can drop, leaving their skin exposed to damage. The aforementioned skin practices will be more important to maintain healthy skin as a person gets older.


How To Take Care Of Your Dry Skin

Dry skin can be a real pain to care for and to live with. If you have dry skin you know exactly what I mean. Your skin can become flaky and sometimes may even appear red and irritated. There are many over the counter skincare products that make promises to cure dry skin problems most usually these claims are unfounded and they rarely live up to the hype.

You don't have to be stuck with dry skin. We will share some simple changes you can make in your daily skincare routine that will help you to make your skin more healthy and vibrant in no time.

People suffering from dry skin have exactly the opposite problem of those with oily skin in that they suffer from a lack of sebum or oil production where people with oily skin have an overactive production. Sebum, which is made from skin cells, is vital to healthy, elastic skin. Because people with dry skin have insufficient oil production it must be replaced from the inside and the outside.

For starters, find a good moisturizing cream that is very rich but not too heavy. Natural creams that contain chamomile and aloe vera are very soothing and will help with dryness and healing.

The next thing you need to look at is your diet. You must take a hard look at what you are eating and how healthy or unhealthy it is. Your skin is actually the largest organ of the body and needs nourishment just like the rest of the body. Some of the best supplements for your skin include Omega-3 oils, Vitamin E, and B-Complex vitamin. This is one of the easiest and best things you can do to take care of your skin.

Taking this two pronged approach will reward you with lasting results that you will be able to see in a short time.


Use Natural Health Products To Nourish Your Skin

Looking good takes time and work.

Developing an effective and sustainable routine that will work for you is therefore an essential part of taking care of your skin.

Your skin protects your body and therefore it is your duty to protect you skin. That is the everyday commitment you need to make in order to keep having beautiful skin.

Natural health products provide your skin with the nourishment and care that it needs. These products come in the form of bath oils, bath salts, facial creams, and body creams.

The wonderful thing about natural health products is that they provide you with the best non-allergenic care which is crucial, since skin can often be rather sensitive to chemical treatment.

One important factor you should always keep in mind is that your skin type will determine which products you should select. For instance, some products only work for oily skin--and others for dry. Knowing what skin type you are will help you make better decisions when you have to purchase these products.

You will know exactly what you want, instead of wasting time and money on products that you don't need and that wont work on your skin.

But no matter what skin type you have and what treatment you use, it is always important to remember that you must take a proactive approach to nourishing your skin. If you don't learn how to best use your natural health skin care products and then work them into a regimen, you will only see sporadic, disconnected results.

It makes no sense to buy something and then try it once and then decide that it doesn't work, especially when most products specifically cite an amount of time you must use them for before you will see results.

You need to give the natural health skin products a fair chance.

And once you use natural health skin care products, you will never want to try anything else. Because once you have used the best that nature has to offer, you will want to keep it that way. Your health and radiant skin will be a constant testament to that


Dry Skin No More! Your Guide To Silky Soft Skin

Keeping your skin soft (especially hands) year round can be a challenge.

Skin is often exposed to the worst conditions, from scorching sun to frigid winter weather, leaving it dry, flaky and just plain unsightly. And, simple daily activities expose skin to even more damage.

Not only is dry skin uncomfortable, it can make you look old!

Fortunately, baby soft skin isn't reserved just for babies!


For healthy, rosy skin that everyone will notice try these free beauty tips to keep your hands and skin looking gorgeous year round.


1. Protect your delicate skin every single time you go outdoors. In summer and winter and every season in between, you should wear a high SPF sunscreen.

Winter is no exception. Just because you can't feel the sun's heat on your skin, doesn't mean that the sun's ultra-violet rays are causing damage to your skin.

2. Wear kitchen gloves when washing dishes or handling laundry detergents or other caustic cleaning chemicals. And, stay away from germicidal soaps that strip away protective oils.

3. Forgo hot showers, hot baths and hot tubs. The heat from the water will dry out skin almost as quickly as a trip outdoors.

4. Just "Say No!" to store bought bath soaps. Many contain harsh chemicals that can quickly dry out sensitive skin. Instead, opt for skin-soothing handmade soaps that pamper skin to perfection. Not only do they do a wonderful job of cleansing, but actually add moisture into your skin with all natural skin-friendly olive oil.


5. Beauty begins within, so don't forget to hydrate well and include a variety of anti-oxident rich fruits and veggies in your daily diet.

Exfoliate your skin weekly to help get rid of the top dead flaky layer of skin cells.

Try this simple homemade beauty recipe:

Mix 1 tsp. ground pepper or black tea leaves with one tsp. Cold Cream (i.e. Ponds or Noxema). Massage over dry skin for two minutes. Rinse thoroughly. You'll notice the difference right away.

Nix dry patches on knuckles and knees quickly with a dab of olive or corn oil.

To keep your skin baby soft, go for the ultimate intensive pampering treatment. Massage your legs, arms, hands and entire body with skin healing Shea body butter once daily.

Shea Body butter is great for softening the effects of wrinkles, dry chapped or chafed skin, rough heels and elbows, overworked and dry hands and even great for dry and chapped lips.

Not only is it ultra affordable, turns out it's a celebrity beauty secret to0!


Things You Need To Consider While Choosing The Right Skin Care lotion!

There are tons of different lotions available at your local grocery and retail stores. You can find a product for almost any skin condition: Dry skin, oily skin, red skin, and pimply skin. Over the last few years, there have been hundreds of studies and research conducted on various skin care products. This on slot of research has provided a wealth of products to the skin care market. It is difficult to weed through all the products and decide which one is best suited for you.

The most popular types of skin care moisturizers are the non greasy types. Most people do not enjoy rubbing a lotion on their skin to get rid of cracks and uncomfortable dryness, just to have greasy skin in return. Another highly used moisturizer is the skin cream instead of the lotion. Skin creams are thicker and easier to put on, yet they are not heavy or have that grease feeling.

For facial products, a creamy lotion like cleanser is usually used and followed by a lighter toner. The creamy cleanser should be specific to your skin type so be sure to read the label closely. If you have areas of your skin that get greasy while other areas are dry or normal, then your skin is considered a combination type. If your skin is almost always greasy, your skin would be considered oily. If it is always dry, your skin would be considered dry. Buying the correct cleanser is important to maintaining the balance of your skin. Toner does not always come in various types, but since a moisturizer follows it, you will usually not notice any difference in products.

Facial moisturizers are much different than body moisturizers. When choosing a facial moisturizer, you need to account for your skin type and also make sure the product contains an SPF. Usually you want sun protection of at least SPF 15. By applying this type of moisturizer on a daily basis you can help prevent sun damage to your skin.

Other specialized skin products, which are also available, include special eye creams that help to reduce the signs of aging in the eye area. Special ant aging moisturizers are also available to purchase, but you still want to make sure you match your skin type and it includes an SPF of at least 15.

If you take your time and do some basic research, you will be able to find the best lotion or cream for your skin type. It is not necessary to purchase the most expensive products, just make sure they are high quality products that fit your skin care needs.


How To Keep Your Skin Wrinkle Free As Possible

Everyone wants to have great looking skin. While some things are out of our control there are many things we can do to help keep our skin looking young.
We can't do anything about genetics. Some races age better than others, some skin types and skin shades age slower and some people just have naturally good skin. Let's take a look at the things we do have control of that can make a huge difference in how our skin looks.

First off, the old saying that beauty is only skin deep is a lie. Beauty starts on the inside with proper nutrition and hydration. Eating good healthy foods will go a long way to giving you healthier looking skin. Avoid greasy fast food that will do nothing but cause skin care problems. Drink plenty of water to keep your body and your skin properly hydrated and DON'T smoke! If you do smoke, quit. Smoking will age your skin very fast.

Another thing you must do is limit exposure to the sun. Some people seem to be able to take sun exposure better than others, but as a rule sun damages your skin. A tan is your body's response to damage, just like callous forms when you do heavy manual work with your hands or on the feet of dancers. So wear a hat and a good sunscreen when you are outdoors.

Another big step that many people ignore is to clean your skin daily. This should be one of the very first things that you do in the morning and the last thing before going to bed at night. This will keep your pore from clogging and remove dirt and excess oils. Use a good quality cleanser, not just soap and water.
Another thing you will want to do is apply a toner after washing to remove any leftover cleanser, tighten your pores and prepare your skin for moisturizer. Just as with cleansers and moisturizers you want to choose one that matches your skin type.

For a daytime moisturizer you may want to choose one with a built in sunscreen while at night you may want to apply a richer and thicker moisturizing cream so that your skin receives the most benefit while you sleep.