Are You Cleansing Your Skin Properly?

Many people with an oily face make the mistake of working too hard to remove every last bit of oil. Using a harsh detergent based cleanser and scrubbing too aggressively can scratch the skin and increase oil production due to overstimulation. When all of the protective oils are removed, the sebaceous glands pump out more which leads to further breakouts and shine. The key is to use a gentle, oil-free soap or cleanser to cleanse along with plenty of warm water. A good choice is Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. Resist the urge to be overly aggressive when you work with a shiny, oily face. It won’t help the problem and can actually cause harm.

After Cleansing an Oily Face

Once you’ve cleansed your skin with an oil-free formula, follow up with an astringent to reduce shine and seal the pores. Both Neutrogena and Clearasil make oil-free astringents that remove shine without being overly harsh. Astringent should be applied with a cotton pad using a gentle dabbing motion. Avoid rubbing the skin as this can spread acne causing bacteria around the face. Using an astringent regularly can help to improve the appearance of a shiny, oily face. Do you need moisturizer? If so, it should be oil-free and applied only to the driest areas of the face. Never apply moisturizer to an area prone to breakouts or shine.

Other Ways to Treat a Shiny Face Due to Excess Oil

To freshen up a shiny, oily face during the day, carry along a pack of oil blotting papers to remove shine throughout the day. These can be found at most drugstores. If your face still looks shiny after using the blotting paper, apply a light layer of matte, oil-free pressed powder.

Other Tips

If you have an oily face that’s prone to acne, talk to your doctor about topical Retin-A. It will not only help to prevent breakouts, but decreases oil production as well in some people. Steam cleansing the skin and applying a clay based mask can also help to reduce excess oil and shine.

The Bottom Line?

An oily face presents challenges, but choosing the right products and practicing proper skin care techniques can make the problem much more manageable.

Are You Cleansing Your Skin Properly?

Many people with an oily face make the mistake of working too hard to remove every last bit of oil. Using a harsh detergent based cleanser and scrubbing too aggressively can scratch the skin and increase oil production due to overstimulation. When all of the protective oils are removed, the sebaceous glands pump out more which leads to further breakouts and shine. The key is to use a gentle, oil-free soap or cleanser to cleanse along with plenty of warm water. A good choice is Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. Resist the urge to be overly aggressive when you work with a shiny, oily face. It won’t help the problem and can actually cause harm.

After Cleansing an Oily Face

Once you’ve cleansed your skin with an oil-free formula, follow up with an astringent to reduce shine and seal the pores. Both Neutrogena and Clearasil make oil-free astringents that remove shine without being overly harsh. Astringent should be applied with a cotton pad using a gentle dabbing motion. Avoid rubbing the skin as this can spread acne causing bacteria around the face. Using an astringent regularly can help to improve the appearance of a shiny, oily face. Do you need moisturizer? If so, it should be oil-free and applied only to the driest areas of the face. Never apply moisturizer to an area prone to breakouts or shine.

Other Ways to Treat a Shiny Face Due to Excess Oil

To freshen up a shiny, oily face during the day, carry along a pack of oil blotting papers to remove shine throughout the day. These can be found at most drugstores. If your face still looks shiny after using the blotting paper, apply a light layer of matte, oil-free pressed powder.

Other Tips

If you have an oily face that’s prone to acne, talk to your doctor about topical Retin-A. It will not only help to prevent breakouts, but decreases oil production as well in some people. Steam cleansing the skin and applying a clay based mask can also help to reduce excess oil and shine.

The Bottom Line?

An oily face presents challenges, but choosing the right products and practicing proper skin care techniques can make the problem much more manageable.

Moisturize

Most of us neglect this tip.  Moisturize is crucial to helping skin renew itself.  Read up on how wrinkles occur and this is relatively simple to understand.  In a nutshell, without moisture, skin will start looking cracked and wrinkly.  This is what we’re trying to prevent, so start off with moisturizing.  Be sure to use a facial-specific moisturizer for your face.  It’s best to moisturize both your body and face twice a day.  Make it part of your daily routine from when you’re getting ready in the morning to when you’re preparing for bed at night.

Buy Moisturizer With SPF in it

This helps form a sort of protective screen from damaging rays.  Believe it or not, SPF is crucial even on cloudy days.  Get a facial moisturizer (and body if you wish) that contains SPF to help prevent this damage.  You do not need a moisturizer that has a high SPF number.  Those usually are just marketing ploys, and not necessary for everyday use.  Keep in mind that you do not want sun tan lotion.  There are many products on the market that contain SPF, both for your face and for your body.

Start Using Jojoba Oil

No matter what your skin type, Jojoba oil works wonders for all!  If you have oily skin, it will help balance the oils levels and leave your skin looking and feeling great.  It may seem odd to fight oil with oil, but read any reviews and it’s loved by so many people for this very reason.  If your skin is dry, it will help retain some moisture.  You can put it on your face (a little bit goes a long way) under lotion and makeup.  It will help you to have a healthy glow.  You can also add it to your body lotion to get some of the same results there as well. 

Protect Yourself From The Sun

When you are going to be in the sun for a long period of time, it’s important to opt for a sun block lotion.  Also, wear protective clothing to avoid damage.  The tighter the knit of the clothing you’re using to protect yourself, the better.

Avoid Soaps That Dry You Out

This will come from trial and error, and hopefully some research of what products tend to dry people out.  Once you feel a soap is drying you out, stop using it.  While you may think moisturizing will fix this, that’s not necessarily true.  Also, very hot showers can dry you out as well.

There are many tips and tricks out there to help you avoid looking aged.  Feel free to share any of your personal favorites in the comments!

This pedicure can be administered to your own feet or to someone else’s

To prepare the feet for a pedicure soak in warm water for 5 minutes, use essential oils for added benefit.

The receiver should be sitting comfortably.

Start by cutting the toes nails preferably using nail clippers.

Cut the nail in as straight a line as possible. The little toes can often have a horny build up that makes them slightly more difficult to cut.

Use am emery board file to remove any coarse edges from the cut nails, file in a side to side movement.

Apply cuticle softener to soften and dissolve excess dry skin on the nail plate.

Use a hoof stick with a gentle but firm rotating movement on each nail, gently pressing back the cuticle on each toe nail helping to lift the cuticle away from the nail and expose more of the nail, making it easier and providing a greater surface area when applying nail varnish.

With cuticle clippers trim away any loose skin, pay particular attention to areas of the feet affected by footwear, unsightly pieces of skin can be carefully snipped off. The little toe is often a problem area that regular pedicures can easily improve.

Massage the excess cuticle cream into the nail.

Now using a pumice or dry skin remover gently rub over the hard skin areas of the feet to reduce and soften the build up of hard skin.

After preparing the toe nails and removing hard skin apply a rich softening moisturiser to the feet and lower legs, start by stroking the lower leg and foot gently but firmly in an upward motion, sliding back down towards the toes. Use thumb pressure in between the metatarsals, (the area between the toes and ankles).

Pulling and squeezing of each toe improved circulation and individual joint toe flexibility.

Finish the massage with effeurage.

Massage of the feet help to improve poor circulation, encouraged hard skin removal and helps to soften and moisturise the overall texture of the skin.

Next use nail varnish remover to wipe over the surface of the nail to remove excess oil and give a clean surface for application of nail varnish.

Use a toe separator for ease of nail varnish application.

Apply a base coat to the nail, base coat provides some protection from varnish induced discolouration of nails and gives a smooth foundation. Allow 2-3 minutes for it to dry.

Apply the chosen nail varnish colour starting with the big toe and finishing at the little toe. Place the brush at the base of the toe nail and end at the tip of the nail, try to apply the varnish in as few strokes as possible for a smooth finish. A first coat may appear slightly blotchy, this with even out on the application of the second coat. Allow 3 minutes to dry.

The second coat of nail varnish will give a smooth and more even appearance.

Try to avoid getting any nail varnish on the surrounding skin, however if this happens use a cotton bud dipped in nail varnish remover to get rid of it. Allow the nail varnish to dry for 3 minutes.

Finally use a top coat, this is a clear finish and protects the nail varnish from chipping. Allow to dry for as long as possible. I recommend an hour at least before putting socks or stockings over the nails

Now Enjoy you feet!

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In most tropical countries, the months of March, April and May are summer months where the temperature is at its heighest. Meanwhile in European countries Spring is beginning in March and the weather becomes warmer as each day progress until September when Autumn creeps in. During spring and summer, taking very good care of the skin is very important because the sun is exceptionally hotter and more damaging to the skin these days.

Here are a few reminders for us who wants to maintain beautiful skin especially during these hot days.

1. Sunscreen - Wear them everyday especially on the face. I never go out in the sun without putting on sunscreen in my face. I use Nivea Sunscreen with SPF 30. SPF 30 and up is recommended to fight the damaging effect of the sun to our face. It should protect you from UVB and UVA from the sun. Since it’s still spring in Europe I dont use it on my body everyday yet but for those people going to the beach, this is one beach essential that you should not forget. Re-apply every 4 hours if you are baking in the sun.
2. Water - Well even if it’s not summer, I have a bottle of water in my bag everyday. But during hot days, its needed more because we have to immediately replace the fluid that we sweat out otherwise we will end up dehydrated.
3. Moisturizers - If we want our skin to be young and healthy for a long time, we have to moisturizers everyday. Moisturizers like lotions, body butter, facial creams helps maintain the soft and smooth skin. Moisturizing is a must during summer but more so during cold days.
4. Caps, Hats and Umbrellas – Not only they are good accesory for your clothes but they do serve a good purpose of shielding your skin from too much exposure to sunlight.
5. Sunglasses – Another accesory that does very good on our eyes. Wearing sunglasses protects our sensitive eyes from UV rays and helps prevent crow feet and fine lines around our eyes. Squinting when expose to the sun causes these crow feet and fine lines around the eyes so to avoid it, use a good quality sunglasses that really protects your eyes.
6. Lip Balm with SPF – Our lips also needs some protection from the sun. Hot weather can also cause dry chapped lips and the remedy for this is by using lip balms that has SPF15 and more.
7. Fruits – One summer must have that most beauty writers forget is the importance of having a generoous supply of fruits during summer. Not only it has a refreshing effect on the body but it also acts and natural mousturizers that works very well on the skin. Eat a lot of fruits during summer to keep you hydrated and beautiful the whole time. not just for the beach.

Makeup

Throw it Away

Discard makeup after three months or sooner if it starts to smell funny.  Smell the freshness of your makeup when it is first purchased and check it as time passes.  You will notice how the freshness turns into a somewhat stale odor.  It is time to throw it away.  Old makeup is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.  It is wise to update your makeup at least every three months.  Makeup does have a shelf life; although, it does not have an expiration date printed on its labels it still needs to be replaced often.

Sanitize

Clean makeup brushes (including mascara brush) in hot water.  It just makes sense to keep your makeup brushes free of dust that can collect in your makeup bag.  Bacteria and skin particles are left on your brushes and build up over time.  Allow brushes to sit for about 15 minutes or so in hot water and allow them to dry before use.  Your mascara brush should be held under hot water until the water runs clear of the color.  Your makeup will apply much better with cleaner brushes; your brushes will perform better and last longer.

Be Selfish

Don’t share your makeup ever!  Brushes can be sanitized, but makeup cannot and should never be shared.

Make it Last

Don’t pump the mascara brush.  You all know what I am talking about, that pushing action done in and out of the tube to get more mascara onto the brush.  This will push air into the tube and decrease the life and performance of the mascara.  It puts wear onto the mascara brush quicker and really is not necessary.  A mascara brush should be swirled around the tube just a few times and even though this will wear the brush down a bit, it will not pump air into the tube promoting additional wear and tear.

Concealer is Not Good for Everything

Don’t put concealer on your lips.  It will settle into the creases and look chalky; use neutral lip liner instead.  A primer is also an excellent alternative to using concealer and is made especially to make application of makeup smoother.

Get Rid of Your Sponges

Do not use sponges because they absorb too much of the product which absorbs all the moisture from the product and makes it look dry on your skin.  Use brushes instead; they apply makeup much better.  Most of the moisture and product make it onto your face.

Make it Match

If concealer must be used the shade should be slightly darker than your skin tone.  Shade should match, but if you can’t find one that matches, then always go a shade darker.  Darker shades will cover imperfections.

Again, Go Easy on the Concealer

Do not use concealer on eyelids; it will not extend the wear of eye shadow and cakes up into creases.

Moisturize

Find an absorbing facial moisturizer.  Never use lotion on your face.

Products

Best Product Line Around

Aveeno has excellent cleansing, toning and moisturizing products.  They can be found at your local Walgreen’s and similar stores.

Cheap is Sometimes Better

A less expensive toning product is witch hazel.  Although, Aveeno has a wonderful toner, witch hazel is an excellent toner and is less expensive.  It will not dry your skin out; it is good for lifting remaining dirt missed during washing and product residue, and over time will give skin great tone.

More Moisture, Less Money

Cocoa butter (stick) not lotion is an excellent less expensive moisturizing product.  It is absorbing, not greasy and keeps moisture locked in when used in conjunction with witch hazel.  While face is still wet/moist from the witch hazel application, apply a dime size amount of cocoa butter to face.  Moisture will last all day long.

Invest in a Good Makeup Line

Laura Geller (www.laurageller.com) is an excellent makeup line.  The website provides tips for makeup application, products that achieve the look you require and how to maintain that look.  The line is somewhat pricey, but this particular line has products that are of the best quality and allow you to have a fresh looking face without appearing to have on too much makeup.

Nutrition

Water, Water, Water

Good old fashion drinking water is an excellent source of minerals to provide proper hydration, clarity, good skin tone and overall healthy looking skin.  So, drink at least 8 to 10 glasses a day.

Beauty Foods

Proper nutrition is essential.  My list of beauty foods are green vegetables, yogurt, blueberries, nuts and fish.  Green vegetables are loaded with minerals (iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium) and vitamins K, C, and E.  They have nutrients that have cell protecting agents.  Yogurt is made up of cultured active live bacteria, good bacteria, which helps prevent the growth of bad bacteria that cause diseases.  This bacterium also aids in a healthy digestive and immune systems.  The calcium found in yogurt is excellent in aiding the health of strong bones and teeth.  Yogurt is high in protein, which helps improve energy levels.  Blueberries contain many vitamins including C and E, which aid in the prevention of diseases.  Blueberries are a source of antioxidants which help to protect the body against agents that cause chronic diseases associated in the process of aging.  Eating a healthy amount of most types of nuts are not just a tasty snacks, but help lower the risk of heart disease.  Nuts also contain many of the same vitamins found in yogurt and blueberries, which help prevent many diseases.  The benefits of eating certain types of fish such as salmon, shellfish, tuna and sardines also aid in maintaining a healthy heart.  When you feel good on the inside it will show on the outside.  You are what you eat and when you eat junk it will show up on your face.

It is Alright to Sleep

Get plenty of rest.  If possible it is ideal to get at least eight hours of sleep every day.  Naps are also good and are not just for children.  An adult nap when possible is good to get that boost of energy we need throughout the day.

Please love yourself more, take care of yourself and stay beautiful!

For more beauty tips check out: Beauty Tips and Secrets for Beautiful Skin: http://www.beyondjane.com/Shopping/Beauty-Products/Beauty-Secrets-and-Tips-for-Beautiful-Skin-2.340551

The first step for making fruit facial masks is to select your fruits. Each fruit has its own unique texture, smell, and distinct health benefits and almost any fruit can be used to make a fruit facial mask. Some that you may want to consider are blueberries, pomegranate, and grapefruit. Blueberries and pomegranate are among the highest in terms of antioxidant content while grapefruit is a rich source of citric acid which is a good exfoliator to help remove dead skin cells that can make your face appear older.

Other items you’ll need to make fruit facial masks are egg whites and honey. You’ll also need access to a blender to puree the fruit.

Once you have your ingredients, start by peeling the fruit or scooping out the insides if you’re using a citrus fruit. Berries such as strawberries and blueberries can be used directly after thoroughly washing. Place your fruit into the blender and puree the fruit until soft and smooth. Place a half cup of pureed fruit to a large glass bowl. Add one egg white and a tablespoon of honey to the pureed fruit and mix thoroughly until you have a thick paste. If the mixture is too thin, add a little cornstarch until you achieve the consistency of facial mask. You can store your fruit facial masks in glass containers in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. It’s best to allow them to sit overnight before applying them.

When you’re ready to apply a fruit facial mask, cleanse your skin thoroughly and apply the mask to your face using your fingertips. The mask should be thick enough to stay on your face. If not, add more cornstarch and refrigerate for several hours before using. After applying the mask, leave it on for thirty minutes and then rinse thoroughly. Follow up by using a light moisturizer.

Fruit facial masks should give your skin a slight glow due to the exfoliation of dead skin cells. You can also lightly exfoliate with a facial exfoliating pad while rinsing to further aid in this process. Touch your skin and notice how soft it is! Plus, you have the freedom to make a mask out of any fruit you happen to have in your refrigerator. Enjoy!

It is a very problematic condition of the skin. Besides looking ugly, acne gives you sleepless nights. The more you try to remove it, the more it spreads. Many people try to pop up the pimples to remove acne. But this increases the acne and spreads to other portions of the skin and you also get black marks on the skin.

The most important thing to do to reduce acne is not to touch it. There are some face packs available which reduces the acne. Some of them can be made at home itself.

Some of the home made acne preventing face packs are

Baking Soda Face Mask

It is a conventional face mask being used for many years to prevent acne.

1. Mix a little bit of water in baking soda and mix till it a smooth paste is formed.
2. Wash your face and dry it with a cotton towel.
3. Apply a thin layer of the paste you prepared on the face and let it dry. You can do any work in the mean time.
4. After twenty minutes, wash off the baking soda mask. Use warn water for this and with a cotton towel, dry your face.

It works well on acne and do it regularly for long term results.

Oatmeal Mask

Oatmeal is a common product available in the kitchen.

1. Mix water in oatmeal and make a paste.
2. Apply this paste on the skin and spread it gently throughout the face.
3. Leave it for about 15 minutes till it gets dry.
4. Wash off the mask gently with warm water and dry your face with a towel.

Tomato Lotion Mask

It is another effective face mask for preventing acne.

1. Mix 1 teaspoon of tomato juice, half teaspoon camphor lotion, and 1 teaspoon of honey well.
2. Apply this paste on your face in a thin layer.
3. Leave it for about fifteen minutes.
4. Wash your face gently with warm water.
5. Dry your face with a cotton towel.

Garlic Lotion Mask

1. Mix 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon carrot juice, and half teaspoon garlic paste well and make a paste.
2. Apply this paste on your face and leave it for a fifteen minutes.
3. Wash your face and dry it with a towel.

Rosewater and Cucumber Face Mask

1. Mix equal portions of cucumber paste and rose water.
2. Apply this mixture to your face and let it dry.
3. Wash your face and dry it with a towel.

Yogurt Fat Mask

1. Mix 1 teaspoon yogurt, 1 teaspoon honey, and a few drops of lime juice.
2. Apply this to your face and let it dry.
3. Wash your face gently and dry it with a towel.

You can also use egg yolk, or egg white, or sea salt as face masks and see good results. For all the above said masks to work well, you have to do them twice or thrice a week.

Harness the power of a good hand cream.

Find a good hand cream and use it religiously. Hands deprived of moisture look and feel older. Apply hand cream several times a day, especially after exposing your hands to water, and you’ll see a big difference in the texture of your hands within a few days.

Use gloves when necessary.

If you’ll be washing dishes, gardening, or other activities that expose your hands to water or chemicals, put on a pair of protective gloves. Water and chemicals both take their toll on hands.

Wear a protective sunscreen on your hands.

Sunscreen isn’t just for your face. Your hands need sun protection too. Choose a sunscreen with an SPF of at least fifteen that blocks both UVA and UVB light. Use it when you go outside and reapply it after swimming or exposure to water.

Add fish oils to your diet.

Dry skin may respond to the omega 3 fatty acids found in fatty fish and fish oil supplements. Eat a fatty fish such as salmon several times per week. If you don’t enjoy the taste of fish, consider taking a fish oil supplement. A one gram capsule twice a day will not only help you have young looking hands, it’ll also help protect against heart disease.

Try microdermabrasion.

Microdermabrasion can help to remove the surface skin cells that make the skin on your hands appear dull and dry. If done on a regular basis, this can help you achieve young looking hands. This procedure is usually done by an aesthetician at a doctor’s office or a salon.

If you aren’t able to achieve young looking hands with the above techniques, laser resurfacing performed by a plastic surgeon can help to remove wrinkles and brown spots that make hands look old.

Ingredients

• A half teaspoon of glycerin
• Lavender essential oil
• Four cups Epsom salts
• A half teaspoon Matcha green tea powder
• A glass container to hold the above
• A metal mixing spoon

Instructions

1. Gather your ingredients.
2. You can find most ingredients at your local health food store or natural food market. Matcha may be difficult to find locally. If it’s unavailable locally, it can be ordered online.
3. Prepare your green tea bath salts.
4. Once you have your ingredients, making the bath salts is simple. Mix together the glycerin, Epsom salts, and Matcha green tea powder in your glass container. Stir well. Add twenty drops of Lavender essential oil to scent. You can substitute any essential oil you like for this step. Store in a glass container in the bathroom until you’re ready to use your salts.
5. Use your green tea bath salts.
6. Now comes the fun part. Prepare to experience the pleasure of soaking in a relaxing green tea and lavender bath. Measure out a half cup of the bath salts and pour them under the faucet as you draw your bath water. Use your hand to stir the bath salts to distribute them evenly through the water. Step into your fragrant bath and prepare for a long, peaceful soak.

Green tea bath salts you make at home can turn an ordinary soak into a serene, spa-like experience. The next time you’re stressed, get out the bath salts and escape to your own retreat.