Five Places You Age and Ways to Prevent It

If there is one skin condition we would all like to avoid, it’s the appearance of aging before its time. The signs of aging can appear as early as our 20s. While there is truly nothing we can do to slow the passage of time, there are measures we can take to minimize the appearance that time has passed. Here are the five places aging shows up first and what you can do to keep time from catching up with you.

Crow’s Feet

Nothing says “mature” like those telltale lines radiating out from the eye. The biggest cause of crow’s feet is sun exposure. The thin skin around the eyes has very little collagen and elastin to begin with. Every time you skip the sunscreen and run outside for “just a minute,” you put yourself at risk for these crinkly cretins. Protect yourself with an eye cream that contains retinoids, peptides or antioxidants and, of course, sunscreen. Newer Sunscreen products with Zinc provide the unsurpassed UVA protection of zinc oxide without the opaque “”white-out”" that has reduced zinc oxide’s appeal in the past.

Mouth Lines

Your mouth is one of the highlights of your face, so don’t let those fine lines get a foothold. Believe it or not, there was some truth when your mother warned you that your face could stick like that – puckering your lips, pursing them, smoking or even talking animatedly all take a toll on the sensitive skin around your mouth. Of course, sun exposure plays a big role here as well. The best preventative measures you can take are sunscreen and moisturizer. Like the skin around your eyes, the skin around your mouth can hold onto youth with the help of retinoids and peptides – and avoiding continued repetitive mouth movements.

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is a long word for a variety of skin color issues including brown spots, freckles and uneven dark patches. A recent study in The American Journal of Dermatology found that hyperpigmentation is the most recognized sign of age – above even fine lines and wrinkles themselves. There are a variety of causes of hyperpigmentation and not all of them can be avoided but, once again, sun exposure is the chief culprit. The sun can accentuate existing freckles and cause dark patches to emerge. Other causes include rising estrogen levels brought on by some birth control medications. To protect yourself, once again, it’s sunscreen to the rescue. For dark patches that have already shown up, hydroquinone has been shown to be an effective bleaching agent.

Dark Circles

Recent research has pointed to allergies as having more to do with dark circles than lack of sleep. Allergies can cause inflammation and dilated blood vessels under the eyes. If dark circles have reared their ugly head, try an over the counter allergy medication with an antihistamine. There are other causes of these dark circles as well – some of which you cannot control. There is a web of fine veins under your eyes that can add unwanted color in that area and iron oxide can also leak from the capillaries under the eyes – apparently from sinus inflammation. There is little you can do about the presence of these blood vessels, but you can keep them from getting worse. The skin is thin and the light trauma of even rubbing your eyes can cause damage and darken these circles.

Anti-Oxidants And Sun Damaged Skin

Sun damage or photo damage produces both skin cancers as well as photo-aging. Photo-aging shows itself on the skin as wrinkling, scaling, dryness, and mottled pigmentation. Ultra-violet light is absorbed by skin, which in turn produces a photo-chemical reaction.

The UVA light is absorbed by both DNA as well as urocanic acid, the photo-chemical reaction produces oxidation of both DNA, nucleide acid, and protein, as well as lipids, this is known as oxidative damage. Anti-oxidants have been evolved to protect against, and reverse some of the damage produced by sunlight. An anti-oxidant mechanism is very advanced in plants that protect against the damage from sun exposure.

Oxidation:

Oxidation is produced by reactive oxygen molecules. The DNA absorbs ultra-violet light mostly in the UVB (290-320 manometres) range. This produces damage mainly within the epidermis. UVA (320-400 manometres) penetrates deeper into the skin and produces damage in the epidermis, the dermis as well as affecting blood vessels. The UVA has a much more oxidizing effect on cells.

The carcinogenic or cancer forming effects of ultra-violet B produce mutations within the DNA. This initiates tumours within the epidermis. The UVA promotes these tumours as it has much more oxidizing stress on the skin than UVB. It may as a result be more cytotoxic and immunosuppressive.

Sunscreens:

Sunscreens certainly protect against ultra-violet light, the sunburning spectrum is UVB and sunscreens are very effective. Ultra-violet A is the most difficult to protect against. It is important to realize that the SPF numbers are calculated with an amount of sunscreen on skin that exceeds what most of us put on our own skin.

The SPF is calculated with a quantity of 2mg. of sunscreen per centimetre2. Most people will put on about half to one quarter of this when used as sun protection. Unfortunately, low quantities of sunscreen of per centimtre2 will have minimal sun protective effects. Usually if 5mg. per cm.2 of sunscreen is applied to the skin, the sun protective factor is in the region of an SPF of 3.

Anti-Oxidants:

Anti-oxidants play a significant part in the protective and repair mechanisms within animals and plants. This can be achieved by anti-oxidants that are produced within the skin itself or by those consumed or applied from plants. The anti-oxidant effects can be divided into those that have their protection through enzymes, and those that tend to reduce the quantity of hydrogen peroxide as well as lipid hydroperoxides.

Topical Anti-Oxidants:

The use of topical anti-oxidants has certain requirements, these have to be stable as well as being cosmetically acceptable. It is clear that anti-oxidants have a photo-protective benefit. The physiological anti-oxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, and ubiquinol. Vitamin C is water-soluble and is a free radical scavenger, it is required for collagen synthesis and may inhibit elastin formation in the dermis.

It may also reduce pigment synthesis, as well as enhance epidermal barrier function. For it to be active it must be present on the skin at a pH of 3.5 or lower in order to have an anti-oxidative effect. Vitamin E is different from vitamin C, in that it is lipid soluble, there is evidence that combining vitamin E and vitamin C may be of some benefit. Other anti-oxidants to be considered will be selenium as well as zinc.

Plant Anti-Oxidants:

Plants synthesize vitamin C, vitamin E and flavones, and polyphenolic compounds.

• Silymarin
• Soy isoflavones
• Tea
• Polyphenols

These are all potent plant anti-oxidants.

Silymarin:

This is a Milk Thistle extract, the main component in terms of anti-oxidants is silybyn. This prevents lipid peroxidase action. It also has been shown to inhibit tumour promotion in animals.

Soy isoflavones:

Soy has been connected with a reduction in cardiovascular disease, and in some incidents’ of breast cancer when taken by mouth in large quantities. It has a phytoestrogen effect, which can reduce menopausal symptoms. The isoflavones are genistein and gaidzein. The genistein has a collagen synthesis effect. It is also anti-cancer. It has been used both orally as well as topically.

The genistein is a powerful scavenger of peroxyl radicals. This has a significant reduction in lipid peroxidase activity. It has been shown to reduce redness in the skin of mice which are subject to ultra-violet A. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect. The use of this compound reduces the immune suppression effect of ultra-violet light.

Tea polyphenols:

Tea is fermented initially to green, and then to black tea. The drinking of black tea has been shown to reduce the frequency of squamous cell carcinomas. Work done with green tea both topically and taken orally, shows that it reduces the ability of ultra-violet to produce skin cancers and redness, particularly in animals. The possibility of combining tea, plus vitamin E, to work together as anti-oxidants is interesting.

Much more work needs to be done in order to establish how combining anti-oxidants with sunscreens will have a very beneficial effect on reducing sun damage to skin.

Natural Home Skincare Treatments

Homemade Orange Scrub
Orange away your dryness today!

Experience a soothing and natural treatment for dry skin on heels, knees, and elbows by using a fresh and fragrant orange.

Ingredients:
1 organic orange (any type of orange will work)
½ cup of raw organic sugar
½ cup of grape seed oil (for normal to oily skin) or olive oil (for dryer skin)

1. Start by getting 1 organic orange (any type of orange will work). Cut the orange in half and gently squeeze one half into a bowl to release its juices.

2. Add ½ cup of raw organic sugar and ½ cup of grape seed oil (for normal to oily skin) or olive oil (for dryer skin) with orange juices and stir to combine.

3. Using the other half of the orange, gently scrub the exposed side over any dry spots on the body including knees, elbows, and feet. Follow with the orange scrub to remove dead skin.

4. Rinse with warm water

Lemon Lift
Need A Pick-Me-Up? Try Sour Stimulation!

Wonderfully refresh your skin while stimulating your circulatory system. And guess what
stimulating your circulatory system is good for? Cellulite!

Ingredients:
5 drops of lemon essential oil
6 fresh lemon slices
Warm water

Add five drops of lemon essential oil and six fresh lemon slices to a small bowl of warm water. Soak a washcloth in the bowl for two minutes, and then swirl it over the oil droplets floating on the top of the water. Wring it out and set it aside.  After a warm shower, take the washcloth and, starting at your feet and moving upward, scrub toward your heart to stimulate your circulatory system.

DIY Green-Papaya Brightening Mask

Enrich and beatify your skin with honey, yogurt,and papaya.  Sounds like a yummy snack-right?  Well, this is a snack to feed your skin the beauty it needs with a unique combination that  can be made right at home.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unripe papaya, diced
1 teaspoon plain yogurt
1 teaspoon raw honey
Tools:
1 large glass or ceramic bowl
1 bath towel
1 small spray bottle

1. You will need ½ cup of unripe, diced papaya. This contains natural alpha-hydroxy acids and high levels of
papain, an enzyme that helps dissolve dead skin cells.

2. 1 teaspoon of plain yogurt. The yogurt adds lactic acid (another alpha-hydroxy) and gives the mask a creamy texture.

3. 1 teaspoon of raw honey helps the skin to retain moisture.

4. Blend the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Apply to clean skin using fingers; leave on for 8 to 10 minutes. When left on, the mask should tingle slightly. If you have sensitive skin or prefer a gentler exfoliation, use ripe papaya, which has less papain. Rinse off using cool water and pat dry. Finish by applying a gentle moisturizer.

Homemade Protective Hair Treatment
News Flash! Sun Can Help Nourish Your Hair!

What? How can that be? Go to the beach and relax while your hair receives the nourishment it needs.

Ingredients:
Several tablespoons natural oil like Jojoba, olive or camellia oil
Natural shampoo
Sun!

1. At home or right at the beach apply several tablespoons of natural oil to dry hair, working from the ends towards the roots. Jojoba oil makes a good choice because it closely resembles the scalp’s natural oil. You can also try olive or camellia oil.

2. Comb through your hair to distribute the oil

3. Braid or wrap your hair in a secure bun for the  rest of the day and relax in the sun while your hair receives a nourishing treatment.  When you return home, apply a natural shampoo before wetting your hair to wash out the oil. This allows the shampoo to break down the oil more effectively and keeps water from sliding off slick hair.

Skin Care Ingredients to Avoid

Many consumers are frustrated by skin care products that don’t do what they claim to. Worse still is investing in an expensive yet ineffective cream or treatment only to discover the cheapest drug-store brand would work just as well. In a world of hyper-consumerism, false advertising and a plethora of products from which to choose, how do you choose the good from the bad?

There are some great products on the market that can genuinely improve your skin’s appearance and help your skin look smoother, more radiant, and youthful. But, there are literally thousands of products to choose from and unless you spend hours a day researching beauty products, it’s difficult to find the one of the few that actually produces real results and eliminates years of aging from your face and body.

As the law of supply and demand proves, the higher the demand for youth and beauty, the more manufacturers will rush to provide the solution. Many times this rush results in the creation of an inferior product with little to no research and development to back it.

Caveat Emptor – or “let the buyer beware” – is the rule to live by. Do your homework. Know where you are “voting” your hard-earned money. If it is important to you, make sure you are investing in a quality, skincare ingredient backed by proven results. If the environment and being ‘green’ is important to you, then be aware of the manufacturing practices of the company and product you support with your purchase.

Ingredients to Avoid

Due to certain preservative requirements, many skin care products are unfortunately loaded with ingredients that actually harm your skin over time. Following are a few prominent ingredients widely used in skincare products to day and are to be avoided if you prefer you skincare to be more natural or organic.

•    Mineral Oil. This oil has been used in literally hundreds of products. Mineral oil may also go by the alternative names liquid paraffin, paraffin wax and petrolatum on the product label. Mineral oil is used pervasively in skin care products as a moisturizing agent due to its low cost.

Mineral oil, once applied, is meant to ‘trap’ moisture in the skin, but once applied, actually prevents the skin from “breathing.” As such, it clogs pores, interferes with your skin’s natural ability to eliminate toxins, and can lead to acne flare ups. Also, it is irritating to the skin and if used for any length of time, your skin can become dependent on it, causing chapping and dryness. Lastly, it can lead to premature aging of the skin.

•    Dioxane: (a synthetic derivative of coconut). This substance is widely used in skincare products. It often contains high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, which is readily absorbed through the skin. In the State of  California, 1,4-dioxane has been reported as “known to cause cancer.”

•    Fragrances: No one wants to smell bad, but if you want to be on the safe side, you are better off choosing an organic essential oil or diluted cologne, hydrosol or even a bodyspray. Your skin care products typically contain chemically engineered fragrances to mask the unpleasant “chemical odor” of the foundational product itself. Many of these masking fragrances are produced from ingredients that are known to be toxic or carcinogenic.

Your skin is the largest organ of the body. Anything you put on it can be easily absorbed through the pores. When you use skin care products, they are typically applied all over the face, neck, and body. This covers a lot of surface area and, therefore, a great deal of chemical absorption occurs. However, with perfumes and colognes, you can achieve what you want by a small dab here and there, which will result in less chemical absorption overall. If you really want a beauty product to smell great without the harsh side effects, try buying a fragrance-free product and add your own essential oil blend. You can customize a whole line of products with you won signature scent!

•    Parabens: methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl paraben. Many skin care products (and moisturizing products) will use parabens as a preservative so their products have a long shelf life. The reason is purely economical. However, studies suggest that they may cause cancer and interfere with the body’s endocrine system, as well as causing allergic reactions and skin rashes.

•    Alcohols:  ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl  alcohol and SD alcohol. Not all alcohols have the same properties, but these, which are commonly found in skin care products, are very drying and irritating for the skin. Alcohols such as these strip away the skin’s natural acid mantle, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, moulds and viruses.

Skin Care Fundamentals

Skin Care is the first step towards achieving a healthy body. Facial skin care should be an essential part of your daily routine. Skin care specialists say any imbalance in the protective barrier that envelops the human body provides a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, resulting in many types of skin irritations and accelerating the aging process.

Natural skin care is the care of the skin (the largest organ of the body) using naturally-derived ingredients (such
as herbs, roots, essential oils and flowers) combined with naturally occurring carrier agents, preservatives,
surfactants, humectants and emulsifiers (everything from natural soap to oils to pure water). While skin treatment
is going green – like everything else – you still have to make sure you read the labels. Natural products have
become a big business in recent years as more and more consumers seek a gentler, healthier alternative for their
skin care needs, but just because it is natural, doesn’t always mean you won’t have an allergic reaction.

Among more natural approaches, steaming is a great way to clear your pores and detoxify your skin. Steaming is a
skin care fundamental. It helps draw out toxins and impurities and also helps the skin soak in the benefits of
masks, face scrubs and creams.

Basic Steaming:

1. Fill a large pot with hot water or drape a towel over your bathroom skin, filled with hot water.
2. You can add fragrant herbs to the water such as calming calendula, rose petals, or chamomile. Be very
careful to NOT use irritating herbs or oils that can burn or sting – such as peppermint, rosemary or other mints.
3. Lower your face over the pot which should cover the head and pot in a way that steam is directed towards your
face. Don’t let the steam burn your face though – this can cause more damage than good as it can rupture blood
vessles in your thin facial skin resulting in roseacea among other problems. Try to keep a distance of at lease 14
-16 inches from the water’s surface – keep the steaming result very light.
4. Use a soft towel to dry your face by blotting – not rubbing.

A proper steam won’t remove dirt and grime directly, but it will soften the skin’s surface enough to help cleanse and unclog pores. Another added benefit is the heat increases circulation and relaxes facial muscles. You may feel rejuvenated and free of tension.

As a good skin care practice, steaming should be done once in week. Gently cleanse and exfoliate your facev before you steam. This will clear the dead cells off and increase the blood circulation. If you have dry skin, frequent steaming is not recommended as it will devoid the skin of its natural moisture.

The skin on your face needs more attention than the rest of your body because it is exposed to the element son a constant basis. While keeping your skin healthy and blemish free with regular cleansing and steaming, it is also important to put sunscreen on your face as well as on your body.

Most facial skin responds to the weather and seasonal elements – with a combination of skin types, meaning different areas of the face may be dry and oily at the same time – such as combination skin and will fluctuate with weather, diet, stress and overall health.

The single most important thing to remember in proper skin care is that it usually shines best with poper diet and lifestyle choices. Not matter how many expensive products you buy, if you don’t treat your body well, with a clean diet and lots of excerside, your skin will never look its best.

Beautiful Skin At Any Age

Beautiful skin can be marred by acne which affects about 85% of teenagers and can be seen in 60% of adults as well. It is most likely to be seen during periods of hormonal changes such as puberty and menopause (or in women starting or stopping birth control pills).

Elevated hormone levels can cause the sebaceous (oil producing) glands to form greater amounts of sebum (oil). These glands are attached, under the skin, to the sides of each hair shaft, and together form a unit called a follicle. The opening of the skin is referred to as a pore. The oil produced is necessary to lubricate the hair and skin. Most of the time the oil glands produce the right amount of sebum, and the pores are fine. When excess oil production is triggered, the pores can get clogged and bacteria begin to multiply, which leads to acne. Sometimes the pore is so blocked that it ruptures the skin and spills the contents into the surroundings. This causes inflammation, irritation and results in the deep “underground” pimple we know as an acne nodule or cyst.

Recent studies have shown that the typical Western diet contributes greatly to the incidence and severity of acne. Our diets are rich in refined carbohydrates and sugars. This triggers our bodies to produce a surge in insulin. It also causes an excess of male hormones which encourage the skin to excrete more oil and subsequent abundant growth of bacteria. Studies have shown that populations not fed on a Western diet are virtually acne-free. Yet when they move to cities and change their diet, they begin to experience acne for the first time ever.

Tips for Clear, Beautiful Skin:

– Cleanse twice daily. It is not necessary to wash your face every hour, as this can strip off too much oil from your skin and trigger over-production to compensate.
– Maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet.
– Eat organic whenever possible. Your body does not need the extra hormones and antibiotics found in typical meats, chicken or even farm-raised fish.
– Refrain from touching the area.
– Take care to keep hair sprays and gels on your hair but off your face.
– Use a moisturizer if you need one. You don’t have to dry out your skin to treat acne.
– Try an over-the-counter homeopathic remedy.
– Some dermatologists offer a new laser treatment (SmoothBeam) which can help to clear acne in a few monthly sessions.

Beautiful skin is pleasurable to behold. Following these steps you can help create and maintain beautiful skin throughout your life.

by Lisa Benest, MD.

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Dry Skin Tips

Many of us, women especially, can relate to the phrase, “I just don’t have the time.”  Conversely, if you grew up in any generation or location that frowned upon wearing makeup or using ‘beauty products’ as ‘unnatural’, you might have recently had second thoughts as those lines began to show a little too much, or those dark spots were just getting darker.

You have lived long enough to know “beauty isn’t everything,”  but the truth is, when it starts to fade, boy does it sure seem more important! Regardless of the circumstance that finally brought you to shock the last time you looked in the mirror, the good news is there are always second chances when it comes to taking care of your skin. The older you are, the more important it is to get started with a quality skin care regimen.

Three simple steps can aid your skin back the face you knew yesterday. You might have heard this before, but here it is again…just in case you need a refresher.

1. Cleanse – but gently. Too many professional skin care products strip your facial skin of the natural elements it needs to keep your skin soft and supple. Using a mild cleanser with a very light, delicate scent that won’t leave your face feeling tight and dry. For damaged, wrinkled skin, a moisturizing cleanser or cream cleanser is best.

2. Exfoliate – Many exfoliating products using sand or walnut shells can be too harsh to use daily – try to find a gentle exfoliating product – a natural clay or organic oatmeal. Natural skin care products tend to be less irritating and will not only exfoliate the grime and pollution of the day from your delicate facial skin, they also moisturize, soften, and increase your body’s collagen and antioxidant production.

3. Moisturize – Use a dry skin care anti aging lotion each morning after cleansing. Excellent high quality moisturizers not only replace vital moisture in your face but leave very soft and smooth. Additional moisture will also supplement the antioxidants your skin needs to produce to stay looking healthy and young.  If you use an SPF of 25, it will also help protect your face from sun damage throughout the day.

One more thing…

The goal of your skin care routine is to address wrinkles, dark spots and dryness with products that deliver lighting, moisturizing and antiwrinkle ingredients. It’s not enough to get a facial to keep your skin clear and beautiful. You need to have a great home skin-care routine. I never hurts, to get a professional facial to deep cleanse your skin at least four times a year, as the seasons change. Every 4-6 weeks is ideal.  But please, throw away the grocery-store soap and use quality skin care products that are right for your skin type. Also, if it still has to be said, wear sunscreen, even on cloudy days and in the winter. Use a good quality, high-SPF sunscreen. Sun damage is the single most important cause of premature aging. Last, if you have a tendency to engage in skin-damaging habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and tanning booths, please try to reduce or eliminate these habits altogether.  Remember, you want your skin to reflect and shine the beauty that we know you already are on the inside.  Make all those years of wisdom and experience show on the outside as well.

How Skin Works

The first thing one thinks of when they hear the word “organ” in relationship to the body, may be an internal image – one of the lungs, liver or heart, one that helps the body function. You may not consider your skin to be an organ but it is in fact the largest organ of the body. According to a popular encyclopedia, adults carry some 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) and 22 square feet (2 square meters) of it. This fleshy covering does a lot more than make us look presentable. In fact, without it, we would literally fall apart.The average skin composition is about one-hundredths of an inch thick. Its layers are called the dermis, which contains blood vessels and cells known as fibroblasts. These cells produce collagen, elastin and proteoglycans–the mortar that holds your skin together. The outer component is the epidermis. This contains between twelve and fifteen layers of cells, but as we age, they diminish to nine or ten layers.

Only the very bottom layers of cells divide and replace themselves. They slowly rise to the skin’s surface and as they rise, they lose their neuclei and die. This outer layer, knows as the stratum corneum, is then automatically sloughed off in tiny pieces during everyday activity, which then triggers the bottom layer of skin to create new skin cells all over again. If you are injured, this regeneration rate doubles or triples to compensate for the loss of skin cells and create new skin.

If you are a teenager, the regeneration process will take about two to three weeks. As an adult, this rate slows and cells become less apt to divide and less hydrated. Part of this cycle is mainly due to what are known as “free radicals.” These little guys have been getting a lot of press lately and driving many anti-aging products and supplements. Free Radicals are basically unstable oxygen molecules. They are unstable because they are missing some essential electrons. So, they seek out healthier electrons from other molecules – including our skin cells. The chain reaction they cause is known as oxidation. This effect can also restrain blood circulation and can cause other unsightly results like varicose veins.

The most significant sources of free radicals are cigarette smoke, air pollution and pesticides. All of this contributes to aging skin, creating wrinkles, age spots and sagging. Antioxidant-rich foods that contain vitamin C and E have been found to defend against free radicals by giving them their own electrons and forming a barrier that protects skin cells. You may already know certain behaviors and habits will either help or harm your skin, such as proper diet, exercise, smoking and sun exposure.

Skin acts as a waterproof, insulating shield, guarding the body against temperature extremes, damaging sunlight, and harmful chemicals. It also prevents infection and manufactures vitamin D to converting calcium into healthy bones. Skin additionally is a huge sensor packed with nerves for keeping the brain in touch with the outside world, proving to be an amazingly versatile organ. Treating it right, feeding it healthy, nourishing foods and protecting it from free radicals will ensure beautiful skin for many more years to come.

Three Step Routine for Beautiful Skin

Cleanse, Nourish, Moisturize.

If you suffer from any type of facial malady, most experts will agree, the first rule of skin care is: cleanse, nourish, and moisturize. No matter what type of skin you have, this three-step routine for the care of your skin is essential to counteract the daily effects of environment, stress, and the skin’s natural process of cell degeneration. It is the very minimum you must do to maintain a normal, healthy, youthful complexion. Even if you do nothing else for an existing skin problem, keeping this regimen every day can help to improve your condition, sometimes in a short amount of time.

The basic requirements for good skin include daily cleansing, nourishing, and moisturizing that is right for your complexion type. A total facial beauty program should feature daily skincare: cleansing, toning, moisturizing, weekly facial masks, healthy eating, rejuvenating body baths, exfoliation, and of course, exercise.

Following a seasonal skin care regimen is ideal for everyone, no matter what your skin condition, as our skin fluctuates with the seasons. In winter, cold temperatures and lack of humidity make moisturizing a must. In the heat of the summer months, the humidity is higher and you are more prone to exercise and sweat, so a moisturizer may not be necessary, but a sunscreen will – then you may notice more breakouts and need a detoxifying clay mask for example.

The most common skincare complaints include acne, eczema, psoriasis, premature wrinkles, sagging and age spots. Not all of these skin maladies will occur at the same time and not all skincare products will be necessary at all times. If you have combination skin, you may even need to ‘spot-treat’ – a moisturizer on your cheeks and a detoxifying mask on your forehead and nose, for example.

If you are a resourceful natural skincare advocate, you may already make some of your best skincare products at home. If you prefer to buy your skin care products rather than make them, it will benefit you greatly to be a knowledgeable consumer. Learn to distinguish the true natural products from the many pretenders on the market today.

Typically most skincare treatments are external. While they are vital to achieving a flawless complexion and an all-over healthy appearance, they alone are not sufficient to eliminate all skin problems completely. A topical product will alleviate only the surface issues of disease and aging, not the cause itself. For that you must also cleanse and nourish the body and mind internally – where all disorders begin. Internal skincare is equally if not more important that any external cream, especially when it comes to diet and key stress-reducing techniques like exercise, meditation and massage.

You can take years off your appearance by rejuvenating your skin if you are willing to follow a “whole-health” regimen. Make a routine of your daily skincare with proper cleansing, nourishing / toning and moisturizing as well as feeding your body nourishing, healthy foods and exercising. You will see the results for yourself through your improved complexion and an overall feeling of well-being.

Bad Lifestyle Habits and Your Skin Care

“Is it too late to save my bad skin? I never paid much attention to my skin because I never had any skin problems. I never bothered with skin care products because I didn’t need to. Now I’m seeing wrinkles and spots forming, I guess it’s just too late to anything about it.” If this sounds like you, you may want to keep reading.Never fear, because there is still much that you can do to help your skin. If you are lost in sea of product choices, you can still be assured cosmetic dermatology can offer many alternative treatments. Read more

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