Daily regime for healthier skin

Most women don`t bother looking after their skin until it is too late. When will you start when you notice the wringles, by that time you will have no chance of slowing the aging process. You should start looking after your skin from your late teens, early twentys right up until your hands are too shakey to pick up any thing. Start now with a daily regime of cleansing, toning, exfoliating and moisturising. Once you get use to doing it daily you will feel and look a lot healthier and good about yourself.

Step one -- Cleanse. Cleansing you skin and removing dirt, makeup and other impurities that clog your skin is essential. You should cleanse your skin at least twice a day with a mild, non-irritating cleanser. Your cleanser should not strip your skin of its natural oils and it should easily rinse away.

Always consider your skin type first when choosing a cleanser. A good cleanser will remove impurities without leaving residue. You should avoid cleansing with soap. This is because skin is slightly acidic and soap is alkaline. This disrupts the skins naturally acidic protective film.

Oil based cleansers are suitable for all skin types.

Cream cleansers will suit a dry skin.

Smooth on the cleanser and leave it for a few seconds to dissolve impurities. Then very gently wipe it off with cotton wool or damp tissue. When using a wash off cleanser you should apply it to damp skin and then remove with warm water

Step two -- Tone. Using a toner rehydrates, cools, nourishes and refreshes your skin. Toners remove any remaining traces of dirt, makeup or oil you cleanser may have not removed. It's good to use a toner that is alcohol-free, as alcohol may dry your skin.

Step three -- Exfoliate. Exfoliating gives the skin a healthy glow and gets rid of the spots that tend to make you look sallow and your skin blotchy.

Exfoliants help remove dead cells that accumulate on the surface of your skin. Make sure the exfoliant is not granular so you do not damage new skin. An exfoliant can be as simple as a face cloth or as high-tech as the latest serums containing AHAs.

Step four -- Moisturise. Just as the rest of you body requires hydration and nutrients, so does your skin. Your skin should be treated with a daytime moisturiser that provides a broad spectrum sunscreen daily. At night, using a more intense moisturiser helps to rebalance and normalize your skin as you sleep.

There's no rule that says you have to use moisturiser all over your face; you may just need a light eye cream and a bit of moisturiser on your drier cheek area.

All skin has its own natural moiturising factor that regulates water flow from the dermis to the surface. Sebum also helps by forming a barrier on the skin that prevents moisture loss. As we grow older both of these however decrease in activity and therefore we need a water regulating moisturiser. All skin types really need moisturising twice a day.

You should be carefull to choose a moisturiser to suit your skin type. For oily skins oil free formulas and oil in emulsions. Water in oil formulations suit dry normal skin. You should always spritz your skin with water before applying moisturiser. Water plumps up the skin cells creating an even surface making lines less apparent.

Daily regime for healthier skin

Most women don`t bother looking after their skin until it is too late. When will you start when you notice the wringles, by that time you will have no chance of slowing the aging process. You should start looking after your skin from your late teens, early twentys right up until your hands are too shakey to pick up any thing. Start now with a daily regime of cleansing, toning, exfoliating and moisturising. Once you get use to doing it daily you will feel and look a lot healthier and good about yourself.

Step one -- Cleanse. Cleansing you skin and removing dirt, makeup and other impurities that clog your skin is essential. You should cleanse your skin at least twice a day with a mild, non-irritating cleanser. Your cleanser should not strip your skin of its natural oils and it should easily rinse away.

Always consider your skin type first when choosing a cleanser. A good cleanser will remove impurities without leaving residue. You should avoid cleansing with soap. This is because skin is slightly acidic and soap is alkaline. This disrupts the skins naturally acidic protective film.

Oil based cleansers are suitable for all skin types.

Cream cleansers will suit a dry skin.

Smooth on the cleanser and leave it for a few seconds to dissolve impurities. Then very gently wipe it off with cotton wool or damp tissue. When using a wash off cleanser you should apply it to damp skin and then remove with warm water

Step two -- Tone. Using a toner rehydrates, cools, nourishes and refreshes your skin. Toners remove any remaining traces of dirt, makeup or oil you cleanser may have not removed. It's good to use a toner that is alcohol-free, as alcohol may dry your skin.

Step three -- Exfoliate. Exfoliating gives the skin a healthy glow and gets rid of the spots that tend to make you look sallow and your skin blotchy.

Exfoliants help remove dead cells that accumulate on the surface of your skin. Make sure the exfoliant is not granular so you do not damage new skin. An exfoliant can be as simple as a face cloth or as high-tech as the latest serums containing AHAs.

Step four -- Moisturise. Just as the rest of you body requires hydration and nutrients, so does your skin. Your skin should be treated with a daytime moisturiser that provides a broad spectrum sunscreen daily. At night, using a more intense moisturiser helps to rebalance and normalize your skin as you sleep.

There's no rule that says you have to use moisturiser all over your face; you may just need a light eye cream and a bit of moisturiser on your drier cheek area.

All skin has its own natural moiturising factor that regulates water flow from the dermis to the surface. Sebum also helps by forming a barrier on the skin that prevents moisture loss. As we grow older both of these however decrease in activity and therefore we need a water regulating moisturiser. All skin types really need moisturising twice a day.

You should be carefull to choose a moisturiser to suit your skin type. For oily skins oil free formulas and oil in emulsions. Water in oil formulations suit dry normal skin. You should always spritz your skin with water before applying moisturiser. Water plumps up the skin cells creating an even surface making lines less apparent.

Fade My Freckles!

Skin Discoloration. Causes and Treatment.
Freckles, age spots, pregnancy mask - these harmless skin defects can be quite an annoying problem. We all want not only silky smooth complexion, but an even and healthy skin tone as well.
Freckles. Considered cute by some, they are a real problem for others. Freckles, a.k.a. ephelides, are small brown or tan patches common in individuals with lighter skin, blond or red hair, and blue, green or gray eyes. They appear early in life, increase in number during summer months and fade in winter. After the age of 40-45 they disappear, but who wants to wait? Another type of skin discoloration is pregnancy mask, otherwise known as chloasma or melasma. It appears during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. Women with darker skin are more likely to develop this condition. After delivery chloasma will fade, however some traces may still remain. It can also occur in women who are taking oral contraceptives. Age spots - lentigines - are similar to freckles. They appear later in life and can occur in any skin type. The good news: if you know why the discoloration occurs and take measures to prevent and treat it, you can have an even skin tone at any age. Freckles, age spots and pregnancy mask have several things in common. They are formed in sun exposed areas: face, hands, chest and back. These unwelcome brown patches are nothing more than accumulation of skin pigment melanin which is always produced by the skin. The amount of melanin present determines the skin tone of an individual. Extra melanin is produced by the body in response to sun exposure. It absorbs UV rays and does not allow them to penetrate deep into the skin layers as it would be damaging. If you want to avoid skin discoloration, the first and the most important thing you need to do is to avoid sun exposure and wear sunscreen. This way your body will not need to produce more melanin. Since melanin is accumulated in the upper layer of the skin, you might want to consider skin lightening and peeling. There are different products that can be used for this purpose: Hydroquinone has been a very popular treatment, however it can irritate the skin. Kojic acid, discovered in Japan in 1989, is a natural product derived from fungi. It is gentle on the skin and very effective in treating skin discoloration. Penetrating upper skin layers, it inhibits the formation of the pigment. Alpha hydroxy acids help to shed the old cells faster, therefore they will be helpful as well. By removing the outer skin cells, which are usually darker, you will make your freckles or age spots lighter and less visible. If you decide to use any of the above products, extra sun protection is imperative. If necessary, apply cream with SPF several times a day. By using skin lighteners and peels, you affect the upper darker layer. Lower layers are lighter, with less melanin present. If you don't protect your skin, it will launch its own defense mechanism producing more melanin. This will result in darker and more intensive discoloration which can be even harder to get rid of. Please remember that skin discoloration (excluding pregnancy mask which should disappear after the delivery) require consistent treatment. Once you stop using lighteners and protection, the dark patches will be back. But keeping up with your skin regiment is not difficult: all you need is a gentle yet effective lightener and a moisturizer with complete UV protection - against both UVB and UVA rays. Natural remedies you can use: Wash your face with sour milk. Lactic acid will provide gentle peeling effect without irritating or drying your skin. Lemon juice is a time proven freckle fighting remedy. It is not necessary to rub your skin with a piece of lemon. Applying the juice with your fingers will do the job. Fruit and vegetable masks (apricots, strawberries, cucumbers, red currant). Sour cream mask. Do not rinse this mask completely, just remove gently with a facial tissue, then apply a moisturizer. For oily skin - use lemon juice before applying the mask. Natural parsley juice (or parsley infusion) mixed with equal amounts of lemon juice, orange juice, and red currant juice under your favorite cream will help you keep your freckles invisible. Last but not least - increase your Vitamin C intake! It makes your skin less sensitive to the sun. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, apples, green onions, black and red currant, rosehip tea. Please note that some types of skin discoloration are due to internal disorders. Poor liver functioning, hormonal or metabolism disorders, overactive thyroid can be the underlying reasons for unsightly cosmetic problems. If this is the case, start your treatment from the inside.
Note: Information in this article is not to be taken as a medical advise. Always consult your doctor if you need professional help.

Fade My Freckles!

Skin Discoloration. Causes and Treatment.
Freckles, age spots, pregnancy mask - these harmless skin defects can be quite an annoying problem. We all want not only silky smooth complexion, but an even and healthy skin tone as well.
Freckles. Considered cute by some, they are a real problem for others. Freckles, a.k.a. ephelides, are small brown or tan patches common in individuals with lighter skin, blond or red hair, and blue, green or gray eyes. They appear early in life, increase in number during summer months and fade in winter. After the age of 40-45 they disappear, but who wants to wait? Another type of skin discoloration is pregnancy mask, otherwise known as chloasma or melasma. It appears during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. Women with darker skin are more likely to develop this condition. After delivery chloasma will fade, however some traces may still remain. It can also occur in women who are taking oral contraceptives. Age spots - lentigines - are similar to freckles. They appear later in life and can occur in any skin type. The good news: if you know why the discoloration occurs and take measures to prevent and treat it, you can have an even skin tone at any age. Freckles, age spots and pregnancy mask have several things in common. They are formed in sun exposed areas: face, hands, chest and back. These unwelcome brown patches are nothing more than accumulation of skin pigment melanin which is always produced by the skin. The amount of melanin present determines the skin tone of an individual. Extra melanin is produced by the body in response to sun exposure. It absorbs UV rays and does not allow them to penetrate deep into the skin layers as it would be damaging. If you want to avoid skin discoloration, the first and the most important thing you need to do is to avoid sun exposure and wear sunscreen. This way your body will not need to produce more melanin. Since melanin is accumulated in the upper layer of the skin, you might want to consider skin lightening and peeling. There are different products that can be used for this purpose: Hydroquinone has been a very popular treatment, however it can irritate the skin. Kojic acid, discovered in Japan in 1989, is a natural product derived from fungi. It is gentle on the skin and very effective in treating skin discoloration. Penetrating upper skin layers, it inhibits the formation of the pigment. Alpha hydroxy acids help to shed the old cells faster, therefore they will be helpful as well. By removing the outer skin cells, which are usually darker, you will make your freckles or age spots lighter and less visible. If you decide to use any of the above products, extra sun protection is imperative. If necessary, apply cream with SPF several times a day. By using skin lighteners and peels, you affect the upper darker layer. Lower layers are lighter, with less melanin present. If you don't protect your skin, it will launch its own defense mechanism producing more melanin. This will result in darker and more intensive discoloration which can be even harder to get rid of. Please remember that skin discoloration (excluding pregnancy mask which should disappear after the delivery) require consistent treatment. Once you stop using lighteners and protection, the dark patches will be back. But keeping up with your skin regiment is not difficult: all you need is a gentle yet effective lightener and a moisturizer with complete UV protection - against both UVB and UVA rays. Natural remedies you can use: Wash your face with sour milk. Lactic acid will provide gentle peeling effect without irritating or drying your skin. Lemon juice is a time proven freckle fighting remedy. It is not necessary to rub your skin with a piece of lemon. Applying the juice with your fingers will do the job. Fruit and vegetable masks (apricots, strawberries, cucumbers, red currant). Sour cream mask. Do not rinse this mask completely, just remove gently with a facial tissue, then apply a moisturizer. For oily skin - use lemon juice before applying the mask. Natural parsley juice (or parsley infusion) mixed with equal amounts of lemon juice, orange juice, and red currant juice under your favorite cream will help you keep your freckles invisible. Last but not least - increase your Vitamin C intake! It makes your skin less sensitive to the sun. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, apples, green onions, black and red currant, rosehip tea. Please note that some types of skin discoloration are due to internal disorders. Poor liver functioning, hormonal or metabolism disorders, overactive thyroid can be the underlying reasons for unsightly cosmetic problems. If this is the case, start your treatment from the inside.
Note: Information in this article is not to be taken as a medical advise. Always consult your doctor if you need professional help.

Oils for the skin - to use or not to use?

Natural oils can be divided into two general categories - essential oils and carrier or base oils.

Essential oils are volatile compounds found in plans. They give fruits, flowers, herbs and spices their fragrance and flavor. These oils are obtained by distillation or expression. Essential oils are higly concentrated and used at a very low concentration.

Carrier oils, such as almond, sunflower, olive, walnut are used in higher concentration in cosmetics, or they can be applied directly to the skin to nourish, soften and protect it. They are used as a base in which essential oils are diluted.

Oils are highly penetrating. They easily enter through a cell wall delivering essential vitamins, oxygen, and nutrients. This helps to stimulate cell metabolism and regeneration process.

Ability of oils to penetrate and carry nutrients through the the cell wall to the cell nucleus can prevent cell deterioration that can lead to infections and diseases.

Many oils have anti bacterial properties, thus helping to reduce infections in sensitive or damaged skin.

Oils have been successfully used in skin care preparations for centuries. They constitute a substantial part of skin care formulations, and some people actually prefer oils to creams.

It might sound strange, but oils can be used as skin cleansers. Sunflower (non-refined), olive, almond oils will serve the purpose. Did you know that vegetable oil is a great way to remove oil-based paint from the skin? The same mechanism works with everyday residues and impurities that accumulate on your skin. Oils effectively lift off the dirt, leaving the skin clean and nourished.

If you still prefer water, but your sensitive skin feels dry after it, apply oil to the skin prior to washing your face. Your skin will feel much softer.

Many oils, such as safflower oil, are rich in essential fatty acids that the body requires for healthy cells but cannot produce by itself. These acids preserve the protective function of cell membranes. Skin that does not get enough of these nutrients looses moisture and elasticity, becomes dry and forms wrinkles and fine lines. Fatty acids can prevent skin dryness and help to restore moisture balance.

Great controversy exists when it comes to the use of oils on acne-prone skin. The anti bacterial properties of essential oils, such as lavender and tea tree, help to kill the bacteria and counter acne. Basil oil has been successfully used by Indians to clear the skin of the unsightly breakouts.

If your skin is oily, you probably would like to avoid oils. However, if you put too much effort into making your skin drier, your skin can take it as a signal to produce even more oil.

While moisturizing your skin (there are oil-free products designed for oily skin), you can try products with such essential oils as tea tree, basil, eucalyptus, cedarwood, cypress, lemon, lavender that are known to normalize oily skin and, along with sage and lemongrass oils, to slow down body oil production.

Tea tree oil, chamomile, lavender, geranium, rose, neroli and ylang ylang are recommended for all skin types. These essential oils are soothing, healing and nutritive, they have anti-inflammatory effect. Mature skin will also benefit from clary sage, palmarosa, carrot seed oil - for they are proven to be effective in wrinkle prevention.

Oils for the skin - to use or not to use?

Natural oils can be divided into two general categories - essential oils and carrier or base oils.

Essential oils are volatile compounds found in plans. They give fruits, flowers, herbs and spices their fragrance and flavor. These oils are obtained by distillation or expression. Essential oils are higly concentrated and used at a very low concentration.

Carrier oils, such as almond, sunflower, olive, walnut are used in higher concentration in cosmetics, or they can be applied directly to the skin to nourish, soften and protect it. They are used as a base in which essential oils are diluted.

Oils are highly penetrating. They easily enter through a cell wall delivering essential vitamins, oxygen, and nutrients. This helps to stimulate cell metabolism and regeneration process.

Ability of oils to penetrate and carry nutrients through the the cell wall to the cell nucleus can prevent cell deterioration that can lead to infections and diseases.

Many oils have anti bacterial properties, thus helping to reduce infections in sensitive or damaged skin.

Oils have been successfully used in skin care preparations for centuries. They constitute a substantial part of skin care formulations, and some people actually prefer oils to creams.

It might sound strange, but oils can be used as skin cleansers. Sunflower (non-refined), olive, almond oils will serve the purpose. Did you know that vegetable oil is a great way to remove oil-based paint from the skin? The same mechanism works with everyday residues and impurities that accumulate on your skin. Oils effectively lift off the dirt, leaving the skin clean and nourished.

If you still prefer water, but your sensitive skin feels dry after it, apply oil to the skin prior to washing your face. Your skin will feel much softer.

Many oils, such as safflower oil, are rich in essential fatty acids that the body requires for healthy cells but cannot produce by itself. These acids preserve the protective function of cell membranes. Skin that does not get enough of these nutrients looses moisture and elasticity, becomes dry and forms wrinkles and fine lines. Fatty acids can prevent skin dryness and help to restore moisture balance.

Great controversy exists when it comes to the use of oils on acne-prone skin. The anti bacterial properties of essential oils, such as lavender and tea tree, help to kill the bacteria and counter acne. Basil oil has been successfully used by Indians to clear the skin of the unsightly breakouts.

If your skin is oily, you probably would like to avoid oils. However, if you put too much effort into making your skin drier, your skin can take it as a signal to produce even more oil.

While moisturizing your skin (there are oil-free products designed for oily skin), you can try products with such essential oils as tea tree, basil, eucalyptus, cedarwood, cypress, lemon, lavender that are known to normalize oily skin and, along with sage and lemongrass oils, to slow down body oil production.

Tea tree oil, chamomile, lavender, geranium, rose, neroli and ylang ylang are recommended for all skin types. These essential oils are soothing, healing and nutritive, they have anti-inflammatory effect. Mature skin will also benefit from clary sage, palmarosa, carrot seed oil - for they are proven to be effective in wrinkle prevention.

Wild Yam: hormone balancing and breast enlargement

Hormonal system is a complicated mechanism that regulates the way your body functions. Food, stress, even day schedule can affect this system and, by that, the way you look and feel. Because it is impossible to discuss all aspects of endocrine system in one article, I will briefly cover estrogen and progesterone - two hormones whose balance is so important in a woman's body.

Estrogen is a name for a group of hormones that take part in regulating woman's reproductive system. It is produced by ovaries. As soon as an ovary releases an egg, it starts making estrogen to prepare (thicken) the inner lining of the uterus for pregnancy.

Progesterone is a hormone that is produced by the follicle after ovulation. It keeps the inner lining of uterus ready to receive a fertilized ovum, and later provides the nurturing for the development of the embryo. If the egg was not fertilized, progesterone encourages the uterus to shed the lining, and the result is menstruation flow.

If the body lacks estrogen, it uses progesterone to produce more estrogen. On the other hand, progesterone counteracts the effect of estrogen. The key is the balance of these two hormones. Too much of either one can cause health problems.

Most women experience lack of progesterone, not estrogen. In addition to estrogen made by the body, we receive doses of estrogen with meats and dairy (farm animals are given this hormone to gain more weight). Symptoms of estrogen dominance are irregular menstrual flow, hot flashes, cramping, mood swings, migraines - to name a few. Excess estrogen is also associated with endometrial problems, including endometrial cancer. Sufficient levels of progesterone can prevent these problems. Interesting enough, in one study patients who were given natural progesterone showed an increase in bone density, which means that progesterone prevents and even reverses osteoporosis.

Natural progesterone supplements are used to balance estrogen. Natural progesterone has a structure similar to that of human progesterone and is made form plant fats; one of such fats is diosgenin. Wild Yam is reach in diosgenin, so it became the most popular source of natural progesterone.

However, it is a common mistake to think that Wild Yam constituents are converted into progesterone by a human body. It does not happen. Progesterone can be derived from a Wild Yam plant, but only in a lab.

So why do people still find Wild Yam creams helpful?

Diosgenin found in Wild Yam is a phytoestrogen, and it closely resembles human progesterone. Due to this similarity, body reacts to it as if it were progesterone.

Because they are not the same as human hormones, phytoestrogens are far less potent which results in slower effect but safer use. Phytoestrogens do not cause any side effects. Unlike estrogen which, when in excess, is associated with endometrial cancer, phytoestrogens do not evoke cell growth.

Many people question the effectiveness of topical application.

Our skin has the ability to absorb elements that come in contact with it. These elements travel with the blood flow or accumulate in tissues. Nicotine patches, essential oil blends work this way. The benefits of it are obvious: nutrients and vitamins do not travel through the digestive system and liver, where they can be broken down and lose their effect. Diosgenin becomes nearly useless after it goes through the liver.

On the other hand, when it is applied to such areas as breasts, inner thighs, belly, it easily penetrates the skin. When it is accumulated in breast tissues, it makes fat cells a little bigger, which adds fullness and roundness to the breasts. It does not increase the number of cells, therefore there is a limit to size increase, and the increase itself depends on the amount of fat cells already present.

After phytoestrogens get into the blood flow, they cause mild estrogenic effect. In other words, they "draw attention" of cell receptors and lock on them preventing real estrogen from producing significant and often undesirable effect. That is why women who suffer from PMS, cramping, menopausal discomfort will benefit from Wild Yam cream. Before the breast enlargement effect was discovered, Wild Yam had been used to treat these complaints for hundreds of years.

Whether you want to balance your hormones, or to add fullness to the breasts, Wild Yam cream can be a part of the solution. The results will depend on your actual hormone levels. Sometimes additional food supplements will be necessary for hormone balancing and faster results.

Note: Information in this article is not to be taken as a medical advise. Always consult your doctor if you need professional help.