Acne Eraser

Dry Facial Skin Care

2011-02-20T05:48:00.000-08:00

When I was younger many of my friends were suffering from acne and I didn't. I had the opposite problem, dry skin. My friends thought I was lucky, but I knew better. I knew that they would likely outgrow their acne stage but I would have to deal with my dry skin for the rest of my life. Having dry facial skin presents unique challenges when it comes to finding proper skin care products. Here is some of what I've learned.

1. Be very careful of what types of soaps you use on your face. You need to find a soap that is gentle and has a moisturizer. Ideally you should use a totally organic product since, believe it or not, many store bought cosmetics including moisturizers have very harmful chemicals in them. Many of the chemicals in American made cosmetics have actually been banned from use in Europe.

2. Limit your exposure to extreme temperatures. Too much heat and sun in the summer can be just as damaging as too much cold in the winter. Whenever you are outside in extreme conditions take care of your skin.

In the hot summer months use sunscreen and wear hats and other protective clothing. In the cold winter months make sure to protect your skin from the biting winds by using scarves and gloves.

3. Get plenty of exercise. It's important that you always remember that a healthy looking outside starts with a healthy inside. Exercise helps you skin in a couple of ways. For one thing it will increase blood flow which will give your skin that radiant glow that we all want to have.

Secondly, when you sweat you are getting rid of harmful toxins in your body. By exercising,and sweating, several times a week you are preventing the buildup of these toxins.

4. Drink plenty of water. Remember, all your healthy skin care starts on the inside. If you want to keep your skin properly moisturized you need to keep your body properly hydrated. Drink about eight glasses of water every day.

5. Find, and use, a good lotion, 'good' being the operative word. Like I mentioned above many of the products you buy at the store contain harmful chemicals. The minimum problem with them is that they simply don't work. The worst problem is that there is mounting evidence that these products can actually cause cancer.

When looking for good skin care products try to find those that are organic. When it comes to choosing an organic product don't pay too much attention to the label, since many companies will try to make it appear their product is organic when it isn't.

Instead pay close attention to the ingredients. That will give you a better idea of what is truly in that product. Basically, if you see something listed and you,ve never heard of it, or can't pronounce it, stay away.

Use these tips and you can make real progress in battling your dry facial skin. Having dry skin can be challenging to deal with, but it's not impossible.

Serious Skin Care

2010-09-28T04:24:00.000-07:00

Serious skin care is about maintaining a healthy and glowing skin all through your life. As you grow older, your body's natural skin care mechanisms become weaker. So, serious skin care is about responding to the changing needs of your skin. Thus, serious skin care is about constantly evaluating, analysing and changing your skin care routines. Your skin care routine should change based on the environmental conditions, your age and changes in your skin type.

Serious skin care is also about awareness. With the technological advancements and research, more and more facts are being brought to light everyday. Also, the composition and nature of skin care products seems to be changing with time. So trying out the new products is also a part of serious skin care. However, serious skin care advises using a new product over a small patch of skin (not facial skin) first, just to see how your skin reacts to it.

Serious skin care also means knowing how to use your skin care products. Good practices include things like applying the moisturizers while the skin is damp, using upward strokes for better penetration of skin care products, removing the make up before going to bed, cleansing before moisturising or applying make up, using the correct amount of skin care products, etc. Thus, increasing the effectiveness of your skin care products is another focus area of serious skin care.

Some precautions, like avoiding contact with detergents, are also part of serious skin care. ëSerious skin care means being gentle with your skin. Things like over-exfoliation, use of low quality products, and application of strong-chemical based products, are all harmful to your skin. Some people have a wrong notion about serious skin care. For them serious skin care is - using large quantities of products as often as possible. However, this really isn't serious skin care (and that's why awareness is so important).

Serious skin care is also about visiting your dermatologist for treatment of skin disorders. Ignoring the skin disorders can be fatal for your skin and might lead to permanent damage. So, if the things don't improve with over the counter medication, you should immediately visit a dermatologist. Self-surgery e.g. squeezing of acne/pimples is a big no (it can lead to permanent damage of your skin).

So, seriously serious skin care is more about precautions and preventive measures (than treatment). Serious skin care is about being proactive as well as reactive. In fact, we can say that serious skin care is about being proactive about the needs of your skin so that the need for being reactive is reduced to a minimum.

Top 10 Skin Care Tips - Part 2

2010-09-20T21:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you for reading my Part 1 of Top 10 Skin Care Tips. Here comes the second part.

* Avoid the use of soap on your face. Soap should only be used from below the neck. A small but important skin care tip.

* Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sunís harmful UV radiations. You can use day-time moisturisers that have sunscreen built into them. Use them even when itís cloudy. UV radiations are known to cause skin cancer, so follow this skin care tip without fail.

* A bit of exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack. Moreover, exercise and sleep also help in beating stress. So besides being a skin care tip, this is also a health care tip.

* Treat skin dilemmas with care. This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas. Consult your dermatologist before you go on to use a skin care product (lest you do end up harming your skin even more).

* Beat the stress. The harmful effects of stress are known to everyone, however, sometimes stating the obvious is essential too (and hence this skin care tip found its place here). Yes, stress harms skin too. So, take a break or indulge in a warm bubble bath or just get good sleep.

Top 10 Skin Care Tips - Part 1

2010-09-15T23:46:00.000-07:00

Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This article on skin care tips is an effort to bring the 10 best skin care tips to you. The list of skin care tips has been restricted to 10 because anything more that that would not only be difficult to remember, but also shadow the more important skin care tips. So letís see what these top ten skin care tips are:

* Knowing your skin type is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important because not every skin care product suits everyone. In fact, all the skin care products specify the type of skin they cater too.

* Drink a lot of water. This will not keep your skin moist but will help in overall upkeep of your health (and in turn your skin). It might seem a bit awkward to some, however, this is an important skin care tip.

* Cleanse your skin regularly (1-2 times everyday). A very effective skin care tip that helps in getting rid of the dirt and other harsh elements from your skin. Cleansing is especially important when you have been out of your house (and hence exposed to pollutants, dust etc). This skin care tip also advocates the use of Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin).

* Be gentle, after all it's your skin. Donít scrub/exfoliate too hard or too often. Similarly, donít apply too much or too many skin care products. A must-to-follow skin care tip.

* Keep your skin moist at all times. This is one of the most important skin care tip. Don't let your skin get dry. Dryness causes the outer layer of your skin to break, leading to a rough and unattractive appearance. Use moisturisers/ emollients. Moisturisers work best when applied while the skin is still damp.

--- Stay tuned for Part 2 ...

Herbal Skin Care

2010-09-07T17:47:00.001-07:00

Skin care is not a topic of recent times; it has been in practice since ancient times, when herbal skin care was probably the only way to take care of skin. However, skin care has transformed in a big way. Herbal skin care routines have been replaced by synthetic/chemical-based skin care routines. The herbal skin care recipes which once used to be common place are not so popular today (and even unknown to a large population). This transformation from herbal skin care to synthetic, can probably be attributed to two things ñ our laziness (or just the fast pace of lives) and the commercialisation of skin care. Even herbal skin care products have been commercialised. These commercial herbal skin care products have to be mixed with preservatives in order to increase their shelf-life, hence making them less effective than the fresh ones made at home. However, it seems that things are changing fast and more people are now opting for natural and herbal skin care routines. But still, none want to make them at home and hence the commercial market of herbal skin care products is on the rise.

So what are these herbs or herbal skin care mechanisms?

Aloe vera, which is an extract from Aloe plant, is one of the best examples of herbal skin care product. Freshly extracted aloe vera is a natural hydrant that helps in soothing skin. It also helps in healing cuts and treating sun burns.

A number of herbs are known to possess cleansing properties. Dandelion, chamomile, lime flowers and rosemary herbs, are a few examples of such cleansers. Their herbal skin care properties get invoked when they are combined with other herbs like tea.

Antiseptics are another important part of Herbal skin care. Lavender, marigold, thyme and fennel are good examples of herbs that are known to possess antiseptic properties. Lavender water and rose water also form good toners.

Tea plays an important part in herbal skin care. Tea extracts are used for treatment of skin that has been damaged by UV radiation.

Oils prepared from herbal extracts present another means of herbal skin care. Tea tree oil, Lavender oil, borage oil and primrose oil are some popular oils used in herbal skin care. Some fruit oils (e.g. extracts from fruits like banana, apple and melon) find use in shower gels (as a hydrating mix)

Homeopathic treatments and aromatherapies also come under the umbrella of herbal skin care remedies.

Herbal skin care is good not only for the routine nourishing of skin but also for treatment of skin disorders like eczema and psorasis. Most herbal skin care products donít have any side effects (the most important reason for preferring them over synthetic products) Moreover, herbal skin care products can be easily made at home, hence making them even more attractive. So, herbal skin care is the way to go. However, this does not mean that you totally discard the synthetic products. Some people go to the extent of debating with their dermatologist, if he/she suggests a synthetic product. You should accept the fact that some skin orders might need usage of clinically proven non-herbal skin care products.

Effective Acne Skin Care

2010-08-20T00:23:00.000-07:00

It can be overwhelming, to say the least, to find an effective acne skin care treatment product. There are many to choose from, some of which can be virtually free that you can make yourself at home, to other treatments that cost hundreds of dollars that you can only get with a prescription.

Many of these home remedies can be made using various herbs. The great thing about using herbs is that you will assure yourself that your acne treatment is completely organic. This way you don't have to worry about introducing potentially toxic chemicals to your body.

If your acne is severe and before beginning any treatment on your own, the best thing to do is speak with your doctor to see if there is something he or she recommends either over the counter or prescription. A prescription may be covered by insurance so you won't have to foot the entire bill all by yourself.

Do your research and be fully aware of the cost of anything you want to try. You can set a limit on what you want to spend but it's a good idea to have a range, instead of a solid number, that way you can be prepared for anything.

Read packaging diligently and pay close attention to the active ingredients. Then check out the generic products most likely located on the same shelf. You will probably notice that the active ingredients are identical and come in the same strength as the name brand product you first looked at. This is one good way to save a few bucks.

Benzoyl Peroxide is most likely the active ingredient you will find in any product you want to try and usually comes in a concentration of 10%. Any concentration above 10% is too drying and may make your skin look blotchy and even peel in spots. Where's the sense in getting rid of the acne only to create another problem for yourself.

Be careful of allergic reactions. If you've never used a product before check out the ingredients carefully and do a test on an inconspicuous area of your body first; to ensure you won't have a reaction. Having acne then introducing an unknown and not testing it first could lead to more heartache. You want to get rid of the acne not add to it by having hives or a red rash all over your face.

Hives or a red rash would be a completely different treatment and would cost you more money, not to mention another possible trip or trips to the doctor

Many people don't think of the skin as an organ, but it is. It's also the biggest organ in your body. It just make sense to take good care of your body and all of it's organs.

Preventing and treating acne can be a little confusing due to the enormous amount of products on the market today. Don't let that discourage you, there are many acne skin care treatment product available. Find the one that works best for you and your skin will thank you.

Acne Skin Care

2010-08-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

Acne is defined as a diseased condition of the skin that involves the hair and oil glands. It is characterised by pimples, black/white heads, reddishness and cysts. Face acne can spoil your appearance to a great extent and body acne can really ruin your day by making you very uncomfortable. Considering acne as a minor problem, some people tend to totally discard the topic of Acne skin care. However, the importance of Acne skin care cannot be undermined in any way.

Acne skin care should really start much before the acne actually appears. Acne skin care is more about being proactive than reactive. Acne skin care is about being aware of preventive measures. Acne skin care is - following daily skin care routines with complete discipline. So let's have a look at how acne skin care can be applied to our daily routine.

Acne skin care starts with the most basic thing - cleanliness. So morning showers are the most basic way of keeping the skin clean. In fact, a lot of people take night showers too (that not only helps in keeping your skin clean but also provides relaxation to your body and enables a good sleep). If you are living in a hot and/or humid place, a night shower becomes a must. In fact, a shower is recommended after any activity that causes high levels of sweat to develop. Itís a very effective acne skin care technique.

However, acne skin care is not about just showers. Acne skin care is also about wearing clean clothes and sleeping on clean pillows. Moreover, too tight clothes can cause sweat to accumulate quickly; so soft and comfortable cotton clothes are recommended, especially if you already have acne. In the same sense, acne skin care also advocates regular cleaning of your make-up brush and any equipment that you use on your body.

Besides that, you should also use a mild, water-soluble, oil-free and soap-free cleanser for keeping your face, neck and arms clean. Cleansing is the most important part of any acne skin care routine. Cleaners are the easiest and the most effective way of removing dirt, grease, pollutants and excess oil from your skin; thus reducing the probability of acne occurrence. Acne skin care also recommends removing your make up using a make up remover, and this should happen before you go to bed (not in the morning).

If you already have acne, do not try to touch them or squeeze them; it can lead to permanent scars. Acne skin care advocates gentle cleansing and cleaning of the affected area using an over-the-counter medication and a clean/soft cotton pad. There are various acne skin care creams and lotions available over-the-counter (a lot of these acne skin care products are actually cleansers). However, if these acne skin care measures donít give you the desired results, contact a dermatologist for acne skin care advice and treatment.