Archive for the 'Skin care' Category

May 14th, 2008

Oily skin care

Posted by admin @ 7:09 am

People who have oily skin know that this type of skin is the result of excessive production of sebum ( naturally produced by skin oily substance). Excessive sebum leads to clogging of skin pores, which in turn results in accumulation of hence formation of pimples/acne and dead cells. Of course, oily skin care is as important as other skin types treatment.
First of all you need to remove excessive sebum or oil from the skin. But you need to remember that oily skin procedures should not remove oil completely. You will need a cleanser with salicylic acid - a beta-hydroxy acid that retards the rate of sebum production. You should cleanse your skin two times a day, and even more in humid and hot conditions.
Most of the products for oily skin care doesn’t contain oil, but you should check ingredients anyway to elude the worsening of the situation. This is very important when product is marked as a product for all skin types. But, if your skin is not too oily you can sometimes use skin care products marked “for all skin types”, and if your skin is extremely oily then you should stick to those marked “for oily skin” only. Everyday oily skin care may include an alcohol based toner (for an excessively oily skin). Remember that excessive toning may harm your skin.
After that you shold use a mild moisturiser. Again, the degree of oiliness of your skin will determine whether you need to include this in your oily skin care routine. If you do decide to include a moisturiser, be sure to use one that is oil-free, wax-free and lipid-free.
You could also use a clay mask (approximately once a week) as an oily skin care measure.
Sometimes you need to experimentally determine which of the oily skin products are better for your skin. If you haven’t achieved the desired result, don’t get upset. You should consult a good dermatologist for advice, he will definitely find a sloution for your problem by prescribing best skin care products, including sulphur creams, retinoids, vitamin A creams and many more. That’ll definitely help
you with your oily skin problems.

May 14th, 2008

Facial skin care

Posted by admin @ 6:21 am

Different facial skin care products are available for different skin types, including dry, oily, normal and combination. It is very important to choose skin care products which won’t impair your skin by causing redness, inflammation and irritation.
Various conditions are treated with various skin care products. Different ingredients present in these products and have different purposes. For example, alpha-hydroxy acids help the skin’s sloughing process, witch hazel helps to to tighten skin, antioxidants help the skin to grow, Uv blockers protect the skin from harmful ultra-violet sun rays etc.
There are also special products for the eyes skin care. These products serve the purpose of taking care of bags, wrinkles, darker areas and other problems.
Sinking of the eye and skin around the eye may become a big problem as you age. Some products are created to help to puff up skin that starts to sag as the collagen production in the skin slows down.
There are also professional skin care products such as acne skin care products. These include lotions and cleansers which are to be placed on the skin right after washing. Usually, they continue serious skin care even after acne goes away. Acne products include sulfur, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, resorcinol and others, each of which attacks a specific cause of acne - acne causing bacteria, clumping of skin cells and excessive oil production.
If you apply clay mask once a week it removes impurities and leave the skin cleaner by drawing oils and bacteria out of the skin pores. Also, this mask helps to temper the skin by lifting away dead skin cells and reducing redness and dry patches. In addition, astringent witch hazel helps to close up the pores.

May 14th, 2008

Skin barrier and sensitive skin care

Posted by admin @ 4:58 am

Nowadays more and more people experience increased skin sensitivity, especially on the face, with noxious reactions to toiletries and cosmetics. Sometimes after use of cosmetics and skin care products visible signs of irritation are shown on sensitive skin, including tightness, erythema, burning, scaling, itching and stinging. Also, people with sensitive skin experience a higher incidence of atopic eczema.
Research show that 40% of men and 50% of women claim themselves to have sensitive skin.
People with sensitive skin experience much more problems from environmental factors, including cold weather, sun, pollutants and chemical ingredients in toiletries. The most sensitive part of the skin to environmental changes is stratum corneum, which is also called skin barrier.
Hypersensitivity of the skin is explained by an increased permeability of the skin barrier. This happens because of the imbalance if intracellular lipids in this layer. Low content of nerve growth factor has been observed as well in the skin barrier in case of sensitive skin. With the lack of this growth factor skin iflammation can easliy be trigerred. In such case, low quality of the skin barrier may be associated with sensitive skin.
If you are to get a long term healthy skin then skin barrier is essential. Skin care at younger age is the best for recieving appropriate skin condition. If you want to get an attractive appearance then skin barrier is the key.
For serious skin care and proper care for the skin barrier you need to perform moisturizing, cleansing and protection of the layer. By using moisturizers rich in essential lipids you will achieve proper lipid content and proper hydration. As a preventive therapy, sensitive skin can be overcome when a proper care of the skin barrier is maintained at a younger age.

May 10th, 2008

Freshening

Posted by admin @ 7:06 am

The skin care products include cosmetics like skin fresheners, toners and astringents which basically contains alcohol and water. These products are used after cleansing the skin to freshen and tone up the skin, they also restore the acid/ alkali balance of the skin. Having cleansed, wipe away any last traces of dirt or oil with a skin freshener or toner (cleansing milk) which suits your skin type. Non alcoholic freshener are for dry and sensitive skin. Those with alcohol (astringent) are for oily skin. People with combination skin should use toner and astringent.

May 9th, 2008

Masks

Posted by admin @ 1:03 am

Basically all face masks have some sort of a cleansing action. Various ingredients are used in the masks, depending on the skin type. Clay, form an important constituent of many face masks. They help to remove dirt, sebum, and dead skin so that the skin looks clean, soft and youthful.

 

Fullers earth is a special type of clay often used in face packs. It contains aluminium silicate. As it dries on the skin, it absorbs the superficial dead cells and blots up any excessive oil on the skin. It is therefore excellent for an oily skin but should not be used on dry skin. Kaolin is also a fine clay which has been used for tummy upsets because it absorbs toxins from the system. It removes grime, oils and dead cells. Kaolin is also best for oily skin and best avoided for dry skin.

 

Another ingredient of some of the masks is the peeling or the exfoliating agent-these remove the top layer of dead cells from the skin, leaving behind fresh youthful skin. Oatmeal and bran are the commonly used peelers. Oatmeal is obtained from oats which is rich in Vitamin B and Vitamin E.

 

Also added to many masks are natural ingredients-cucumbers, curds, lemon juice and Brewer’s Yeast. It restores the acid / alkali balance of the skin.

 

May 8th, 2008

Cleansing

Posted by admin @ 12:20 pm

Cleansing is the first essential step in your daily skin care routine.

 

Cleansing the face 2-3 times a day; is adequate for normal skin. If your skin is oily a more frequent cleansing i.e. 4-5 times a day is necessary. If your skin is dry it is best to avoid frequent washing and you may have to use a suitable oil-based cosmetic cleanser instead of soap, which has a dry effect.

 

There are several alternatives to soap and water cleansing. Cleansers can be in the form of creams, milks, lotions, gels and liquids. All are, a mixture of oil, wax and water which have been formulated to suit different skin types. A cotton -pad dipped in fresh milk available at home, is an equally effective cleanser.

 

The right way to apply cleansers and creams on your face is in an upward and outward movement. The skin should not be stretched, dragged or pulled. Leave the cleanser on for a minute or two so as to loosen the dirt and make up. Remove it either using a cotton wool or with a tissue paper, again using an upward and out ward movement. Finally rinse with water.