My Home Health Care News and Articles
(Nutrition, Personal Care, home care tips, articles)
Caring for your skin
A daily skin care regimen goes a long way in keeping one’s skin healthy and beautiful. You have to give your skin some time and repeat the process every day, no matter what. The good news is that this process only has to take five minutes and includes four easy and pleasurable steps. And if you have selected quality skin care products appropriate for your kind of skin, performing this simple routine can produce almost immediate and visible results. Do this every night just before bedtime for then your skin will be clean of all make-up and environmental residue it has gathered during the day.
Steam
The first step is to steam your skin so as to clear the pores. Use a facial steamer or just soak a washcloth with steaming water, wring lightly and bring the cloth close to your face. Steam your face for a minute or two and let the steam penetrate to fully open your pores.
Cleanse
Next splash warm water on your face and neck. Pour or work the appropriate amount of skin cleanser into your hands, then mix with some water to work it into a creamy lather. Massage this onto your wet face. In a circular motion delicately massage your face for about 30 seconds, making sure to include your neck area. Then rinse with warm water and gently pat your skin dry with a soft towel. Always try to use a cleanser specially formulated for cleansing your face, and be careful to avoid the delicate skin around your eyes.
Tone
Dab an alcohol-free toner on a piece of cotton and gently wipe your entire face and neck area. This step lifts away any residue that you might have missed and also closes your pores, preparing your skin for its moisturizing treatment. At this point, your face should be very clean. Remember, alcohol-based toners often have a damaging and drying effect on the skin, more so in winter.
Moisturize
Now, in an upward, circular motion, apply a small amount of a moisturizer of your choice to your face and neck areas. Do not over apply, as too much can be bad for your skin. Only when your skin has been properly cleansed can your moisturizer work to condition, moisten and protect your complexion. Choose moisturizers which have anti-aging ingredients and vitamins added to it.
There are some simple steps you can keep in mind in your daily life that will contribute to a youthful looking and healthy feeling skin all year around.
In Winter
Switch to a gentle, water-soluble cleanser, or a cream version. Soap strips the complexion of its natural, protective oils, which no moisturizer can replace, leaving it exposed to the elements.
Very often, in winter make-up looks patchy and doesn’t stay put. The right moisturizer will fix that. Sunscreens aren't essential from the end of October through to the end of March. Even if it's a very sunny winter day and you're going out for a long walk, then an SPF8 is probably adequate. If it is cloudy or overcast, applying a sunscreen is just overloading your skin with unnecessary chemicals.
Exfoliation is a must for keeping skin on the body and face replenished, especially during winter. Moisturizers can't penetrate through layers of dead skin, and when applied to non-exfoliated skin, they'll only lead to dry-looking patches and flaking make-up. Exfoliation is beneficial to the skin on the rest of your body too. Body skin is tougher, however, and is best buffed in the bath with a moisturizing exfoliating cream or a salt scrub.
Bathe or shower in lukewarm water. Hot water, as appealing as it may sound, strips natural oil from the skin, making it dry and itchy. Indoor heat plays a big role in drying out skin, so keep your heating on the lowest possible setting.
In Summer
Most of us breathe a sigh of relief when the aging winter weather passes. But, summer brings with it a different set of beauty risks. It's important to stay cool and hydrated to help prevent summer breakouts and rashes. Here are a few tips for keeping your skin looking great in summer.
Drink plenty of water. You've probably heard that drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day is important for flushing out toxins, and in summer it's even more important to keep replacing fluids that may be lost to perspiration.
Avoid drinks that dry out your skin. Sure, those caffeinated drinks look thirst-quenching on TV, but the fact is that caffeine actually dehydrates the body. Alcoholic drinks are even more dehydrating.
Eat foods that hydrate the skin. Start by eating at least one sweet, juicy fruit a day. Ripe summer fruits such as peaches, nectarines, plums and pears are exactly what your skin craves in the hot season.
Massage with cooling herbal oils People think of massage as heating, but if you use cool sensation massage oils --cooling essential oils of grapefruit, sweet orange and lavender in a coconut-oil base -- the self-massage will not only cool your skin but purify it as well. Follow your massage with a warm but not hot bath and you will actually feel your skin glow !
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