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Archive for the ‘Skin Care’ Category

I was extremely excited when I first learned about the benefits of using natural coconut oil on my skin and hair! And, I’ve been using food-grade, natural, coconut oil as a hair and skin conditioner for a few months now with excellent results.

My skin is softer, and my dark hair is sleek and shiny. Oh, and some people think I smell quite lovely, too. You can’t beat that yummy coconut fragrance.

The benefits of using Coconut Oil – a product ignored and misunderstood for hundreds of years in the Western world (but not in the East) – are good. So you can imagine my delight when I read about French-Tahitian Monoi Oil in one of my favorite magazines. Oh, yes! I made a snap decision step-up my game and try something new.

First, a bit of background: In its purest state, Monoi de Tahiti is the result of macerating the tiare flower, an indigenous Tahitian gardenia, in refined coconut extract for at least 10 days, slowly infusing the oil with botanical nutrients a delicate, natural floral scent.

Monoi has played a prominent role in the Polynesian way of life for centuries, ancestral rites, in traditional medicine, local pharmacopoeia or in their personal care. Monoi continues to play a role in the rich Polynesian culture, today.

Unlike pure coconut-oil, I was unable to find Monoi oil in a non-cosmetic formulation. Okay, so it’s not for use in cooking.

A variety of cosmetic Monoi oil products is sold in trendy stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks starting at $60 and higher for 3 to 4 fl. ozs. These are packaged beautifully, and some brands are offered with a tiare in the bottle.

If you’re like me, a bargain always beats a luxury shopping experience. In that case, you can try Monoi Tiare Tahiti, which carries the Appellation d’Origine, a prestigious award granted to it by the French Government by Decree n. 92-340 in 1992. The Appellation d’Origine signifies that the product contains genuine Monoi de Tahiti. Monoi de Tahiti was a first for a cosmetic product to receive this French award that represents recognition of unique local expertise combined with the unique qualities and characteristics of the Polynesian soil. You’ll find Monoi Tiare Tahiti online for just $10 to $20, and the beautiful Tahitian gardenia is included, as well.

Monoi de Tahiti is truly a product of the tropics, and because natural Monoi contains no emulsifiers to keep it in a liquid state, it solidifies at temperatures below 68 F (20 C). This is perfectly natural. If it happens, simply run warm water over the container until the oil liquefies again.

So how did it work on my skin and hair? I am not sure if I will give up my daily coconut regimen, but, as a skin and hair conditioner, Monoi certainly works.

Monoi is made with highly refined coconut oil. As a skin moisturizer, it is lighter, and easier to massages into your skin. Thirsty skin absorbs Monoi quickly, and it leaves only a soft glow. Monoi feels fantastic on my skin, and the gardenia fragrance is positively divine.

Like coconut oil, Monoi de Tahiti is also an excellent hair conditioner. Pour a small amount into the palm of your hand and rub it into your hair. Shampoo the oil out after waiting 10 to 15 minutes. The oil penetrates the hair shaft and bonds to proteins to repair damaged hair, eyelashes, and brows, and actually fortifies them against breakage.

My hair looks and feels fantastic after using Monoi oil. (I have to confess that I also found myself dabbing a little into my hand and using my fingers to sweep away a few unruly wisps during the day. You can’t do that with pure coconut oil, which is thick and fibrous.)

Over all, I found Monoi oil to be an excellent skin and hair conditioner and moisturizer. And, it is the perfect product to carry in my purse for use during the day.

Modern medicine has brought us such miracles as an aids vaccine, and the telescopic eye, yet, it seems like scientists have overlooked the small potatoes, like acne treatments. Acne is something we have all had to deal with, and something we all equally dislike. It has ruined numerous dates and countless photographs. For some, acne has even left deep scarring and tissue damage due to cysts. The lack of effective acne treatments on the market today, and the lack of consumer knowledge has left a void that scam artists have filled with great marketing and cheap, ineffective products.

Gimmick #1: The 3-day Natural Cure.

Most acne products base their advertising on the feeling of helplessness. They know that most people who are willing to try their acne treatments, have tried others in the past with, odds are, less then stellar results. The 3-day natural cure e-book’s technique involves eating apples, and drinking plenty of water. That’s it, just apples and water. I’m sure you can imagine how upsetting it must have been for those that actually bought the e-book.

Gimmick #2: Exaggerated Success Rate

Accutane, one of the most prescribed acne medications dominated the market for years. Thousands of people with acne subscribed to the idea, and promise that Accutane will clear their breakouts while providing effective, long-term acne prevention. Shockingly enough, the rate of success for Accutane is only 50%. Wait, 50%?!?! That’s almost as effective as those magnetic bracelets that they sell on late-night infomercials. To add insult to injury, Accutane also has horrible side-effects including: weak skin, Alopecia, depression, suicidal tendencies, birth defects, miscarriages, back pain, joint pain, dry mucus membranes, pink eye, dryness of the eye, vision problems, ringing in the ear, psychosis, and many many more. In fact, there have been hundreds of lawsuits against the maker of accutane because of these dangerous side-effects.

Gimmick #3: Patented Ingredients:

The FDA requires all manufacturers to disclose, on the product label, the contents or ingredients of the product. One way to work around ingredient disclosure is the ever-popular “patented ingredient”. An acne treatment company will often time patent an ingredient to sell something that isn’t really what they say it is. This is strictly a shady sales technique, and patented ingredients should be avoided at all costs. The Bottom line is that however you decide to treat your acne, keep common sense in mind. Med Spas and commercials that offer miracles are often times just trying to take your money without any regard for your own health or well-being. Acne treatments should be taken seriously, and if you want results, you should make sure you see a medical professional.

Are you confused as to what would be the best approach to skin care? It’s certainly true that skin types differ significantly, and what works for one person may not work for you. Here is a brief list of various approaches to skin care to help you sort out what might be right for you.

1. Daily Care

Regardless of what regimen you choose, applying it daily is important. This does not necessarily mean you have to do the exact same thing every day, but you need to pay attention to your skin daily. It’s something to keep in mind as you go about your day and as you prepare for bed.

2. Masks

Masks are treatments that are intended to be applied to the skin and left on for a period of time, then rinsed off. There are many kinds of masks intended to address various skin types and problems. Generally, if you have acne-prone skin, dry skin, or oily skin, then a periodic mask treatment may help. You can make your own or purchase a mask.

For acne, a mask usually contains certain acids (such as salicylic acid, which is found in aspirin and some fruits). For oily skin, clay-containing masks may help. Dry skin may benefit from moisture-rich mask ingredients, such as avocado, honey, milk, or yogurt.

3. Creams

There are a great many creams designed for use on the face. Deep moisturizing creams are thick and are probably a good choice for very dry or wrinkled skin. Other creams are said to be “lightening,” which means they are intended to lighten freckles and other uneven coloration. If you have mildly dry skin, a light, daily cream under your make-up or alone may help get more even moisture.

4. Exfoliants

Exfoliants are intended to act like gentle sandpaper for your face, gently removing dead skin to reveal livelier, healthy skin beneath. Those with sensitive skin should probably not exfoliate more than once or twice a week, and when they do, it’s a good idea to use a fine exfoliant, such as finely-ground oatmeal or sugar. For less sensitive skin that needs a bit more exfoliating, a more coarse grain of exfoliant (such as crushed nut shells or kosher salt) can be used.

5. Steam

Steam is said to be good for all skin types. You can buy a commercial device to steam your facial skin, or hold a washcloth to your face that has been soaked in steaming hot water and squeezed out. Steaming is purported to open pores and soften skin, making it ready for cleansing and moisturizing.

6. Cleansers

Like creams, there are many cleansers on the market. You can make your own, too. Generally, soap-based cleansers are appropriate for those with oily skin, whereas soap-free cleansers are recommended for those with sensitive or dry skin. If your skin is both sensitive and oily, there are cleansers and soaps formulated for this use as well, sometimes containing hydrogen peroxide or sulfur to treat the acne and help with the excess oil.

Skin creams are used on a daily basis by millions of people to keep their skin looking beautiful and healthy. Women are the most avid users of skin care cream products. However men and boys use skin creams as well for acne and other skin conditions. Our face is visible to everyone, so it is important to keep it radiant, clean and young. Many of the products on the market claim to be the best and attract many people with their health and beauty benefits.

There are skin creams for almost all conditions nowadays. Acne treatments, anti-wrinkle creams, bleaching for skin spots, cellulite, eye and body creams are the most popular assortment of health products on the market. There are also natural skin care products that have healthy ingredients. Some people do not want to put artificial ingredients on their face, so they either purchase or make their own natural skin care products. The important things about a skin care cream is that it treats, protects and moisturizes.

Treatment

• Acne is something that many people, young and some old, deal with. Products with retinoid and benzyl peroxide are the most effective products for treating acne.

• Cellulite is another condition that some creams can reduce, making the skin look smoother and healthier. The lumpy skin on some women’s stomach and buttocks area is generally regarded as unattractive. Thousands of women use cellulite creams to reduce or eliminate cellulite.
• Baggy eyes can be concealed or smoothed through the use of many eye creams.
• Skin discoloration and liver spots can be improved with bleaching creams.

Protection

The best skin creams are those that also protect the skin. SPF lotions help protect the skin against the sun’s harmful rays and prevent melanoma, a skin cancer. The skin on our body gets very dry at times. Vitamin enriched lotions, creams and ointments add moisture to dry skin helping to keep it nourished and healthy.

Moisturizing

Many people use daily moisturizers on their face to keep their skin protected from dryness. Moisturizers provide the body with water. Oil in the moisturizer helps to keep water in the body, which in turn helps the skin to stay soft and refreshed.

Ex-foliating creams are also used on the skin to prevent further dryness. All these creams work on the body to keep it healthy and young.

Whether to treat, protect or moisture the skin, skin care products have been used for many years because they provide excellent benefits for people of all ages.

Summer is much more benevolent on your skin than winter; the former brings out your glowing radiant skin while the latter, can shock it with strong winds and cold temperature. Your skin becomes flaky, chapped and dry in winter and you need to take proper winter skin care for retaining its glory. According to reports of International Dermal Institute, almost 59% of women said that dry skin was their main problem during winter. If that is your story, here are 10 winter skin care tips you should know:

Water
You may have heard the usefulness of drinking water many times, but very few of us really pay attention to it. But that is a great mistake as dry skin can be combated effectively if you hydrate your skin internally by drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day.

Exfoliate
During winter it becomes really important to exfoliate your skin so as to remove dead skin cells. You can use an exfoliating brush or a loofah every time in the shower for retaining a fresh and smooth skin. If you really want to pamper your body, then you can use a good exfoliating scrub as well.

Moisturize
The next important winter skin care tip involves use of moisturizer. It is important to moisturizer all year through, but it becomes really essential during the harsh winter days. Your skin becomes dry during this period and so, as skincarephysicians.com suggest, switch to a moisturizer that is oil based or use an oil-based ointment. Moisture loss will be minimal is such cases leaving your skin supple and soft.

Lip Balm
Along with your skin, your lips are very vulnerable to winter woes. So the next winter skin care tip is on how to keep your lips from becoming chapped and dry during winter. Petroleum jelly or lip balm is your best friend in this regard and also stop the habit of licking your lips now and then as it aggravates the problem of chapped lips.

Avoid Heating
We all love to cuddle up in front of a heat source at full blast during cold winter days. But such a pass time can harm you skin to a great degree. When you close the windows and turn on the heat inside you room, you create a very dry environment indoor that has low humidity. That is why it is better to wear another hoodie instead as such an environment can dry out your skin.

Tepid Showers
Like a hot room can dry our skin, so can hot water. So do not use very hot water while showering but tepid water. Also do not take long showers to avoid drying out your skin.

Sunscreen
The next winter skin care tip involves the use of sunscreen, something you do not use or think of using during winter. But skin care expert suggest using a layer of sunscreen while going out in winter as well because sunscreen protects your skin from all kinds of hard weather elements, other than sun.

Flaxseed Oil
Along with using winter skin care tips that will hydrate your skin from outside, you need to keep it hydrated from inside as well. This oil is the best choice you have as it is rich in essential fatty acids which are good for you body in every way. The oil is readily available in form of capsules from your nearest pharmacy.

Swap the Soap
Your skin can feel taut and deprived of essential oils if you use wash off cleansers or soap during winter. That is why use a creamy, rich cleanser for nourishing and balancing your skin.

Hats and Gloves
The last skin care tip is regarding something most people overlook during winter; and that is protecting the skin on their hands, neck and chest. The best way of doing that is just wearing a good quality gloves and scarf.

Skin Prep is very important to help a tan from peeling. Body scrubs are an excellent way to prep the skin and get your yourself ready for that bikini! Dead Sea Body Scrubs contain salt and some beneficial oils to help run into the base of your skin to exfoliate the dead cells and moisturize the winter skin with the oils of the scrub.

For luscious summer tone skin- begin using body scrubs in the Spring and continue through out the summer months. Not only will this keep your skin glowing youthful but it helps the cells to regenerate faster – actually giving you younger newer skin.
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There are two types of body scrubs in the market today. The first is a salt scrub, also known as a salt glow. The salt is best used for once a month scrubs – it’s a bit more coarse and can be used less often. However, my advice is NOT to use this scrub right after shaving and if you have any cuts or sores. This scrub is the best one to choose if you have really dry skin or need a heavily exfoliation.

The second type is a sugar body scrub. The sugar is softer and can be used twice weekly. A salt scrub is a little bit more coarse so you only want to use it about once a month. Both of these scrubs are going to leave your skin feeling silky smooth.

Another item to look into is the oil being used within the scrub itself- Rice Bran oil is an excellent source and will help with many skin issues as it is moisturizing and feeding the skin. If you suffer from eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis, then this is the oil you need. It is very effective, and probably the most powerful skin care product oil on the market.

Body Creams, and Body Lotions with Rice bran oil are wonderful too and they can also help keep your summer skin bikini ready!

And lastly- don’t sun using any creams or lotions containing AHA’s. AHA’s will cause you to burn. Make certain that you have stopped using all AHA’s creams for at least 2 weeks before taking to the beach to ride those waves!

Final tips for summer skin- always use a uv protector cream, look for rice bran oil and exfoliate often using a dead sea body scrub made from either sugar or salt!

Growing old gracefully may sound like a nice thing to do, but who really feels that way? Are you troubled by what you see in the mirror? Maybe you’re starting to notice lines on your face that you never had before. If you want to improve your skin by fighting the wrinkles you already have, or you’re looking for a way to avoid wrinkles before they start, foods rich in antioxidants can help.

Antioxidants are vitamins and nutrients that stave off the aging process by preventing or slowing down damage to the body. Over time your body’s cells produce by-products through the use of oxygen that eventually cause damage. As you age, the damage to your skin cells becomes more apparent, and so do your wrinkles.

Top Foods Ranked High in Antioxidants by the USDA

Cosmetic tricks, magic creams, and expensive surgical procedures are touted as “quick fixes” to the wrinkle problem; however, making lifestyle changes that include healthy eating can result in combating the aging process from the inside out. Choosing the best foods for your diet that are high in antioxidants can put you on your way to turning back the hands of time.

A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) evaluated over 100 commonly eaten foods to find which had the highest antioxidant content per serving. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts ranked high on the list of foods rich in antioxidants.

The top of the list included legumes such as small red beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. These foods ranked within the top five of antioxidant-rich foods per serving.

The fruit category ranked the second highest on the list and specifically included blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries, but closely followed by raspberries, strawberries, and apples (Granny Smith and Red Delicious).

The artichoke made it within the top 10 list and the Russet potato made the top 20 when it came to the vegetable category. Other antioxidant-rich vegetable choices include Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, red beets, red cabbage, and peppers.

In the nut category, pecans made it within the top 20 as a best foods choice for antioxidant fighting properties, followed by hazelnuts and walnuts. Other less obvious antioxidant-rich foods that made the list included spices such as cinnamon, oregano, and ground cloves.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, osteopathic physician and author, it is far more advantageous to slow the aging process through diet rather than using topical treatments to prevent wrinkles. “Getting your antioxidants from eating fresh fruits and vegetables for your nutritional type will always be superior to rubbing them on your skin, or taking them in supplement form.”

Your skin is the biggest organ of your body and reflects your health for the world to see. It is constantly fighting on your behalf with environmental impact, elements and harmful bacteria. That is why hydrating it from time to time to keep it healthy. If you fail to do that, your skin will look old and haggard and your protection level will also go down as it will become weaker.

Now to know how to hydrate skin properly, first of all, you will need to know about your skin’s structure. Your skin has three layers: subcutaneous, dermis and epidermis. You will be surprised to know that most OTC creams and lotions that you use do not go down the skin to hydrate those innermost layers. But, thankfully, there are some products that do just that. Here are some products that will answer your question of how to hydrate skin.

Lanolin

Another product that will answer your quest of how to hydrate skin properly is lanolin. It is kind of natural wax that is found in wool of sheep and the source is the oil glands of the sheep. It has been clinically tested and according to NZP Naturals, it has been found to be able to penetrate your skin down to its stratum granulosum. This is the epidermis layer that lies closest to your skin where live cells are to be found. The oil secreted by us is very similar to the oil that is found in lanolin. When mixed with water, lanolin is absorbed readily by your skin which in turn softens it up. There are many commercial products that have lanolin in them and are readily available in the market. One such product in question is Neutrogena Intensive Moisture Wrap Body treatment. This product can effectively penetrate your skin and heals your skin from inside.

Emu Oil

One of the best products to hydrate the deepest layer of your skin is Emu oil. It effectively penetrates your skin and hydrate the innermost layer but without clogging the skin pores. Emu oil has other properties as well; it is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and comes with great healing properties. The best part of it is that it is totally natural because it is made from fat of emu, a bird that is indigenous to Australia. The fat of the bird is very similar in composition to human fat as it contains three kinds of fatty acids: omega-9,6 and 3. Other than that, it contains oleic acid, the reason for its smooth passage through skin’s upper layers. If you properly use this oil, it will be better absorbed by the skin vis-à-vis oleic acid, according to Emu Oil Benefits. Your skin will become all the more soft and smooth when you use natural and pure emu oil. The oil is also hypo-allergenic and non-toxic.

Pro-xylane

The third product that can help you with the question of how to hydrate skin properly is pro-xylane. This is another naturally derived ingredient that has been developed by cosmetic giant Lancôme in the year 2006. A beach wood plant is the source of this ingredient and it is a sugar-protein hybrid. Pro-xylane is made from xylose a kind of sugar that is found in great amount in plants.

The great thing about this ingredient is that, its molecules are so small that it can easily go into the skin and provide needed moisture to your skin and help in restoring its suppleness and overall health. One product that contains this ingredient is L’Oreal Skin Genesis Deep-Action Night Complex and this product, for 8 hours will continuously hydrate your skin even in its deepest layer as you are sleeping. Another ingredient in this product is hyaluronic acid which also penetrates your skin smoothly.

Celebrities and movie stars always look picture perfect with glowing skin and beautiful smile when they are on the red carpet. This beautiful skin tone is something viewers like you covet over anything else. Make up is one answer to the question of how to get glowing skin; but a much better answer is following a balanced lifestyle. When you change your lifestyle for better, your skin’s health automatically will be better and it will glow from inside without help of any makeup, which many times create more problems for your skin. Getting this lifestyle is also not a hard work; just make some changes and soon people will be asking you tips on how to get glowing skin like you have.

Exfoliate

A build-up of grease and dead skin cells on your face and body is one obstacle to getting a beautiful skin. That is why exfoliate with a mild scrubber every day to remove these dead skin cells and help your dull skin regain its life back. When you exfoliate, it also becomes easy for your skin to absorb those moisturizers and other lotions that you use to make your skin healthier. When you are incorporating this exfoliating routine to your daily skin care beauty regime, make sure you do not overdo it as it can dry out your skin.

Lotions and Masks

To rejuvenate lifeless dull skin, it is very important to use masks and lotions that moisturize it along with rejuvenation. Tight pores, reduced blemishes and smooth skin become a reality when you use skin masks. As for which types to use, buy those lotions and skin masks that have vitamins, herbs and soothing oils in them. After exfoliations, use such lotions and masks for increasing the amount of moisture that will be absorbed by your skin pores. It will replenish the lost oils and make your skin healthy from inside.

Eating Right and Sleep

The answer to how to get glowing skin lies in what you eat and how long you hit the sack. For getting a healthy skin, it is very important that you eat right and sleep well; a fact that many of us either ignores or is unaware of. Go for wholesome drinks and foods and your skin will show the effect of such good lifestyle. Your diet should have Vitamin C rich foods like yellow and red peppers, strawberries, oranges and lemons. Another nutrient for making your skin healthy is Omega-3 and foods that are rich in it are flaxseed, walnuts and sardines. Also important is sleeping right; if you do not sleep adequately, you will have problems like acne breakouts, along with lifeless and dull skin.

Make Up

Make up may not be the best answer to how to get glowing skin, but still can improve your already healthy skin to a great degree. If you have already changed your lifestyle and seeing the result in form of a healthy skin, then use a little bit make up to get that red carpet look you have always wanted. Start with a light bronzer that will increase the gold tone and then even it out with a foundation matching your skin tone. For getting that sun-kissed glowing look without damage from UV rays, use a self-tanner. Lastly, remember to remove these make-ups before going to bed so that you skin pores do not get clogged.

Nightly Skin Care Routine

Your daily beauty regime should have a section for night skin care. The first thing to do before going to bed, is use a deep cream cleanser to remove any sign of make-up and then rinse your face with clean, cool water. Toner should be applied next; choose one that is perfect for your skin type. Use a cotton pad to apply the toner to your face and then use a heavy moisturizer to massage your skin. For the delicate eye area, use an eye cream. Lastly, remove any excess moisturizer from your face with a tissue.

Many females, and most males, are religious about putting on a night wrinkle cream in their every day anti-wrinkle regimen. The notion is that while sleeping, the body, including the skin on the face, rebuilds and heals itself, so this would seem like a perfect time to administer a good night wrinkle cream. But when you think about it, skin breakdown and renewal is much more complex than this.

Your skin is the clue to the health of your inner being, and when you feel vibrant and are truly healthy, your skin glows. Look at the face of a child and you’ll see what I mean. A child’s face is full, with good color and with no wrinkles or sagging. Conversely, glance at a smoker’s face and you’ll notice that it’s, shall we say, less than healthy looking, maybe even a little grayish. The damaging effects of free radicals from the inhaled smoke have taken its toll on the health of the smoker, and their skin displays this damage. Certainly not the vibrant healthy glow we’re looking for, now is it? When you’re healthy and take care of yourself, it shows and people will take note when you have that healthy appearance to your skin.

But when folks think about making their skin healthier looking, they undoubtedly picture select anti-wrinkle lotions and potions, as well as a suitable night wrinkle cream that promises younger looking skin. Yet most of these lotions are unproven and not worth spending your money on. There are, however, a number of creams, consisting of both OTC and prescription products, that have been shown in studies to be effective against wrinkles. But the key strategy in the fight against wrinkles is the 80/20 rule, i.e., 80 percent of your effort should be aimed at internal strategies for eliminating wrinkled skin, with the remaining 20 percent of your time focused on application of effective topical creams.

I have said for years that the largest error the majority of people make in this regard is they try to fight wrinkles from the outside-in, e.g., rubbing creams on their face, etc. But by consuming certain supplements and, yes, even drugs, that help protect the collagen and elastin content of the skin (via stimulating their production while at the same time stopping their breakdown), you will be successful in the war on wrinkles. When you add this healing-from-within approach to scientifically proven topicals, you’ve got the real fountain of youth for your skin.

A simple example of this would include making use of a side effect-free drug or a supplement that interrupts the destruction of collagen in the skin, combined with a night wrinkle cream topical such as one with tretinoin in it (Renova or Atralin). This approach would have a substantial effect on eliminating wrinkles while concurrently halting skin aging by eliminating the breakdown of collagen.

Follow the 80/20 rule for skin aging and wrinkles and you’ll be a happy camper 10-15 years from now when your friends will be scratching their head trying to figure out if you’ve had a face lift because you appear much younger than you should at your age. There is only one way to look at a scientific anti-wrinkle skin aging program, i.e., by using the 80/20 rule. It will be effective for you if you put in some effort to learn more about it and make use of it on a regular basis.