Organic Facial Treatments and Seven Tips for Dry Skin

A contributing factor to dry, flaky, skin in winter is a drop in temperature. Although winter sometimes feels damp, there is usually less water in the air than on your skin and that creates a moisture vapour loss from the skin. As skin becomes drier, its surface layer stops producing the natural lipids which prevent moisture loss, and water cannot be retained so easily. Dry skin will also show wrinkles more easlit and contribute to an aging appearance.

Herbalist Greta Breedlove came up with this natural homemade skin care recipes face utilizing the seed of the avocado. It makes a moisturizing face scrub, especially for dry skin.

AVOCADO FACE SCRUB

Let an avocado dry a few days until you can remove the skin easily. Chop, then pulverize in a blender or food mill. Moisten with a little milk and smooth over your face, throat.

AVOCADO FACIAL CLEANSER

One egg yolk, beaten until light and frothy
1/2 cup milk
1/2 avacado, peeled and mashed

Beat the mixture with a fork until you have a thin cream or lotion consistency. Apply with cotton balls as you would a cleanser.

As a result of all these factors, sometimes skin on the face and body tends to be in worse condition in the winter months than at other times of the year. In extreme cases, a constant drying effect can even lead to cracking, flaking and redness.

These four tips for helping to keep dry skin at bay during the colder months come from Dr. Kucy Pon, Olay dermatologist.

1. A moisturizer is essential - A moisturizer performs several important functions, including replacing lost water. Water-binding ingredients, such as glycerin, help keep it in the skin.

2. Create an oasis - Put some moisture back into the air by using a humidifier in your home or office. It will counteract the drying effects of indoor heat.

3. Drink lots of water - Increase your body’s natural moisture level by staying hydrated throughout the day.

4. Keep wrapped up - Dress for the season and try to limit your skin’s exposure to harsh temperatures and damaging winds.

If you have dry skin, then you probably already know it can be really difficult to care for. When you don’t look after it properly, it can become flaky, and if it gets really bad, may even become irritated and red. Although it’s possible to find plenty of products that claim to be able to solve dry skin problems, unfortunately most of their claims are sales hype.

Although most over the counter products don’t do much to combat dry skin, there are a number of things you can do to improve the condition of your skin. It’s mostly a question of making some basic changes to your daily skincare routine. It won’t take long for your skin to appear more healthy and vibrant.

With dry skin, you have completely the opposite problem to someone with oily skin. Basically, your skin is suffering from a lack of sebum, the oil that helps to keep the skin moist and supple. People with oily skin produce far too much sebum. Sebum is actually made from skin cells, and is an essential ingredient in healthy, supple skin. Because dry skin has insufficient oil, you need to replace it from both inside and outside.

5.  Moisturize

One of the best things you can do for your skin is to use a good quality moisturizer. Choose a cream that is rich, but not heavy. Consider choosing a natural cream with aloe vera and chamomile. Both these ingredients are very soothing, as well as helping to reduce dryness and improve the skin’s healing abilities.

6. Choose Healthy Foods

You also need to look at the type of foods you eat. It’s important to choose healthy foods, because the healthier your body, the healthier your skin will be. You may not realize this, but your skin is actually the largest organ of your body. So it needs to be nourished just like all the other organs in your body.

7.  Supplement

Depending on the types of food you already eat, you might need to consider taking a supplement, such as Vitamin E, Omega-3 oils and B-Complex vitamins. Making sure you get enough of these important nutrients is a great way to improve the condition of your skin.

By nourishing your skin in all these ways, you should soon a marked reduction in the level of dryness. Helping your skin to be more supple and moist also helps to slow down the process of aging, so you’re the winner in two ways.

By Tom Turner

What to Expect When Receiving a Facial

By: Van Le

Proper skincare goes beyond wearing sunscreen in the morning and taking off all your makeup at night.  Your skin is constantly exposed to internal and external elements, and needs extra help in order maintain a healthy glow.  Getting facials can be one way to revamp your skin while pampering yourself.

Along with pure relaxation, facials provide not only beauty benefits but also health benefits.   According to New Life Journal’s article, “A facial, it’s more than meets the eye” by Julie Pagano, “the major health benefits of regular facials are regulation of the immune system, detoxification, reduction in fluid build-up, exfoliation, and stress relief. These benefits are achieved in a facial that incorporates lymphatic drainage, exfoliation treatments, acupressure, and aromatherapy.”
The health benefits are just the icing on the cake.  What really lures us in is the relaxation and pampering we receive when getting a facial.

Never had a facial before?  Consider this Facial 101.

Plan to arrive at the location five to ten minutes before your appointment.  Most places will ask you to fill out a short questionnaire about your skin type and skincare habits.  This would also be the right time to let the aesthetician be aware of any allergies you may have.   The spa will provide you with a terry top so that it is easier to massage your neck and shoulders.  You will also be given a headband to keep your hair out of the way.

The aesthetician will clean your face of any leftover makeup and analyze your skin under a magnifying glass light.  Some will use a steam mist to open your pores.  Depending on the type of facial you are getting, he/she will massage a wide variety of different cleansers, exfoliating creams, and masks on your face.  Some creams and masks will be left on your face for several minutes, which can be a very blissful and relaxing experience.

Most places will also extract blackheads and pimples, which can be a bit painful but not overwhelming.  (If you are afraid it will hurt, you should take a pain reliever before arriving at the spa).  Afterward, the aesthetician will continue to apply masks and creams, as well as massaging your neck and shoulders.  At the end of the facial, he/she will give you a breakdown of the products used during the session, make recommendations for at-home practices, and answer any questions you may have.

Essentially, all facials are designed to cleanse the deep pockets in your pores, however, depending on your specific needs, there are several types of facials available, including anti-aging, aromatherapy, and acne facials.  The cost and length of time can vary from $50-$250 and 30-90 minutes.

For the period in between visits, check the site archives for several at-home remedies available to help rejuvenate your skin and keep it looking healthy.

Facials are meant to help you relax and a great way to help relieve the stress created from between the time you put on sunscreen in the morning and the time you take your makeup off at night.

Van Le is a staff writer for the CSU Daily Titan and writing intern for Vivoderm Laboratories in Los Angeles, California. She is currently pursuing a Journalism degree at California State University, Fullerton.

For the latest findings on natural skincare, you can also link to http://bestorganicnaturalskincare.com

Moisturizers For Different Skin Types

Oily Skin:
The moisturizers for patients with oily skin should be non-comedogenic or oil-free.

Dry Skin:

There are a small percentage of people who actually have dry skin on their face, these people will be dry on the cheeks and jawline. Many of these patients work outside in rough elements, and many of these people are over 50 years of age. For these patients a creamy moisturizer in a lotion or cream is very effective. If they do not have sensitive skin, they can wear whatever products feels good.

The reason for the paucity of dry skin on the face, is that there is an abundance of sebaceous glands on the face to prevent dryness. These are particularly active in young people, in men, and in many normal women. If a person is scaly in the center of the face central forehead, around the nose, and on the central chin, this may be seborrheic dermatitis. The use of a heavy moisturizer in people who have central facial dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis) could lead to acne.

Normal - Combination Skin:

Most people have oily skin on the forehead, nose, and chin (called the T-zone), and dryer skin on the cheeks and neck. When the humidity is low, it may be necessary to moisturize the face. The most prudent of patients ,male or female, will select a non-comedogenic moisturizer which contains a minimum SPF of 15 in it for daily use. There are legions of such products reasonably priced, which will prevent cancer and photoaging.

Moisturizers - Body Skin:

Because there are very few sebaceous (oil) glands on the arms and legs, moisturizers are very important. Winter, dry climates, and windy climates are very hard on the skin of the body. Many body lotions incorporate sunblocks for a daily routine. This is very important for sun exposed skin.

Often heavy moisturizers such as petrolatum, rich creams, and other Jar or tube moisturizers are needed for dry climates. What may be appropriate for facial skin may be too thin for the arms, legs, hands, and feet.

Cleansers and Skin Types

Over cleansing the skin can cause irritation and may aggravate your skin condition, as well as encourage you to use other products that will grease up your skin. This may then complicate your skin care. You may need to use a toner to remove the oil, which in turn may irritate your skin further.

Cleansers Can Be Grouped As:

1. Wipe-off cleansers (cold creams and makeup removers)
2. Soaps
3. Water soluble cleansers - these are the most gentle

Water-Soluble Cleansers (Soap Substitutes):
These should be non-irritating, non-greasy, unscented, and able to remove some excess skin oils as well as
cosmetics.

Oily Skin:

The selection of cleansers for oily skin should involve using products that rinse off well, both bar soaps and
liquid cleansers have been formulated for this purpose. Many of the soap gels and stronger liquid cleansers are helpful for oily skin. Because the skin on the face, chest, and back is oilier than the rest of the body, it
may be necessary to use one product on these areas, and a more moisturizing product on the arms, legs, hands, and feet. Many of the cleansers which are appropriate for acne-prone skin, would be suitable for oily skin.

Dry Skin:
The use of hard-milled face soaps and gentle synthetic detergents are very appropriate for dry skin. It may be necessary to only use cleansers on the face and body folds, when the ambient humidity is low (e.g in the winter or in the south-western United States). There are many liquid cleansers formulated by cosmetic houses, as well as products which are very useful. There are some new products, which incorporate a liquid cleanser in a cleansing sheet, these act to leave on a modicum of petrolatum after the final rinse, and have been demonstrated to be effective.

Normal Skin:
Most people can cleanse with bar soap daily. The synthetic detergent soaps react better with hard water. Liquid cleansers and soap gels are popular at this time, the advantages, being cleaner dispensers in the bathroom. The cleansing sheets may be used for normal skin as well, the petrolatum is suspended in the water by crystals that dissolve in the last rinse leaving the skin feeling smooth and moist. People with normal skin may enjoy using a loofah-type sponge to clean themselves, these have been sold with some liquid cleansers.

Sensitive Skin:
People with sensitive skin can react easily to fragrance and preservatives, and should avoid mechanical
cleansers such as cleansing grains, brushes, and loofahs. Most synthetic detergents have the pH balanced
favorably for the skin and are well tolerated by sensitive persons. A few liquid cleansers are not irritating,
but many interact with the skin because of their additional surfactants. Many of the hard-milled soaps are well tolerated also.

Antibacterial Cleansers:
These products were introduced in the 1960′ s and have been used by many people since. They initially contained photosensitizers, which have since been removed. Triclosan is currently the most common active ingredient. For persons in occupations, which demand extra precautions, these products have been helpful. However, for many dermatologists, these products are very drying to the skin, and they often contribute to hand and body eczema. Various antibacterial cleansers are available that are of benefit to acne patients.

Mild Cleansers
Different gentle skin cleansers are available for acne, there are several types of mild cleansers that you may
use if your skin is irritated or aggravated. There are also several types of specific acne cleansers that you
can use for daily skin care, oil-free and non-comedogenic products are usually advisable.