Skin Care In Winter

As much as we all love the winter season, the chilly clear days of winter bring more than just rosy glimmer to the cheeks. They also bring itchy dryness to skin of the face, lips, hands and feet. For some it’s not only tightness, dry feeling sometimes the skin goes so dry that it results in flaking, cracking and even eczema. The only reason why we feel dryness during winters is because of the heat that we turn on, and trust me it doesn’t matter if you heat your home with oil, gas, coal or wood your skin will get dry. Let’s take a look at a few simple tips that can help you in keeping your skin moisturized and soft during winters as well.

Who doesn’t love taking a hot shower in winters but this is one of the major causes of dry skin as hot water raids of moisture, its best to shower in lukewarm water. If you can’t live without taking a hot shower then keep your shower small and use a moisturizing soap or invest in a body wash, and the same rule goes for your hands and feet.

Your skin speaks whenever it feels discomfort, if your skin feels tight and taut it’s time to ad on the moisturizers, there are several ways for moisturizing your skin, remember to apply your moisturizers or skin oils while your skin is slightly damp. For best effects pat skin dry instead of rubbing with towel.

Exfoliated skin works like a charm with moisturizers, use a salt or sugar scrub in the shower and also remember to exfoliate your face skin with a mild scrub which is made for the face. It is said that skin needs 30 percent humidity to stay properly moisturized, so remember to keep the heaters low and always remember to keep a small bottle of Vaseline with you.

Soaps also have a drying effect on the skin, try to find a soap with a creamy moisturizing cleanser that contains glycerin and petrolatum, my favorite winter soap is DOVE as it has the right moisturizers that keeps your skin soft for longer. Did you know that your feet and skin are most effected by dryness, remember to moisturize with a nice lotion which is most suitable to your skin and when you all are done with your daily chores and children are tucked in apply moisturizers on your hands and feet and slip on some gloves and socks for a few hours and remember to take them off before you go to sleep.

Never forget your lips, they tend to dry up and crack during winters and licking your lips won’t help it actually helps in drying up your lips, feel free to invest in a nice lip balm that will not only moisturize your lips but also give it the natural pout that every women and young girls love. I personally love body shop “born lippy” which comes in many different flavors.

According to recent research that fish oil pills may help soothe super dry skin. Patients who have consumed fish oils pills in a study have shown significant results within a few weeks, and within 6 weeks your skin hair and nails with improve remarkably.

These were one of the best skincare tips for winter, there is a possibility that sometimes I might miss a few tips and tricks feel free to around on the internet and do some research on your specific problems I am sure you will find some amazing information. Till next time take care of your skin, eyes, nose, lips, ears and
hair.

Skin Care in Summer

Summertime can be a bad time for skin. Good summer skin care is necessary for the health of your skin as the weather warms up and families go play outside. There are some suggestions to keep your skin looking attractive all summer long. Ultraviolet (UV) rays are the primary cause of skin cancer. As the sun intensifies during the summer, it is more important than ever to prepare your skin, lips and hair to endure these dangerous sunrays. Wear proper sunglasses and a hat with a broad brim. Try a toxic-free sunscreen available online or in health food locations.

Going for all natural sun and skincare is always a good move, and sunscreen should be included in this goal. Shielding lotions are also available for employ in combination with sunblock so you can limit the amount used and remain yourself protected. Now, one of the ways of providing summer skin care is moisturizing. For, during the hot season of the year skin can become dry and it needs all the moisture it can get to remain healthy and beautifully looking. There are two major types of moisturizers you may use. Those are liquid and cream moisturizers. The first type is good for less dry skin or for summer care for acne prone skin.

Get plenty of quality rest every night. Keep your bedroom cool, dark and cozy and sleep on cotton or linen sheets. Get to bed early and awaken early for clear healthy skin and sparkling eyes. Exfoliation, important in warmer climate when you’re revealing more skin. Pitta-pacifying beverage that also supplies nutrients to your skin and helps to keep it from drying out. Drink a cup of milk each day, and also combine milk with ingredients like almond meal and rose water to make a Pitta-balancing skin cleanser. Keep your skin nourished with an herbal moisturizer.

Glance for ayurvedic formulations that contain skin-friendly herbs such as sandalwood, turmeric, brahmi, amla and aloe vera. Get plenty of attributly rest each night. Keep your bedroom cool, dark and comfortable and sleep on cotton or linen sheets. Get to bed early and awaken early for clear healthy skin and sparkling eyes. Other summer skin care is eye gel. An eye gel or serum that contains chamomile or Vitamin E will refresh and nourish the delicate skin beneath your eyes. In addition, certain foods and beverages, such as herbal teas, avocados, and fruit, help in purifying and nourishing the skin in summer.

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L’Occitane certified organic range

French skincare brand L’Occitane has a new skincare range that is certified organic by Ecocert, the Olive Tree Organic range. The products are:

Cleansing Foam 100ml $44
Cleansing Milk 150ml $44
Toning Face Mist 150ml $44
Moisturising Face Mask 50ml $58
Moisturising Face Lotion 30ml $65

Favourite product of autumn

People keep saying it's winter, and I keep reminding them that technically, it's still autumn. Well, it is until tomorrow. Anyway, autumn has come to an end, and my favourite beauty product of autumn is Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Facial Scrub, AUD$39.95 It smells yummy, it's nice and gentle, and it's a generous size (110ml), so I can see it lasting a long time - and it has fantastic plantable packaging (which I really must get around to planting - but perhaps not in this cold weather).
It was sent to me by the people from Ikigai, an online organic beauty boutique - check them out at http://www.ikigai.com.au/ .

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent

I've always been a big fan of astringents and toners, no matter how much grief they've been getting of late. Yeah, they can be drying, and yeah, they can be hit-or-miss when it comes to effectiveness. But seriously, if you've ever spent much time in the trenches of a huge Third World metropolitan city you know how extremely satisfying it is to wipe that toner-soaked cotton pad across your face and find evidence of that layer of dirt right on the pad.

Try as I might, though, I couldn't help but gaze longingly at the large collection of toners available on the market. Seems like every company of significant size offers a variation of it. So I succumbed.

Neutrogena has always been a long-time favorite of mine, not the least because they seem to understand best the skincare needs of women like myself, i.e., acne-prone, oily, occasionally sensitive. They have their share of overly harsh products, but seriously, when I lived and worked in Japan after college, I made sure to stock up on Neutrogena's acne products whenever I went home for vacation. That stuff saved my skin more than once.

My skin still breaks out and still insists on clinging to some stubborn blackheads, so I checked out their Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent. Love the aquamarine color, despite my usual aversion to artificial colors; I think I like how it reminds me of the ocean. Cooling and refreshing, no? Perfect for hot summers. The price, of course, is so right, and it's available just about anywhere, including Target and your local drugstore.

More importantly, though: does it work?

Well, the copy says that it's "specifically formulated to instantly remove surface oil to control shine and to treat and help prevent breakouts," including blackheads and acne. It's active ingredient is 2% salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) known for helping problem skin out by providing gentle exfoliation and oil-sucking capabilities.

This baby did the job of clearing my skin of oil, but probably because of my slight sensitivity, it left my skin looking slightly flushed and red for a few hours afterwards. I felt the slightest tingling, which may or may not bother you, but for some sensitive skins that may be a sign that this isn't the right product. After three weeks of use, though, I saw very little improvement in the blackheads on my nose, nor did my pores look any noticeably smaller. In Neutrogena's defense, though, nothing you can buy over the counter can shrink your pores permanently. And it did do a good job of keeping pimples at bay.

This would be a good, reliable option for those with very oily complexions who are looking for a well-priced BHA exfoliating product. If your skin is at all sensitive, though, you might want to try a patch test first and check out your reaction. I used this once a day, during the evening after washing my face, but those who live in more humid climes (I live out in the high deserts of Western Colorado, where humidity percentages are generally no higher than the teens) can use it up to twice a day, morning and night. More sensitive skin might tolerate this on a less frequent basis, say, every other day.

Price: $5.00-6.00 for an 8-oz bottle. Available at drugstores and Target.
(I am very thank full Lille who write This post for me)

Skin Balancing Toner for Normal/Oily and Combination Skin

Like tons of other women and men, I've been a huge fan of Paula Begoun for at least a decade, ever since I discovered her book, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition . Cosmetics companies loathe her, some people don't trust her, but anyone with a healthy skepticism about the oft-inflated claims made by the beauty industry and its handmaiden, the women's magazine industry, should celebrate her intelligent, balanced, detailed, and often funny reviews of just about every beauty product you can think of.

Not to be outdone, Ms. Begoun has created a fairly extensive and well-reviewed product line of her own, including everything from cleansers to cosmetics. What distinguishes her from many -- if not all -- her competitors is that she's happy to recommend worthy products made by other companies. She just thinks hers is just as good, and rightfully so.

I recently tried out a number of products from her skincare line, Paula's Choice, specifically, the Skin Balancing Toner for Normal/Oily and Combination Skin; the Skin Balancing Super Anti-Oxidant Mattifying Concentrate Serum for Normal to Very Oily Skin; and the Skin Balancing Daily Mattifying Lotion SPF 15 for Normal and Oily/Combination Skin. I love them all.

Finally! I have a wonderful, affordable and effective skincare line that works with my fussy complexion. The toner, which I used morning and evening, feels silky soft and soothing to my skin right after cleansing. The serum does the same thing, depositing tons of valuable antioxidants into my skin and making it feel touchably smooth. It's the last thing I put on at night; with my oily skin, especially in this humid Dallas climate, I don't need any additional moisturizer. The daily mattifying lotion is a godsend; it's very lightweight and easily absorbed, giving my skin a clean, matte finish. I still need to use blotting sheets several times throughout the day, but hey, this is the hot and moist Southwest; I'm happy that it doesn't make my face look like an oil slick by the end of the day, which is the frequent problem I have with a lot of daily suncreens. The only thing I wish for it is that it provided a higher SPF -- say, 30 or even just 20 -- but if you're mostly officebound or otherwise spend little time outdoors in a day-to-day basis, this is perfect either under your foundation or on its own. It's probably my very favorite product in the Paula's Choice skincare line, as it makes my morning routine so much easier: cleanse, tone, lotion, voila! I'm done in less than five minutes.

The bottles are pretty simply designed, all plastic and white with either blue or green lettering, but I would guess that Ms. Begoun would rather focus her efforts on creating effective products than on pretty packaging, and that's fine with me. Antioxidant-rich products are contained have pump-style dispensers, which is ideal because open jars and bottles would expose the potent ingredients to air, rendering them useless.

You can only order these products online, but they're definitely worth the purchase. I ordered mine on Wednesday and received them by Friday via USPS, even though I only requested the Standard Delivery. Now's a good time to order, too, as Paula's Choice is offering a great sale. If you want to try them out, the company offers cheap samples (you're also offered free samples with any full-sized order). Folks with oily/acne-prone skin will especially benefit, as the PC line specifically targeting that skin type is well formulated and is the best I've seen anywhere.

Note: the antioxidant concentrate may seem pricey, but remember that you only need to use less than a pea-sized amount for your entire face. I've had mine for a week now and use it every night, and I'm nowhere near the bottom of this tube. I would guess that it will last me a month and a half, if not more.

Toner: $15.95/6 oz.

Mattifying Lotion SPF 15: $20.95/2 oz

Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate: $24.95/1 oz