ehealthyland.com

Cleansing:
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.

Masks:

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.
Fuller’s earth is a special type of clay often used in face packs. It contains aluminum 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.

Toning:
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 fresheners are for dry and sensitive skin. Those with alcohol (astringent) are for oily skin. People with combination skin should use toner and astringent.

Moisturizing:

Regular use of a suitable moisturizer benefits your skin. The moisturizer not only replaces the water lost from the skin but also prevents its loss to the surroundings. It protects the skin against the drying influences of the environment such as the effects of the sun, cold and heat. Tinted moisturizers are very helpful under foundation. It always keep the make up moist.

A moisturizer is particularly helpful for dry skins. Oil free moisturizers can be used for oily skins.

There are two types of moisturizers: Oil – in water emulsions and water -in -oil emulsions. The moisturizer you select should suit your skin type. For normal skins, a water based moisturizer containing a little oil is suitable. Sensitive skins and dry skins need moisturizers having a high oil content.

Protecting:
The sun is the environmental factor that is most harmful to the health and appearance of the skin. Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight can cause permanent damage to the skin. It can cause the skin to sag, lose elasticity and form wrinkles. Severe sunburn can even cause skin cancer.

Sunscreen and foundation protects the skin against the damaging ultraviolet rays. It also shields your face from direct contact with dirt or pollutants in the air and helps the skin against loosing its necessary moisture.

Sunscreen’s come in lotions and creams. A sunscreen with the sun protection factor (SPF) of number 15 can block most of the sun’s ultraviolet radiations before it can damage the skin. The SPF number indicates the length of time, the product will protect the skin. Sunscreens should be applied at least 10 minutes before you go out in the sun.

Dry skin

Let’s start up with a list of general skin care tips for fighting acute and chronic dry skin. Like all lists of things you should do, some items are easier than others to adopt.

So, here goes:

• Cut back on bath and shower time (some dermatologists suggest 3 minutes!).
• Take cooler showers or baths.
• Use mild cleansers (“squeaky clean” is too drying).
• Exfoliate ashy, flaky skin as needed, but don’t overdo the scrubbing.
• Pat yourself dry gently with a towel, rather than rubbing.
• Apply moisturizer immediately after bathing, to seal in remaining moisture.
• Pay special attention to lower legs, which tend to be dryer because they’re farther from your heart.
• Don’t scratch dry, itchy spots; apply more moisturizer instead.
• Use a humidifier, especially in the bedroom.

Now, here are some dry skin care suggestions for daily cleansing and moisturizing.
Step 1:
Cleanse Your Skin without Drying
Step 2:
Moisturize

Oily skin

Remember, there is no way to completely prevent oily skin from occurring, but hopefully these tips will help keep the oil and acne under control:

* Although dirt and oil on the surface of the skin do not cause acne, excessive oil on your skin may exacerbate the clogging of pore openings, so proper washing is often a good way to keep the situation from becoming worse. Washing with very hot water, harsh soaps or cleansers will not improve existing acne or prevent future flare-ups. In fact, these methods can dry and irritate your skin so badly that you will not be able to use effective acne medications in cream or gel form. Most topical acne medications have a drying effect on oily skin.
* Try a mild cleanser that cleanses without drying.
* Do not use any oil-based cosmetics, which will only aggravate oily skin and create further blemishes.
* Use water-based, non-comedogenic cosmetics.
* Always remove your makeup before going to bed, but avoid cold creams and lotions, which may leave a greasy film on your skin.
* Watch your diet. However, it is not chocolate or sweets that you need to watch, some doctors believe that an increased consumption of iodine aggravates acne, and they suggest reduction or elimination of fish and iodized salt.
* Relax! Doctors have seen a connection between stress and acne for a long time. Studies have shown that the body produces more androgens when a person is under stress. The increase may trigger acne flare-ups by stimulating the sebaceous glands to pump out more sebum. Even physical stresses, such as colds, allergies, surgery, or menstration, can trigger break-outs.