What's my Skin Type?

Skin type is something we are born with. Genetics and ethnicity largely determine what kind of skin you will have. Your "type" is generally determined by the amount of oil your sebacious (oil) glands produce. 
An important concept to remember is that you can't change your skin type. While skin can become drier with age, no product will make an oily skin turn dry. Once you determine your skin type, work on maintaining your issues, but understand that there is no one-time fix for any concern!

Oily Skin

Oily skin has excess oil production, and a larger pore size all over the face. Breakoutstend to be occassional to quite frequent. This is because oil gets trapped along with debris inside the pores, which can result in blemishes and blackheads.

Treat oily skin with water-based moisturizers and cleansers designed for oily skin. Be careful not to over-clean the skin...the irritation can cause more irritation. Exfoliate with Salicylic Acid because it can cut through oil and clean out the pores. Avoid products with SD Alcohol, Mineral Oil, fragrance, and color.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is characterized by a lack of oil. You will also notice that the pores/follicles look very small. While dry skin typically doesn't get many breakouts, it does require special care because oil helps protect skin from environmental damage and aging. Dry skin tends to showfine lines and wrinkles sooner.
Treat dry skin with a medium to heavy weight moisturizer. It is also important to exfoliate with lactic acid. Not only does lactic acid hydrate the skin...it also helps minimize the appearance of fine lines!

Natural Hair Growth Tips

Having a naturally healthy head ofhair is something many of us aspire to achieve but find it difficult to do in this age of stress, environmental pollution and sickness. Perhaps you once had a lot of good hair days and nights, but lately they’re increasingly difficult to attain. Or your once luxuriant locks are thinner and frailer due to genetic factors, under or overactive thyroid, illness, aging, stress, or hair abuse such as perming, coloring, relaxing, blowdrying, curlers, curling irons, rough handling/neglect, and using harsh, synthetic shampoos and conditioners. Whether you seek to grow or regrow your hair, keep in mind that you only have one head of hair – so take care of it! Rethink your current hair care routine, and learn more about what works/doesn’t work for your hair type, length, and lifestyle.

Make Up and Age

There are three general reasons why we women wear makeup. The first reason is to protect our skin from harmful ultraviolet rays that causeskin damage and aging. Mostmakeup products nowadays have SPFwhich shields the skin from ultraviolet exposure.The second reason why we women wear makeup is to hide whateverblemishes we have on our face. It could be wrinkles, puffy eyelids, pimples, dark spots, an unsightly mole or birthmark, or whatever it is that we need to hide. Makeup conceals and takes the eyes away from these problem areas by putting highlights on the other, more presentable features of our face.

The third reason why women wear makeup is to enhance the best features of the face. Beautiful eyes deserve to be made more beautiful with a few tricks with the mascara and eye shadow. Naturally pouting lips should be made to look more luscious and kissable.

But whatever reason we may have for wearing makeup, the most important thing to remember is that we should keep our makeup as naturally looking as possible and that we should wear makeup that suits our age.

The following is a general guide on what kind of makeup should a woman wear according to her age.

Teenagers (15-19). If you are in your teenage years, your greatest asset is your youth, so you should wear makeup that plays up your youth instead of hiding it. You are also at that point in your life where your hormones are still trying to get their groove going, so the cosmetic products you are using should not be a cause for acne breakouts.

Given these, your foundation should be sheer, oil-free and water-based. Opt for a natural look by using natural looking eye shadows, and go easy on the mascara. For your blush on, try a gel blush to get that natural glow on your face; however, use a powder blush if your skin is oily. Keep your lipstick or lip gloss lightly tinted.

Twenties (20-29). You are in the bloom of your womanhood, and so your makeup should reflect that. So, go light on the foundation and match the colors you use for your eyes with the natural color of your eyes, your skin tone, as well as the mood you are in. Tone down your makeupwhen going to work by wearing a light powder blush and a lightly tinted lipstick. For affairs in the evening, like a date, a party or a night out with friends, you can use brighter colors. 

Thirties(30 -39). This is when the initial, telltale signs of aging like crows' feet and fine lines begin to appear. Therefore, you should start toning the palette of your makeup down. It is also time to go a little on the heavy side with your foundation, but wear your blushers in more muted colors. Avoid wearing frosted makeup to keep the attention away from the small wrinkles and fine lines.

Forties (40-49). The signs of aging become more apparent at this age. You should, therefore, start wearing makeup that is kind to yourskin. Begin using an oil-based foundation if your skin is dry and put a light base over the wrinkles of your face, in case you have any. Start using concealer creams more generously over the dark spots and dark circles, and steer clear from frosted or metallic eye shadow, especially if you have puffy eyes. Use softer colors for your cheeks.

Fifties and above (50+). This is the time you should start letting yourself age gracefully. Therefore, be kind to your face and avoid the kinds of makeup that are matte-based. Never opt for frosty, shiny or metallic colors for your eyes because it will only highlight the puffiness and the wrinkles. Keep your lipstick colors light and never even attempt to wear blue or red colors.

Eating Your Way to Clearer Skin

Most people are aware of the old adage "You are what you eat". There is nowhere that it shows more readily than in your skin tone. In fact, many skin problems from minor to major can be addressed simply by changing your diet! Everything from Acne to Edema can be improved and in some cases completely cured in a matter of months, weeks, or even days by eating a diet that contains plenty of the right foods.

Although fatty, greasy, and extremely salty foods can't be directly blamed for acne or other skin disorders, many foods that are deficient in nutrients or which contain significant undesirable substances (such as fat) can contribute to existing skin disorders or make your skin's condition ripe for such disorders to set in.

One of the simplest ways to improve your skin as well as endurance, stamina, and overall physical health, is by drinking lots of water. Eight or more glasses of filtered tap water or pure mineral water per day will help lead to smoother, younger-looking and firmer skin. In addition, enough water actually helps your skin look and feel firmer - since the human body needs water for everything that it does, proper hydration has remarkable effects for health and beauty.

A balanced diet including essential fatty acids from nuts, vegetable oils, and fish can help cure dry and flaky skin within a matter of weeks. Even if you have acne, you may not want to avoid these types of oils - some dermatologists claim that a tablespoon a day of high quality nut or fish oil can actually reduce the unwanted oil that aggravates acne.

Additional 'miracle' foods for improving your skin and making you look years younger include soy, oatmeal or other coarse grains, and bright-colored fruits and vegetables. All of these foods are high in vitamins and minerals, and the bright colored fruits and vegetables are also rich in antioxidants which help prevent and repair damage to the entire body - so much so that these substances have become a staple of modern anti-aging clinical techniques.

Although none of these items are silver bullets to cure all skin disorders and this information is no substitute for the advice of a qualified dermatologist or other medical professional, a proper diet and adequate water intake will definitely help to improve your skin as well as promote better health in all areas of your life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Eating-Your-Way-to-Clearer-Skin/36994

How to Give a Facial Massage With Moisturizer

Facial Skin Care Tips : How to Give a Facial Massage With Moisturizer 






Learn how to give a facial massage with moisturizer during a morning skin routine with expert skin care tips in this free beauty video clip.



Expert: Gila Yaffe


Bio: Gila Yaffe is a certified cosmetician specializing in skin care, body massage, makeovers, and general beauty care. She also markets her own line of facial creams and beauty products.