Beat dry skin and dandruff the natural way

Nov 112011

For most of my life I’ve struggled with dry skin and dandruff. I’ve gone through every cream and shampoo available on the market without any acceptable results. I started to look to diet and more alternative practices for help. I’ve realized that it is possible to find solutions to dry skin and dandruff through diet, in combination with other health models, such as the Eastern practice of Ayurvedic medicine.

Ayurvedic is an ancient medical system from India which empasizes more natural paths to healing through diet, massage and holistic remedies. It classifies individuals according to a metabolic body type or dosha. Each dosha is characterized by a combination of the earth’s elements like fire, water, wind, etc. When your doshas are out of balance, ill health can occur. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

Depending on what body type you are, you could be more prone to dry skin and dandruff. For example, a person with an imbalance in their Vata dosha is prone to dry skin. Various herbal rememdies and oils can help to restore balance to specific problems. With Vata, a regular body and scalp massage with sesame or sweet almond oil is recommended. For Pitta the oil would be coconut and for Kapha try olive oil. These can all be found in health food or grocery stores if you don’t have a store that specializes in Ayurvedic remedies. You can also gently heat the oils in the microwave for a more intense moisturizer. Another great natural moisturizer is a mixture of egg yolks and honey. Thick and messy, but it works!

In addition to topical remedies, you can also work on your body from the inside out. Diet has a great impact on dandruff. Try these following dietary tips:

-Cut back on sugar and yeast. Foods that contain high levels of these ingredients can encourage fungus growth that causes dandruff. Unfortunately, that includes beer and wine!

-Pack your diet full of B-vitamin, Omega 3 fatty acids, and zinc rich foods like egg yolks, fish, whole grains, bananas, avocados, nuts, seeds, flaxseed, and spinach. These nutrients help maintain healthy hair and skin and zinc is actually found in many anti-dandruff shampoos.

-Use a tea tree oil shampoo on your hair. This is a very popular natural product from Australia, and has been used as an antiseptic, antibiotic and antifungal agent. This is the only anti-dandruff shampoo that has worked for me!

These are only a few tips that can help to restore your body to optimal health. Ayuvedic medicine is as vast as the Western model requiring years of study and knowlege. I hope to have simply provided an introduction to a wide range of help available.

Find out what your dosha is by visiting: http://www.ayurbalance.com/explore_articlethreedoshas.htm

Jane Arnold is a freelance writer and part-time beauty buff. You can get more health and beauty tips at her website at: http://www.girlyside.com/girlyside.html The website is a girl’s guide to health, beauty, love and leisure. Sign up for the free newsletter at http://www.girlyside.com/newsletter.html

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Jane Arnold

Keep your skin smooth and supple

Articles, Beauty No Responses »

Nov 112011

They say beauty is only skin deep, but only a woman knows just how true that is. You can be the prettiest thing in the room, but wrinkled, sun damaged skin can certainly bring your appearance down several notches. Skin care moisturizer cream is just the thing you need to help prevent new wrinkles, reduce the appearance of the wrinkles you have, and help heal sun damaged skin. Whether you struggle with dry skin, combination skin, oily skin, acne, or some other type of skin condition, there is a moisturizer that is made just for you. The only challenge is finding the right moisturizer for you and knowing what to look for. It’s all about getting the details right — what types of moisturizer are best for you and how often to apply them. Luckily for you, we’ve got the scoop on the best moisturizers for your needs.

Water Based Moisturizers are a No-No

When purchasing moisturizer cream, many women simply do not stop and look at the ingredients. Often women are attracted to a pretty box or a pretty jar with a fancy sounding name without realizing that many of the moisturizers out there contain up to 40% water. Other women make the mistake of going with a water based moisturizer, thinking that water is the most natural moisturizer in the world and that it should do wonders for their skin. Strangely enough, that is not the case. Different all natural ingredients, like Aloe Vera, are better suited for a moisturizer for the face, especially for those looking for anti aging or anti wrinkle benefits. It may not seem like it but water based moisturizers are a recipe for disaster when it comes to dry skin. They dry out your skin even more as opposed to adding much needed moisture.

Consider the Benefits of Natural Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera based creams are different and for those who have only used water based products or for those looking for a change in their present moisturizing routine, this is the best and only alternative. A few of the skin care moisturizer cream products even contain essential fatty acids and other ingredients that actually imitate the natural actions and compositions of your skin. These special ingredients work wonders against drying and breakouts, and makes it easier for the ingredients to be absorbed into the skin. Aloe Vera itself is 100 percent natural, coming straight from the plant of the same name and is known for its healing benefits to damaged skin.

How Often is Too Often?

Depending on your skin and its makeup, you never know how much to moisturize until you figure out what is best for you. If you have normal skin, moisturizing once a day should be sufficient, but if you have dry skin or skin with a condition you may want to consider moisturizing twice daily — once during the morning hours and once before bed.

Be sure to follow the directions that are specified on the back of moisturizer box or jar for best results and remember that not all moisturizers are created equal. Some of them have specific instructions and are designed to treat different skin conditions so be sure to read the label carefully. Some moisturizers have natural oils, vitamins, lipids, and other ingredients that are designed to smooth and beautify your skin. Be warned that chemicals have been added to other moisturizer creams and these should be strictly avoided.

How do you know which is the best skin care moisturizer cream for you? In all reality, there is no “one size fits all.” Everyone has a different type of skin and unfortunately there is a bit of trial and error that you must go through. You have to find out the hard way sometimes but often you can take shortcuts by getting recommendations from other women with skin similar to yours. Remember though that just because a particular product works for someone else does not necessarily mean that it will work for you. One thing you can be sure of though is that it is pretty hard to go wrong with an aloe vera based moisturizer. Aloe Vera can heal damaged skin, moisturize, and even provide some anti aging benefits as well. Plus it doesn’t dry out the skin like water based moisturizers do…and it should go without saying that dry skin is much more prone to wrinkles than hydrated, moisturized skin.

The benefits of Aloe Vera are endless and no matter what type of skin you have, you should be able to enjoy the benefits of this all natural ingredient that was discovered more than 3,500 years ago and that is still being used today. An Aloe Vera based moisturizer can help give you healthier, more beautiful skin no matter what kind of skin you have and no matter how much sun damage you have.

Be sure to read the label before buying any moisturizer cream and always, always, always demand an Aloe Vera based moisturizer.

Do you hate fine lines?

Do you hate wrinkles?

Do you hate sun spots?

Do you have old acne scars to get rid of?

Do you want to feel beautiful again?

An Aloe Vera based moisturizer cream just may be the way to go and due to its healing properties, Aloe Vera should be something you look for in any skin care moisturizer cream.

About The Author

Sylvie Bordeaux and her husband Scott are skincare researchers who provide information to help women reduce the appearance of wrinkles and prevent new ones. For more information go to skin care moisturizer cream also located at http://www.antiwrinklesecretrevealed.com

Make your pores behave

Articles, Beauty 1 Response »

Nov 112011

Smooth and soft skin, even tone, rosy glow, pores invisible to the naked eye… Perfect complexion. Isn’t that what we hope to see when coming to the mirror?

But the reality is harsh and mirrors don’t lie. The pores are there, perfectly visible, and seem to get bigger and bigger.

Why would Mother Nature put the most visible ones where you can’t hide them? Life would be so much easier if we could keep them out of sight (and out of mind). I bet Nature had no idea people would consider pores a problem and, of course, had the best reasons in mind.

Pores are tiny (oh well, comparatively tiny) passages for oil that is produced in sebum glands to reach the surface of the skin. There are approximately 300 000 oil glands in human skin, the highest concentration is on the face, chest and back. The glands produce up to one ounce of oil daily!

The oil forms a protective layer over the skin that prevents moisture loss and helps to keep the skin soft and resilient and prevent injury and environmental damage. Given the fact that skin on the face is thinner than in other body areas and is constantly exposed to sun, wind, cold and heat, we desperately need this protection.

The challenge is to maintain the right balance between the activity of sebaceous glands and the actual needs of your skin. Problems start when pores have to deal with more oil than they can handle. Pores expand under the pressure of excessive oil flow and become visible. Once they enlarge, they don’t shrink back. There are no muscles around pores that could contract and close the opening.

More and more pores can become visible with age. This is due to the loss of skin elasticity and sagging. As skin is drawn down by gravity, pores become more obvious.

Keeping pores clean is the first thing you need to do if you want to make them less noticeable and prevent their size increase.

When oil binds with dirt and dead skin cells, pores become clogged and – again – stretch. To prevent this, keep oil under control, use gentle and effective cleansers and exfoliate regularly.

After cleansing, use astringent toner. Astringents cause slight swelling of the top skin layer, which temporarily closes pores. There are two things to be cautious about. First, don’t overdry your skin or it will react by producing even more oil. Second, if your skin is sensitive, be extra careful as it might not tolerate some of the ingredients used in astringents.

Mature skin will benefit from thorough cleansing and gentle exfoliating followed by a face-lift mask. When done 1-3 times a week, this regiment will produce visible improvement in just a few weeks.

The pores don’t shrink permanently. We have to accept it, just as we accept that fair eyelashes can’t get dark and straight hair don’t curl. Yet, we learned to live with it and still get the look we want. The same thing is with pores: you can improve the way they look when and if you want to.

About The Author

Natalie Katsman is a co-founder of http://www.natural-aid.com, where you can find fine quality aloe vera products for beauty and well-being and subscribe to HealthySkin Newsletter filled with beauty tips, recipes and information on herbal healing, skin care and cosmetic chemistry.

info@natural-aid.com

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Makeup Tips for Eyes, Lips and Face

Articles, Beauty No Responses »

Nov 112011

When I hit my 30’s, I decided to get more serious about skin care and makeup. I’ve become a regular at Department Store ‘Bonus Days’, when you buy an item and get a bunch of samples for free! Cosmetics and makeup can be fun, easy and inexpensive if you follow these tips!

Your Eyes:

1. For great looking eyes make sure to use powder shadows for a natural look and a eyeliner pencil for drama at night. Make sure the liner has a smudge tip at one end to get that smoky eye look. Only line the top of the eye is you’re looking tired. You don’t want to bring more attention to dark circles under the eyes. Neutral tones with a hint of color are flattering on everybody.

2. For sheen on the eyelids, dab a bit of Vaseline for a pretty reflective quality, as well as moisture.

3. Open up the eye with a gold/beige shimmery high lighter onto the brow bone.

4. Don’t throw away cash on an expensive eye makeup remover! Find a pretty glass bottle and fill it with baby shampoo.

5. If your cream eye shadow dries out, use a few drops of water or mineral oil to soften it up again.

5. Potatoes, like cucumbers, will reduce the appearance of dark, under-eye circles.

Your Lips:

1. Use blush as a lipstick, then use clear gloss or lip balm over it. Longer staying power.

2. Natural ingredients have been used for centuries as makeup: apply beet juice to lips and cheeks as a stain,or mix it with melted bees wax to make your own lip balm! Cayenne pepper can plump the lips, but use with caution!

3. Use eye makeup remover to treat super dry, chapped lips. It’s a great nighttime lip treatment!

Your Face:

1. For a longer lasting foundation try a product with silicone. The silicone creates a sweat-proof and smudge resistant second skin. For me, I find it helps with my rosacea because the live yeast extract has healing powers.

2. A powder bronzer under blush can really even out skin tone. I dab my brush in the bronzer, then into the blush and lightly cover my whole face.

3. For a new bronzer, use a foundation that is two to three shades darker than your skin tone and apply where you would use your bronzer. In a pinch you could use a brown eye shadow.

4. Papaya mixed with plain yogurt into a paste makes a great exfoliating mask for all skin types!

5. Use an egg white mask for a quick fix for diminishing the appearance of pores.

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Fun & Frugal Beauty tips

Articles, Beauty 1 Response »

Nov 112011

I’m ready to unload some the best secrets and tips that even your beauty salon professionals use. Of course they would like for you to buy their beauty products and will tell you they are the best in order to make the sale, but I’m pretty sure they’re not being honest in telling you what beauty products are really on the backbar in their salons.

As a frugal person myself, I’ve always shared my secrets with my clients. I earn my living selling my services, not products.

Here a few for you to enjoy!

1. To dry nail polish in a hurry, spray nails with PAM Oil Spray.
2. Olive oil can be added to bath water for a skin softener.
3. Toner/Astringent — Use witch hazel instead. No need to dilute — use full strength. You can also rinse with a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar after cleansing — it balances out the ph of your skin.
4. Cut back on the amount of shampoo you use. Do the same with toothpaste. The manufacturers want us to use more, so we buy more.
5. Keep your pantyhose in the freezer, and they will last longer.
6. For great lotion, mix one-part lotion with one-part vaseline. It works better than plain lotion, and, depending on the cost of your lotion, you can stretch its value.
7. To prevent hair pins from falling out, bend one prong in a “V” about halfway up and insert in hair. It will stay.
8. Old lipstick tubes, thoroughly cleaned, are great for purse-sized pill boxes or for pins.
9. Use hydrogen peroxide as an inexpensive nail bleach.
10. For an excellent facial, mix dry oatmeal and water into a paste and spread on face. Lie down and let it dry. Wash off with warm water.

About the Author

Melissa is a professional cosmetologist who is constantly updating her education. For daily updates including tips, secrets and other information, please visit her blog at http://bizewomanbeautytips.blogspot.com/ Beauty doesn’t have to cost a fortune!Brought to you by Ample Advice

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