7 tips for clear skin

We all suffer from bad skin days from time to time, but there are many tips and tricks you can use to get perfect skin naturally. To make spots and blemishes a thing of the past, check out these seven tips for clear skin.

Clear skin tip 1: Ditch the chemicals

It can be tempting to reach for chemical peels and ingredients such as salicylic acid to help clear up problem skin. However, many chemical-based skin products not only contain potentially harmful ingredients, they can also excessively dry out skin and exacerbate skin problems. For a gentler approach to fighting acne, opt for natural spot-fighting ingredients such as tea tree oil or manuka honey.  Manuka honey not only has antimicrobial and antiseptic properties to fight spots, it also has the benefit of being able to reduce the scarring and marks left by spots.

Clear skin tip 2: Use spot-fighting makeup

We all know what it’s like to have a bad skin day when you just want to hide away under layers of makeup. However, while makeup can temporarily disguise the look of spots, it can also make the problem much worse. For confidence-boosting coverage that won’t cause flare-ups, make sure you opt for non-comedogenic makeup that won’t clog pores. To further increase the spot-fighting powers of your cosmetics, try using mineral makeup containing zinc oxide, which will fight against acne-causing bacteria.

Clear skin tip 3: Sip spearmint tea

Acne is generally caused by hormones called androgens, which can over-stimulate the sebaceous glands leading to oily skin, blocked pores and spots. To counteract these effects, oral contraceptives are often prescribed to women suffering from acne. However, while beneficial for clearing spots, these contraceptive pills can have inconvenient and even dangerous side effects. Luckily, research suggests that spearmint tea has similar anti-androgen properties, which could help reduce acne and hormone imbalances in women.

Clear skin tip 4: Reduce your skin’s contact to bacteria

You may be surprised at how often your skin comes into contact with dirt and germs that can lead to acne. During the time you are asleep, your pillow comes into contact with makeup, skin oils and saliva, making it a breeding ground for bacteria that can worsen acne. Likewise, unwashed makeup brushes can spread bacteria to your skin. To minimise your skin’s contact to bacteria, make sure you wash makeup brushes every two weeks and change your pillowcase regularly. Also, avoid touching your face as much as possible and clean your phone with antibacterial wipes before making calls.

Clear skin tip 5: Cleanse your skin properly

If you suffer from oily or acne-prone skin it can be tempting to over-cleanse your skin to dry out oils and kill bacteria. However, cleansing your skin too frequently or using harsh cleansers can dry out your skin, causing flakiness which can clog pores. It can also cause your skin to produce more oils to compensate. Instead, wash your skin twice a day with a gentle, PH-neutral cleanser so as not to destroy the acid mantle of the skin, which protects against moisture loss and bacteria. Remove the cleanser with a muslin cloth to lightly exfoliate the skin.

Clear skin tip 6: Change your diet

Eating a balanced diet with plenty of nutrients and antioxidants is one of the key factors behind beautiful looking skin. However, there are also certain foods you can cut back on or eat more of in order to help get rid of spots. Research suggests that dairy is a major precursor of acne for many people due to the hormones it contains. Plastic water bottles and food packaging can also leach out chemicals which can lead to hormone imbalance. Swap packaged foods for fresh, skin-friendly produce including lots of fruit and vegetables and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Clear skin tip 7: Find ways to deal with stress

Research findings published in the journal Archives of Dermatology suggest that high stress levels can significantly worsen acne. It is thought that this may be due to the fact that stress stimulates the production of hormones which stimulate oil production in the skin’s sebaceous glands. Stress is also thought to instigate the release of chemicals which can lead to inflammation. To help keep your skin clear and spot-free, try to find healthy ways to deal with stress such as exercise, meditation or pampering. Try to talk through problems with someone else as well to help relieve any worries. 


Source of article: http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/7-tips-clear-skin-080052712.html 

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17 tips for healthy hair and skin

Cosmetologist Dr Rekha Sheth shares her tips for healthy hair and skin.

- Remember that the most important factors that decide the quality of your skin and hair are your genes and family history, your nerves and emotions, and your immune system.

- Use an appropriate face wash meant for your skin type and wash twice a day.

- Use cleansers at night to remove make up and dirt before using a face wash.

- Use sunscreen everyday even if you are indoors - the sun's UVA rays come through windows too and contribute to aging, pigmenting and tanning. Ideally, sunscreen should be applied every three hours.

- Sunscreen should have an SPF of 30 or more. SPF is the degree of protection against UVB rays, hence sunscreen must have UVA protection as well. The usual UVA protection ingredients are Avobenzone, Titanium dioxide, Zinc oxide, Mexoryl and Tinosorb.

- Make up products like foundations, mineral powders and compacts do not have adequate sun protection.

- Indian skin tends to tan and pigment easily and patchily. There is a very thin line between tanning and pigmentation. If your tan hasn't gone in 4-6 weeks, see a dermatologist.

- It is advisable to use mild skin lightening creams as prevention. Look for botanical ingredients like Arbutin, Bearberry, Licorice, Mulberry, Ginseng, Gingko, Emblica, Turmeric - curcuma, Grapeseed and vitamins like C and A, and Niacinamide.

- Aging can be intrinsic, i.e. genetic, and can be delayed by exercise and, to a lesser extent, through diet. Extrinsic factors include increased UV intensity, increased pollution as well as stress. All these factors tend to dry the skin and make it more prone to pigmentation and aging. Hence it is important to start caring for your skin in your teens.

- Extrinsic factors produce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which are naughty oxygen molecules that damage the cells and make them age faster. Anti-oxidants neutralise these ROS.

- At night, use a moisturiser with an age-protecting agent.

- For younger skin, look for ingredients with antioxidants like vitamins C, E or a whole range of botanicals like green tea, grapeseed or pomegranate extract, curcumin, etc. You might also like to look out for the following: Genistein, ECGC, Resveratrol, Idebenone and Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10.

- Kitchen ingredients like fruits do not work.

- For older skin, look for the following ingredients: peptides, vitamin A and derivatives like retinol and other retinoids, Alpha, beta and polyhydroxy acids.

- Exfoliation should be done with extreme caution and only with modern bead exfoliators. Avoid granular scrubs as these tend to damage the skin microscopically, which can lead to slow, insidious and patchy darkening.

- It is advisable to visit a dermatologist at least once a year. There are a lot of nuances in skin colour, texture, smoothness, etc. that we can't see for ourselves. These can be detected by the dermatologist and mild creams/treatments can be recommended.

- Always use a conditioner after you shampoo your hair. It protects your hair and is a better option than oil. Conditioners neutralise electrical charge in the hair shaft and help in detangling. Conditioners also improve shine and to some extent repair minor frays in the hair shaft. Conditioning agents like hydrolized protein or silicons are added to increase manageability and shine in the hair.

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Best 7 Ways To Deal With Having Acne

Acne is usually where the sebaceous glands are more active, and where the skin has more pores. The pores are holes where the hairs to come through, and sebaceous glands that are around these pores secret sebum. Sebum can be produced in excessive amounts, and this combined with dirt that is on the skin will develop into acne.

In a bad case of acne can really ruin someone's social life, especially if you're a teenager, how goal in life is all about popularity and care too much about what others think. This can be a difficult time to come and go through, but eventually it'll pass. This article will be about how to treat acne have both mentally and give you some tips on what you can do to help reduce the problem so you can expect to spend this phase without damaging your self esteem too.

An easy way to deal with acne:

* First, be sure to wash your face twice a day. You must use a soap made for washing the face. Using a bar of soap dries your skin and you have a better chance of getting acne. You can choose between different types of soap to wash face.

* There are facial soaps which can be used for dry or oily skin or normal skin. There are also soaps face gently exfoliate the skin. One thing to note is that there are facial soaps that are made to reduce acne. Some of them are the reduction of acne prevention, but you can buy soaps that are made with drugs to help fight acne you have.

* These soaps drugs are something that should be treated and used, since they can also irritate the skin. It is advisable to use them in a small part of the face at first, and if there is no irritation, can be used normally.

* An important factor in reducing the acne will come when you wash your face. Use a good, gentle, alcohol-free toner is a good way to ensure that the pores are clear and the dust and dirt, and that the entire face is clean. Use these benches cooling your face when you wash by putting a small amount of cotton ball and wipe across the face.

* This will help prevent acne. When you are finished with tones, you'll also use a gentle face lotion. Be careful not to use regular body lotion on your face, for regular body lotion may have chemicals or other things added, such as perfumes or dyes that can cause more acne. A facial lotion should be light and sweet, and ring tones, use it sparingly at first. A good cream will keep your face hydrated and smooth, and learn your chances of acne.

* Another important thing that you should always remember to prevent acne is to never sleep in makeup or other things on your face. When you sleep, sweat and body oils may be confused with what is in your face and cause acne. You can also press her face against a pillow or blanket and your pores can not breathe. Make-up lead to the development of acne. Always remember to wash your face before going to sleep.

* When you want to prevent acne, the most important step is to keep your face clean and healthy. In this way, even if you have a genetic predisposition to acne, you'll be able to do the best job you can manage and we hope you'll be able to get through this period of your life with ease!

Information:

* Never scratch your acne. This makes the grave, and results in complete healing.

* Popping is not a good solution. Acne most often goes away by itself, so there is no need to break out, especially because you want a face marked behind. Popping can also lead to infection.

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