Skin Care
Natural Look
By Anna Lynn Sibal
Putting on makeup can be a daunting task for women who are not really adept at the art of makeup and are not familiar with the right techniques and with picking the right colors for their skin tone and eye color. Common fears include choosing the wrong colors for the skin or colors that do not match the outfit, putting on too little or too much, or botching the makeup altogether. Instead of putting on makeup, there are women who opt for just the ordinary face powder or talcum powder and a dash of lipstick (which may or may not be the right color for their lips either), and then they are done.
Makeup is supposed to enhance the features of our face rather than to cover it, and nothing is more alluring than what is known as the natural look. For those who do not know much about makeup, or know nothing at all, achieving the natural look is pretty easy. The key to doing it is matching the color of your foundation with the tones of your skin, as well as using shades that go well with the undertones of your skin.
A quick tip: when buying foundation, test the match of the product with your skin tone by applying it against your jaw line and letting it on your face for a few minutes. Go ahead and see how it looks like in daylight, rather than in artificial light to see how well it goes with your skin. The perfect foundation for you blends well with the color of your skin, so much that it is hardly noticeable.
If your skin has beige tones. If your skin has beige tones with a touch of peach or pink, the colors you should go for are shades of peach, pink and apricot for your lips and cheeks. Cover up whatever blemishes you have on your skin with a concealer before applying the foundation, and then dust the foundation off with matching loose powder. Make sure that your foundation has SPF because skin like yours burns easily under the sun. Also, try not to put on too much makeup on your face because too much will look harsh on your skin and make you look older. Finish off with a shimmering peach or pink lip gloss.
If your skin has olive tones. If your skin has olive tones, the best way to go is with foundation with warm colors like golden brown. Skin with olive tones is also generally oilier than most, so try to stay away from foundation with shimmer in it to reduce the shine. For a sun-kissed look, apply a touch of bronzer on the apples of your cheeks, the bridge of your nose and a little on your forehead. For your lips, outline it with a nude-colored lip pencil, and then apply clear gloss.
If your skin has yellow tones. If your skin has yellow tones, stay away from ivory or pink for your foundation and stick to warmer hues with a yellow base. Also, avoid using powder foundations; yellow-toned skin tends to get dry and flaky, and so powder foundations will only emphasize this unnecessarily. Finish with a light cream blush, colored pink, on the apples of your cheeks, and a light pink gloss for your lips.
To get a smoother finish on your foundation, apply moisturizer on your skin first as a base. Remember to put on only the right amount of moisturizer and dab off any excess with tissue. Too little moisturizer will make it hard for the foundation to blend, and too much will make your makeup run off your skin.
Achieving the natural look is easy. You don’t have to be a makeup wiz to do it, and it is perfect for those who want the gorgeous yet understated look.
Natural Face Lift
By Anna Lynn Sibal
Aging - turn back the clock - is a fact of life. It is an inevitable process that we cannot really escape from as the years take their toll on our bodies. But despite this inescapable fact, there are a lot of women who spend a great deal of time, effort and money to keep themselves looking young regardless of their real, chronological age. It is largely due to our youth-oriented culture, where beauty always translates to youth.
Trying to look young is not really bad at all. After all, who does not want to look young for as long as she can? It is just that most of the methods available right now to keep those wrinkles and sags at bay are too expensive and too effort-intensive. Anti-aging creams and lotions are good for keeping the skin looking young, healthy and wrinkle-free, but what about the sags? It seems that the only way to get rid of those sags is to go under the knife and have a face lift.
A surgical face lift is expensive and scary. A lot of times, it also looks unnatural. There are not a few cases where one glance at a woman's face immediately tells the beholder that the woman has had a face lift. What is the use of undergoing that procedure if it looks so crassly obvious?
Thankfully, there are ways of having a face lift that looks natural and is inexpensive. Most of all, we do not have to have a surgical procedure done on our face to have that youthful-looking visage - get glowing. It only involves a few minutes of our time on a day-to-day basis, and it could be done while we are driving and waiting for the red light to turn green, while watching TV, or while putting on our face creams in the morning or at night. It is called facial fitness.
Facial fitness is an exercise regimen that involves working out the muscles of the face to prevent them from sagging. It works on the same principle that if we exercise the muscles of our body, then the muscles will become toned and the skin will visibly improve.
The muscles of the face also need to be exercised. If they are let alone, they just sit there on our faces, lengthening and thinning as the years come upon us, giving us that sagging and tired look as we age. With the facial fitness regimen, the facial muscles undergo resistance training, and the skin is pulled and pushed so the muscles are contracted. Eventually, the skin is lifted with all the pushing and pulling, taking away the sags and smoothing out the wrinkles from our faces.
Another benefit of undergoing a facial fitness regimen is that making the muscles of the face contract increases blood circulation to the face. With improved blood circulation to the face, more oxygen and nutrients are brought to the cells and tissues of the facial muscles and skin. Therefore, it would look healthier and whatever damages that our facial tissues have sustained are more easily repaired.
Having a regular facial fitness routine brings us a natural face lift. With a natural face lift, we do not have to undergo surgery just to keep ourselves looking young. The power to look young has become literally in our hands.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN WHEN YOU ARE A TEEN
Using the tips given in this article, Skin Care Tips for Teens, start to look after your skin from young.
The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It accounts for close to 16 per cent of the total body weight. It is that part of the body that is visible to others.
Taking good care of your skin in your teens will help you to retain a youthful and healthy complexion in the later years of your life.
Your face is the first thing that people will see when they meet you. Having a good complexion is also important for your own confidence and self-esteem.
Let’s take a brief look at the structure of the skin to better understand how to take care of your skin.
SIMPLE SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS #1
KEEP YOUR SKIN HYDRATED
The skin is not just a simple flat sheet. It is made of several layers, one on top of the other.
The topmost layer of the skin is really quite tough and thin. It is our “hide”. This layer is also known as the epidermis. It is subjected to a lot of wear and tear. As it is constantly being worn down, it is also replaced. The epidermis plays a vital role in preventing excessive loss of moisture from the body.
Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water is essential to keep your skin hydrated.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS #2
START YOUNG
The deeper layers of skin contain all the structures that give the skin its strength and elasticity.
Damage to these deeper layers will tell on the skin as one ages. There are many expensive skin care creams in the market that claim to restore youth. However the best approach is to have a good skin care routine.
Start while you are still young to retain the good skin that you were born with. Developing the good habits of a daily skin care routine while you are still a teen is very important. Use these skin care tips for teens to help you reduce damage and keep the skin young and healthy.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS #3
SKIN HYGIENE
Personal hygiene is very essential. It is one of the factors that determines how fast the skin ages and how good it looks.
Wash your face regularly – this has to be most basic and fundamental skin care tips for teens. Inadequate washing can clog up the pores of the skin causing pimples and acne. Washing the face regularly goes a long way in maintaining skin hygiene.
Develop a regular facial skin care routine. Discipline is required. Pay special attention if you have oily skin.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS #4
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
Knowing the right way to care for your skin is quite a challenge in these days of skin care product explosion.
Is it better to use a cream-based facial cleansers or oil-based one? Would a foaming wash be better?
Should one use a facial toners at all?
Should a moisturizer be used if the face is very oily?
What about facial scrubs or facial masks?
Do SPF15 foundations and lip balms actually work?
First analyze your skin and find out your skin type. Choose the correct skin care products according to your skin type.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS #5
BE GENTLE WITH YOUR SKIN
Excessive face washing with harsh soaps or cleansers can damage the skin, by stripping it of its natural oils. Using a mild face wash preferably with a moisturizing effect.
The use of a moisturizer is also advocated. This is especially so if you work or sleep in air-conditioned environments that tend to dry out the skin.
Some people may develop allergies to the perfumes used in moisturizers and may need to seek a dermatologist’s advice for their skin type.
At all times, be gentle with your skin.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS #6
ACNE ALERT
Acne is a common skin problem, especially among teens. This is because hormonal changes cause the sebaceous glands to be over-active. The excessive sebum production causes the skin’s pores to be clogged and infection can result.
Do not be too troubled if you have acne as this is a common phase of an adolescence’s life. Read more about acne, pimples and blackheads. Find out how you can keep it under control.
There are many different acne treatments available. There are many different types of acne medicines in the market. Some are available over the counter while others require a doctor’s prescription.
If your skin condition is very bad or do not respond to over the counter medication, do see a dermatologist about it.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS At all times, do not pick your pimples, be gentle with your skin and beware of quack remedies. Otherwise, your skin may be permanently damaged.
Again, do not squeeze and pick your pimples as this aggravates them and will leave scars on the face.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS #7
SUN PROTECTION
Experts say the most important thing you can do for your skin is to wear sunscreen every day, whatever your age. Skin aging that arises from exposure to the sun is called photo-aging.
Photo-aging refers to skin changes induced by exposure to invisible rays of sunlight, such as ultraviolet rays, over a period of time.
Seriously photo-aged skin is dry, yellow, rough and deeply wrinkled. There could be dark pigmentations or white spots.
A good sunscreen is absolutely essential to protect the skin from the harmful effects of UVA and UVB rays. Even those working indoors, if they sit near a window, should wear sunscreen, as glass does not protect one against UVA rays.
For sunscreens, a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 is recommended for daily use, though it is best to consult a dermatologist to decide the appropriate strength for specific skin types. If you are a sun seeker, then choose one with a high SPF of 50 – 60.
Doctors say that people shy away from sunscreens because they don’t like the oily feeling. Some sunscreens can give you a white sheen like in Chinese wayang. But there are sunscreens which are non-oily. The non-oily ones usually have the ingredient Mexoryl XL.
Many products protect your skin against UVB rays only. You should look for ingredients that protect against UVA as well. These are avobenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and mexoryl.
Many women use foundations and compact powders with SPF 15 to protect their skin. This may not be enough, because it is a very thin layer. They need to use a sunscreen as a base and apply the powder on top of it for adequate protection.
Read more about the skin’s aging process and the skin changes that takes place as the skin ages. Find out more about the damage caused by the sun on a person’s skin. Use sun protection whenever you need to go out in the sun.
Does this mean that we cannot go for sun tanning? Here are some safe tanning tips.
SKIN CARE TIPS FOR TEENS #8
CHOOSE YOUR MAKE-UP CAREFULLY
Choose your make-up carefully. It is best to avoid greasy, heavy camouflage makeup. This does not mean that foundation is out. It all boils down to finding the one that fits your skin type best.
courtesy or Skin Care Tips
Dr. Berson's Skincare
Advice.
Your Skin the Sun
- Sunscreen: How Often?
- I recommend that you apply sunscreen daily. Everyone receives "incidental" sun exposure every day. This refers to exposure to the sun that occurs when you don't realize it, such as when you are running an errand, walking the dog, or even sitting near a window or in your car. Although ultraviolet B rays, which cause burning, are mostly present in the middle of the day, ulltraviolet A rays are present both early and late in the day, and year round, even in the winter and when it is cloudy. UVA rays can penetrate through glass, reach deep in the skin, and contribute to premature aging (wrinkles, blotchiness and roughness) and skin cancer. A few minutes here and there each day add up to a lot of unprotected exposure to these ultraviolet rays.
Tanning beds are very unsafe for your skin because they use ultraviolet light bulbs that are actually MORE intense than the sun's natural rays. The UVA rays penetrate deeply into the skin, causing damage to collagen, leading to premature aging, wrinkles, discoloration and roughness. They also contribute to the development of skin cancer. There is no such thing as a safe tan unless it is from a product, such as Jergens® natural glow Daily Moisturizer.
Pregnant Belly Skin
It is perfectly fine to use lotion on your belly, or anywhere on your skin, when you are pregnant. The skin is more likely to become dry, irritated and itchy during pregnancy, and the emollients in moisturizers can be very soothing and help decrease the symptoms. Moisturizers will form a protective barrier; the ingredients do not get absorbed and will therefore not be harmful to your baby. Skin can become more sensitive with age. The lipid barrier can become disrupted as one gets older, leading to dryness and cracking and therefore easier penetration of potentially irritating ingredients. Chronic exposure to the sun can thin the skin, making it more sensitive and even more likely to bruise after trauma. In women, hormonal changes, such as decreased estrogen after menopause, can also thin the skin and increase dryness, itching and irritation.
Aging Skin Concerns
Skin can become more sensitive with age. The lipid barrier can become disrupted as one gets older, leading to dryness and cracking and therefore easier penetration of potentially irritating ingredients. Chronic exposure to the sun can thin the skin, making it more sensitive and even more likely to bruise after trauma. In women, hormonal changes, such as decreased estrogen after menopause, can also thin the skin and increase dryness, itching and irritation.
Acne
Living with acne is frustrating and embarrassing. Whether you suffer from an occasional pimple or persistent outbreaks, acne makes you want to hide your face! While acne may not be 100 percent curable, proper acne skin care can make the problem more bearable.
There are many different acne treatments available, from over-the-counter spot treatments to prescription antibiotics. There really is no one-size-fits-all solution to the problem, since everyone is unique. However, there are general guidelines that will give everyone some measure of relief.
Here you will find diet tips for dealing with acne. You'll also learn about soaps, creams, gels, and supplements that may help. If you can't afford the costly store-bought solutions, make sure you try some of our at-home options.
If you have tried our suggestions with no signs of improvement, or if you have severe or cystic acne, you should consult with a dermatologist
Aging and
Wrinkles
Our skin tells the stories of our lives. Our joys and laughter, our pain and heartache… all are etched on our faces. In many ways, our skin is a living scrapbook. Every last laugh line, frown line, and crow's feet holds a memory. Although we have earned every wrinkle, line, or under-eye circle, we can still yearn for the younger skin of yesteryear.
While fine lines and wrinkles are a normal part of aging, there are many options available for those who would like to slow the process. Whether you adhere to the philosophy that true beauty comes from the inside, or you believe that beauty really is skin-deep, there are products to help you find your own fountain of youthful beauty.
Few can deny that healthy skin is beautiful, and many supplements promise to restore a radiate glow. The LoveToKnow Skin Care writers strive to help dispel the myths and get to the truth of what supplements really can-- and can not-- deliver.
There are a wide variety of anti aging creams and lotions, all promising to help melt away the years. From crow's feet and puffy eyes to wrinkles and loss of firmness, there are over-the-counter products designed to combat every sign of aging. For the more daring, botox and collagen injections can instantly erase years-- and lines.
Whether you are in your 20s or 30s and are just facing the earliest signs of aging, or your face is already showing the signs of many years of laughter and heartache, now is the perfect time to develop an anti aging skin care regimen. The writers and editors of LoveToKnow Skin Care are dedicated to giving you the information you need to stay youthful and vibrant at any age.
For more information about the senior years and healthy aging, be sure to visit LTK Seniors.
