Dry Skin Care

Whether you've got dry skin -- or oily skin -- you must keep your skin hydrated to keep it healthy!

Dry skin care begins inside -- if you're not drinking enough water, your skin will show it! Moisturizer creams will help -- but your skin draws most of its moisture from inside your body, not from the outside; this is why proper hydration is so critical.

Also, consider that your body is suffering if not properly hydrated; your other organs aren't getting enough water, either! Your body will "take" water from less critical organs (like your skin) to reserve it for more vital organs (like your heart) -- making dry skin issues even worse.

Although moisturizing isn't as important as proper hydration -- it's still important! It's particularly important to use moisturizers at night -- they won't rub off as they might during the day. Your skin also renews itself when your sleeping -- making nighttime moisturizing habits even more effective.

Daytime use can also be effective -- moisturizers act as a protective boundary between your skin and harmful pollutants and irritants. A thin and light application is fine -- you don't need thick slathering!

While we're trying to keep irritants away from our skin, let's start with what is next to our skin -- our moisturizers and makeup! Natural products mean less irritation! If your skin is particularly irritated, you might try replenishing some of the natural oils it needs. Ordinary vitamin E oil works well -- even under makeup!

Pick The Right Color

When selecting eye shadow, think about your natural eye color.

In general, you want to compliment your natural eye color. For instance, blue eyes are rather cool -- so a brown or rosey shade offers a warming component. Brown eyes, then, are already warm -- so cool them off a bit with a gold or green shade. Exotic green eyes work well with lavender .. although a natural mocha builds drama. Hazel eyes are enhanced with pale yellow or deep green.

Think both brow bones and eyelids -- you may want lighter shades on the brow and darker shades on the eyelids. Light eyeliners also tend to make your eyes appear brighter.

Look Younger -- or Older!

A recent study published in "Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery" discussed what lifestyle factors make you look older -- or younger!

Things you might want to think about:

Cigarettes: If you ignore every other bad effect from smoking, you're left with ... smoking cigareets makes you look older! Just smoking for 5 years is enough to start seeing the effect! Each 10 years of smoking adds about 2 and a half years to your appearance. So ... if you smoke for 40 years, you'll look 10 years older than your natural age!

Divorce: Divorce is a stressful period -- and stress ages you! Curiously, becoming a widow (or a widower) results in a more youthful appearance! It's about a 2 year difference each way.

Body-mass index: Some surprises here -- too much weight makes you look older ... until you reach about age 40. At that point, you begin to look younger!

Alcohol: Like smoking, alcohol drinkers look older than non-drinkers.

Hormone replacement: Twins who used hormone replacements (ie, estrogen or progesterone) for a number of years looked 2 years younger than their siblings who did not receive such treatments.

Antidepressants: Like tobacco and alcohol, antidepressant usage results in a significantly older appearance.

The study compared the appearance of twins when each practiced different lifestyle factors.

Summary? Even more reasons to stay away from cigarettes, alcohol, and antidepressants. You might try to keep your youthful weight -- but you really need to accept those few extra pounds once you reach middle age; it'll make you look better!

Treat Dry Skin Naturally

Itchy, flaky, dry skin -- whether your face, your hands, elbows, feet, or anywhere else -- happen because ... well, the skin is "dry"! It has lost moisture.

This can happen for many reasons -- genetic, nutritional, environmental, medicinal, and others. To be absolutely safe, you should consult your doctor to see if you have dry skin or possibly something more serious -- dermatitis, eczema, or possibly even psoriasis. Knowing what you have helps you determine the proper treatment.

To be sure, the most likely cause is simply dry skin ... but it's best to be sure.

To treat dry skin, first ensure you practice proper nutrition and hydration. Drink ample amounts of water -- most people don't drink enough. Improper hydration is a major cause of dry skin.

Review your nutrition and vitamin intake -- especially Vitamin A. If your diet lacks green vegatables, you're probably lacking Vitamin A. Consider a good daily multi-vitamin tablet -- as well as modifying your diet.

Finally, consider what skin cleansing products you use. If you use soap -- then you've probably got a problem. Most soaps are simply too harsh for your skin -- soaps are great for washing dishes and clothes, but your skin is another story entirely.

The safest soaps for your skin are those with NO synthetics or chemicals -- look for all-natural ingredients. All natural cleansers will help hydrate and moisturize your skin.

Essentally, if you use a soap you see advertised on TV, you probably should stop using it! Spend a little more time and try an all natural type! Your skin will show the difference after a short time!

Cure Wrinkles - Naturally!

People haven't changed much over the years -- folks from hundreds of years ago (just like folks today) wanted attractive skin. There were no local beauty counters to visit, so people relied on natural remedies.

Yes, "natural" -- there are behavioral remedies as well as nutritional aids. There's no reason you can't begin trying these aids now!

You might start by visiting your kitchen -- any eggs or olive oil? This was a common facial mask -- just mix a little bit of olive oil into a beaten egg. Spread this on your face; let it dry. Use a cotton ball and lukewarm water (perhaps mixed with a little baking soda) to gently remove the mask.

Vegatable or fruit peels were also popular. You might take a peach peel and rub the moist inner portion of the peel against your face. Don't scrub -- just rub gently. This not only cleans your face, but also has a tightening efffect. When peaches are no longer in season, try a cucumber peel with a little lime juice instead.

Don't like putting food on your face? Then how about putting food where it belongs -- in your body ... just make sure it's good, nutritious food. Stay hydrated -- drink plenty of water -- and eat a healthy varied diet. Don't run from healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. These natural fats are a great natural wrinkle cure.

No secret that stress and fatique cause wrinkle woes -- so work on this! Perhaps there's not much you can do about a stressful lifestyle -- but you can certainly work on getting enough sleep. Count up your hours -- and see if you can't stretch your sleeptime by an hour or two. Most people don't get enough sleep -- and results are bags and circles. Get enough sleep and these problems will disappear.

Would you feel more comfortable applying a product from a bottle? Just because natural cures exist in your kitchen doesn't mean they're not available at the store. Examine the ingredients of your cosmetic care products -- shop for those with natural ingredients.

Sometimes skin care products made with natural ingredients will cost a little more than your normal products -- just ask, "It's my skin -- am I worth it?" and it'll make your decision a little easier!

Are Your Products Safe?

Are your cosmetics and skin care products safe? Sure, it's the one you saw advertised on TV ... it's a brand name and you even paid extra for it! But -- do you know how safe it really is? How does it compare to other products?

Thanks to the Cosmetics Database you can now find out! Just visit Cosmetic Safety Reviews (click it to see it) and you can search and compare your makeup, soap, hair care, fragrances, and all your other cosmetic, nutritional, and skin care products to see how they rate in the safety database!

This database is kept current by the non-profit group, Skin Deep. "Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 41,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind."

Give it a try and you'll likely be very surprised. When I searched it, I found many of the "high quality" skin care products I used actually rated very poorly for safety!

Cosmetics ... and Acne!

Sounds simple -- if we know what causes acne, we simply need to avoid that behavior to avoid acne, right? Well, the problem is that we really don't know exactly what causes acne -- although we know many of the involved factors.

And guess what -- one of those factors is makeup! Acne reflects clogged skin pores ... and the wrong cosmetics will cause your pores to clog.

How to avoid it? Well, the best way is to take care of your skin. Keep your skin clean -- wash your face at least twice a day. Always make sure you remove all traces of makeup -- if you leave no residue, it can't clog anything.

How's this -- don't use hot water when you wash your face! Instead, use cold or lukewarm water. Hot water can irritate your skin and leave your pores open. This makes it easier for bacteria to enter. Be sure and always finish up washing by rinsing your face with cold water.

Use soap, but choose a soap with an added moisturizing lotion. You may have to pay a little extra for face soap -- but regular commercial "shower grade" soaps may contain harsh ingredients that strip moisture from the skin.

Wash your face -- don't scrub it! Gentlely stroke your face to avoide scratching. Hard scrubbing can actually irritate an existing acne condition.

Finally, look for oil-free cosmetics with natural ingredients. This lessens the chance of clogging pores and may leave your skin healthier. Many folks want to use cosmetics to "hide" imperfections -- but where are these imperfections coming from in the first place? Use the right cosmetics and you can help eliminate the imperfections in the first place!

Instant Wrinkle Remover?

We all want a fast fix in this world -- and we love hearing about magic remedies. So ... is there really such a thing as an instant wrinkle remover?

Fast fix deserves a fast answer -- no, there is no such thing. Sorry -- but, there are things you can do to help reduce wrinkles and lines and help prevent new ones from occurring.

Remember, wrinkles are going to happen; they're a natural part of the aging process. What you can do is help prevent premature wrinkles -- ones that are due to your lifestyle -- from appearing.

Be wary of envivonmental factors -- like excessive exposure to dust and air pollution. This will cause wrinkling over time.

Facial expressions -- like excessive squinting or frowning -- will cause lines around the mouth and forehead.

Keep the quality of your skin high by ensuring proper doses of vitamin E.

Sun damage is a huge factor -- the sun's UV rays will damage your skin. Be sure and use proper sun blocks when going out in the sun.

Don't smoke -- there are loads of reasons not to smoke, but did you realize that free radicals caused by cigarette smoke are harmful to your skin? Smoking is bad for your health -- and your complexion! If you smoke -- quit! If you don't, then don't start!

Make Makeup Bags!

Not quite cosmetics -- but certainly in the same family!

Interested in making your own makeup or cosmetics bag? If you're handy with knitting or sewing, this is something you can easily do.

Make bags in different sizes -- small clutches for your purse, something larger for your luggage, maybe even a shaving kit for a guy -- there are plenty of patterns in craft stores. Or -- you can try one of these free pattern/tutorials!

Looking to exercise your sewing skills -- how about
A Quick Makeup Bag; use scraps from your fabric stash and have a bag ready in an hour!

Is knitting your thing? How about this compact, felted cosmetics clutch?

Here's something a little larger -- suitable for a weekend trip or even a guy's shaving bag.

Green Cosmetics!

Folks are going green everywhere nowadays -- how about you and your makeup, too! The argument's the same -- do something that's not only good for the planet, but is good for you, too!


How? Well, vegetable-based cosmetics, mineral makeups, and other natural beauty and cosmetic products are good for you, avoid harming the planet, and (in the case of mineral makeup) involve no animal testing!

While the green craze is new, makeup isn't. Folks have been embellishing their appearance since ... well, darn near forever! Most ancients used mineral makeups -- for instance, ancient Egyptians used finally powdered ochre as well as powdered malachite to accent their eyes. They also outlined their eyes with a sooty substance known as kohl (a substance still in use today!)

Folks also find their resistance to chemical products is being pushed to the limits nowadays. Natural cosmetic products mean less stress on your body.
Be aware that simply being "natural" or "mineral" based may not be enough -- some cosmetics add chemical processing that go from harmless beginnings to yield undesirable finished products.

Since the processing phase must be carefully implemented, chemical free cosmetics often cost more than commercially produced cosmetics. You have to base your decision not only on cost -- but also on the health of you and the planet. Many folks feel this isn't really a "cost" -- it's an "investment"!

Buying Cosmetics Online?

Want a winning approach? Buy cosmetics online! Want a losing approach? Buy cosmetics online!

It's true you can find great quality and prices with online purchase -- but it's also true you can run into lots of trouble. Here are a few thing to consider to help ensure a smooth purchasing experience!



First, be sure exactly what it is you want to buy. You'll find so many choices and options that it's easy to get sidetracked into unwanted buys.

If you're looking for specific items you may find the best luck concentrating on companies who specialize in your item. For instance, rather than search for "makeup" or "cosmetics", search on "glitter fingernail polish" or "anti-aging moisturizers".

You'll find the set of selections much easier to deal with!

Next, be wary who you purchase from. If the site looks like it was started yesterday, it probably was! If the site is run by an individual or a non-manufacturer or merchant, you won't have a feel for how current your item may be. It might have been stored away way past it's shelf life!

Check for a satisfactory return policy!

Next, just say "NO" -- don't ever buy used cosmetics! Just don't do it -- and if you're buying off "Ebay", be sure and ask enough questions to satisfy you that the item is a new and current item.

Also remember you don't have to go this alone -- use the power of numbers and experience. Many women have posted their purchasing experiences online -- use this information! Read their recommendations to find good sources and good deals. Learn who to stick with -- and who to steer away from!

Finally, don't forget about shipping charges! Online prices often look very tempting when you forget to take shipping into account. If you're purchasing from an in-state source, you'll likely have sales taxes tacked on top of your total as well!