Clear Skin 101

1) The problem: oil
You’re constantly fighting shine, your skin is greasy to the touch and your makeup never lasts past noon.

Quick fix: Avoid heavy, oil-based makeup. “It can stimulate the sebaceous glands,” says Joanna Schlip, a celebrity makeup artist for Physicians Formula who has worked with Jessica Simpson and Ellen Pompeo. Instead, choose a light, water-based foundation—a skin-friendly formula made for oily skin. After spreading foundation evenly over your face with a synthetic brush, dab on pressed powder with talc using a sponge or puff to help absorb excess oil. Rather skip powders and foundations? Try a powder-free blotting papers.

Skin tip: Avoid a high-sugar diet, which is believed to increase oiliness and encourage acne flare-ups.


2) The problem: acne
You know the signs: small, red pimples, whiteheads, blackheads and, in more severe cases, nodules, cysts and scarring.

Quick fix: Cover up each pimple with Cream Concealer in Soft Green to neutralize redness, then blend it in with a clean concealer brush. Next, grab a natural-bristled foundation brush and dust on a micro-fine layer of loose mineral powder to even out your skin tone. “Mineral-based formulas are fragrance-, preservative-, dye- and talc-free,” says Schlip, “so they’re less likely to irritate acne-prone skin.” Studies have shown that minerals such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide can actually speed up skin’s healing time.

Skin tip: Breaking out? Avoid hydrating masques and facials until your complexion calms down.


3) The problem: big pores
Enlarged pores can be caused by whiteheads, blackheads or past acne scars, and they’re tough to hide.

Quick fix: “Primers are the best way to fill in uneven skin,” says Schlip. “Warm up a dot between your fingers and spread it over areas that need it most.” Apply primer in the morning with clean hands across the top of your cheeks, around your nose and on your chin. Finish with a dusting of loose mineral powder for a natural look.

Skin tip: Avoid ultra-shimmery cosmetics; they magnify pitted skin.


4) The problem: dull skin
Grey, pasty, sallow—call it what you will, but dull skin is instantly aging. Here’s what it takes to coax back a youthful glow.

Quick fix: Begin with an illuminating mineral powder. “These sheer finishing powders are even more lightweight than loose mineral foundations,” says Schlip, “and they give you a healthy luminous finish.” Tap your foundation brush for one application and apply in a circular motion over your entire face. Follow up with a soft sweep of your favourite blush. “To me, blush is the quickest route to younger, fresher-looking skin,” says Schlip.

Skin tip: Don’t forget to wear sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. The more sun damage you acquire, the duller your skin will look.



Find more tips and tricks in FLARE’s July issue.

Essential acne-fighting products

Gentle cleanser that removes dirt and makeup without stripping the skin’s natural moisture. Dry and irritated skin is prone to breakouts.
Toner to remove impurities and balance the skin.
Oil-free or acne-fighting moisturizer to leave skin soft and supple.
Spot-treatment to clear existing blemishes.
Top active ingredients
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid that comes from white willow bark. This mild acid breaks down blackheads and whiteheads by peeling the top layer of skin and clearing blocked pores. It's also a keratolytic agent, which means that it has both exfoliating and antiseptic properties and can assist in shedding dead skin cells that can cause acne when they mix with dirt and sebum.
Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most powerful anti-acne medications, designed to treat multiple acne-causing factors. Naturally antibacterial and antiseptic, benzoyl peroxide helps to reduce the P. acnes bacteria on the skin that's responsible for causing acne in many people. It also contains exfoliating properties that slough off the top layer of dead skin cells, encouraging normal production of cells. Additionally, benzoyl peroxide has an oxidizing property that dries excess oil and sebum on the skin’s surface.

Au revoir

Asian skin care

Asian skin tends to be smooth and poreless with yellow undertones. The skin is more prone to irritation. Commonly used preservatives, fragrances and alcohol suitable for Caucasian skin can actually cause irritation when used on Asian skin. The skin has larger pores than Caucasian skin. Asian skin has a greater need for daily exfoliation to minimize the appearance of pores and even out skin tone and texture. It is more prone to acne. Certain cosmetic grade oils and esters are not suitable for Asian skins because they are easily trapped in pores causing a blockage of cellular debris and acne.

Generally, hyperpigmentation (dark spots) has an earlier onset than wrinkles and laxity (loss of firmness) on Asian skin. Pre-mature aging is less common. This explains why Asians are more concerned about skin lightening than they are about age spot treatment, which in turn is the concern of Caucasians. Skin color becomes darker with age—a function of both melanin content and hemoglobin (red blood cells) level on the skin. The Japanese have the lightest skin tone, and therefore have low melanin content and skin redness. Indians have the darkest skin tone, and therefore high melanin content and skin redness. Filipino (Malay) skin is somewhere in between. More women consider their skin acne-prone and sensitive in the summer. But while acne-prone and sensitive skin go together, the younger ones skew to the former and the older to the latter. Skin moisture decreases with age, and is exacerbated in less humid months. While it is associated with less skin moisture and more irritation, Asian skin is generally in good condition during cooler months. This is perceived to be the result of reduced sun exposure, making skin color lighter or less yellow, and improving biomechanical properties (i.e. elasticity) and structures (i.e. collagen). There is a slight increase in skin oil at this time since oil glands are working harder to compensate for lower skin moisture. As a result, fewer wrinkles are observed. Skin turns yellowish with age. This is more pronounced in Chinese and Korean skin than other racial groups. However, Filipino (Malay) skin is most sallow to begin with. Asian skin oiliness is associated with humid environment as well as high usage of foundation/powder.

The essential issue for Asian skins is finding a base that is predominantly yellow based, without being too warm and orange. Asian skin basically has yellow undertones. To get that perfectly flawless, natural look, you must wear a foundation with a yellow base. When Asian women wear foundations that are too pink or orange they often end up looking ashy and two-toned. Foundation should have yellow tones in it. Try mixing a yellow tint foundation with a shade to get the color that works best with your skin. Blues, reds and purples look beautiful on Asian skin.
Technically, not all Asians need yellow-based foundation because Asian skin has the widest pigment range. Some are even paler than most Whites. Generally speaking, however, most Asians look more natural in yellow-based foundation, as do women of all race. While most companies claim to have yellow based foundation formulas, some are more natural looking than others. Some err on being too yellow while others are still too pink.

Right shade of foundation tends to look darker in its bottle than its true color upon application. Trial-and-error is the only way to find the right shade for you. But for everyday use, tinted moisturizer may be all that you need. The color of tinted moisturizer need not be exact because their spread is so sheer, and it's good for your skin too.

Asians in general are no more oily than non-Asians but acording to dermatologists, Asian American women tend to have oilier skin than recent Asian immigrants. Some dermatologists blame this on higher fat content in our diet. It is common knowledge that diet does not directly affect skin condition, except when it is poor enough to affect one's overall health. Unexpected pimples may signal stress, hormonal imbalance, or internal health problems.

For more info, visit the http://www.health-cares.net/ website.

Aloe Vera for Oily skin?!

Aloe Vera may Improve Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, nobody has to tell you that it's a hassle. Your face is almost always shiny and greasy, and you have trouble finding make-up that will stay put. If you wash your face so it feels clean, you run the risk of stripping it of essential oils, causing it to actually become oilier over time. Your skin is in sebum production over-drive, with no end in sight.

What you need to do, instead of cleaning from the outside, is to find ways to slow down the rate of sebum production. Sebum is the thick oily substance produced by oily skin. Sebum clogs your pores and leads to breakouts.

Did you know that aloe vera can actually balance the sebum production of your skin? While you should check with your doctor before taking any skin care advice [from anyone else], you might ask if aloe vera gel might work for you.

If it does, you'd wash your face as usual, and apply aloe vera gel afterwards. Aloe vera has natural anti-inflammatory properties, and it is said to balance sebum production. When your skin is producing less sebum, your oily skin should diminish or may disappear all together.

Aside from aloe vera, remember to eat a balanced diet and to drink plenty of water each day. Ask your doctor if aloe vera may be the right natural oily skin remedy for you.

Courtesy of skinproblems.skincaresmarts.com/ website.

Improve Eczema

Rosehip Oil May Reduce Scarring, Improve Eczema

Rosehip oil is obtained from pressing wild roses until the petals release oil. This type of oil contains more than 75% of the fatty acids necessary to moisturize skin, repair damaged skin, and to regenerate skin cells. According to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, if your skin is lacking these essential fatty acids, your skin will be dehydrated, dry, and will not heal as it should.

While roses have been long valued for their beautiful flowers and wonderful smell, they also have significant medicinal benefits. Rosehips are high in Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C destroys the harmful free radicals which can lead to skin damage and premature aging.

Rosehip oil was first studing in 1983 by a group of researchers in Chile, who followed 180 patients over a period of two years. Patients in this study had recently undergone surgery or were recovering from severe burns, so their skin was scarred. Researchers found that regular application of rosehip oil helped scars heal faster, and to fade more quickly. Rosehip oil helped the skin heal more quickly, with notable improvements in skin elasticity and luminosity at the same time. Other research has noted that rosehip oil effectively reduced raised and bumpy scars.

It has also been shown to be effective in calming the symptoms of eczema, and has been shown to decrease aging and improve the appearance of wrinkles.

Courtesy of the skinproblems.skincaresmarts.com/ website.

Asian skin

What's Different About Asian Skin?

When we consider the topic of ethnic skin care, there is more too it than just considering color of the skin. Different ethnic groups have distinctive skin type characteristics, and these characteristics determine what kind of skin care routines will work best.

For example, Asian skin, compared to other skin types, tends to be smoother, with a yellowish undertone. The pores may be less visible over the face, but tend to be larger on the cheeks and around the nose. As a result, Asians are often prone to acne in these areas. Asians are also prone to developing dark spots as they age, and their skin can benefit from exfoliation to reduce pore size and even out skin tone. Asian skin tends to scar more easily than other types of skin, and it is prone to hyperpigmentation under most kind of laser treatments.

Asian skin tends to have the widest pigment range of all the skin types. Interestingly enough, Asian American women have oilier skin than Asian women who have recently immigrated- this is thought to be linked to greater amounts of fat in the American diet.

Asian skin is also very prone to irritation from preservatives in cosmetics and cleaners. Extra care should be taken when using mineral or mineral based products.

For more info visit the skintypes.skincaresmarts.com/website.

Homemade Anti-Acne Mask

Julie Gabriel, author of Clear Skin: Organic Action Plan for Acne comes to the rescue with a couple of homemade acne-busting face masks that will help zap those zits. The lemon juice in the Lemon Egg White Mask serves as a bleaching agent for minor facial discolorations, while the egg whites help sop up extra facial oil, while healing and rebuilding skin with their protein-rich content.

In the vegan-friendly Oatmeal Onion Mask, onion acts as an inflammatory agent and helps block the overproduction of collagen that results in nasty acne scarring. Meanwhile, oatmeal penetrates deeply into pores, cleansing the excessive cell buildup that clogs pores.

Lemon Egg White Mask

1. Crack an egg and remove the yolk. Beat the egg whites in a shallow bowl.
2. Cut a fresh lemon in half and squeeze juice into the bowl, mixing it in with the egg whites to form a dense paste.
3. Apply to a clean face and allow to dry for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse face and pat dry with a towel.

Oatmeal Onion Mask

1. Cook 1/2 cup of plain, unsweetened oatmeal. Set aside to chill.
2. Peel 1 medium onion and finely shred in a food processor, making a smooth puree. Add it to the cooked oatmeal while it is still warm.
3. If the mask is not thick enough, add some honey or green clay until it is thick enough to sit comfortably on your face.
4. Store the mask in the fridge for up to one week.

Courtesy of Planet Green website

Perfect skin & Acne free

Hygiene is not everything when it comes to problems of the skin. Acne can appear even on the cleanest and properly cared skin. When acne appears, the oil in the skin becomes blocked in the pores with dirt and bacteria. Because it cannot reach the surface, pimples appear in the area affected.Basically, there are two major problems of the skin, when the oil is blocked in the pores of the follicles of the skin. These are blackheads and whiteheads. The difference between them is that the whiteheads appear when the excess of sebum, combined with dirt and bacteria is blocked below the surface of the skin, while blackheads appear when the mentioned combination exists beneath the layer of the skin. The black color is caused by melanin. There are not exact explanation for the appearance of acne as it seems that many people, regardless of age, gender or skin color are affected by it.

Teenagers are especially tormented by acne, but some adults may have some bad experiences with it, too. Acne appearing on teenagers' faces has a strong relation with the evolution of hormones in the young bodies. For them, it becomes a sort of an emotional problem, so they also need some emotional support, aside physical aid to treat acne. The appearance of their skin is important for them, so acne can act as a dampener for self esteem.

Usually, acne appears on the face, but some other parts of the body can have trouble with acne, too. The good news is that, with acne being such a common problem, there are many treatments that do not need any prescriptions and that can be used successfully for preventing acne. Here are some treatments you can use in case you want to fight acne efficiently: you can try a chemical peel, a procedure consisting of peeling off the skin very lightly, but enough to get rid of a superficial layer of skin. According to your skin type, the chemical peel may vary. Some severe cases of acne may require a more drastic solution, like plastic surgery, which can be used to get rid of it. But if you only have the usual problems that anybody else has, the over the counter solutions are the best for you. They may work wonders against blackheads and whiteheads alike. It does not matter which one you have, zits, pimples, whiteheads or blackheads, they do not look good at all on your skin and you must get rid of them.

For a flawless skin, here are some ideas that can help you in the process. First, use a skin cleansing routine that works for you. It is possible to have used a lot of products until you have found the one that works great for your skin. Try using the same product.Your skin needs cleansing and moisturizing, so give it what it needs. According to your skin type, choose a cleanser, as well as some medication with salicylic acid or basic benzyl peroxide. Avoid rubbing the skin, instead wash it gently and clean it well. After you are done with the cleansing, you can use a moisturizer to make the skin hydrated. Do not touch the area with acne. Go see a dermatologist to find out what you can do more for a perfect skin. Maybe the medications and the solutions on the market have not proven good results in your case. Then you must see a doctor to tell you what to do in order to get rid of a severe case of acne.

Being healthy on the inside is reflected outside, too. So eat healthy and keep you daily cleansing routine. You will achieve a great skin, without acne or ugly pimples.


Graham Lavery is the Editor and Publisher of Article. Check out http://www.articleclick.com/ for more information.

10 min facial tea bag?!

Tea is not just for drinking. Aside from being freshening and cleanse the intestine, tea can be use as a facial. The steam will nourish the skin. Since tea is good for the body, it is also good for your face! It's very economical, very easy and fast! 10 minutes is all you need! A cheap and fast way to have a steamy facial at the comfort of your own home and at any time you want! Not to mention it's all natural products. Why not try it?!

Ingredients:
1 chamomile teabag, 1 peppermint teabag, 3 cups boiling water

Direction:
1. Place the teabags in a large bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow to steep 2 minutes.
2. Place a clean towel over your head and the bowl, being sure to keep your face at least 8 inches away from the surface of the water.
3. Steam 10 minutes.


Au revoir