February 18th, 2009
Winter brings its own charms. Snowboarding, skiing or simply lazing by the fireside are the major attractions of this climate. But winter is very bad for your skin. Mercury dropping, freezing winds and high degree of heating in your home can dry out your skin and lead to cracking of face, lips hands and feet. But by taking some simple precautions, you can protect your skin from the winter damage.
Keeping the skin properly hydrated is the key to maintain a glowing skin during the winter. Cold air is drier and leads to your skin drying and cracking very easily. To counter this problem, moisturize more frequently than during the summer. Buy a humidifier to replenish the moisture in your home.
Do not be tempted by enjoying a hot shower in the cold days. Hot water evaporates rapidly, and can dry your skin. Use lukewarm water for your shower. Apply a moisturizer immediately after coming out from the shower. This will seal in the moisture from your skin.
Use gentle liquid face wash instead of soap, to clean your face. Soap can have a dehydrating effect on your skin. Choose products like aloe and glycerin, which are hydrating agents. They replenish the moisture in your skin.
Cover your face and body from cold and wind while venturing out. Apply lip protection frequently to prevent chapping. Do not forget to apply sunscreen as the ultraviolet rays are present even during winter and the snow can reflect the sun’s rays, causing damage to the skin.
Moisturize and then cover your feet with light cotton socks while going to bed to treat dry feet. Covering enables the pores of the skin to absorb moisturizer effectively.
Minimize the use of antibacterial gels and wipes. They consist of alcohol, which can dehydrate the skin.
Tags: Skin Care Tips, Winter Skin Care
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February 18th, 2009
Aromatherapy is an ancient science of using the oils extracted from the different parts of the plant to heal various maladies. The aromatherapy oils are called essential oils. If you think that just because these oils are extracted from the plants, you can simply apply to you skin directly, you are wrong. These oils are highly concentrated and can have adverse reactions, if applied directly to your skin. If you are using these oils for inhalation purpose, use caution. Pour a few drops of oil on the tissue or a cotton ball that you can hold under your nose.
Skin care is one of the areas that have made extensive use of aromatherapy. Here we give the methods for facial cleansing and cell regeneration.
FACIAL STEAM: Put 3-5 drops of essential oil in a teaspoon of milk or honey and dissolve it in a pint of steaming hot water. Pour this steaming hot solution in a stainless steel bowl and lean over it with face directly above the bowl. Cover your head with a towel to prevent the steam from escaping into the air. Inhale the steam and relax till the water-cools down. You can also put the oils in a facial steamer. As these oils do not dissolve in water, you should use a dispersant, before adding to a facial steam or bath. Water can result in the oils penetrating your skin very quickly, leading to irritation of the sensitive or damaged skin.
FACIAL MASQUE: Put 2-3 drops of essential oils in moistened clay, honey, mashed avocado, or egg white. Wet your face lightly and apply this masque. Keep it on for 10-15 minutes till it starts drying and hardening slightly. Wash your face properly to remove the masque completely. Your face will appear and feel well toned, fresh and hydrated. Do this process every week.
FACIAL OIL BLEND: Depending on the type of your skin, choose an essential oil blend. Add not more than 10 drops of this oil to an ounce of carrier oil. You can use any type of oil as carrier oil, including vegetable oil. Frankincense is suitable for any skin type, German Chamomile is ideal for sensitive skin and Rose and Frankincense work wonders for aging skin. Apply this oil blend lightly to the areas of your face that you want to nurture and heal.
If used properly, essential oils are totally natural, safe and effective method of improving your overall health. They can yield excellent results where all other methods have flopped. But these oils are very expensive. There are cheaper imitations of these oils available in the market. They contain harmful chemicals that do not have any medicinal use. Avoid them and instead opt for ethically wild crafted or pure, organic essential oils, free from pesticide.
Tags: Essential Oils, Essential Oils for Skin
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