Face Skin Care Products

When it comes to looking your best, the first thing on everyone’s mind is usually reversing the aging process. As we get older, our skin gets more and more wrinkled and there’s not much we can do about it. Until now, that is. Now, more products are being released to rejuvenate the skin and literally turn back the clock. These creams and vitamins reverse the aging process, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and, put simply, make us look younger. Anti aging skin care is the use of these products and it can definitely help us to look younger, more vibrant as well as help us look our very best.

Many Products Available

There’s nothing to it, really. There are many creams, vitamins and other products available that are sold wherever cosmetics are sold. It used to cost a fortune to follow an anti aging skin care program. Now, however, their products are everywhere. You should be able to find some anti aging products that are within your budget.

It should be noted that using anti aging skin care products is only half the battle. There are other factors that have influence on how we look and feel, such as diet and how much sleep we get each night. When it comes to looking our best, nothing beats eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of sleep and drinking lots of water. If you do all that and you follow an anti aging skin care program on top of it all, you’ll be closer to looking your best than ever before.

Hollywood’s Youthful Obsession

Hollywood is obsessed with looking younger and, just as it has been throughout history, people want to emulate movie stars. For this reason, anti aging skin care products are sold in most departments and drug stores all over the world. It is the latest craze and, unless you have the money for expensive surgery and other anti aging procedures, skin care should be your first line of defense.

So, the next time you’re out with your friends and they tell you there’s something different about you, that you look great, you can either tell them about your new skin care program or you can simply shrug and tell them you’re not sure. Maybe you just started getting a little more sleep each night. You can either tell them or hold the secret to yourself. The point is, you’re going to look your best and everyone will want to know your secret.

During my career as a registered nurse, I learned a lot over the years about acne, acne scars, and acne treatments. Almost 100% of people between the ages of twelve and seventeen have at least occasional breakouts of whiteheads, blackheads or a pimple, now and then. Natural treatment methods are always a better choice for acne due to less exposure to drugs and chemical-laden acne products.

For most people, acne goes away by age 30, but people in their forties and fifties still get acne. Baby acne is a rash seen on the cheeks, chin, and forehead of infants. Acne is most common in teenagers and young adults. There are several different types of acne. Nearly 80 percent of people from ages 11 to 30 years have acne, most often on the face, chest and back.

Acne, zits, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads and many other skin disorders are usually, but not always, the result of a bad diet. I think the cause of acne is related to our Standard American Diet (SAD) and that would also influence all our hormones.

The liver sluffs off toxins from bad foods, drinks, drugs and chemicals and sends them through your skin resulting in skin eruptions, acne, pimples and other skin disorders. Scientists are looking at ways to prevent plugs and ways to stop testosterone from causing acne, if it truly does.

One helpful remedy seems to be to use ice to reduce the swelling caused by inflamed pimples: rub it over the blemishes for 2-3 minutes. If you’re going to buy acne products, it’s much more worth your while to buy acne-treating products that work against current pimples and that also fight against the occurrence of new ones. Coconut is one of the best treatments I’ve found for acne.

Skin care acne treatment is one of the most misunderstood topics there is when it comes to acne skin care. Treatment with raw apple cider vinegar will work better on your skin if it isn’t already noticeably irritated from acne medicines, acne products or other failed treatment.

Coconut oil is very inexpensive, therefore, a good, cheap home remedy. Never underestimate the healing, restorative power of a good night’s sleep.

Acne scars result from increased tissue formation, response to the inflammation of acne and loss of tissue. Whether acne scarring is deep or superficial, extensive or scattered, the end result can be less than desirable and even disturbing. The type and depth of acne scars influences the choice of treatment.

People with skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, and psoriasis often suffer from constipation. When you change your diet, your lesions should be getting better within 30 days. Some alternative doctors recommend eating raw cloves of garlic daily for acne.

Fatty acids are particularly important to people with dry skin. Consider taking cod liver oil or fish oil supplements every day. Use flaxseed oil or walnut oil in your salad.

Many skin conditions can be converted into healthy skin using natural home remedies. The skin is subject to constant attack from without, so can be affected by numerous conditions, diseases and ailments.

With cheap, safe, simple, natural, effective, alternative home treatments for acne and pimples, your skin should be well on its way to recovery. Analyze all the acne treatments available and make the best decision for you, based on your circumstances. Pick 2-3 home remedies or natural treatments and try them out on your skin carefully.

Acne is normal so there is no cause to panic. If you are one of those lucky people who have never had a problem with your skin earlier, you will probably be quite distressed. After all this time, when you thought you had escaped it, you finally have to come to terms with the reality of having an acne problem. But there is no need to get too upset about it. There are millions of people like you.

Generally speaking, acne is caused by hormonal disturbances that encourage the secretion of sebum in the skin. In a nutshell, the grease tends to attract dirt, clogging the pores, which then become inflamed, producing acne.

Acne, the wake up call? So it is clear that if you have developed acne, you need to take better care of your skin. This really involves very basic skin care routines. You do not need to do anything drastic. Make sure you eat a balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables, which will give you the vital nutrients you need to keep your skin healthy. It is crucial to drink plenty of water so that your skin is well hydrated.

Handy hints on dealing with your acne. Apart from this, it would help to wash your face with a mild soap, if you use soap at all. If your acne is painful, take care to dry your skin gently but thoroughly. You may also need to use a mild astringent if your skin is naturally greasy. You could follow this with a light moisturizer.

Hands off your acne! Remember that you must avoid touching your acne at all costs. In fact, it would be better to avoid touching your face altogether.

Stale makeup and acne are bitter enemies. If you use cosmetics, make sure that you remember to remove traces of makeup from your face. Stale makeup may clog pores, which could then get infected and result in an eruption of acne.

Tanning and grease; so bad for acne. If you are out in the sun, it would be best to use a good sunscreen. Do not use too many creams and oils on your face, particularly if you are fond of using cosmetics. Remember that the root cause of acne is the accumulation of sebum, so the best thing you can do is to keep your skin as free of grease as possible.

Stay calm, acne is not worth the stress. And then again, it is important to relax because if you do not you will build up stress. Although stress by itself cannot actually cause acne, when you are under stress, certain hormones are released into the skin, which could result in the appearance of acne.

Above all, remember not to fly off the handle. You must learn to be patient if you expect your acne to clear up. Do not make the mistake of looking for quick fixes. Such things can do more harm than good. After all that you have been through, particularly if you have come up against acne for the first time, it would be a pity to find that all the trouble you have been taking to care for your skin has come to naught.

Acne, your own experience. Once again, try not to compare the acne problem you have anyone else you know. Every individual has a particular skin type and his or her own unique experience with acne. While it helps to know that others have also had to deal with acne, possibly far worse than yours, do remember that your experience is yours alone. If you follow the tips that have been mentioned here, you should have a handle on your acne pretty soon.

Once you are able to see an improvement in the condition of your skin, you should feel confident that your acne is under control. But do remember that your acne did not turn up overnight. It has taken time to get to this point. Quite naturally, it will take time to clear up as well.

So do be patient and comfort yourself with the cheering thought that you have made progress after all. That is saying quite a lot, so do keep your spirits up and stay strong. It will be well worth the trouble.

DISCOVER WHAT IS HIDING IN YOUR BATHROOM!

(Part 2)

REVIEW FROM OUR LAST ARTICLE

In our first article we discussed the differences between popular buzz words used frequently in the cosmetic industry like pure, non-toxic, and natural. We contrasted the differences between these type of products and Seven Arrows Color Connection??s Toxic Free product line (http://www.toxictruth.com ). In this article we will discuss the harmful ingredients contained in the everyday products that we use and how they cause damage and harm to the biggest organ in our body ? the skin.

WHAT IS IN SYNTHETIC INGREDIENTS?

When you read most ingredient labels carefully you will find the majority of the ingredients listed there to be synthetic. In fact, most of the ingredients used are synthetic or artificial. Why? The answer, upon closer investigation is really very simple. The answer is money.

To plant, grow, harvest and otherwise create a truly ??natural? ingredient is time consuming, labor intensive and expensive. Natural ingredients, if not carefully controlled during the growing period could contain inconsistencies in their potency. That is to say, some crops may yield higher concentrations or strengths in the plant. This would impact the formula or end result of the product and could affect the consistency which would dramatically impact the end result.

The consumers could experience one jar that you only need to use a little of and another jar that you would have to use a lot of to achieve the same result. This could become very confusing to the consumer. Natural and pure could be better but may also produce challenges.

When an ingredient is created synthetically, there are a few things that can happen. First, you have control over the potency of the ingredient. Second, you have an abundance of it and because you have created it in a laboratory in huge amounts, it becomes less labor intensive meaning it is cheaper to produce than a naturally grown ingredient. Third and probably most important to the creators is that the process to create the ingredient can be patented. A patent means that you can produce it and sell it to hundreds of manufacturers. This means you can put it in your own product and sell it, but you can also sell the basic ingredient to every other personal care manufacturer to put in their products and make money off of it. It suddenly becomes a very lucrative business.

Although we do not believe big business and industry would intentionally try to ??poison? their consumers, if an ingredient has not been ??proven? to be hazardous and the claims that it might be harmful are only speculative, and if the company that manufactures it is making money off of it, they will continue to do so at our expense until it becomes so obvious that they have to package with disclaimers or take it off of the market completely. A perfect case in point is the tobacco industry.

First their products were distributed without any warning labels on them at all. Then the label said they might cause a health concern and then finally the label reads a huge warning that the surgeon general has proven that the product is harmful or fatal to your health. Finally there is a warning that has some teeth in it, but how many years did it take to get there? 40? 50? No matter, it was a long time.

The sad part of this story is that there were ??preliminary? warnings out there but because they could not be proven beyond any reasonable shadow of a doubt, they were seen as ??one sided and inaccurate?.

What kind of warnings have you heard about the ingredients in your personal care products? The parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, glycerins, sunscreens, etc. What warnings have you heard and ignored? Or, worse yet, what warnings have you NOT heard? What is being said about the products (or ingredients in the products) that you are using? How ??safe? are they? For more information on some of these ingredients and the damaging effects they have on your body, visit www.helpme.com.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Good News. With all of this information available to us, we may begin to think: ??What??s the Use?? Or worse yet; ??There??s nothing I can do?. Both of these statements would be incorrect and self defeating. There is plenty that you can do.

One of the purposes of this treatise is to inform and educate consumers of the actions they can take to safe guard their health. Ignorance is the worst excuse, whereas knowledge is power. The information offered here will help to arm you, the consumer, and make you wiser in your purchases.

The information in this article is helpful, however, the real remedy lies within you and the amount of education you are able to receive. The first place you should begin to discover what is really invading your body can be found on each and every label.

We read labels when it comes to food. We count carbs, grams of fat, cholesterol, etc. We are becoming a very food savvy generation and we are not afraid to ask for ??pure? bottled water with our ??natural? veggie burger and fresh garden salad with the fat free dressing on the side.

In other words, when it comes to food, we know what is good for us and what is not and we are not afraid or timid when it comes to giving instructions to restaurant owners and waitresses on what we will take into our bodies and what we will not.

WHAT GOES INSIDE?

The skin is the largest organ in our body. Each square centimeter is filled with:

? 6,000,000 cells

? 5,000 sensory points

? 100 sweat glands

? 15 sebaceous glands

Your skin IS the largest organ of your body, consisting of approximately 3000 sq. ft. Every square inch of your skin contains oil glands, sweat glands, thousands of nerve endings, millions of cells and several feet of small blood vessels.

The main functions of the skin are to keep out foreign substances, protect the underlying tissues from injury, maintain adequate moisture in the tissues, regulate body heat and temperature, and act as a receptor organ for the sensations of touch and pain, and aid in the elimination of water and waste materials.

In order to remain healthy and vibrant the skin must take in oxygen and nourishment, eliminate waste materials and reproduce new cells. One of the main functions of the skin is to protect the underlying tissues from bacteria or disease. Therefore, the surface of the skin is slightly acidic, which protects us against bacteria and environmental pollution.

When considering the skin and its functions, one of the most important things to understand is that the skin is an organ that absorbs chemicals. It is especially susceptible to petroleum chemicals.

It used to be thought in the 1960??s and early 70??s that the skin was an impenetrable shield. Many believed it was like an armadillo shell and that it would keep everything out. Modern research, however, has proven this is not the case.

The skin is an oil based organ and has an affinity to oil based substances such as petroleum. Research substantiates that these various ingredients are absorbed into and through the skin and that there are health risks associated with most cosmetic personal care, oral care, and household ingredients. Further medical research has established to what degree different substances can penetrate the skin.

Modern medicine delivers drugs internally through a process called trans dermal application. What that means is that you put a product onto your skin topically and because of its molecular structure, it is able to migrate through the skin, use the body??s own natural fluids to penetrate to the inner organs delivering the medication necessary to achieve the desired result.

This is a wonderful break through for modern medicine, but if they can deliver medication or other substances to the organs through a topical application, how many other chemicals or harmful ingredients are we absorbing into our internal organs every day? Is it any wonder that so many people are suffering from ??new? and different types of disorders? Wouldn??t it be possible for us to be ??poisoning? ourselves slowly without even knowing it?

The very same type of molecules that are used to make drug patches, like for motion sickness, breaking the nicotine habit or birth control are formulated to the very same molecular size that a PEG is made from. PEG stands for polyethylene glycol. Each number behind the PEG on a label indicates the molecular weight. The low numbers up to 400 may cause hives and aczema. PEG is made by ethoxylating Propylene Glycol and may contain dangerous levels of dioxins.

When you read the ingredient labels on the back of your personal care products, look for those ingredients that are labeled as a PEG. When you discover these ingredients, you will be looking at something that is designed to penetrate the skin. You will be looking at something that has also been designed to emulsify. This emulsification process takes place inside your skin using your own oil to emulsify with water which is, binding up the inside of your skin so that it doesn??t operate right.

Now you have a double problem. 1. Your skin doesn??t work correctly because it is bound up inside and, even worse yet, 2. You are delivering to your sensitive, tender, internal organs those ingredients that may deliver damage and even cause the organ to stop working altogether.

Because of the advances in the chemical industry, we are now able to make ingredients with a molecular structure so fine that it can penetrate the skin. Now, instead of the skin being the first line of defense and protecting the inside of the body from an invasion of harmful ingredients, it has become a ??carrier? organ that assists in delivering these harmful substances right to the very organs it was designed to protect! What is the end result? For many, it is weakness, poor health and in some instances, even death.

Seven Arrows Color Connection has spent years developing Toxic Free products. To learn how you can replace the toxins hiding in your bathroom with a better Toxic Free solution, visit our site at a http://www.toxictruth.com. You will also see a complete listing of our Toxic Free products and the ingredients in our products. If you do not notice a substantial difference in the look and feel of your skin and if you are not completely satisfied with our products in the first 30 days, we will refund your money 100% ? no questions asked.

The second in a series of 3 articles provided by Seven Arrows Color Connection and The Toxic Truth Website (http://www.toxictruth.com ).

Which is the Best Skin Care Product?

To determine which skin care product is the best you need to look for what will work best for your skin type rather than looking at price or popularity of a product. The best skin care product for you should be something that doesn’t dry out or irritate your skin. It is another good idea to make sure the product won’t damage your skin by checking for harmful ingredients.

If you know your skin type then you can determine the best skin care product by finding one that is suitable for your type of skin. However, it is best to remember that skin types will vary between individuals. You should determine what skin category you have including oily, normal, sensitive, dry or any combination of skin types.

Not only can your skin type help you find the right skin care product, but it helps narrow how many product choices you have. Through research and experimenting you will be able to find the product that works best for your skin type.

It is also helpful to know how skin products work. There are two categories for skin care products: active and inactive. Active ingredients help treat and revitalize your skin by penetrating the skin. Inactive ingredients are the ones that assist the active ingredients when they penetrate the skin. Often times both ingredients work well together. However, if you find one or the other of the ingredients doesn’t work for your skin then you probably won’t get the best results for your skin.

In order to get the full effect of skin care products you should know how to properly apply the product. Put on the suggested amount and follow the directions found on the label. By following the instructions you will be better able to determine if the product is effective for your skin. In addition, the effectiveness of a product depends on the environment you are in.

To get the best results from your skin care product you should try the following six tips:

1. Before you apply any skin care product you should take a shower or wash your face.

2. Consider using a make up remover rather than just plain water. Not all make ups are removed by water so washing with plain water will often leave behind make up residue. Another option for make up remover is a facial cleanser.

3. Make sure your skin is both hot and damp when you apply skin care products.

4. Do not over exfoliate your skin.

5. According to weather and skin type you may want to change your skin care product.

6. To find the best product for your skin type you should test various products until you find one that works for you.

For centuries, people are interested on anti-aging skin care treatment. The reason behind this fascination is men and women want to look young at whatever age one is and to remain healthy.

If you want to fight against aging process, you need to take care of your whole body, life style and diet. In this article, we will look at how we can age more slowly when it comes to our skin, and our body.

Any anti aging routine for the skin and body should look followings:

1. Reduce oxidative stress from our lifestyle

2. Antioxidants are very important for our skin. A proper diet and drinking of enough water is essential to generate enough antioxidants.

Modern fast life style creates enough psychological stress. Excessive physical and mental stress increases secretion of “aging hormones” such as cortisol, adrenaline, and the reduction of the “anti-aging hormone” DHEA. Research report shows that after a successful treatment of clinically depressed patient, patient looks younger.

You need to put anti-aging & anti wrinkle skin care into action to have gorgeous skin, which mean that, the rest of your body is becoming healthy as well.

What are the best skin care medicines/ointments?

Natural extracts and state-of-the art ingredients are the best source of effective and finest best skin care medicines.

A few of these products are listed below for your easy reference:

Deep Pore Cleansing Lotion with Liposomes is a fragrance- water-soluble formula. It is mild cleansers and provides nurturing vitamins to skin.

Revitalizing & Anti-Aging Cream is an amazing cream that combines the benefits of squalene, moisture regulating Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamins A, D and E with Glycolic Acid. It contains no mineral oil and is very effective on skin showing fine lines or wrinkles related to aging, including blemishes and discolorations.

Moisture Balance Nutri-Cream help to restore the skin’s natural moisture balance. Glycolipids and Rose Hip Seed Oil supply essential fatty acids.

Aloe Toner Blue with Rosewater has soothing and regenerative properties. It helps to maintain skin’s natural moisture balance while removing residue.

Face & Body Scrub with Papaya Enzymes sweep away dead surface cells and penetrate deeply to lift out impurities

Marine Mint Masque with Salicylic Acid is a powerful deep cleansing masque to remove oil and lift out impurities embedded in the skin.

Glycerin, combined with specialized acid and a highly active form of Collagen, are combined in this effective surface lubricating lotion to help inhibit fine lines by binding moisture to the skin cells.

Physical appearance usually becomes the innermost reflection of people, their lifestyles, and their personalities today. In a world where physical beauty matters, it’s not surprising that more and more people look for products that would maintain or even enhance their beauty.

One of the worst physical flaws people especially women consider is the occurrence of wrinkles and other visible signs of aging. And since they are more concerned about their physical appearances, women are more enthusiastic in trying different sorts anti-aging skin care treatments and products.

Causes of Aging

But despite all that has been discovered to help curb the aging process, no procedure or product has ever been discovered that is capable of completely stopping the aging process. This is not possible. The only thing that most procedures can do is to slow down the process or lessen the visible signs of aging.

The aging of the skin is actually caused by too much exposure to the sun as well as the loss of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. These two processes lead to the oxidation of collagen and the elastin fibers of the skin. The loss of these two substances in the skin will result to dimples on the skin and of course the sagging.

Prevention the natural way

There are of course natural ways that you can do to help prevent aging. One of which is the cliched combo of eating well and physical activity. However often you cringe at hearing this advice will not change the fact that these two are the primary things that can help you save those skins from sagging.

Eating fruits and vegetables especially those that are rich in Vitamin C and D will help in keeping the skin supple and moisturized. Foods with anti-oxidants are also helpful as this directly prevents oxidation.

Physical activity, on the other hand, helps by toning the muscles and keeping blood circulation going. This means that nutrients and minerals are distributed throughout the body.

They are more into using products and availing of treatments that would protect their skin against the aging effects of the environment.

MINIMIZING THE EFFECTS OF AGING

Studies show that the first thing you need to do if you think your skin is being damage by aging is to provide the it with the essential nutrients it needs and take care of it by using proper anti-aging skin care treatments.

Most dermatologists also agree that a person can help minimize skin aging and damage caused by years of being exposed to chemicals, free radicals in the body, and several environmental factors by discovering anti-aging skin care treatment or wrinkle free skin care that can give them younger looking and healthier skin.

With the help of modern science and technology, having a flawless skin is still possible today despite the environment damages the skin endures. Most experts agree that people can minimize premature aging of skin by arming themselves with knowledge about the aging process, its causes, and look for possible natural solutions like going back to healthy living by doing regular exercise, having balanced diet and developing a healthy lifestyle.

But if these natural options can no longer work, various anti-aging skin care treatments and programs are available in the market today. Here are some anti-aging skin care treatments and products that can help you regain that youthful look:

1. Anti-wrinkle creams. The use of anti-wrinkle creams is probably the best anti-aging skin care treatment there is. Various anti-wrinkle creams that have powerful antioxidants prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.

The use of such creams also help protect the skin against harmful free radicals in the body, the harmful effects of cosmetics, environmental damages. By using high-grade herbs and ingredients as major components, anti-wrinkle creams can minimize the spread of existing wrinkles and age spots by tightening the skin.

2. Anti-aging moisturizers. Since the ingredients of moisturizers penetrate deeply into the skin, the use of anti-aging moisturizers will help lessen the visible signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles and sun spots. These moisturizers also all to the skins hydration level depending on the person’s skin.

3. Anti-aging sunscreens. With today’s global warming, it is a must that people wear sunscreen or sun block to avoid the harsh rays of the sun. If you want to maintain a younger looking skin, look for anti-aging sunscreens that are suited for your skin type.

4. Antioxidants. Antioxidants through the use of vitamins or by eating foods that have high anti-oxidant content can help your skin cells bind the free radicals that usually cause aging or death of skin cells.

5. Exfoliants. When you reach the age of 30, the capability of your skin to exfoliate decreases. This is why it is quite important to avail of an external form of exfoliation to keep skin renewing itself.

Do you think you know all there is to know about taking care of your skin and hair? Try this quick True or False quiz focusing on some of the key points of men??s grooming and you may be surprised by the results.

1. It??s not a big deal if you skip the post-shaving soothing.

? True

? False

2. Always use sun protection containing an SPF of 15 or higher.

? True

? False

3. You should change your razor after 4 -5 uses.

? True

? False

4. It??s okay to use the same cleanser on your face that you use for your body.

? True

? False

5. If you have oily skin, wash your face several times a day.

? True

? False

6. Long, hot showers can pull moisture away from skin.

? True

? False

7. You have to be born with great skin.

? True

? False

ANSWER KEY:

1. False: Applying a toner or soothing agent after shaving calms irritation, balances your skin??s moisture content and helps prevents ingrown hairs or clogged pores. Stay away from alcohol-based aftershaves and instead use hydrating products that contain Aloe and Azulene.

2. True: For maximum coverage, use a sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher and full spectrum protection against UVA/UVB rays.

3. True: Most blades don??t stay sharp enough after 5 uses to closely shave hairs, causing you to put more pressure on the blade and go over the same area several times, leading to ingrown hairs or razor burn.

4. False: While men??s skin is thicker and can handle more abuse, facial skin is delicate and needs a gentler, less aggressive cleaning. Keep your washes separate and use a gentle cleanser for your face and tougher one for your body.

5. False: Washing many times when you have oily skin can sometimes trigger greater oil production, as the skin is trying to compensate for the constant removal of moisture via cleaning and drying. Take it easy on the cleaning and put hydration back in your skin by using a lightweight moisturizer or hydrating toner.

6. True: Hot water dries quickly on your skin??s surface and will unfortunately pull moisture from pores as it does so. A better bet is to take shorter, lukewarm showers and moisturize after stepping out of the tub.

7. Absolutely false: Although some men seem to be born with unbelievable complexions, great skin is something every man can work towards over time. By avoiding products with irritants and fragrances, following a basic men??s grooming and skincare routine and paying attention to any problems that come up, you too can maintain a healthy face and body (and just tell people it??s genetic).

6-7 Answers Correct: Grade: A

4-5 Answers Correct: Grade: B

2-3 Answers Correct: Grade: C

0-1 Answers Correct: Grade: F

Combination skin is exactly that – a combination of both oily and dry skin. The areas of your face by the nose, chin and forehead, which are known as the T-zone, tend to be oily and prone to blemishes while the cheeks, eyes and mouth are dry. Combination skin is the most popular skin type and almost seventy percent of women today have it.

The find out if you have combination skin, you can take a simple “tissue test”. Put a piece of tissue over your nose, forehead and chin and if it sticks and picks up translucent oil, this part of your face is oily. Then try to stick the tissue to your cheeks and if it doesn’t stick or pick up oil, this part of your face is dry. Also, combination skin usually has medium-sized pores, healthy color and a smooth texture. Once you are sure you have combination skin, there are several suggestions to keep in mind:

- Understand that your face actually has two types of skin which will be treated differently, depending on how dry or oily each part it.

- Wash your skin twice a day with an extremely mild but effective cleanser, such as a gel or foam, that can be used on your entire face. Avoid harsh, drying bar soaps.

- A gentle toner can be used on the entire face. If oily areas are particularly greasy, you may want to have a separate toner designed for oily skin to eliminate the problem on certain days when there is increased sebum production.

- Moisturize the dry areas of your skin with an oil-free moisturizer twice a day.

- Treat only the oily areas and blemishes with topical products that inhibit oil production.

- Remember to exfoliate all areas of the skin. You can use two different masks for the two types of skin on your face - a clay mask on the oily parts and a moisturizing mask on the dry ones.

- Use an oil-free sunscreen on your entire face every day of the year to block harmful UV rays.

Make the most of the combination skin you are in by taking proper care of its unique differences so you can bring out the best in both its oily and dry areas.

Most people into beauty skin care are fairly health-conscious people. They use skin care products because they want their bodies to look good. People who want their bodies to look good also go to the gym, eat healthy, and try to live a healthy lifestyle in general. A lot of them are a bit overdriven in their career lives, it is true, but besides that they do what they can.

Nonetheless, many of these skin care products are actually toxic. People don’t really realize what they are putting on their skin, but the cosmetic skin products that seem to make your skin look younger are actually aging you. Many of them contain harmful oils that can clog up your pores. Other ones contain fragrances that you could be allergic to. Even if you use organic skin care, you are not necessarily safe. Unless you are very conscious about what you are putting on your body, you may be doing more harm than good.

I am a professional aesthetician, but I also have a considerable background in natural medicine and alternative treatments. Take it for me - it pays to be careful about skin care. As a matter of fact, if you are worried about keeping your skin young, you don’t need to worry about oils, lotions, and potions. You will do much better using very simple products and spending a lot of time in the sauna.

Spending a lot of time at the health spa is one of the best ways to keep yourself looking young. It is not so much the state of your skin that makes you look old, but the state of your internal health. If you are stressed out, not eating right, and not learning to relax, your organic skin care products will do nothing for you. You can rub any lotions on your skin, but it will not look younger and healthier. It will continue to age.

If, however, you learn to relax, skincare will be an easy task. You will see wrinkles literally disappear once you stop carrying chronic stress in your body. Even better, you will care less about the fact that you are aging. You will be happy with who you are, so skin care will take a lower priority. After all, beauty is only important insofar as it causes happiness. This means that your happiness is the true goals. Forget skincare for a while, and concentrate on health.