Skin Care Basics

Skin Care Basics
Every cream or lotion in the market today will claim to make you look so much
better.And to an average person, the choice of which one is best for his or her
skin can be an overwhelming experience.

The Good News About Skin Care
The good news is skin care can be as simple as you want it to be. Washing
your face doesn't have to be a 10-step ritual, and you don't have to max out your
credit card;neither do you need to fill up your medicine cabinet with shelves
of products.The fact is, good skin care involves 3 basic steps:

Cleansing
Getting rid of grime and chemicals while limiting the stress of daily cleansing

Moisturizing
Hydrating and replenishing the skin

Using Sunscreen
Protecting the skin from harmful UV rays

Step 1 - Cleansing
Most of us know that cleansing is an important part of good skin care. The
purpose of acleanser, or soap, is to surround, loosen, and make it easy to remove
dirt, stains, debris, germs, excess oils, and left-over products applied to the skin.
Unfortunately, some cleansers are harmful to the skin.

Many people get dry skin from their cleansing routines, which means that their
skin is notnormally dry. Some people mistakenly think that their skin isn't clean
enough until it feels dry or tight, or both, after they wash it. People get used to the
way their skin normally feels. They cometo expect that their skin will change
depending on the seasons. For example, they expect to have dry, rough patches
on the backs of their hands, itch and dull complexion in winter. They don't know
that their choice of cleanser could be hurting their skin.

How do you know what type of cleanser to use and where? The first step is to
understandyour cleanser options:

Bar soaps
The most irritating cleansers but the best to get rid of dirt and grime

Liquid cleansers
A wide variety of tolerability - good for cleaning all but the oiliest skin

Facial cleansers
The mildest cleanser but may not remove oil and dirt as well.

Cleansing Bottom Line

 You don't have to feel dry to be clean
 You have good options
 Use the mildest cleanser possible that still removes dirt, oil and debris

Step 2 - Moisturizing
Moisturizing is an essential step in good skin care. A good moisturizer can
stop the dry skin cycle from spiraling into cracked, thick, flaky skin.
An effective moisturizer will have a combination of ingredients that:

Replenish the skin's natural ingredients that help maintain its structure
Cut down on damage from free-radicals
Help the cells function more normally

Good Moisturizer Ingredients
In the past, moisturizers were essentially water and wax mixtures that worked by
trying to hold water in the skin. The only real difference between these moisturizers
was how they "felt" to the consumer. Now there is complex science behind the new
state-of-the-art moisturizers that are available. Some ingredients that you'll find in
a state-of-the-art moisturizer are:

Glycerol
Helps water and other moisturizer ingredients penetrate
the skin to get where they are needed.

 Ceramides
Help replenish the skin's natural oils.

Hydroxy Acids
Help with exfoliation of dead skin cells

Niacinamide
Helps the skin produce more natural oils, and may also help reverse the
signs of sun-damaged skin, like brown spots and blotchiness

How to Choose a Moisturizer
Not all skin is the same, and not all moisturizers are the same. Picking out the
best moisturizerfor your skin depends on what your skin needs. Consider the
following skin conditions whenchoosing a moisturizer:

Moisturizers for dry skin
Moisturizers for oily skin
Moisturizers for normal skin
Moisturizers for acne-prone skin
Moisturizers for red skin
Moisturizers for eczema, atopic dermatitis, or sensitive skin
Moisturizers with sunscreen

Moisturizer Bottom Line
Don't settle for your grandmother's old cold cream. Pick a moisturizer with good
ingredients for your skin, and enjoy your healthier skin.


Step 3 - Sunscreen
The final step in a good skin care program is using sunscreen, but it's the most
forgotten.It's easy to tell if your skin is dirty or dry, requiring a good washing or some
addedmoisture. We can see or feel that our skin needs some extra care. Unfortunately,
most of thedamage to the skin from UV radiation is beneath the surface and happens
so slowly that wedon't realize how much damage is being done.

Most people know that exposure to UV radiation can cause sun damage to the skin,
including sunburn, photoaging, and increased risk of skin cancer. But did you know
this damage also occurs when you walk from your house to your car or sit next to
a window during the day? Even those little bits of exposure add up over the years
and can cause wrinkles, dark spots and skin cancer.

Sunscreen Decisions
There are several factors to consider when picking out a sunscreen:

How sunscreens work
Everyday sunscreen vs out-in-the-sun sunscreen
Using a sunscreen alone vs sunscreen plus moisturizer
Understanding the UV-index
 How to be safe in the sun

Sunscreen Bottom Line
You've worked hard to take care of your skin by cleansing and moisturizing it. Don't
undo all those benefits by exposing it to UV radiation. Find a good broad-spectrum
sunscreen and make its application a part of your daily routine like brushing your
teeth and bathing


Skin Health

Question: What's the Difference Between Healthy and Unhealthy Skin?
Whether you know it or not, the health of your skin is being judged everyday. You do
it yourself when you look in the mirror for blotches and bumps. Other people are also
looking at your skin to determine how attractive you are.

Is your skin healthy or unhealthy? How do you know the difference? What are the
components of healthy skin? Knowing the answers to these questions is the first step
in determining how you should be taking care of your skin. The following are
components of healthy skin.

Even Color
Consistent color is a sign of youthful, healthy skin. Studies have shown that consistent,
even skin tone is a main element of attractiveness. As a matter of fact, the consistency
of skin color is considered more attractive than having a uneven skin color.
Examples of uneven skin color are, but not limited to:

Blotchiness
Dark, light or red spots
Dark circles under eyes

Smooth Texture
Healthy skin looks smooth and feels smooth. This does not mean that the skin is
smooth like glass. The skin has tiny peaks around hair follicles and pores, and tiny
valleys in between the peaks. However, these peaks and valleys are consistent
throughout the skin, giving it a uniform appearance. On the other hand, unhealthy
skin does not have a uniform texture. Examples of texture skin problems include:

Bumps
Acne
Blackheads, whiteheads
Wrinkles
Scars

Hydration
Healthy skin is well moisturized. The skin cells slough off but this removing is
not noticeable.If too many skin cells remove at the same time, this surely creates
problems that we call:


Flaking skin
Scaly skin
Many a time we blame these conditions on dry skin.

Normal Sensations
Normally, your skin doesn't give you a sign that it's healthy, unless,
perhaps you're looking at it in a mirror. Healthy skin doesn't have any
unusual sensations. Only unhealthy skin gives you signs! Signs of
unhealthy skin sensations include:

Itching
Burning
Stinging
Pulling