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Have you ever gotten up in the morning, looked in the mirror, and swear you have a few deep lines you didn't
have when you went to bed? You may be right actually. For those of you who "Sleep on your face", you can actually
crease parts of your face overnight and wake up with a deep furrow. Here's a tip to remove the "overnight" lines.
Get a washcloth and soak it in as warm of water as you can take, leave it very wet and hold it on the crease
until the cloth cools. Dry off the wetness with a warm hair dryer. Don't use a dry towel to soak up the moisture,
use the dryer. Repeat the process if the line doesn't go away completely the first time. I know you're gonna ask,
"Will this work on existing wrinkles"? My answer,I don't know.
Here's an easy do it yourself treatment that not only relieves stress, but is great
for your skin. Fill a cheesecloth bag with dry oatmeal, sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on the
oatmeal. Close the bag and while you're in the tub or shower, use the bag as a body scrubber. The lavender oil relaxes and
the oatmeal will cleanse and exfoliate the skin.
Strawberries are filled with natural alpha hdroxy acids. This dissolves dead skin cells which leave a healthier,
more radiant skin in its place. This mask will dissolve the dead skin cells and leave you with softer, healthier skin.
Ingredients
6 ounces fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon flour
Mash the strawberries in a bowl and add the milk and flour. Apply to face and neck and leave on for 10 minutes.
Rinse with lukewarm water.
Shrinking pores is pretty easy when you use a fresh lime. Limes naturally clean out the "junk"
that settles in pores which make the pores look bigger. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 of a small lime. Add 1/2 cup of distilled
water. Apply to a cleansed face with a cotton ball or square, wait a few seconds, then splash with water to remove.
Whether you like to soak in a tub, or showers are your thing, scrubbing the body is an important step that is
sometimes overlooked. Sure, you soap up and rinse off, the scrubbing I am talking about is a little more than that and
with the right "tools" and getting into a routine, you can improve the appearance and health of your skin.
Sponges and brushes, much overlooked items. Scrubbing the body in warm water using a body sponge, body
glove, loofah, coarse washcloth, body brush, or pumice stone for your feet will slough off dead skin cells which
promotes new skin growth. Waiting for your skin to shed on its own
isn't good enough.
Apply your favorite body wash to the item you will be using to scrub. Give your body a gentle, but firm
scrubbing in circular motions to get the circulation going. Rinse in water that is not too hot. Hot water is the main
source of dry skin, especially in winter. After towel drying off and as an added benefit, after rinsing your loofah,
sponge or brush, apply your body moisturizer to them and very gently, give yourself a rub down. The moisturizer will
be absorbed and the skin will be soft, silky, and smooth.
This tip is an easy one and a natural one that involves honey. Honey is a natural bacteria
killing agent and can kill the bacteria on the skin that causes acne. It won't clog pores and hydrates the skin.
For an easy as pie
treatment, apply honey all over the face and lips, (Do I have to do a disclaimer on not putting
it in your eyes? Just asking). Leave the honey on your face and lips for 10 minutes and rinse well. And yes, you
can use honey anywhere your skin is dry, hands, feet, legs, etc.
Aloe Vera is a natural product from the Aloe plant. If it is at all possible, try to grow an Aloe Vera plant
indoors. It is a low maintenance plant, takes very little water and regenerates even after clipping the tips off
when needed for...
Burns...Applying the gel directly from the Aloe plant will heal and soothe the burn quickly.
Cuts...Again, Aloe will heal and prevent scarring, or at least help heal with very little noticeable scarring.
Chapped lips...Aloe applied directly to chapped lips, left on for five minutes, then tissued off will remoisturize
the lips
Hydrating mask...Aloe applied on the face, left on for 10 minutes and rinsed with cool water will cut down
on an inflamed face and moisturize.
This homemade oil can be used on stretchmarks you may already have and as a preventative
measure. If you have problems finding the ingredients, your local health food store is a good place to find them.
1/2 teaspoon wheat germ oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 camellia
oil
1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil
Mix all of the oils together and rub into the scarred areas, rub firmly and in circular motions.
Do this twice a day.
There are many remedies for pimples, whether you have one, or a few that appear out of nowhere. This
easy homemade remedy is easy to do and uses an ingredient almost everyone has in theire refrigerator. Take
the skin of one egg. What skin, you might ask? The egg's inner shell has a skin, carefully remove the skin from
the shell. Place this membrane over a cleansed face where the pimple is. Leave it on for over an hour, or, for
best results, leave it on overnight. Rinse with cool water. Do this once a day whenever you have a zit.
Facial masks can be found almost everywhere for every type of skin out there. Most
people wonder if facial masks really are beneficial to the skin. The answer? Yes, and for a few reasons...
Not only do they brighten dull skin, they can soften the skin. Another much overlooked
benefit is the relaxation part of the mask and the benefits to you. Force yourself to relax during the time you
have the mask on. Put your feet up, close your eyes, read, or do whatever it is that makes it a relaxing time.
For masks to really benefit your skin, they should be used once a week. Get in a routine
if you can and set that time aside for yourself. If you continue to do this, you will notice improvement in your skin
during that month.
Masks that contain Alpha Hydroxy acids should be used once or twice a month or your
skin may become sensitive. Always use a sunscreen because your masks, no matter what type you are using, are removing
dead cells of skin and you want to protect the new skin that will be regenerated.
Masks made for acne prone skin should be used once a week as a guide. Look at the labels
for the suggested frequency when using any masks.
Generally, once a week is the rule of thumb for most of the masks including homemade
ones. As I said above, however, Alpha Hydroxy masks are different because of their exfoliating properties.
Facial masks can benefit every person out there. The type of mask used is based on the type of skin or the
problem you're trying to treat. For those times that you either run out of our favorite mask, or have a skin problem
that "pops up" and needs treated. Look in your own cabinets and cupboards for the solutions to your problems.
Oily skin...Take a ripened, (The riper the better) tomato and mash it up in a bowl. Apply it to the face and
leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm, not hot water.
Dry skin...Apply mayonaisse on the face. Leave on for 15-20 minutes, rinse with cool water.
For glowing skin...Apply pure honey to the face and neck. Leave it on until it sets and dries up, roughly
15-20 minutes. Rinse with very warm
water.
Sensitive skin mask...Pepto Bismol---Apply to the face, let dry, rinse with cool water. This is also good if
you have a flare-up of pimples and your skin looks red.
Most salons charge $75-$100 for a facial. After getting afacil done myself, i asked the girl
if she could share any recipes that are beneficial to
the skin considering the average person cannot afford
to spend that kind of money. What can I say, I was VERY persuasive and again, found out that whining can and does pay
off on occasion. Here are two recipes she suggested for an anti-oxidant facial that
can be used by everyone.
Mix 1 teaspoon honey, 1 egg yolk and 3 drops of lemon juice. Apply to face and leave
on for 20 minutes. Rinse, wait one day and follow with the next mask below.
After waiting a day for the mask above, use
this one:
Mix 1 tablespoon oatmeal and 1 tablespoon honey, 3 drops of lemon juice. Add enough
water to make a thicker paste for the thickness you like. Apply to face, wait 20 minutes and rinse with water.
These two masks used in conjuction with each other will even out the skin by exfoliating
and give your skin a much smoother and softer appearance, (plus save you $75-$100 )
An easy way to brighter looking skin is to use milk. Milk has lactic acid which is an exfoliater. Dip a soft
washcloth or a good size piece of a clean, old T-shirt in a bowl of iced whole milk. Place it over your face and relax for
20 minutes. Not only will this remove surface dead cells, but treat ruddiness in the skin and keep moisture in the skin.
If you want to give your skin coverage by using foundation, yet want a softer look,
try this:
Get yourself some illuminizing moisturizer or cream. Most companies carry a version
of them. They have a slightly pearlized look, or can be called a "glow lotion." Mix 3 parts of your foundation to
one part of the lotion or cream and apply to your face using a foundation brush or your
fingers. The
slighly pearlized glow ill illuminate the face while the coverage will remain intact.
People that still swim in the winter sometimes forget about the damage chlorine can
do. If you are in school and have swiming classes, or go to a health club and swim, you may need this tip.
I have told you about clarifying the hair if you swim alot, or are a blonde who has
taken a greenish color as her own...If you mix some club soda with your shampoo (Equal parts) and shampoo immediately
after swimming, you cut down the damage the chlorine can do to your hair.
As we all know, Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant. Internally, it can work with the immune system. Externally,
it can benefit the skin. Many of the creams you can buy are adding vitamin C to their creams. The doses vary and
you can't be sure if your cream has enough C in it to really do the job. Allow me to save you a few bucks and give
you the most beneficial results in a vitamin C cream.
Take one Vitamin C tablet in the highest milligram you can find. Dissolve it in one teaspoon of boiling
water. Add that to your own cream that you have put in your hand before you apply it to your face. Mix it in and
apply it to your face. Do this at least once a day. I would do it at night if you don't have time to do it in the
morning.
Here's an easy face mask that will cool your face and leave it smooth and very soft.
Ingredients needed:
2 tablespoons of pumpkin, fresh or canned. (I use canned since
I don't want to mess with a real pumkin).
1 egg yolk
1 or 2 reaspoons of canned condensed milk
Mix the ingredients all together and apply it to a clean face. Leave it on 20-30 minutes
and rinse off. Apply Witch Hazel as a toner afterwards.
We all know how much damage the sun can cause to the skin, yet most of us feel healthier when we have a
tan. How 'bout some tips for a "safe" tan...sunless tanning.
Both tinted and non-tinted tanning products work the same. Tinted ones are easier to use because you can
see where you are applying it which gives you an edge on preventing streaking. Non-tinted tanners go on like moisturizers
and you can't tell where exactly it is until it may be too late.
Shades of tanners vary from fair to very dark. As much as you may be tempted to go for the darkest looking
tan, stick with a fair to medium shade. The darker the hade, the faker the tan looks.
Latex gloves---If you feel you don't want to wear gloves when applying a tanner, keep in mind that you should wash
your hands a few times, making sure in between your fingers get washed during the application process.
20 volume peroxide---This is commonly used for hair coloring. This can be used as a "spot eraser." Dip a
cotton ball or cotton swab in the peroxide and apply it to the areas that you may want to remove any streaks that
can appear on the inside of your arm or heels. Do NOT use this to try to
remove the whole tan. If you're
unhappy with the tan, jump in the shower and exfoliate with a body scrub. It will fade, not be totally removed.
A sunless tan will be gone in a few days after showering or bathing.
Take your time---To do a good job and get an even tan, the process should take around 90 minutes, (I know,
but at least you won't get burned) Most of the products tell you that they dry in 15-30 minutes, but realistically,
minimum of an hour is the way to go to a smooth tan.
Today, the best way to use self-tanning products...
Exfoliate your skin first---Self-tanners work by dyeing the top layer of your skin. It's very important
to rid your body of dead skin so that the product won't be concentrated on those areas and cause an uneven tan.
The best way to exfoliate is in the shower. Use a shower gel with exfoliating beads, a loofah, or bath gloves. If
you don't have any of these, saturate a washcloth with a body wash and add a tablespoon of sugar in with the wash
and scrub your skin. Make sure you scrub the areas that are the roughest, such as your knees, elbows, and heels.
Make sure your skin is dry after your shower---If your skin is even a little bit wet, the tanner won't go
on evenly and end up with brown streaks. After showering, vigorously dry the skin and never apply a tanner in a
steam filled bathroom.
Apply moisturizer---Applying a thin coat of moisturizer will make your skin smooth, soft, and get it ready
to absorb the tanner in an even manner. After applying the moisturizer, allow the skin to dry for at least 5-10
minutes before using the tanner.
Apply self-tanners like a moisturizer---Use a little more product than you would use if it was a moisturizer. As
you apply it, make sure you spread it evenly over your skin. Some people use circular motions when applying because
it helps to prevent streaks. The backs of your legs and the back are the hardest to self-tan, so be careful when
applying it to these areas. Your hands and feet should NOT be as tanned as the rest of your body. Apply the tanner
a little lighter on the knees, elbows, and ankles. These areas absorb more than other areas.
Moisturize to give a finished look---To prevent tan lines, apply a moisturizer to the areas you did not
use a self-tanner, such as your backend and feet. Gently rub in the moisturizer into the self-tanned areas. This
will give you a natural look.
And the final all-important step---Make sure you are completely dry before getting dressed or going to bed.
While it might only take 20 minutes to feel like it's dry to the touch, the longer you wait before putting anything
against your skin, the less likely you are to get splotchy looking areas.
I hope these guidelines will help you achieve the look you are trying to get with Self-tanners. Just remember,
if you insist on going for the real thing, please use a good sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more. That doesn't mean you
can bake endlessly, it just means you're giving your
skin consideration.
Here's a website that's all about self tanners. It's www.sunless.com. They rate products based on what customers say, etc.
Everyone gets some kind of acne at one time or another. Whether it is at puberty or
menopause, the feeling is always the same when you look in the mirror and see a zit! Here are a few quick acne
solutions.
Garlic juice---Mash fresh garlic and apply the juice to the pimple. This is good for
either pimples that are out already, or pimples that are just emerging.
Take any eye-redness reliever and apply it to a red, inflamed pimple with a cotton swab.
Hold it on the pimple for 10-15 seconds and the redness will go away.
Soak a cotton ball in warm salt water. Press the cotton ball on the pimple and apply
a little pressure for three minutes. This will dissolve the top of the pimple.
A dab of white toothpaste on a pimple before you go to bed will dry up the pimple overnight.
Dabbing a bit of honey on the pimple will not only draw out the bacteria, it will clean
out the pore. Leave the honey on for ten minutes. And yes, this will work if your face has more than one pimple
on it.
Mix one packet of fast-acting yeast with tea tree oil to make a paste. Spread over the
emerging pimples and leave on overnight if you can, otherwise leave on one hour. The yeast causes the pimple to
emerge out of the skin while the tea tree oil treats it immediately.
Sometimes, you need a "quick fix" to mask some problems that you may be working on, such as cellulite.
If you want to temporarily hide some of the cellulite in the leg area, these few tricks might help.
Priming your muscles---Just as lifting weights will give your arm a temporary "pumped up look" so can doing
this quick move. Stand with
your back against a wall, slide down until you are "sitting" without
going down to the ground. Hold for one minute.
Moisturize your legs well and allow to dry. Dip a large powder brush into a shimmer powder and stroke it
down the center of your leg. This will give the illusion of a slimmer, longer leg.
Rub a generous amount of hemorroid cream all over your thighs and rub it into each thigh. The effects will
last about 3 hours and the effect is a smoother, less "bumpy" looking thigh.
Believe it or not, shaving the legs makes them look thinner. Even if you're hair-free, shaving rids
the leg of excess skin that is dry and needs to be shed.
If you have a tendency to have red, blotchy skin, using a yellow-based concealer
can help neutralize the red. If you can't find one, you can use a yellow eyeshadow and mix it in your moisturizer
and foundation. The more yellow you use, the less noticeable the red. Pour
a little moisturizer in your hand, wipe the shadow with the applicator until you get the top layer loose and sprinkle it
into the moisturizer. Mix it with your finger, and apply. Do the same with your foundation.
This recipe if for those of you who may have run out of your skin cream and need a quick
and easy solution to moisturize. This recipe will leave your skin fresh, soft, and as smooth as any product on the
market.
Pour 1/2 cup of full cream or whole milk into a bowl. Don't use skimmed milk, 2%, or
any type of fat free milk. Add a few drops of lemon juice and set aside for 3-4 minutes. The milk will begin to
curdle into lumps. Don't be alarmed. Drain the liquid away which will leave you with a creamy paste. Apply this to your face,
hands, or anywhere you want moisturized. The skin will absorb it, so you don't need to rinse it off.
Here are two homemade masks for two different problems that can be used once or twice
a week to keep your skin looking good.
For Oily Skin...
Mix 10 drops of lemon juice with an egg white. Mix well
and apply it to your face, (keep it away from the eye area). Leave it on 20 minutes and rinse off with cool to warm water,
(not hot).
For Dry Skin...
Boil a cup of milk in a saucepan. Let cool so that a "skin" of
milk forms in the pan. Mix that "skin" with an egg yolk and apply it to the face, (again, avoid the eye area). Leave on
20 minutes and rinse with cool to warm water,(not hot).
Brown, or age spots on the skin are usually caused by hormonal changes in the body such as pregnancy or
menopause. The condition gets worse when exposed to sun which is another reason to always use a sunscreen on the
face and hands.
There are fade creams and bleaching gels that will fade the spots over a period of time. This is not an
over night process and will take patience. Application of these skin bleaching products is important to prevent
causing a different kind of disoloration around the spot you are treating.
When applying a skin bleaching product, use a cotton swab to dab the lightener on the dark spot. Do not
apply beyond the spot, only on the dark areas. Use the skin bleaching products during the day to prevent your face
from rubbing on a pillow and migrating the fade cream or bleaching agent onto areas that don't need bleaching. Look
for a bleaching agent that has an exfoliant right in it to speed up the results. Look around and read labels to
see if the bleaching gel you are going to buy fits the bill. Again, be patient when working on those spots, they
didn't pop up overnight and will take time to treat. A dermatoligist and sometimes even a pharmacist can direct
you to the best product to use for fading dark spots.
In the event you have bleached your spots and realize the skin around the dark areas have gotten bleached
also, the only thing you can do is wait it out. People with olive or darker skin can have this problem more often
that people with fair to medium complexions. The skin surrounding the areas you wanted to bleach will return back
to its natural shade anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
Make SURE you use a sunscreen on your face to prevent the spots you wanted lightened from darkening
again. Use a concealer that matches your skin tone to blend the colors while you are "getting back to normal."
This body scrub will not only slough off dead skin, but bring out the softness of your
skin also. Mix enough vanilla extract with sugar to make a paste. Apply
it to your damp skin, hands and feet and gently scrub it on your skin. Rinse it off well.
Most people have suffered from back acne at one time or another. One of the reasons back acne occurs is
hormonal changes in the body. There are other causes, which include excessive sweating from outdoor activities or
in the gym. Another culprit can be hair products that are left on the skin after a shower. Women with longer hair
usually are the ones this pertains to.
The best way to deal with back acne is to wash your back with a facial cleanser or body wash that contains
salicylic acid. Spot treat the breakouts with an acne medication that contains salicylic acid or
benzoyl peroxide. Tea tree oil can also work.
Make sure your back is completely dry before putting your clothes back on and try to wear clothing that
won't irritate existing acne. If your back is going to be exposed to the sun, make sure you apply sunscreen
to your back generously.
Those tiny, fine lines that start to show up around the lips are something we will all
have to deal with eventually. There are a few things one can do to minimize them and their appearance.
Microdermabrasion is an option, light chemical peels, vitamin a cream, or collagen injections,
which plump up the lines. A dermatologist should be consulted to get more information about these procedures. The
collagen injections need to be done every six months at a cost between $300 and $600.
If none of the above are options for you, get in the habit of wearing a sunscreen, no
matter what season it is and always keep your lips and the lipline moisturized. The more moisture in that area,
the less visible the lines will be and if they haven't appeared yet, you'll be doing preventative care.
If you have an eye-shadow color you love and wish you could find
a liner in that color, look again at your eye-shadow. Most of them even though not classified as a "wet/dry" shadow,
can be moistened and used as an eyeliner. The darker colored shadows work best. Dampen an eyeliner brush, stroke
the shadow and VOILA!!! Instant eyeliner.
Dryness and irritated skin are two things most people suffer from at one time or another
and the cooler temperatures can add to the problem. The way you cleanse your face can also add to the problem.
When cleansing your face, always use tepid water, (not too hot, not too cold). If you
suffer from acne, never use a washcloth to cleanse your face. Using a washcloth can worsen the conditon.
Try not to wash your face more than twice a day. If you are working out and your face
feels oily, use a baby wipe to clean your face in between cleansing.
Use your facial cleanser as a treatment by applying the cleanser to areas that break
out more often and leaving the cleanser on those areas for a minute or two before rinsing off.
Since dry skin season is here, some of these tips might make you a little softer, a
little less itchy, and a little more comfortable.
Using any bath oil will make your skin feel better while you're in the tub. Since oil
and water don't mix too well, add one cup of milk to the tub with the oil to help the skin absorb it.
Mix together, 3 cups of oatmeal, 2 cups of wheat bran, and 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel.
Put that mixture in an old knee high stocking, rubber band it closed, and run it under the faucet as you're filling
the tub up. After the tub is filled, use that stocking as a skin scrubber to exfoliate and soften the skin. Apply a moisturizer
after you get out of the tub.
You can fight blemishes with baking soda instead of acne creams. Add enough water to the baking soda
to make a paste and apply to blemishes at bedtime to dry up pimples fast.
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