Skin Care

Basics of Skin Care are Lotions, Creams and Ointments

When our grandmothers were young, skin care seemed so easy. Today however, with thousands of skin products on the market, the basics of skin care can seem overwhelming. Cosmetic salespeople throwing lotions, ointment, and masks at every woman in sight does not make the matter any better. The truth is that if you want great skin, you do need to gather information on at least a few products in order to help you with your task.

Women today are plagued with sun damage, stress, poor diets, and air pollution, and their skin shows it. With so many skin damaging components in our everyday lives, there is a great need for counteraction. You can counteract these damaging components with great skin products. One of the basics of skin care is lotion. Lotion is extremely important because it helps the skin maintain its moisture. Hydration is a key to having great skin. Skin that is not properly hydrated will become dry, dull, and irritated. Even oily skin that is not hydrated will become troublesome. Therefore, it is important to use lotion at least twice a day on your skin.

There are different types of lotion for different areas of skin however. You should always use a lotion that is hypo allergenic as well as one that will not clog your pores. Facial lotions tend to be referred to as moisturizers most often. Lotions for other areas of your body are usually called body lotions. Make sure you are using the proper type of lotion on each area of your body. Body lotions are often too harsh for your face, so beware. Lotions are also broken up into moisturizing intensities. If you have dry skin, you will need more moisture. If you have oily skin, do not make the mistake of thinking you don't need lotion. Your skin is producing oil because your hydration levels are off. Use a light moisturizer for oily skin.

Ointments are most often used for skin problems. You will often see ointments being used for eczema, rashes, or hives. Sometimes however, you may find that some women call specialty creams ointments. These creams are most often used for eye areas. If you hear someone talking about eye ointment, it is probable they are referring to specialty eye creams. These creams are great for hydrating the eye area and treating and preventing wrinkles in the area.

If you are looking for a once or twice a week pick-me-up for your skin, a mask is the way to go. Masks can be found for any skin type. They also come in many varieties containing many different ingredients. You can find masks with mud components to soothe and smooth your skin. You can also find masks that will help with acne. All masks work to help tighten your facial pores and smooth your skin's appearance.

Masks should be used once or twice a week. Most masks are made so that you just apply them to your skin and wait. While you wait the mask will begin to dry and you may feel your face tightening. This is normal and indicates the mask is doing its job. After waiting for 10 to 15 minutes, you will need to rinse the mask off of your face. You can do this with a wash cloth, or you can use water alone. After using your mask, dry your face completely and apply a moisturizer. Since masks take a little hydration from your face, you must replenish it.

In addition to face masks, you can also get full body masks. These masks work the same way as a facial mask and will rejuvenate your entire body. Many salons are now offering body masks. They can help tighten and smooth the skin on your entire body. Be sure to drink plenty of water after you get a full body mask however. Body masks draw toxins from your body and may leave you a little dehydrated, so drinking water is essential.

Knowing about lotions, ointments, and masks will help you get the skin you desire. The most important thing to remember is proper hydration. Be sure your skin is always hydrated with lotions. You can also drink water to help your skin hydrate from the inside. If you take care of your skin, you will notice that your skin will always look radiant and fresh which is what all women dream of.

Skin Care from Head to Toe

At some point in your life, you will start to reflect on your aging. It might be a line that shows up or a gray hair that catches your eye as you look in the mirror. Either way, though, you will see it and it will be time to start considering the implication of growing old. You don't want to just lie down and take it, though, do you? The number one way you can fight the effects of aging is by taking care of your skin. By taking the proper measures to care for your skin from head to toe, you will be able to reverse some of those effects of aging while at the same time improving the health of your skin as well.

"ABC's" when caring for your skin from head to toe. "A" is for anti-aging cream, "B" is for blemish control, and "C" is for collagen. If you keep those three words in mind, you will be well on your way to proper skin care and reversal of those wrinkles associated with aging. Each word is a reminder about an important step in the skin care and age reversing process.

"A" is for anti-aging cream, and that is an incredibly important step in the care of your skin. Hopefully you were properly hydrating and caring for your skin before that first wrinkle. If you weren't, though, once you see that little aging sign it is time to spring into action. Waiting or ignoring the wrinkle is the worst thing you can do. Once you see a sign at all, application of a quality anti-aging cream will possibly stop new lines from forming while getting rid of the one or two wrinkles that have shown up already.

Though anti-aging creams are not miracle drugs or fountains of youth, they do actually help. They are made up of vital vitamins and nutrients that science has proven to rejuvenate skin. Look for an anti-aging cream that contains Retinol. Retinol is a form of Vitamin A that has been shown to rejuvenate the effects of aging on the skin.

"B" is for blemish control. Blemishes, pimples, zits if you will, are not only for teenagers. They are something that can affect your skin for your entire life. So you need to always be diligent in your search for and treatment of blemishes and potential blemishes. They can manifest themselves in a number of ways: whiteheads, blackheads, and minor inflammations. Each should be caught as early as possible since they actually can be prevented in most cases. If you can't stop them, you can conceal or cure them with over the counter medications and skin care products. What you use will vary depending on when you catch the blemish and what kind it is. Just be sure to use the proper medication rather than squeezing and popping your blemishes which can cause scarring and in some cases can even lead to more blemishes down the road.

"C" is for collagen. Collagen is contained in your skin and is what makes it elastic and smooth. As you age, the collagen molecules in the skin begin to break down. This break down creates wrinkles and lines on your face and body. The problem in the past has been that anti-aging creams could only use partial collagen molecules because they are large and difficult to get into the skin through lotion. Recently, though, one major company developed and patented an infusion system for collagen. With it, creams can deliver whole collagen molecules into the skin. Once the collagen has been delivered, there is a noticeable difference. Your skin will have a healthy and rejuvenated glow. In addition, the wrinkles and lines that come with aging will begin to dissipate. Collagen is important, and it is the closest thing we currently have to a miracle aging cure.

If you are ready to put up a fight against the effects of aging, the process is going to start with your skin. Take the time to learn you're "ABC's" of skin care and you will start to look younger and your skin will begin to feel better. Remember, anti-aging cream, blemish patrol, and collagen is the key to your fight against aging skin.