Face Smoothing

Strategies for Healthy Looking and Nicely Glowing Smooth Skin

Combination skin is when you have certain areas on your face that are dry and others that are oily. Usually, the oily part of your face is in what is called the "t-zone" or the area of your forehead, nose and chin. When you have combination skin, you will probably notice that most days, you will experiences normal or dry skin. There are several ways you can take care of your combination skin. Here are six strategies for a healthy glow.

How can you be certain you have combination skin? If you have combination skin, your skin on your face might feel tight or dry after washing or taking a shower. Your face might also feel rough, look flaky or have an overall dull appearance. On the other hand, on other areas of your face, you will experience shiny skin that might feel or look greasy. This is most common in the "t-zone". Those areas are more prone to developing blackheads, pimples or other bumps.

The second step to care for combination skin is to moisturize your skin good. When you have combination skin, some parts of your face might be oily, but other parts are dry and flaky. You cannot ignore the dry skin when treating the oily skin. The answer is to use moisturizer on the dry skin only. Products made for dry skin will help hydrate the dull and flaky skin. Try to keep the moisturizer off of the oily skin. That will only make it worse.

The third step is to balance your skin. There are many products that can help normalize your skin. Look for those that have alpha hydroxy acids, or retinol, which is a vitamin A product. Also, use a toner everyday to help keep the skin in balance. Steer clear of products that contain alcohol because it can irritate dry skin. Use toner at least once a week to combat combination skin. Be careful when you apply makeup including eyeshadow, which may possibly damage skin. Use a good quality eye serum.

The fourth step is to control the skin by eating healthy and drinking plenty of water. When you practice a healthy diet, you can take a big step in controlling the quality of your skin. Fatty and greasy foods are not good for any type of complexion. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and try healthier oils. Drinking water will also help by hydrating your skin the natural way and avoid a dehydrated body condition.

The fifth step is to use appropriate make up. Make up that contains oil-absorbing properties will help your appearance. Oil-free make up and make up that is labeled as non-comedogenic will help by minimizing the chances to pimples and blackheads. Another important part of skin care is to make sure make up is thoroughly removed each night before bed. Never go to bed with make up on because it can cause skin irritations.

The sixth step is to use a good sunscreen. Look for sunscreens with an SPF of at least 15. Using a daily sunscreen will help ensure that your skin does not become sunburned, which leads to dry skin. There are several varieties of sunscreen that are made specifically for daily use on the face. In addition, look for moisturizers and make ups that already contain sunscreen for added benefit. Using sunscreen everyday, even in the winter, will help ensure that you have a healthy glow to your skin.

Beauty Treatments to Make Yourself

Nature has given us great bounty. In many cases it is not necessary to purchase expensive products, often made from chemicals, from stores in order to enhance the quality of the skin. There are plenty of products right in your own kitchen that can help you enhance the quality of your skin and can even help you feel great. These products are a testament to the great qualities that are inherent in the most ordinary things that can make us beautiful, cleansing the skin and brightening the complexion.

Creating facial masks from common kitchen products has been done for years. Even the most common and ordinary products make great facial masks. While essential oils and special clays can be very effective, there is no need to use them if you do not wish to. Simply head to your kitchen cupboards and refrigerators and create any one of the following face masks, and feel the good effects almost immediately. For best results, it is recommended that you apply a facial mask once a week, rinsing your face first with warm water and then rinsing with cold (to close the pores) after you finish removing the mask.

Egg mask. It seems a little strange to create a face mask using eggs, but it is a tried and true method for toning skin. The egg actually helps skin tightening, giving you a firmer less wrinkled face and less prone to sagging. Simply beat one egg white until it is stiff. Then you just smooth it over your entire face. After 20 minutes, remove the mask. You can adjust the mask to your skin type by adding lemon juice to the egg white (just a drop) for oily skin or putting in a bit of honey for dry skin. The skin on the inside of the shell can actually work as an acne treatment. Just place the skin over the breakout and leave on for 30 minute or even overnight to help reduce the appearance of the acne.

Honey mask. This is a very easy mask. It is cleansing, and the honey acts in the same way as an antibacterial. You need warm, runny honey. You can run your honey container under warm water or soften it in the microwave to get it to the desired consistency. Be careful with the microwave, however, as you may get the honey too hot. You just want it warm and runny, not scalding. Smear the honey all over your face. Even those with sensitive skin can usually use this treatment. After about two minutes, it will start to feel as though it is pulling. This is when you rinse the mask off with warm water (follow with cold as soon as all of the honey is off of your face).

Acne mask from kitchen items. If you want to help control your acne, a simple mask made from what you keep in your kitchen can assist you in your fight against acne. For a major breakout, form a paste using one half cup strained tomato pulp and powdered milk. When there is enough to make a paste, blend until the mixture is no longer pasty, but is smooth. Then apply and leave for 20 minutes. You should wash this off with warm water. Because Vitamin C and Potassium are found in tomatoes, this will also help your skin heal from the acne.

You can create a variety of nourishing masks if instead of tomato you use carrots, bananas, or cucumbers. Simply mash whatever you are using (you will have to steam the carrots first) and substitute it for the tomato pulp.

Strawberry alpha hydroxy mask. Take four or five large strawberries and mash them up until they become a thick pulp. Then cover the face thickly with the pulp. Lie down quietly for about 20 minutes before washing with warm water followed by cold. It is important to note that this treatment is not a good idea for extra sensitive skin.

These easy to make facial masks are fun and inexpensive to create from items found in the kitchen. They are also quite effective. One more treatment that can help with rough facial skin is to use mayonnaise. This also works on your elbows. Make sure you use only a light layer, and make sure that you only leave it on for 15 minutes before washing it off.

How to find the Right Face Makeup

For makeup lovers, enthusiasts, and professionals, the face serves as the blank canvass in their artistry for beauty. And like any canvass should be, the face must be smooth and clean as much as possible for a nice finish. Although a clear smooth skin should initially serve as a good natural makeup, not everyone is blessed with it. Women with imperfect skin, however, need not to fret because face makeup would serve handy to them. Face makeup creates that perfect base on your face for all other cosmetics to start with. It covers your skin imperfection and lays down a smooth canvass every makeup brush would love to stroke.

A foundation, concealer, and press powder are basically examples of face makeup. There is a lot of it in the market. Some women try to get all the three and the best brand. But the secret really in buying a good face makeup is to get something that matches up your skin. Later, you will realize that you don't really need to have the three and you will be surprised how much money you can save.

Thus, before hitting beauty shops for a face makeup, know you skin type first. Determine if you have oily, dry, or combination skin. A particular face makeup is especially designed for the type of skin you have so you would achieve the look you want. If you have an oily skin, for instance, you should get a foundation that would not melt into your skin or that would not easily fade due to the skin's oil.

Usually, oil control liquid foundation and a stick foundation are recommended for people with oily skin especially the ones with acne. Using some blotting paper before applying the foundation is also advised for best results. If you have dry aging skin, you should get luminescent and dewy foundation styles. Putting on a concealer would also help in hiding those wrinkles away. If you have a combination skin, which is very common, liquid or cream foundation will do. If you have ruddy red skin you must apply yellow based foundation to reduce redness. But if you're blessed with a good smooth and clear skin, sheer liquid foundation is only advised and even just a tinted moisturizer will do for a face makeup.

If you want to save on face makeup, it is important to take care of your skin and always keep it clean as much as possible.

Get Beautiful Skin using Essential Oils

Essential oils are non greasy, so they will not cause a buildup and clog your pores. They will do quite the contrary. In fact, using essential oils on acne are good ways to spot treat existing acne without using harsh treatments. The list below is several essential oils that will help you fight acne, remove blemishes, and tighten small premature wrinkles.

You may already use essential oils without your knowledge. Some manufacturers of fine creams and moisturizers already use essential oils in small amounts in their ingredient list. The fragrance can be detected in some creams that you buy over the counter. Designing your perfect beauty regimen is difficult to do without the use of essential oils. Their benefits bring healthy skin and a smooth, radiant glow your facial features. The essential oils used in popular acne products have been used for therapeutic effects for years.

Essential oils are often dissolved in cream or oil and then applied as a moisturizer. Even in small concentrations they provide medicinal advantages over acne breakouts. The oils bring oxygen and nutrients to the skin, helping it fight off any blemishes. Below is a list of some of the most popular essential oils that will help with your acne treatments.

Clary Sage is extracted from plants that greatly imitate the body's own hormones. The use of Clary Sage is often implemented where acne stems from hormonal imbalances. The essential oil can act as a precursor allowing the body to balance its hormones.

Eucalyptus is a popular plant extract that helps your body fight off blackheads. It has a cleansing effect that removes dirt and oils and leaves only clear skin.

Lavender is considered an all-purpose oil since its uses include acne treatment as well as mental fatigue rejuvenation. Lavender is good for the skin, and it can calm your mind and soothe your muscles from the stress and anxiety from the day.

Lemon - The citrus effects of lemon can help refresh your mind and restore your skins natural balance. Lemon oil is known to quickly clear up current acne and remove blemishes. After applying lemon, one should be careful not to have over-exposure to the sun since it can cause skin discoloration.

Myrrh is a popular, ancient essential oil that was used as a balm to treat sores and scars. It can be used to treat rashes and acne breakouts for recurring. Myrrh has a variety of uses including elimination of warts or acne-causing bacteria.

Patchouly is a good essential oil to fight off many skin conditions. It will help you fight off acne, but it is also a good way to treat rashes and scarring. It can be used as a moisturizer as well and its fragrance will give you a calming effect.

A Sun-kissed Look without the Sun

Most women love the idea of being able to glow with a gorgeous tan without harming their skin with the sun or tanning beds. That is why sunless tanning lotions are so hot right now. The problem is that some of them take a miracle to apply evenly and effectively. Today's sunless tanners are much easier to get right then the lotions five years ago. Learning how to apply sunless tanning lotion takes practice. Use these tips and you will be on your way to applying sunless tanning lotion perfectly.

Gradual Tanning

When choosing your sunless tanning lotion, try to find a brand that offers gradual tanning. If the label says gradual tanning, then the lotion is easy to apply correctly. These gradual lotions bronze your skin lightly each time you apply them. They can be used everyday in place of your normal lotions. Because they only tint your skin, you don't have to apply them perfectly in order to get natural look results.

To get the desired look, rub it all over your body and wait for it to dry. Don't worry if you think the results will be too light. You will definitely be able to tell the difference. If you want a darker tan after the first application, just wait until the next day and repeat the process. Each application will last about four days, if you shower daily. For a streak-free tan, this is the way to go for sure.

When to Apply a Self Tanner

It is best to apply self tanner on a clean body. This allows the sunless tanning lotion to soak into your skin nicely. You should always wait about ten minutes after the application before getting dressed. If you are worried about ruining clothing, then pick a time you can frolic around nude in your house. Before bed is also a good time, because you won't come in contact with anything but the sheets.

It is best to exfoliate before self-tanning, which you can do in the shower before application. Simply use a "puff" and scrub your body as usual. This will keep the sunless tanning lotion's color from sticking to your dry areas. Concentrate on knees and elbows.

Water and Your Tan

Do not shower for twelve hours after application. Do not do the dishes or get wet for twelve hours as well. Of course you can wash your hands, but be careful about getting too much water of your forearms. This can cause streaking.

For a foolproof hand tan, apply the sunless tanning lotion to your body. Then, to avoid turning your palms orange, wash your hands. After washing your hands well, squeeze a small amount of sunless tanning lotion on a tissue and rub it on the back of your hands and fingers. This will allow only the backs of your hands to get the tan.

Spray Tans

There are several options when it comes to spray tans. You can get spray tans in a can so that you can apply them yourself, you can go to a salon and have a technician spray you, or you can step into a spray tanning booth for your application. With tans in a can, you can control the areas and the amount of tanning solution you put on your skin. Cans of tanning solution are relatively inexpensive and extremely easy to use. You can use most on all areas of your body, including your face.

If you want a faux tan that is sure to be evenly applied however, you should hit the salon. For around $35 you can get a professionally sprayed on tan. The process may be a little intimidating for some however, as you must either be nude or wearing a paper bikini. The results however are very realistic. The same technique is done with the spray tan booths, except there is a machine doing the tanning instead of a live technician. Booths will cost around $15 for each visit and produce a tan for up to a week.

Getting a sun-kissed look without the sun and using a skin sunblock can make good sense for women today who are afraid of sun-damaged skin. Although a tan is the perfect accessory to any outfit, it does not have to be from the sun to be beautiful. With the self-tanning option it's not necessary to lay-out in the hot sun anymore.