The condition of our skin affects how we look to others and how we, ourselves feel. Dry or itchy skin is a nuisance, but can usually be easily ameliorated. But there are serious skin diseases that threaten our health. Skin cancer, for one, is on the rise. We offer the following tips to help you keep your skin healthy.
Strangely enough, you need to use moisturizer even if you have oily skin. If your skin is oily, and you skip the moisturizer, your skin will go into overtime producing oil to replace the oil you’ve just removed. So your face will end up oilier than before. Use a mild oil-free moisturizer so that your skin doesn’t decide to rev up oil production again.
Many cosmetic companies market extra-expensive “night creams” in beautiful tiny jars. If you want the benefits of moisturizing while you sleep, save yourself some money and use a bit of the regular day cream around the skin of your eye area that you would normally use. The moisturizing benefits are the same, but your wallet will notice the difference.
If you are young or old and are frustrated about your skin, you must understand that the quest for healthy skin is a gradual one. To obtain healthy skin, you must follow a daily routine to keep your skin healthy. There is no one day acne miracle that will make your skin magically healthy.
During the winter months, protect your skin by changing out of wet gloves and socks as soon as you can. Keeping wet cloth, especially wet wool, against your skin can lead to itching, dry skin, and even sores. If you have eczema, wearing wet gloves and socks can cause it to flare up.
You can give yourself a very beneficial facial massage. A facial massage helps your skin absorb moisturizers and oils much faster. Dispense a small amount of oil or moisturizer into your hands. Work your moisturizer or oil into your skin around your face in a circular motion, making sure to avoid the eyes.
If you use a self-tanner, care for your skin by staying out of the sunlight after application. Free-radical damage from sunlight is especially prevalent during the first eight hours after a self-tanner is applied. Most professionals recommend that you avoid sunlight for at least half a day following the use of this product.
If you have oily skin and are prone to blackheads in your T-zone, look for a nutrient-rich facial serum that contains a high proportion of Nyacinamide, which is vitamin B3, and papaya enzyme. Nyacinamide reduces the amount of oily residue on the skin’s surface, and papaya enzyme exfoliates the skin and unclogs pores.
If you suffer from dry skin, it’s important to use mild skin cleansers to avoid further drying your skin. Many soaps are harsher than they need to be, with antibacterial additives or irritating perfumes. Depending on what your skin can tolerate, choose either a non-foaming, non-scented body wash or one with light moisturizers.
For outstanding skin care it is best to moisturize skin immediately following a shave. Shaving irritates and abrades the outermost layers of the skin, which can dry out the underlying layers and make them vulnerable to infection. A light treatment with an appropriate moisturizing product will nip this potential problem in the bud.
Touching your face with your bare hands is poor skin care practice. Unless you just washed them, your fingers are loaded with dirt and skin oil that will transfer to your face. These contaminants can block pores, cause infections and make any existing skin conditions worse. Resist any and all temptations to touch or rub your face.
Be careful about using anti-aging products. Many anti-aging products contain lipids. They are often heavy and creamy and very bad about clogging pores. They can cause your skin to break out if you are already moisturizing it regularly. If you feel you must use an anti-aging product, try finding one that doesn’t use lipids.
If you are considering applying thick and greasy Vitamin E oils and creams to your skin to reduce the appearance of facial scarring, think twice. Studies have shown that in oily or acne-prone skin, applying Vitamin E oil can actually increase the likeliness of scarring by triggering excessive oil production, which then makes the skin more susceptible to bacterial growth.
While a prolonged hot, steamy bath may make you feel calm and collected, it might actually have negative effects on the overall health of your skin. Excessive heat and humidity can compromise the skin’s ability to heal itself, sap it of moisture, and hinder its immune response. So while it is okay to periodically indulge in a hot bath, save this ritual for special occasions only.
While shaving your legs does help to exfoliate your skin, it is not necessary on a daily basis. During baths when you do not shave, you can treat your skin to the same exfoliating properties by generously applying an AHA (salicylic acid) moisturizer to your limbs. Concentrate on rough areas, such as heels, elbows, and knees.
Before shaving, gently exfoliate your skin with a hypo-allergenic cleanser. This helps slough away dead skin cells, and allows the razor to flow smoother on your skin. Cut hairs can also stick to dead cells and create irritation in sensitive skin.
Be careful when shaving so that you don’t damage your skin. Always use shaving creams, gels or lotions so that your skin can be lubricated. Also be sure that you’re using a razor that’s sharp. Always shave following the direction of the hairs. This will minimize issues. Shaving without following these tips can strip your skin of oils, drying it out and damaging it.
These tips have given you a better idea, both of the range of skin problems and their cures. Our skin is the part of our body, most exposed to pollutants and contaminants that are in our environment. It behooves us to be vigilant in protecting our skin, for it protects the rest of our body.
