Now to move on to one of the most important article in this article I am going to touch upon important aspects of this topic to help you achieve a better complexion So lets get on with it …
No amount of makeup no matter how skillfully you apply it can compensate for a complexion that is in excessively bad condition. If your complexion is in a bad shape no amount of camouflage makeup can make a difference. You need to seek help from the skin experts and a commitment from your own self.
Taking care of your skin is the number one priority. The only natural makeup for a lovely face is a natural radiant complexion and makeup merely highlights what you already have got. A perfect complexions is achieved when you are healthy and follow a healthy diet. Even if you have a couple of blemishes such as sun spots or brown spots, a few marks or some superficial wrinkles don't panic because these flaws can be treated easily or camouflaged with concealer. (In fact a few superficial wrinkles can make your face even more beautiful) Your complexion looks beautiful when you are a healthy person and consume a healthy diet. These are the elements that reflect the health of your skin. It's when you are unhealthy and consuming an unhealthy diet and living an unhealthy life that it shows on your complexion. You complexion can look pale and ghostly if you have unhealthy habits. Acne, pimples black heads, whiteheads, excessive pigmentation and other complications pop up when you are unhealthy in habits, are ignorant of the basic care your skin needs to survive the test of time and other elements that are the enemies of our skin.
Tip: A healthy diet holds the key to a great looking skin. Be careful of what you eat.
Tip: Control your weight it improves your complexion. Whether you are overweight or under weight both have an unhealthy effect on our complexion.
We hear this often 'Cleanliness is next to godliness' well that is not just meant for outward cleansing it is equally important if not more to cleanse your skin from the inside. And that you can achieve when you follow a healthy diet as a permanent habit and keep your insides clean to aid the natural cleansing our body takes care of for us.
Tip: Water By now you surely know that drinking a minimum 8 glasses of water is an absolute must for every human being whether you are a man or a woman. Water moisturizes our skin from the inside. It is water that cleanses out the toxins and helps in the regular elimination of wastes in our body which is also one of the elements that lends us that glow to our complexion. Water is one of the most important and the only irreplaceable beauty aid.
Skin Foods: Eat lots of Fresh Fruit, Vegetables especially the green vegetables.) Salads without Mayonnaise, (Use a light lemony dressing) Include fish, chicken, egg whites, milk, (skimmed if on a strict weight loss diet) nuts and whole grains. Avoid sugar and sugary snacks and desserts and lower your salt intake.
Desserts and Chocolates I am not going to ask you to quit these' goodies but I will ask you to cut back on them. Occasionally it is ok to indulge on these I suppose! But keep away from it most of the days of the week.
One of my secret to cut down on chocolates is to break the bar in two halves and then get rid of one half and make sure it is unreachable, even if I have to throw it away in the dust bin. It's hard to do this but it is necessary sometimes to keep the calories in check! Do not keep lots of chocolate in your fridge, just a tiny bar or two is ok. A void rich sauces and spicy food not good for your complexion (Ok I hear you! alright keep to a minimum if you must have some!).
Sun Protection is one of the most important skin care habit you should incorporate in your daily makeup routine. You can choose a sunscreen lotion or sun block, but make sure it is a quality product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of a minimum 30 if your skin has no sun damage at all and an SPF 50 + if you have sun spots and considerable damage .. This number will be indicated on the outside of the bottle. Read the label carefully on the bottle or jar and make sure it offers protection to filter out both UV A and UVB rays and is suitable for your skin type.
Tip: Sleep on a fresh clean fluffy pillow, (change the cover every 2 days if everyday is too much to ask) it aids in draining toxins from your face and the area around your eyes, your face will appear less puffy.
Tip: Have at least 4 soft pillows with fresh pillow covers in your bed that way you don't have to change the covers everyday, you can just use the one that has remained unused the next day (if you have managed to keep it unused!)
Skin Type and its Care find out which is yours.
Tip: Before you begin your face cleansing or any other treatment which involves touching your face, make sure your hands are clean, your towels are clean and completely dry, the containers and preparation are clean and hygienic.
Tip: Touch your face gently. Rough handling is the single most damaging enemy of your skin. During facials this is how irreparable damage is done to our skin. If your beauty therapist is rough in her touch during the facial massage, do not allow her to continue. Stop her immediately and ask her for a softer massage. Make sure she understood your request. You should know that a hard facial massage does not help your facial skin; all it does is cause you permanent damage it helps the pull of gravity to cause even more sagging of your facial skin. Be prepared for that ugly sagging 'jowl' if you don't pay attention to this important aspect of your skin protection and care regimen.
Night care is essential because it is while you sleep that most of the repair and renewal of skin cells takes place. Your night care treatment does not have to remain on your face all night! All the goodness of the 'night treatment' takes place within an hour of application. Very dry skins can keep the skin repair application through the night.
Tip: Clean your face thoroughly morning and night and more often if your skin is oily.
Normal Skin as you now know this type of skin is rare! Normal skin is finely textured and feels wonderful to the touch it's neither oily nor dry it is normal for a normal skin to feel a mild dryness in winter etc. Usually it has a healthy glow to it and looks great with minimal makeup. This is the result of general good health, strong healthy genes, perfect gland functions and oil secretion normal skin does not have many blemishes maybe a spot or two a little mark here and there however if you get complacent about your normal skin it can loose its perfect balance in a jiffy.
Proper skin care habits have to be incorporated early in life, so you can maintain and keep this type of skin for a long time. Take good care of your perfect skin, protect it, treat it with loving care and it will stay with you for a long time to come.
Note: Cleansing and care for normal skin is handled in much the same manner as a mildly dry skin. (Facial skin that is excessively dry needs a dermatologist)
Tip: Morning cleansing for normal or mildly dry skin: After your shower just wipe your face with dampened cotton wool with Alcohol free clarifying lotion or toner followed by splashing of cold water on your face, wipe gently and dab moisturizer with sun protection this is good and even great for your skin.
Additional care for Normal and dry skins: Once a week treatment or at least once every 2 weeks use a mild face scrub to aid exfoliation, do not exfoliate for more than 3 to 4 minutes wash it off next massage your face with a vitamin zed face oil (almond oil will do too) or use a special face massage cream (all purpose creams are acceptable) for 10 minutes moisten your finger tips with rose water or plain clean tap water as you massage you can catch some steam from some boiling water while you massage your face and neck remove excess with moist cotton wool after you have completed the massage tone with rose water (Rose water gives your face a fresh glow) follow it up with a moisturizing or nourishing face mask wash off the mask after 10 minutes and pat on a gentle moisturizer. Personal secret: My skin is normal and one of the most important cosmetic on my dressing table is Baby Oil, Vaseline and Rose Water. I got this tip from a beautiful Egyptian Lady 12 years ago. She had a perfect smooth glowy facial skin!
Dry Skin: After the age of 25 most people have dry skin -normal skin turn dry too, if neglected both internally and externally some have it even earlier oil glands from face and neck, slow down as you get into your late teens and the drying process begins, the skin reduces in texture, is fragile and is easily prone to flaking. You will feel a 'tight stretchy' feel to it even much after you wash your face due to lack of natural oils and moisture. Sun exposure and other elements contribute to drying out your skin. Keep dry skin moisturized and nourished continually. Dry skin is normally free from blemishes that's the positive part. Unlike normal skin, dry skin lacks that natural glow and has a dull pallor to it. Do not use soap if your skin is dry. (In fact avoid using soap on your face no matter what your skin type unless recommended by your dermatologist) Stick to face wash gels lotions or a creamy face wash. It is not important or an absolute must to use a toner but if you prefer you could use a mild gentle alcohol free toner or clarifying lotion However rose water or splashing lots of plain cold . water is better. .. Dab a vitamin zed facial cream or lotion avoid the eye area.
Additional Care For Dry skin: Nourish and moisturize your skin as much as you can, massage your face gently with a rich facial cream or oil (try baby oil with a few drops of water to massage your face) before your bath, keep the oil or face cream on your face for about an hour before you wash it off.
Important: The skin around the eyes is unlike the skin on the rest of your face therefore try to use lotions gels or creams made specifically for the eye area to protect nourish and moisturize this delicate area. Apply an eye gel! lotion or eye cream with vitamin E and for C or use a herbal one. Some eye creams and lotions should not be left on all night remove it off with a moist cotton wool after 45 minutes and leave it bare for the rest of the night while you sleep.
Oily skin Most have this skin type during teens however many retain this skin type way into their adult years this happens when oil ducts are overactive and secrete excess oil which the skin (pores) cannot get rid off naturally. This kind of skin attracts dust, dirt and pollutants in the air more easily which results in clogged pores leading to ugly blackheads, whiteheads and pimples. It looks greasy and has that awful shine to it. If your skin is oily, you have to pay a great deal of attention to your cleansing routine inside out. It has to be cleansed in a way that does not interfere with its natural function of oil production. Harsh soaps and strong astringents can impair this natural skin function lending it even more damage. If you use makeup regularly (no matter what skin type you have) make sure you remove it all off completely. Use a suitable cleanser for your skin type to remove the makeup follow with a skin toner or a mild astringent and splash lots and lots of cold water finally dab lightly with a mild face lotion specifically formulated to fight excess oiliness and tighten pores.
Important additional care for an oily complexion: 2 to 3 times a week Method: First and foremost Cleanse your skin thoroughly tone it with a clarifying lotion next exfoliate your face with facial scrub available in your beauty store or make one yourself (mix baby oil with sugar or salt or oats) massage gently in circular motions, wash it off and follow up with a cream massage, use a very light textured massage cream for 2 minutes wash off, use toner again and follow this with a face mask for oily skin (a mud based face pack is advisable for excess oil absorption) leave it on your face until it dries wash off tone it with a clarifying lotion one more time and pat on some gentle moisturizer.
General make up tip for oily skin: To keep the dreaded shine under control use a mild alcohol based toner or astringent to cleansed face, wait for a few minutes before you apply any makeup. Look for a 'shine control translucent face powder' and use this over your oil free foundation. Look for mattifying' face products such as toners, moisturizers, foundations and powders. Shine control products absorb oil. You should look for these properties in your choice of all your cosmetics.
Combination Skin If you have a skin condition where the middle of the face is oily while the rest of the face is dry or normal than you have a combination skin. You should follow the same cleansing and nourishing technique as outlined for dry or normal skin for your full face use an astringent toner in the area of you face which is oily.
Tip: For combination skin follow the same exfoliation and face pack treatment outlined for oily skin but do so only for the area that is oily. Treat the rest of the face once a week like a normal or dry skin.
Tip: Apply skin toner or clarifying lotion to the oily area often this will keep it free from that dreaded shine around the middle portion of your face.
Tip: Use hypoallergenic makeup and cosmetics to prevent allergies. This benefits all skin types.
Matured skin/extremely Dry skin This is generally a mature skin condition. All human being who neglect their skin in their youth have this skin condition as they near their mid 30s, and onwards. Lack of proper care and over-exposure to sun etc creates this condition in younger age skins as well. Wrinkles, brown patches and blotches, skin thinning, loss of moisture, develop and multiply. The remedy to this is dedicated skin care habits and the advice/supervision of your dermatologist for prescription treatment.
Women with this type of skin should follow the same care routine outlined for dry skin. Additionally such a skin condition needs extra care there are many products available to restore and repair damaged and aging skin. Countless discoveries have been made in this field. Meet your dermatologist as soon as you can and discuss your skin problem and ask for a restorative cream lotion and vitamins. Ask your doctor about lightening creams, and creams to minimize premature ageing. (Retinol a derivative of Vitamin A is a good cream to try as it helps in speeding up cellular turnover and will minimize wrinkles. However you have to speak with your dermatologist and use it under supervision). Your Doctor will recommend the best and most suitable prescription treatment for you. Or you can buy over the counter non prescriptive skin treatment creams that contain retinol; these can be helpful too but to a lesser level.
Tip: If your skin is flaky and dull a glycolic acid cream will aid slough away the dead cells and trap in moisture discuss with your dermatologist! Important: Choose your dermatologist carefully this is very important.
Tip: For women above 30, you can also use Facial night creams that contain 'peptides' and or Vitamin C. Vitamin C in your night cream is beneficial to you skin because it stimulates and increases and builds natural collagen, which gives a plump healthy fullness to your . skin. Collagen also thickens your facial and under eye skin, which gives a youthful feel and look to your facial skin. .
General Tip: Ageing dry skins should choose oil based makeup and Oily skins should choose Oil free water based makeup or oil absorbing makeup (matte).
Combination skin For the T Zone (the oily patch in the middle of your face) use oil absorbing makeup (Matte) consider balancing the need of the other areas of your face with foundations for normal or dry skin. A little attention to these matters goes a long way.
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