Beauty Tips

2008-01-15T02:06:00.000-08:00

8 Natural Health Beauty Tips

The number one natural beauty tip I can give you is to take your health seriously. In Chinese medicine, we know that natural external beauty is a reflection of inner health and well being. Often, the solution to external beauty problems is an internal one. That means foods and herbs. In the case of skin problems, herbs can be use to create creams or wraps and applied directly.

In Chinese medicine, we treat problems like acne, blemishes, and other skin problems, hair loss, and premature graying of the hair. Some of this you may need to see a Chinese medicine herbalist for, but some of it you may be able to deal with yourself. I'm going to give you natural beauty tip after natural beauty tip to help you do just that.

Natural Beauty Tip #1 - Eyes Lacking Luster
What does it mean? You can see it in babies and young children - bright, glowing eyes. Our oldest Chinese medicine classic (written between 200-500 B.C.) states that "the essence of the internal organs ascends to the eyes." The Bible says something similar, "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light." Clear and glittering (shining) eyes indicate vitality of mind and essence. Dull, clouded eyes reflect a disturbed mind, and weakened essence - this often happens in people with long term and deep emotional problems.

How can you fix it? Well, first of all, if you have some emotional problems, work through it with a professional- either a counselor, therapist, or someone within your religion. This is one part of getting to the clear, vibrant personality that shines through in bright eyes. It may take a while to get there. Second, you can take herbs and eat foods that benefit the eyes.

Probably the best Chinese herb for the eyes is lycium fruit (gou qi zi). Other herbs are black sesame seeds (hei zhi ma), and privet fruit (nu zhen zi). Good foods for the eyes include shepherd's purse, undried raspberry (fu pen zi), and animal liver.

Natural Beauty Tip #2 - Bags Under Your Eyes
Bags under the eyes indicate Kidney-system (root energy) deficiency, blood stagnation, or allergies. Respectively, the solutions are to increase energy and minimize overwork; get more movement and circulation; and find the allergy cause, eliminate it, and take anti-allergenic herbs and foods.

The Kidney-system energy is limited. If you overwork, have too much sex, or use more energy than your digestive system can produce, you'll dip into this limited energy fund. This can lead to more than circles under your eyes- you can end up with premature aging and hair loss, impotence and infertility, and ankle, knee, and lower back problems. If that's your problem, try to practice moderation, eat better, and take supplemental herbs and foods like black cohosh, Chinese chive, mutton, walnut, oysters, pork, dried rehmannia (sheng di), Chinese yam (shan yao), and horny goat weed (yin yang huo).

Blood stagnation can mean sharpn stabbing pains; clots and dark blood in the menstruation; irregular menstruation; and hard spots in the abdomen. If you have this, try celery, rose, yellow soybean, seaweed, mung bean, corn, eggplant, cucumber, and hemlock parsley (chuan xiong).

For allergies, get both IgG and IgE done for both external (skin test) and food allergies (blood test). If you find something substantial, avoid it! For food and herbs, try garlic, fresh ginger, royal jelly, chicken, beef, chestnut, astragalus (huang qi), kudzu vine (ge gen), and welsh onion (cong bai).

Natural Beauty Tip #3 - Acne
This is literally too much heat - your face has become a volcano just to let it out! Try mung bea, seagrass, seaweed, Chinese hawthorn (shan zha), Job's tears (yi yi ren), and purple sage (dan shen). Avoid spicy foods, greasy foods, and fried foods. Try some raw vegetables, too.

Natural Beauty Tip #4 - Dry Skin
Moistening herbs and foods are soy, spinach, asparagus, millet, barley, salt, seaweed, apple, tangerine, pinenut, persimmon, peanut, pear, honey, oysters, and clams. A seaweed facial wrap would be nice, too!

Natural Beauty Tip #5 - Eczema
Try guava, clam, irish potato, he shou wu, wild chrysanthemum, mugwort, Job's tears (yi yi ren), and asian dandelion (pu gong ying). Avoid spicy foods, greasy foods, and fried foods.

Natural Beauty Tip #6 - Psoriasis
Try turnip root leaf, vinegar, grapefruit, black plum (wu mei), cloves (ding xian), and dang gui (aka dong quai).

Natural Beauty Tip #7 - Prematurely Graying Hair
This can happen for two reasons- either you have a root energy (Kidney system) deficiency (for more information and solutions, see the Kidney deficiency information up under natural beauty tip #2), or you have what is called 'hot blood.' The second one happens with bleeding, nosebleed, skin ulcers, and urinary difficulties. For hot blood, take black soybean, processed dried persimmons, processed rehmannia (shu di huang), and dried rehmannia (shu di huang).

Natural Beauty Tip #8 - Premature Aging
This is another Kidney-system deficiency.

Try walnut, chicken, duck, he shou wu, Chinese ginseng, deer antler velvet (the deers aren't harmed! Lu rong), astragalus (huang qi), lycium fruit (gou qi zi), horny goat weed (yin yang huo), caterpillar larva fungus (dong chong xia cao), and red date (da zao).

References:
Sionneau & Gang. The Treatment of Disease in TCM: Volume 2.
Lu. Chinese Herbs with Common Foods: Recipes for Health and Healing.
Pitchford. Healing With Whole Foods.
Maciocia. The Foundations of Chinese Medicine.

About the Author

Acupuncturist, herbalist, and medical professor Brian B. Carter founded the alternative health megasite The Pulse of Oriental Medicine (http://www.PulseMed.org/). He is the author of the book "Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind: How to Heal Yourself with Foods, Herbs, and Acupressure" (November, 2004). Brian speaks on radio across the country, and has been quoted and interviewed by Real Simple, Glamour, and ESPN magazines.

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Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc

Steps To A Pedicure

2008-01-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

9 Easy Steps To A Pedicure

Before putting on those sexy, comfortable open toe shoes make sure your feet skin is in good condition. With these easy nine steps you too will have silky feet. So go ahead get ready to do your own pedicure.soak your feet for 10-15 minutes in warm water containing Epsom salt or foot soak

Use a pumice stone, exfoliating scrub to gently scrub the soles of your all over your feet and heel to remove dead skin.

Dry your feet.

Trim your toenails and push back cuticles.

Rinse feet once again and pat dry.

Massage feet with plenty of foot lotion. Body lotion, petroleum jelly or cream can be use to replace foot lotion.

Wrap feet on plastic bags and cover for at least 15 minutes.

Paint toe nails. Make sure to apply at least to coats of nail polish and a top coat of clear nail polish to give it more shine. Give it enough time to dry, before putting on any shoes. If you put on shoes too soon your pedicure will get ruin.

Enjoy your self given & low cost pedicure!

About The Author

Kenia Morales is the owner and publisher of online magazine " For Every Aspect Of Today's Woman". To find more beauty tips and other women related issues and topics visit her site at http://www.kpatra.com/

keniamorales@kpatra.com

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Frugal Beauty Tips

2008-01-13T21:51:00.000-08:00

10 Fun & Frugal Beauty Tips

I'm ready to unload some the best secrets and tips that even your salon professionals use. Of course they would like for you to buy their products and will tell you they are the best in order to make the sale, but I'm pretty sure they're not being honest in telling you what products are really on the backbar in their salons.

As a frugal person myself, I've always shared my secrets with my clients. I earn my living selling my services, not products. Here a few for you to enjoy!

1. To dry nail polish in a hurry, spray nails with PAM Oil Spray.

2. Olive oil can be added to bath water for a skin softener.

3. Toner/Astringent -- Use witch hazel instead. No need to dilute -- use full strength. You can also rinse with a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar after cleansing -- it balances out the ph of your skin.

4. Cut back on the amount of shampoo you use. Do the same with toothpaste. The manufacturers want us to use more, so we buy more.

5. Keep your pantyhose in the freezer, and they will last longer.

6. For great lotion, mix one-part lotion with one-part vaseline. It works better than plain lotion, and, depending on the cost of your lotion, you can stretch its value.

7. To prevent hair pins from falling out, bend one prong in a "V" about halfway up and insert in hair. It will stay.

8. Old lipstick tubes, thoroughly cleaned, are great for purse-sized pill boxes or for pins.

9. Use hydrogen peroxide as an inexpensive nail bleach.

10. For an excellent facial, mix dry oatmeal and water into a paste and spread on face. Lie down and let it dry. Wash off with warm water.

About the Author

Melissa is a professional cosmetologist who is constantly updating her education. For daily updates including tips, secrets and other information, please visit her blog at http://bizewomanbeautytips.blogspot.com/ Beauty doesn't have to cost a fortune!

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Beat Dry Skin

2008-01-12T21:53:00.000-08:00

Beating Dry Skin and Dandruff the Natural Way

For most of my life I've struggled with dry skin and dandruff. I've gone through every cream and shampoo available on the market without any acceptable results. I started to look to diet and more alternative practices for help. I've realized that it is possible to find solutions to dry skin and dandruff through diet, in combination with other health models, such as the Eastern practice of Ayurvedic medicine.

Ayurvedic is an ancient medical system from India which empasizes more natural paths to healing through diet, massage and holistic remedies. It classifies individuals according to a metabolic body type or dosha. Each dosha is characterized by a combination of the earth's elements like fire, water, wind, etc. When your doshas are out of balance, ill health can occur. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

Depending on what body type you are, you could be more prone to dry skin and dandruff. For example, a person with an imbalance in their Vata dosha is prone to dry skin. Various herbal rememdies and oils can help to restore balance to specific problems. With Vata, a regular body and scalp massage with sesame or sweet almond oil is recommended. For Pitta the oil would be coconut and for Kapha try olive oil. These can all be found in health food or grocery stores if you don't have a store that specializes in Ayurvedic remedies. You can also gently heat the oils in the microwave for a more intense moisturizer. Another great natural moisturizer is a mixture of egg yolks and honey. Thick and messy, but it works!

In addition to topical remedies, you can also work on your body from the inside out. Diet has a great impact on dandruff. Try these following dietary tips:

-Cut back on sugar and yeast. Foods that contain high levels of these ingredients can encourage fungus growth that causes dandruff. Unfortunately, that includes beer and wine!

-Pack your diet full of B-vitamin, Omega 3 fatty acids, and zinc rich foods like egg yolks, fish, whole grains, bananas, avocados, nuts, seeds, flaxseed, and spinach. These nutrients help maintain healthy hair and skin and zinc is actually found in many anti-dandruff shampoos.

-Use a tea tree oil shampoo on your hair. This is a very popular natural product from Australia, and has been used as an antiseptic, antibiotic and antifungal agent. This is the only anti-dandruff shampoo that has worked for me!

These are only a few tips that can help to restore your body to optimal health. Ayuvedic medicine is as vast as the Western model requiring years of study and knowlege. I hope to have simply provided an introduction to a wide range of help available.

Find out what your dosha is by visiting: http://www.ayurbalance.com/explore_articlethreedoshas.htm

Jane Arnold is a freelance writer and part-time beauty buff. You can get more health and beauty tips at her website at: http://www.girlyside.com/girlyside.html The website is a girl's guide to health, beauty, love and leisure. Sign up for the free newsletter at http://www.girlyside.com/newsletter.html

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Simple Beauty Tips

2008-01-11T21:55:00.000-08:00

Beauty Tips

1. Your foundation will look only as good as the skin underneath. To get an even, smooth look, cleanse and exfoliate regularly.

2. If you have sensitive skin and are prone to allergic reactions make sure you test new cosmetics on a small patch either on the inside of your arm or your neck. If after 24 hours you don't have a reaction it is safe to use the product.

3. If you have acne or find you cannot use any skin care products without getting an allergic reaction or dry itchy skin, make an appointment with a dermatologist.

4. Use mascara sparingly. Using too much will make your eyelashes stick together and form into blobs. Dip your brush only once to do both eyes making sure you twist, not pump the brush.

5. No matter how tempting it might be to drop into bed after being out late, don't do it. Your skin will thank you if you remove all traces of makeup and apply your skin care cream before going to bed.

6. Take care of the skin around your neck as well as your face by applying moisturizer. This is a delicate area which is quick to show wrinkles.

7. Cosmetics do not last forever and using old products can cause irritations. Here are some guidelines:

* Foundation - 1 year

* Concealer - 1 year

* Powder - 2 years

* Mascara - 3 months

* Lipstick - 1 year

* Eye pencil - 1 year

* Eye Shadow - 1 year

* Powder Blush - 2 years

* Cream Blush - 6 months

* Moisturizer - 1 year

* Eye Cream - 1 year

* Sun Screen - l year

Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who teaches women how to dress to suit their body type and look slimmmer. You can reach her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download her ebook, "Image Makeovers" and get "How to Build a Wardrobe" ebook free.

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Tips For Radiant Skin

2008-01-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

Beauty Tips: 10 Steps for Radiant Skin

When it comes to a glowing complexion what we put into our bodies and how we treat our skin and ourselves has a huge impact on how we look - no skin care product can overcome certain damage. Here are a few hints to take the best care of your skin and get that radiant glow.

1. Eat a balanced diet - what we put in our bodies will show on our skin. If you eat fatty foods and junk your skin will reflect that, so give your skin proper nutrition.

2. Get at least 7 to 8 hours sleep every night. A lack of sleep will show up under your eyes as dark circles or bags. Proper rest will also benefit your body and your life.

3. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to keep your skin hydrated. It is best to spread the consumption of water in small amounts over the course of the day to be sure it is properly absorbed.

4. Maintain a regular exercise schedule. Exercise gets the blood moving and creates a healthy body.

5. Get lots of fresh air but avoid prolonged exposure to wind and cold.

6. Avoid the sun and tanning beds. The damage done by ultraviolet rays is long lasting and cannot be reversed.

7. Always wear sunglasses to avoid squinting.

8. Try to achieve a well-balanced life and reduce stress.

9. Exfoliate twice a week to rid your skin of dead cells.

10. Develop a skin care routine for your particular skn type.

If you have been neglecting your complexion start right away to improve it - it's never too late. What you do today will show up in your skin in the future. It's up to you.

Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe Consultant who teaches women how to dress to suit their body type and look slimmer. Visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download her ebook, 'Image Makeovers' and get How to 'Build a Wardrobe' free.

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Tips For Perfect Lips

2008-01-09T21:58:00.000-08:00

Beauty Tips for Luscious Lips

The last step in your makeup regime is lipstick application. Some women say if they could have only one beauty item it would be lipstick. Lip color brings the whole look together to create harmony. To keep your lips looking perfect, have lip color with you at all times and reapply when needed.

When you select a lip color take in consideration your clothing and blush colors. The color of your clothing and blush should complement your lipstick but doesn't have to be perfectly matched. However, the colors should be in the same intensity and range. Wear cool colors together and warm colors together. Pink lipsticks go with blue and pink colors and corals and russets go with clothing that falls in a yellow/orange range.

Steps to apply lip color:

1. Prepare your lips by applying foundation over them (this will extend the wear).

2. Outline and define the shape using a lip pencil that has soft, pointed top. Start at the V in your upper lip drawing down to the corners. Then, starting at the middle of the bottom lip draw a line to the corners. To help lipstick stay on longer, use your pencil to cover the lips entirely.

3. Fill in upper lip with lipstick or you can use a lip brush.

4. Fill in the lower lip and then blot with a tissue and reapply.

5. Dab gloss in the centre of your lower lip to create a fuller more glamorous look.

When defining the lips with a lip pencil be sure the pencil and lipstick colors are very close. The lip liner should not be noticeable. Lip liners are meant to keep your lipstick in place, keep lipstick from bleeding, define the shape and help them look more natural. Do not try to change the shape of your lips by going outside the natural line.

* Dark lipsticks will make small lips appear smaller.

Sheila Dicks is an image and wardrobe consultant who teaches women how to dress to suit their body type and look slimmer. You can visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download her "Image Makeover" ebook and get "How to Build a Wardrobe" free.

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Look Years Younger

2008-01-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

Do You Want To Look Ten
Years Younger?

Do you want to look ten years younger?

Here are twelve beauty tips that are guaranteed to work, if you follow them *all*. There's no point eating fresh fruit and vegetables, and then smoking like a chimney!

1. Moisturise.

This is a misnomer, you can't actually put water in your skin. You can, however, oil it up (like leather!), and trap water next to the skin.

After every wash, put an inert oil on your face. Johnson's Baby Oil is good. Put it especially on your laughter-lines (around the eyes), your forehead, around the mouth and on the neck.

You don't need expensive ointments; independent studies show these are a con.

2. Eat Good Food.

Eat plenty of fruit, fish and vegetables, drink water. A healthy diet makes for a healthy body, and health makes you look younger.

3. Sleep.

MOST IMPORTANT.

At least eight hours. A good night's kip will make you look years younger.

Go to bed before midnight, as early as possible. You've had enough when you bound out of bed in the morning, full of energy. If you don't, you need more, or you're depressed, or you went to bed after midnight.

Lack of sleep is very ageing. If you don't get enough sleep you look haggard i.e. old. Sleep deprivation is akin to being a zombie; your IQ is less, memory poorer, and your reactions slower. You become more prone to disease.

4. Don't Smoke.

Smoking constricts the capillaries in your face. This is why smokers look pale. It ages the skin. It makes your hair lank.

A smoker is essentially in a constant state of ill-health; weaker immune system, less energy, less stamina. In time smoking can lead to serious disease. It lenghtens recovery time from other diseases. Doctors tend to write-off smokers; they know their work is being wasted.

Cigarettes contain poisons like formaldehyde, ammonia, arsenic, and benzene. The reason people crave them is because they also contain nictotine, which is more addictive than heroin. You can kick heroin in five days; nicotine can take weeks.

5. Don't Drink Alcohol.

Again, alcohol is a poison. Drunkenness is a mild form of poisoning; hence its alternative name: intoxication.

I once knew some Australian girls when I first came to in London. They used to 'party hearty'. One of them was very pretty. After 6 months she looked like she'd aged fifteen years; 20 going on 35.

When I was very young I used to wonder why adults looked so old, tired and fed up. Certainly life has its disappointments, but we help death mark our card early on.

6. Don't Sunbathe.

In neolithic times men used to cure animal hides by exposing them to the sun. This was the earliest form of tanning; they were making leather.

This is what's happening to sunbather's skin. That's why 35 year-old sunbathers look 45, and 45 year-old sunbathers have skin the texture of a leather armchair.

Sitting in the sun for hours is weak-minded. Look at the great beauties, the older ones. They kept well out of the sun; their skin is milky white. You don't see their sisters in magazines, who, for a season's healthy glow, sacrificed their looks forever.

7. Don't Dye Or Bleach Your Hair.

Unless your hair is grey or mousey, leave off putting chemicals on it. If you are healthy, your hair will reflect this. Bleaching is bad for your hair, and you may damage the follicles. If the dye doesn't suit your skin tone, it won't make you look good anyway.

8. Don't Wear Formal Clothes.

Dress younger, look younger!

9. Don't Wear A Beard Or Moustache, Or Long Hair (for men).

If your hair is thinning and long, or you have a beard or moustache, you'll look older by ten years. Conversely, a short hair-cut and a clean-shaven face takes years off you. Cut off your sideburns; voila! instant youth.

10. Don't Have Cosmetic Surgery.

This is a trap. Because a man has M.D. after his name doesn't mean he has the skill of a Michelangelo or Da Vinci. That's what you need to remodel a human face.

Why? Because our perceptions of human beauty rely on very subtle clues in another's face; small lines, dimples, contours, expressions.

A cosmetic surgeon cuts these out, and you are left with a mask. You lose some of your personality. You become a type; a Hollywood social x-ray, a waxen-faced thing. Don't do it, girls!

We are not machines; cut us, take a part out, replace it, and we are never quite the same again.

11. Don't Over-diet, Over-exercise.

This makes you look scrawny and haggard. A slightly fleshy face looks younger; the wrinkles fill out a bit.

A bit of exercise gets the blood flowing, and reminds your muscles they exist. Too much intense exercise (more than two hours a day), a low carbohydrate diet, and you look haggard; worn out, old, under par.

12. Don't Worry!

If you have problems, resolve to deal with them, or deliberately avoid them; but decide, and then put them out of your mind. Stress and worry make you haggard, and pre-dispose you to disease. They keep you awake at night, and ruin the quality of your sleep.

Meditate. Resolve your problems before you go to sleep at night. Observe your thoughts and emotions dispassionately. You may be surprised to find how crazy most are!

In short, youth is a combination of factors; one cream or regime won't do. Address your entire person, body and mind.

Here's to your good health!

T. O' Donnell (http://www.tigertom.biz) is the author of 'The Black Book Of Power', a free personal development ebook, and lives in London, UK.

COPYRIGHT: You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. You must publish the article AS IS. Do not modify, alter or edit it.

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Notifying the author is not required, but doing so is appreciated, at http://www.tigertom.com/contact.htm

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Perfect Your Eyes

2008-01-07T22:02:00.000-08:00

Effective Ways To Remove Dark Cicles Under Eyes

Dark circles under the eyes are known to be signs of stress, lack of sleep, fatigue, malnutrition, allergies etc. They can have an enormous effect on your appearance. Luckily you can easily make them disappear naturally or by applying some some ingredients or products to the affected area.

The easiest and healthiest ways to remove dark circles would be by getting plenty of sleep, rest, increasing your water intake at least 8 glasses of water a day & last but not least eating well.

Sometimes applying natural products like cooled tea bags & sliced cucumbers can help reduced the puffiness

Beauty products can also do the trick. Peter Thomas Roth AHA / Kojic Acid Under Eye Brightener, Oleda Time machine for dark circles, Emergin C Lighten-Up, Under eye Circle Fighter are all products well know for diminishing dark circles under eyes.

About The Author

keniamorales@kpatra.com

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Fade Your Freckles

2008-01-06T22:03:00.000-08:00

Fade My Freckles!

Freckles, age spots, pregnancy mask - these harmless skin defects can be quite an annoying problem. We all want not only silky smooth complexion, but an even and healthy skin tone as well.

Freckles. Considered cute by some, they are a real problem for others. Freckles, a.k.a. ephelides, are small brown or tan patches common in individuals with lighter skin, blond or red hair, and blue, green or grey eyes. They appear early in life, increase in number during summer months and fade in winter. After the age of 40-45 they disappear, but who wants to wait?

Another type of skin discoloration is pregnancy mask, otherwise known as chloasma or melasma. It appears during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. Women with darker skin are more likely to develop this condition. After delivery, chloasma will fade, however some traces may still remain. It can also occur in women who are taking oral contraceptives.

Age spots - lentigines - are similar to freckles. They appear later in life and can occur in any skin type.

The good news is: if you know why the discoloration occurs and take measures to prevent and treat it, you can have an even skin tone at any age.

Freckles, age spots and pregnancy mask have several things in common. They are formed in sun exposed areas: face, hands, chest and back. These unwelcome brown patches are nothing more than accumulation of skin pigment melanin which is always produced by the skin. The amount of melanin present determines the skin tone of an individual. Extra melanin is produced by the body in response to sun exposure: it absorbs UV rays and does not allow them to penetrate deep into the skin layers as it would be damaging.

If you want to avoid skin discoloration, the first and the most important thing you need to do is to avoid sun exposure and wear sunscreen. This way your body will not need to produce more melanin.

Since melanin is accumulated in the upper layer of the skin, you might want to consider skin lightening and peeling. There are different products that can be used for this purpose:

Hydroquinone has been a very popular treatment, however it can irritate the skin.
Kojic acid, discovered in Japan in 1989, is a natural product derived from fungi (mushroom). It is gentle on the skin and very effective in treating skin discoloration. Penetrating upper skin layers, it inhibits the formation of the pigment.
Alpha-hydroxy acids help to shed old cells faster, therefore they will be helpful as well. By removing the outer skin cells, which are usually darker, you will make your freckles or age spots lighter and less visible.

If you decide to use any of the above products, extra sun protection is imperative. If necessary, apply an SPF cream several times a day. By using skin lighteners and peels, you affect the upper darker layer. Lower layers are lighter, with less melanin present. If you don't protect your skin, it will launch its own defense mechanism producing more melanin. This will result in darker and more intensive discoloration, which can be even harder to get rid of.

Please remember that skin discoloration (excluding pregnancy mask, which should disappear after the delivery) require consistent treatment. Once you stop using lighteners and protection, the dark patches will be back. But keeping up with your skin regiment is not difficult: all you need is a gentle yet effective lightener and a moisturizer with complete UV protection - against both UVB and UVA rays.

Natural remedies you can use:

Wash your face with sour milk. Lactic acid will provide gentle peeling effect without irritating or drying your skin.
Lemon juice is a time proven freckle fighting remedy. It is not necessary to rub your skin with a piece of lemon. Applying the juice with your fingers will do the job.
Fruit and vegetable masks (apricots, strawberries, cucumbers, red currant).
Sour cream mask. Do not rinse this mask completely, just remove gently with a facial tissue, then apply a moisturizer. For oily skin - use lemon juice before applying the mask.
Natural parsley juice (or parsley infusion) mixed with equal amounts of lemon juice, orange juice, and red currant juice under your favorite cream will help you keep your freckles invisible.

Last but not least - increase your Vitamin C intake! It makes your skin less sensitive to the sun. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, apples, green onions, black and red currant, rosehip tea.

Please note that some types of skin discoloration are due to internal disorders. Poor liver functioning, hormonal or metabolism disorders, overactive thyroid can be the underlying reasons for unsightly cosmetic problems. If this is the case, start your treatment from the inside.

Note: Information in this article is not to be taken as a medical advice. Always consult your doctor if you need professional help.

About The Author

Natalie Katsman is a co-founder of http://www.natural-aid.com, where you can find fine quality aloe vera products for beauty and well-being and subscribe to HealthySkin Newsletter filled with beauty tips, recipes and information on herbal healing, skin care and cosmetic chemistry.

info@natural-aid.com

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Makeup Beauty Tips

2008-01-05T22:06:00.000-08:00

Makeup Tips for Eyes, Lips and Face

When I hit my 30's, I decided to get more serious about skin care and makeup. I've become a regular at Department Store 'Bonus Days', when you buy an item and get a bunch of samples for free! Cosmetics and makeup can be fun, easy and inexpensive if you follow these tips!

Your Eyes:

1. For great looking eyes make sure to use powder shadows for a natural look and a eyeliner pencil for drama at night. Make sure the liner has a smudge tip at one end to get that smoky eye look. Only line the top of the eye is you're looking tired. You don't want to bring more attention to dark circles under the eyes. Neutral tones with a hint of color are flattering on everybody.

2. For sheen on the eyelids, dab a bit of Vaseline for a pretty reflective quality, as well as moisture.

3. Open up the eye with a gold/beige shimmery high lighter onto the brow bone.

4. Don't throw away cash on an expensive eye makeup remover! Find a pretty glass bottle and fill it with baby shampoo.

5. If your cream eye shadow dries out, use a few drops of water or mineral oil to soften it up again.

5. Potatoes, like cucumbers, will reduce the appearance of dark, under-eye circles.

Your Lips:

1. Use blush as a lipstick, then use clear gloss or lip balm over it. Longer staying power.

2. Natural ingredients have been used for centuries as makeup: apply beet juice to lips and cheeks as a stain,or mix it with melted bees wax to make your own lip balm! Cayenne pepper can plump the lips, but use with caution!

3. Use eye makeup remover to treat super dry, chapped lips. It's a great nighttime lip treatment!

Your Face:

1. For a longer lasting foundation try a product with silicone. The silicone creates a sweat-proof and smudge resistant second skin. For me, I find it helps with my rosacea because the live yeast extract has healing powers.

2. A powder bronzer under blush can really even out skin tone. I dab my brush in the bronzer, then into the blush and lightly cover my whole face.

3. For a new bronzer, use a foundation that is two to three shades darker than your skin tone and apply where you would use your bronzer. In a pinch you could use a brown eye shadow.

4. Papaya mixed with plain yogurt into a paste makes a great exfoliating mask for all skin types!

5. Use an egg white mask for a quick fix for diminishing the appearance of pores.

Brought to you by Ample Advice

Look After Your Pores

2008-01-05T22:04:00.000-08:00

Make Your Pores Behave

Smooth and soft skin, even tone, rosy glow, pores invisible to the naked eye... Perfect complexion. Isn't that what we hope to see when coming to the mirror?

But the reality is harsh and mirrors don't lie. The pores are there, perfectly visible, and seem to get bigger and bigger.

Why would Mother Nature put the most visible ones where you can't hide them? Life would be so much easier if we could keep them out of sight (and out of mind). I bet Nature had no idea people would consider pores a problem and, of course, had the best reasons in mind.

Pores are tiny (oh well, comparatively tiny) passages for oil that is produced in sebum glands to reach the surface of the skin. There are approximately 300 000 oil glands in human skin, the highest concentration is on the face, chest and back. The glands produce up to one ounce of oil daily!

The oil forms a protective layer over the skin that prevents moisture loss and helps to keep the skin soft and resilient and prevent injury and environmental damage. Given the fact that skin on the face is thinner than in other body areas and is constantly exposed to sun, wind, cold and heat, we desperately need this protection.

The challenge is to maintain the right balance between the activity of sebaceous glands and the actual needs of your skin. Problems start when pores have to deal with more oil than they can handle. Pores expand under the pressure of excessive oil flow and become visible. Once they enlarge, they don't shrink back. There are no muscles around pores that could contract and close the opening.

More and more pores can become visible with age. This is due to the loss of skin elasticity and sagging. As skin is drawn down by gravity, pores become more obvious.

Keeping pores clean is the first thing you need to do if you want to make them less noticeable and prevent their size increase.

When oil binds with dirt and dead skin cells, pores become clogged and - again - stretch. To prevent this, keep oil under control, use gentle and effective cleansers and exfoliate regularly.

After cleansing, use astringent toner. Astringents cause slight swelling of the top skin layer, which temporarily closes pores. There are two things to be cautious about. First, don't overdry your skin or it will react by producing even more oil. Second, if your skin is sensitive, be extra careful as it might not tolerate some of the ingredients used in astringents.

Mature skin will benefit from thorough cleansing and gentle exfoliating followed by a face-lift mask. When done 1-3 times a week, this regiment will produce visible improvement in just a few weeks.

The pores don't shrink permanently. We have to accept it, just as we accept that fair eyelashes can't get dark and straight hair don't curl. Yet, we learned to live with it and still get the look we want. The same thing is with pores: you can improve the way they look when and if you want to.

About The Author

info@natural-aid.com

Brought to you by Ample Advice

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2008-01-04T22:10:00.000-08:00

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