SUPER SKIN IN FOUR SIMPLE STEPS

While we can all appreciate a good concealer or botox, ignoring the underlying problems by covering them up is no answer. Truly beautiful skin can only come from a good basic skin care routine.Clear, beautiful, healthy skin doesn’t just ‘happen,’ it comes effort and a good skin care routine. Surprisingly, many women today rely on cosmetics and surgical procedures to hide or repair the damage that has occurred from years of improper skin maintenance.

Most dermatologist and skin experts recommend consistently following a daily skin care routine. This does not have to be complicated or time-consuming.  Your daily routine can be performed in as little as five to ten minutes.

Four Simple Steps

* Cleanse
* Tone / Treat
* Moisturize
* Protect

A typical skin care routine includes the following steps: washing/cleansing, toning / treating (optional depending on skin type), moisturizing and sun protection.

Optimize for your skin type
The steps of the basic routine should be adjusted to fit your skin type. Your skin type may change with the season, diet and age. Skin tends to be oilier in the summer and drier in the winter. Menopause often brings about a change from oily or normal to dry skin. Conversely, a shift from a low-fat diet to that rich in certain fats (particularly essential fatty acids) may turn dry skin to normal. Skin pigmentation affects the degree to which you need sun protection. While sun damages any skin, the damage is far less in dark-skinned people. Conversely, fair skinned people need to be particularly meticulous about sun protection by minimizing sun exposure, choosing an effective sunscreen and applying it frequently and consistently.

Depending on your skin type, you may want to use your routine once in the morning and again before you sleep. Those with dry and/or sensitive skin may do better with once a day washing/cleansing while moisturizing two or more times a day. Exfoliation, to remove excess oils and prevent acne or blackheads, is also recommended in some cases, but exercise caution as daily exfoliation may be excessive and can lead to chronic irritation. Exfoliation once or twice a week is usually sufficient. Younger skin, like that in your 20’s and 30’s will have a fast natural epidermal turnover may need little to no exfoliation.

Cleansing
Cleaning facial skin is even more important than cleaning your body. Your face, unlike your body, is exposed to elements all day long. Dirt, pollution and oil from hands all accumulate on the epidermal layer and can clog pores and cause acne eruptions or inflammation. Like all skin care products, the best cleanser for you will be determined by your skin type. If you suffer from oily or acne-prone skin, you may benefit from an oil-free gel cleanser or one containing salicylic acid. Mature or dry skin will do best with a cream cleanser to help retain moisture. Once your face and neck are cleansed, rinse with lukewarm water and pat your skin lightly with a towel.

Toning / Treating
Toning can consist of using a store-bought toner, astringent or simple Witch Hazel. Toning or treating will balance the ph level of the skin and remove any residual dirt or oil not picked up from your cleanser. For those over the age of thirty, adding a well-selected treatment or two with scientifically proven active ingredients can further improve your results. Treatment can mean anything from skin rejuvenation products, skin discoloration items and oil absorbing agents to applying medicines for acne or eczema. If you suffer from multiple skin conditions, select an initial treatment aimed at the broadest improvement and then fine tune things from there.
Be aware of applying products to un-cleansed skin as the penetration of active ingredients will be greatly reduced. If you cleanse, moisturize and then apply advanced products, the penetration of active ingredients may still be reduced because the moisturizer has blocked some the entryways.

Moisturize
Moisturizers are essential to keep skin cells plump and hydrated. Hydrated skin will show fewer lines, wrinkles and imperfections. Even if you have oily or acne prone skin, you may still need some hydration. Look for gel-based moisturizers or lightweight formulations. Many medications and treatments appropriate for dealing with acne or oily skin automatically are drying. Don’t make the mistake of drastically drying out your skin until it is a challenge to repair. During the fall and winter months your skin may be even more vulnerable thanks to reduced humidity from indoor heating and excessive hot showers or baths.

Apply your moisturizer when your skin is clean, warm and still slightly moist. Since many active treatments have moisturizing ingredients, you may be able to skip a separate moisturizer. If you feel that you need additional moisturizing, wait a few minutes for the active treatments to absorb, and then apply your favorite moisturizer over it.

Protect
Wearing sunscreen or sun protection EVERY DAY is the proven best way to block harmful UV rays and diminish formation of wrinkles, skin discolorations and to reduce your chances of developing skin cancer. A good UVA+UVB sunscreen should be applied on top of your moisturizer or other treatments as a final step of your routine whenever sun exposure is expected.  Sunscreens come in a wide variety of bases, from those meant for oily skin to hydrating versions. Those with sensitivities to chemical sunscreens can choose natural Zinc Oxide formulations. Protective clothing can also now be improved thanks to new laundry treatments with UV protectant for widespread areas of the body mistakenly thought to be protected by your clothing.

Some skin care products or cosmetics contain added UV blockers, but they may not be enough, using a separate, specially formulated sunscreen is proven to be more effective.

And that’s it! Cleanse, Tone / Treat, Moisturize and Protect. Use these four simple steps to achieve beautiful, healthy skin. For a lifetime of skin care that can help leave your skin looking its very best, see your healthy skin as a clean canvass upon which to paint any improvements.

Author: Rachelle Dupree
Vivoderm Natural Skincare

Shooting Acne Troubles!

Are you searching for the best acne treatments which will actually work and get you rid of acne?  Well there is of course a treatment that will serve you well but you have to find the best one for you. There is no one size that fits all kind of an acne treatment and it basically depends on the type of acne you are suffering from. Acne causes whiteheads, blackheads, inflamed red lesions called pimples which are irritable and ugly. Acne bursts when tiny pores on surface of skin become clogged and oil glands start producing excess oil. It can surely be treated with the help of a suitable treatment recommended by dermatologist, esthetician, cosmetologist or a beautician.

You can even follow self care treatment to lessen the effects of acne and suppress its breakouts. It is important to gently clean your skin with a mild soap which removes dirt. You should not mess with pimples by scratching or squeezing as it might lead to scary skin infections. This will help in clearing up blemishes to an acceptable level. Some medication can also be used to fight acne as they work by killing bacteria, drying up oil, exfoliating top layer of skin leaving you with a soft and acne free skin. Chemical skin peeling and removal of scars by derma abrasion are other treatments that you can choose to get rid of acne in an effective manner.

Exposure to sun also increases the rate of acne breakout and excessive exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet rays should be avoided. For better and immediate results you can even go in for natural and herbal anti acne treatments. These treatments contain no preservatives or chemicals and are skin friendly treatments. They do not cause any side effects, get you rid of ugly acne, and make your skin soft and glowing. Just choose a treatment that suits you best and get rid of acne problem.

Identify The Best Acne Treatment

The definition of ‘Best acne treatment’ varies from person to person. Some people might have undergone a laser treatment and benefited from it. There must be others who swear by Botox injections. There may be some others who will owe their clear skin to anti-acne creams. There may be yet others who are indebted to herbal acne treatments. So, there is no as such one ‘Best acne treatment’. An acne treatment may work for one. The same may not work for another. The person on whom the treatment worked will definitely call such a treatment the ‘Best treatment’. As simple as that!

The working of the treatment depends on a lot many factors. One such factor is severity of acne. In the most intense acne cases, it is a skincare expert only who can suggest the best acne treatment. One must avoid going by hearsay and rush to see a dermatologist as soon as possible. For a person with chronic acne, a course of antibiotics or skin grafting may prove to be the ‘Best acne treatment’. Likewise, for somebody who has not had acne anytime in life but has developed it now, the problem may be solved by acne facials alone. Similarly some people may have benefitted from yoga. So, these people will undoubtedly consider yoga to be the ‘Best acne treatment’. Homeopathy also offers a solution to the problem. Some people vouch for the effects of homeopathy.

Facial masks are held to be very beneficial in treating bad skin. Herbal anti-acne creams are tried and tested ways to make the pimples disappear. There are many under-knife treatments to boot for instance zeno acne treatment, laser treatment, vacuum treatment etc.

Ultimately, it is a dermatologist who can suggest the ‘Best acne treatment’ to any person. A dermatologist can relate with the problem well, identify the cause and accordingly suggest a prescription.