Articles in Skin Care
Posted by Sarah Miller on March 3, 2012Winter is hard on skin.
Unlike the rest of our body, our face is exposed to the cold, wind, and sun whenever we step outside. Cold weather tends to suck every last drop of moisture out of our skin, resulting in a red, rough, flaky texture. It also causes our sebum production to slow down triggering tightness, and inflammation and a breakdown of collagen which causes premature wrinkles, and fine lines.
The best thing you can do to hydrate your skin is drink plenty of water. The amount of water needed can change every day, based on your physical activity, current health condition, the climate and weather conditions. Typically men should drink about 3 liters of water and women should drink about 2.2 liters of water per day. Pregnant women should drink about 2.3 liters of water daily and 3.1 liters while breast feeding. Those who exercise should increase their water intake by .5 to 1 liter. The same thing applies with extreme cold or hot weather conditions and during illness; especially fever, vomiting or diarrhea.
If you are drinking an adequate amount of water, but your skin is still showing signs of dehydration, you may need to adjust your moisturizer.
How do you know which moisturizer is right for you? It’s important to find a moisturizer that will seal in the moisture you already have as well as the moisture you’re missing. It should be powerful enough to protect against environmental aggressors, yet not be so heavy that it results in a shiny, greasy appearance. It should also be effective all day long and leave your skin soft
and velvety.
YonKa’s Crème 28 does all of that! It’s a 3-in-1 restorative product. It protects, moisturizes and deeply re-hydrates. It’s lightweight and won’t clog pores. This time of year, I use it as a final hydration cream in almost all of the facial treatments I provide.
Once you have the right protection, the benefits will show immediately resulting in a smooth, glowing, supple appearance.
Some things you can do at home to combat the effects of winter are:
- Wash your face with lukewarm, not hot water
- Exfoliate regularly (at least twice per week)
- Apply your moisturizer to damp skin after showering (helps to lock-in extra moisture)
- Avoid using alcohol-based toners or astringents that tend to over-dry the skin
Easy at-home treatments for dry, dehydrated skin:
Exfoliating Mask
¼ cup almonds, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oatmeal
4 tablespoons soy milk
1 tablespoon mashed avocado
In a bowl, blend ingredients until pasty. If the mixture is too dry, add another tablespoon of soy milk. Spread a thin, even layer over face, rubbing gently in a circular motion, avoiding eyes. Leave on for 20 minutes, then remove with a warm, wet washcloth. Repeat twice per week.
Moisturizing Mask
½ large ripe banana
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
In a bowl, mash banana with oil; blend until smooth. Apply mixture to clean, dry face, avoid eyes, and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Treat once per day or whenever skin feels dry and dehydrated.
Posted by Geri on November 1, 2011According to The Beauty Bean website, cranberries can be your new best friend.
When you think cranberries, you likely think of cranberry sauce and Thanksgiving side dishes. You probably don’t think about whipping up a facial mask and applying it to your skin. But, you should! Rich in antioxidants, cranberries are not only a great addition to our diets to help prevent diseases, but also great when applied topically to our skin to help ward off wrinkles, reduce redness and prevent any signs of skin damage.
Here’s a great recipe from The Beauty Bean website to help you bring the benefits of cranberry to your skin.
Homemade Anti-Aging Cranberry Facial Mask
¼ teaspoon Green Clay (found in health food stores)
1 teaspoon Plain Yogurt
1 tablespoon Honey
¼ cup of cranberries
¼ cup cranberry juice
Blend the cranberries to a pulp. Mix in all other ingredients thoroughly. Apply to face and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly before toning and moisturizing as usual. If you would like your masque to be thicker, add more green clay. Your skin will feel radiant, exfoliated, and deeply hydrated. Who knew the cranberry had such great impact! Enjoy.
Posted by Geri on August 13, 2011Looking for summer-fresh skin? Add these items to your weekly grocery list and enjoy one of nature’s best recipe for healthy glowing skin. Sometimes the simplest, most natural ingredients provide the best results. Enjoy.
Vanilla Bean Exfoliating Paste
2 Tbsp white rice
2 Tbsp coffee beans (optional)
1 fresh vanilla bean, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup natural plain yogurt
Mix rice, coffee beans, and vanilla bean into a powder using a coffee grinder. Pour mixture into bowl and add a splash of warm water to make a paste. Apply to body, and rub vigorously to exfoliate dead skin. Rinse the bathtub or shower. Follow by smoothing yogurt to soothe and moisturize. Rinse off and enjoy your beautiful, healthy glow.
Store any excess vanilla paste in airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Posted by Geri on July 26, 2011Cellulite is maddening. Sometimes, despite a consistent work-out regime and healthy eating, women still get the dreaded ‘cottage cheese syndrome’ on legs, thighs and arms. Life doesn’t seem fair. Here’s a great way to combat the problem that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars.
Scrub Away Cellulite.
Sugar scrubs are a great way to exfoliate the skin, increase circulation and combat water retention. A gentle ‘scrub’ of the body helps to stimulate the lymphatic flow to make the body more efficient in eliminating fat cells and toxins. Sugar scrubs made with raw sugar can help soften and nourish the skin, while depositing trace minerals to the body that can help balance electrolytes and increase circulation.
For an added benefit, the procedure of ‘dry brushing’ can help to stimulate nerve endings and prepare the skin to accept the active ingredients contained in the sugar scrub. Dry brushing can actually create the same body stimulation as a good massage or 20 minutes of exercise.
It is important to drink additional water over the course of several days after your sugar scrub treatment to aid in the removal of toxins. This is an important step, since the water helps the digestive system ‘flush’ the toxins from the body. Without this step, the toxins will be redistributed throughout the body, and you may feel like you have a case of the stomach flue or severe headache. Drink lots of water.
Scrub-a-dub-dub. Have fun!
Posted by Geri on May 7, 2011Proper sunscreen protection keeps the skin from prematurely aging and prevents skin cancer. Both UVA and UVB rays have been shown to cause skin damage, which can lead to skin cancer. Because both are responsible for various levels of damage to the skin, it is important that your sunscreen product provide broad-spectrum coverage that shields both types of exposure.
Two common ingredients in sunscreen include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Zinc oxide offers the widest range of protection for both UVA and UVB rays. Additionally, zinc oxide is known to be an anti-inflammatory agent. Titanium dioxide is an ingredient widely used in cosmetics and sunscreen products because of its ability to reflect UV rays away from the skin.
Studies have shown that nano-particles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to not penetrate the skin and therefore are not harmfully absorbed.
As the weather heats up and we spend more time outdoors, be sure to apply sunscreen to face and body every few hours. Reapplication is important especially if you spend time in or around the water. Make sure your sunscreen has a high SPF and read the label to be sure you are not applying a laundry list of chemicals to your face and body.
Ciao Bella will soon be offering the newest in Chemical-Free protection. Suntegrity Skincare is an all natural moisturizing face protection sunscreen with SPF30. It hydrates, moisturizes and protects your face. Perfect for everyday use.
Enjoy your time in the sun!
