Summer time will soon be gone and with the warm air came sandals and flip-flops. To go along with this style of footwear came the dreaded cracked heels. This is a malady that is both preventable and readily treatable. We will first look at how to prevent the problem, and then if you’re reading this too late, we’ll help you treat the problem.

Preventing Cracked Heels

1. Try to avoid open heeled shoes (sandals, flip-flops)
2. Daily preventative moisturizing with a moisturizing cream or for more intensive moisturizing use pure Shea Butter)
3. Exfoliate (pumice stones on wet skin, foot files and Ped-Eggs on dry skin)
4. Limit hot showers and sauna or hot tubs (hot hot water is your enemy)
5. Protect your feet in public swimming areas (wear water shoes or aqua socks)

Treating Cracked Heels

Moisture, Moisture, Moisture
The main cause of dry, cracked heels is the loss of moisture.

Here are the steps to take to relieve your discomfort:

1. Soak your feet in warm water (never HOT water as this will dry your skin further)
   Soak your feet for at least 10 minutes each day in plain water or with a foot soak solution
2. After soaking, towel dry your feet
3. While feet are still damp, use a natural pumice stone on the cracked areas, only going in one direction. Do this over a towel to catch falling dry skin.
4. Moisturize with a pure Shea Butter liberally all over the affected area and pop on some cotton socks for a few hours.
5. Daily treatments may be required for several days.
6. Once the skin is back to normal, a daily application of moisturizing cream should be used.
7. A once a week treatment of the heels in the shower using a pumice stone will help maintain your touchably soft feet.

NOTE- If your heels are flaky, burning, itchy and not just dry and cracked, this may be a sign of a fungal infection. See a doctor for treatment.

Source: sudsmuffin.blogspot.com

Tip #1

We all know tanned skin looks great, and some sun exposure is in fact healthy. But don’t overdo it! On days when the sun is very strong, wear hats that shade your face. I know this sounds counterintuitive but don’t rely on too much sunscreen. Sunscreen contains a bunch of chemicals in it that are actually not good for the skin. For those who are curious why some sun is good, but not too much, here are the reasons.

First, we need some sunlight because it helps our body produce vitamin D, which is vital for good health. But too much is bad because of something called hyaluronan. Hyaluronan is a major component of skin. In fact, it is one of the key substances in skin whose function is tissue repair.

As we age, and when we get too much exposure to sun, the UVB rays on sunny days actually damages the cells of our skin…causing the skin (or dermis in scientific terms) to produce less and less hyaluronan over time.

Tip #2

Although it may sound a bit ridiculous,  one of the best anti aging skin care treatment is to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Again, don’t overdo it. But the reality is most people don’t get enough pure water. Clean, filtered water, not stuff you pour from the tap which can actually harm your health.

Our bodies are over 70% water, and the skin is the largest organ of the body. So drinking about 8 glasses of water a day will keep your skin hydrated and looking its best.

Tip #3

Any anti aging skin care guide would be remiss if it didn’t point out the importance of diet. Specifically, if it didn’t advocate a diet rich in dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach and broccoli. A lot of aging in the skin is caused by free radicals. You’ve all heard about free radicals.

These are highly destructive molecules that travel around our body, and as such, the skin, and damage our cells. The damage caused by free radicals to skin cells accounts for a lot of the signs of aging we see. Antioxidant rich dark leafy greens can help counter free radical damage before it occurs.

Skin Care Products

If you follow the tips above consistently, you’ll help ensure the health of your skin and maintain a youthful look for years to come. But there are also “secret weapons” out there that you may be interested in learning about. One of the best secret weapons is a high quality anti aging skin care treatment cream. The highest quality of these creams should achieve the following:

1. Help your body stimulate new collagen and elastin production. Collagen and elastin are two major components of skin responsible for youthful appearance. As we age, collagen and elastin break down and we produce less of it. But certain special substances like Phytessence Wakame and Nanobelle CoenzymeQ10 can help the body boost its production of collagen and elastin.

Note: Collagen itself cannot be applied directly to the skin as some so-called anti aging skin care treatment creams would have you believe. The collagen molecules are too large to penetrate into the skin to be of any use. Collagen must be manufactured by your body to be effective.

2. Should help hydrate your skin, which, of course, helps keep your skin pliable and soft to the touch. After all, nobody likes dry, chapped, or cracked skin.

3. Have ingredients that can counter fine lines and wrinkles and help even out color inconsistencies caused by such things as age spots. Although there is so much more to an exhaustive anti aging skin care guide, we hope this article will serve as a springboard from which you can do more of your own research.

Source: www.articlesbase.com

Chances are, if you’re over 30, you’ve started to notice that your skin is becoming drier, particularly on the face. While this is a natural development in the aging process, there’s no reason to not take steps to ward off those wrinkles, for as long as possible. Our first 1-ingredient natural skin care recipes is probably sitting in a jar in your frig right now. Mayonnaise is a remarkably effective recipe for smoother skin. Take just a single tablespoon in your hand and gently rub it over your face and neck. Allow it to remain for a half hour before rinsing it off with a soft wash cloth drenched in warm water. Wring the cloth out and pat your skin dry. You’ll notice a difference the very next day, with a decided increase in suppleness within a week.

The avocado is used as a natural skin care treatment on a daily basis by women in the South Pacific islands, who are renowned for their youthful skin, well into their old age. The oils of the avocado fruit are soothing, packed with vitamin E and, used regularly, can easily result in you looking 40 when you’re 60! This is not really a surprising outcome, since vitamin E is an essential nutrient in maintaining a soft, smooth complexion. You can mash up an avocado and apply directly to your skin, or, alternatively, purchase avocado oil at the health food store. If using the mashed fruit, follow the directions for mayonnaise.

Teens usually suffer from too much oil in their skin. An astringent helps reduce the excess oil, while tightening pores. Back to the frig for another ultra-easy natural skin care recipe! Mash up a couple of ripe strawberries and apply directly to your clean skin. Use the mayonnaise regimen outlined above.

Another boon to teens afflicted with pimples may be found in your kitchen cupboard. Rolled oats are good for something besides oatmeal and cookies. Put 2 tablespoons of oats in a cup and add enough warm water to make a paste. Apply the oatmeal paste evenly over your face, with particular attention to trouble areas. Allow the oatmeal to dry and then rinse off with a soft washcloth and warm water. Use this treatment 2-3 times each week. You’ll notice that you’ll suffer fewer pimples and eliminate blackheads within just a couple of weeks. Don’t overdo this remedy – you may end up with dry skin! Aren’t natural skin care recipes wonderful? Yes!

If you’re plagued with acne, try this: buy a vial of propolis tincture from the health food store. Apply directly to trouble spots, several times daily. Propolis tincture induces fast healing, while protecting against new infections.

Of all our natural skin care recipes, this seems most unlikely, but it works wonderfully: Boysenberry juice, applied directly to an outbreak of poison oak, almost immediately relieves itching and inflammation, as well as making a quick job of healing rapidly. It’s equally effective in cases of diaper rash, impetigo and dermatitis.

Yet another amazing 1-ingredient natural skin care recipe for diaper rash is lecithin oil, available at any health food store. With a sterilized needle, puncture a 1200mg lecithin capsule and squeeze on to the rash. Even a bad case will clear up in a few days.

If you’re troubled by athlete’s foot, wash your feet thoroughly and pat dry. Apply apple cider vinegar directly to affected areas, with a cotton ball and allow to dry. Repeat daily. It’s a good idea to add garlic to your diet in generous amounts, which has been demonstrated to be effective against the athlete’s foot fungus.

You’ll surely agree that each of these natural skin care recipes are easy. Even better, once you give them a try, you’ll want to share these recipes for good health and great skin!

Source: www.thehealthguide.org

By: idhamathur

Pamper your feet regularly and get elegant looking shapely soft lotus feet and flash them with pride. Have a look at these simple home made remedies to protect your feet.

Remedies for foot care-

1) Choose a right kind of shoe for your feet. Make sure that there is no shoe bite, pinching and soreness. Walking in them before actually buying and feeling comfortable in them is sensible.

2) Avoid high and pencil heels, these are harmful for the spine. Use flats and slip- on’s that are comfortable and easy to wear.

3) Prefer cottons over nylon socks. Wear a pair of washed socks every single day.

4) Proper cleaning while bathing, massaging and exercise do well for your feet. At the end of the day, apply cream on your feet from the ankle, press the toes, move them up down, this relaxes the feet and improves blood circulation.

5) For pedicure at home, take a tub of mildly hot to lukewarm water, add in some salt and any shampoo, and put the feet in, this gives great instant relief to your feet.

6) Rose water and glycerin mixed together and applied to feet, heals cracks. Use the pumice stone regularly to remove dead skin from time to time.

7) Crushed strawberries with a teaspoon of olive oil and sea salt mixed together can be used as a natural scrub to remove your dead skin.

Rubbing olive oil regularly before going to bed makes feet soft and also makes toe nails stronger and healthy.

9) Mix in a tsp of turmeric powder to a handful of crushed neem leaves and apply to cracked feet.

10) Teaspoon of honey with sesame oil applied on cracked feet is another way of treating them.

11) Do not neglect any sort of pain in the feet, if home remedies do not work, consult your physician immediately.

Try out these amazing and easy steps that would take care of your foot for sure.

Source: beautyandfashiontrends.wordpress.com

Free-radical damage occurs in skin just like every other part of our bodies. Anti-oxidant vitamins, like vitamin A, C and E are essential in warding off this damage. One of the types of free radical damage is the

Anti-oxidant vitamins, like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E are important to healthy skin because it is these vitamins that share in the responsibility of controlling the damage that free radicals, byproducts of energy production within the body and of environmental contaminants, produce. Collagen and elastin, which are fibers that support the skin, are damaged by these free radicals. As these are this damage occurs, wrinkles and a lack of that youthful elasticity begin to take place. Vitamin C is essential in the production of collagen, making it necessary to the look of the skin and its function. Recent studies have even found that the combination of Vitamins C and E can be used to help repair sun-damaged skin.

Small deficiencies of vitamin A can affect skins health and beauty. In addition to its anti-oxidant properties, vitamin A helps eliminate dryness and flakiness to the skin. This dryness makes lines and wrinkles in skin even more apparent than skin that is hydrated.

Vitamin A’s main use though is as a topical treatment for the reduction of lines and wrinkles and it’s been found effective against severe acne. Recent studies have found skin treatments that include the combination of Vitamin A and C can in some cases reverse the damage caused by aging and the sun.

Vitamin B deficiencies can lead to cracking, bleeding and even skin legions. These legions can be dangerous because they can allow bacteria, viruses and other contaminants to enter the body through the skin. Even a little shortage of Vitamin B can leave skin looking scaly and badly textured. Creams made with vitamin B have been found to hydrated skin cells, leaving firmer, healthier looking skin.

If you’re plagued by dark circles under your eyes, vitamin K has been found to help. Some studies claim that creams made up of both Vitamin K and Vitamin A are more effective than those made with Vitamin K, but research is still being done on this combination.

The minerals Selenium, Copper and Zinc have also been found to improve the look and health of skin. Selenium can be used as a topical treatment or a dietary supplement in an effort to prevent skin cancer. While Zinc, copper and the addition of vitamin C work together to keep skin healthy and firm by forming elastin.

Used correctly by following standard guidelines, vitamins and minerals can be a great way to keep skin looking young and healthy. The key is to recognize that these are powerful substances and care should be taken to use the proper dosage. Not following guidelines could result in effects that can result in serious side effects. Used correctly though, vitamins and minerals can be a welcome addition to your beauty regime.

Source: linkjolt.blogspot.com

While we cannot prevent aging, there are other ways to prevent skin damage. Skin is the largest organ in the body that is exposed to the vagaries of nature. Sun damage is what causes wrinkles and fine lines. The UVA and UVB rays cause damage. It can be countered with the use of sunscreen lotions.

A minimum SPF of 15 to 30 will go a long way to prevent wrinkles. You can further shield your face with scarves, hats and sunglasses. The higher the SPF in your lotion, the higher the protection. Avoiding the sun or using an umbrella will go a long way in preventing skin damage.

Skincare products need to be chosen with care. Choose natural products; products that have natural ingredients since they tend to be gentle on the skin. They do not have chemicals that can cause irritation and damage to the skin. It is imperative to keep the skin moisturized.

Dry skin can lead to further damage. Wrinkles appear more dramatically on dry skin and make an unappealing look. Choose remedies from off your kitchen shelf to protect your skin.

Regular massage with coconut oil or fresh cream along with turmeric powder works wonders. Similarly exfoliating the skin with oatmeal, sugar and honey provide for a clear skin.

A regular skincare regimen works well and shows up results when accompanied by a healthy diet. A diet rich in vitamins and minerals will ensure clear skin.

Fruits that are rich in antioxidants are very good choices. Foods rich in vitamin A and E are known to have beneficial effects on skin tone.

Keeping yourself hydrated with adequate quantities of water prevents the appearance of wrinkles. Regular exercise. Lifestyle patterns and sleep help prevent wrinkles. A stress free lifestyle reflects in your skin!

Source: www.ayurvediccure.com

The green movement has arguably never been bigger than it is now.  Yet, while we strive to better our environment, Mother Nature’s number one foot soldiers have been losing another battle on another front, their own well – being.

In the midst of the chaotic schedules of Modern Moms, and with constant attention to our families, it’s easy to skip out on what we ourselves need.  While we would normally get our eight hours or lather on sun screen, we now quickly do without – thinking “oh it’s just this once”.  Yet, in a surprisingly short time, these negative routine changes can become fixed habits.

So then why do we stick the them? According to Cindy Jardine of the University of Alberta, the reason why we keep our vices isn’t because we haven’t gotten information on them, but rather because “we tend to sort of live for now and into the limited future – not the long term.”

Upon conducting a few in-office polls asking people what they thought was the worst bad habit, poor diet and lack of exercise topped the list. But surprisingly, there are health vices that that far surpass the occasional fast food run or a weekend of couch potato status.

Sacrificing Sleep
Inadequate sleep (less than 7 or 8 hours a night) has been tied to many different health problems, including obesity, diabetes and cancer. According to psychologist and sleep expert David F. Dinges, Ph.D., of the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology and Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, irritability, moodiness and disinhibition are some of the first signs a person experiences from lack of sleep.

If a sleep-deprived person doesn’t sleep after the initial signs, the person may then start to experience apathy, slowed speech and flattened emotional responses, impaired memory and an inability to be novel or multitask.

As a person gets to the point of falling asleep, he or she will fall into 5-10 second long “micro sleeps” that cause lapses in attention, which including nodding off and experiencing hypnagogic hallucinations, which are the beginning of REM sleep.1

Make sleep a priority by setting a bed-time and sticking to it. Most people also find it helps them relax if they set aside a half hour before bed-time for a leisurely activity, such as watching TV or reading a book.  Your body language matters too.
If you’re engaging in your leisurely activity in a stressed body position, your brain won’t get the message that it’s time to relax. A relaxed repeat pattern before bed time also helps anchor, or train, the brain into associating that activity with sleep.  One of the best anchor techniques is music. Listen to a certain song right before bed time enough times and it’s guaranteed that you’ll start feeling relaxed when you hear it next.

Sun-Exposure
Everyone knows that excessive sun exposure is bad for them, but most people make the mistake of thinking that unless they’re safe unless they’re out baking in the sun lobster-red to toast-crisp. However even minimal unprotected exposure is unadvisable, especially when a few minutes here and there begin stacking up.  If you start seeing freckles on your skin, that’s your skin’s way of communicating that it’s breaking down.

A new way of getting people to see the real damage is through high-tech ultraviolet photos that show skin’s hidden sun damage. The pictures draw attention to premature wrinkles and spots that are waiting to surface to the skin. According to researchers in field studies, “Ultraviolet cameras are readily available, relatively inexpensive, and simple to operate. This intervention could be offered at most dermatology clinics, student health clinics, and physician’s offices.”

The key to fixing sun damage is not having any to begin with.  The key is prevention. Sun screen should be used regardless of whether you expect to be in the sun, and people should try to keep in mind that even driving around town to run errands is cause for exposure.

To apply sun screen the right way, focus on one area at a time and be careful not to miss spots like feet, tops of ears, temples, and the back of the neck. Be sure to use enough; you need at least one ounce of sunscreen to cover your entire body.

If the bottle is 4 ounces, then it should not last for more than 4 applications. Don’t be stingy with the sun screen; you can always go get another bottle of sun screen but you can’t go get new skin.

Smoking
While everyone knows that smoking is bad for you, and that second hand smoke is even worse, what most people don’t realize is how much smoking pollutes the air.
Just because the area is no longer being smoked in doesn’t mean it’s not completely contaminated by it.

And add to that the fact that air is not stationary, it moves around carrying the smoke-filled air to newer areas, and you start seeing the unseen problems that come with smoking – a problem that remains long after the butt’s been put out. Unfortunately both smokers and non-smokers alike make the mistake in thinking that ionizers are enough to clean the air. Ionizers have been the fad, but they’re hype far outweighs their use. The only thing that ionizers do is spit out negative ions that neutralize oxidizers.

By negatively charging the air’s ions, floating dust particles cling to a surface in the room. Ionizers are powerless to actually purify the air, and they’re actually very much like ozone generators, which are now banned in some states.  Whereas, for example, industry leading Blueair Air Purifiers actually use a filtration process that eliminate (rather than neutralize) airborne particles. An air purifier needs to be able to actually remove the indoor air contaminants, rather than just move them from here to there like ionizers do. Ideally air purifiers, rather than just air cleaners, should be constantly running in a room if smoking occurs either in or near it, as air travels to surround areas.

So what’s the difference between air cleaning vs. air purifying? Air cleaning means that particles of dust and other dirt are being filtered out of the air, and (hopefully) collected into a filter. On the other hand, air purifying means that dangerous mold spores, bacteria and viruses are actually being killed.

Stress
Cindy Jardine of the University of Alberta found stress even moved past cigarette smoking as the most dangerous habit. “Most of us wear our stress as a badge of honor these days,” Jardine said.

So rather than thinking about stress as causing physical damage to your body and perhaps hurting relationships, “people often boast of their stress as a success.”

Creating more stress in your life is a fantastic way to invite all kinds of diseases to attack the body. When you’re chronically stressed, the adrenal glands are forced to work overtime and eventually exhaust themselves, inhibiting the immune system and triggering a number of health complications.

Yet, understandably, not everyone can put life on hold to go catch a de-stressing yoga class. When stressed (which is usually accompanied with a level of fatigue), take a moment to stand up straight and take in a fresh breath of air.  The oxygen will flush through your system and go straight to your brain, which uses about 20% of the oxygen you intake.  As you age, you lose some of your capacity to utilize oxygen, at a rate of approximately 1% per year.

The importance of replenishing yourself with air becomes all the more important once you’re learn that a lack of it actually leads to brain cell degeneration.
Stress tops the list of bad health vices.  In a pressure-driven society, even children now are subject to high levels of stress.  Jardine suggests that when a behavior is socially accepted or even considered desirable people tend to reconcile the fact that it’s bad for them with the idea that “everybody’s doing it”.

The other factor she mentions is that it’s become a social norm that’s not only accepted but near required in order to fit in with a group. Jardine notes that “It ends up being something people rationalize one way or another. And it’s often easier to rationalize it in favor of trying to fit into your social group.” One way of making it acceptable smoke like a chimney or eating like a pig is with individual experiences that support your action. For instance, you could say, “It hasn’t affected me” or, “My dad smoked all his life and he’s perfectly fine.”

The Bad Habit Cure
There simply isn’t one. “There’s no single strategy or single bullet. We’re not going to be able to find a vaccine for healthy behavior,” aid Andrea Gielen of Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. But what we can do is begin by being more aware of why certain habits are dangerous, rather than just thinking “it’s bad for you”.

1 Dinges, Sleep, Sleepiness and Performance, 1991
2 http://www.drz.org/asp/conditions/oxygen_deficiency.asp

Shireen Qudosi in an indoor air quality expert with Air Purifier Home. http://www.air-purifier-home.com Follow her on Twitter @AirPurifierHome

Source: http://www.modernmom.com/love_wellness/article/4423

Although there is no magic potion that will keep your skin vibrant and ageless, the following tips may  help keep skin healthy and glowing.

1. Elevate. Prop your head on top of pillows while sleeping. This will prevent the appearance of a puffy face when you awake.

2. Rest. A good night’s sleep of at least 8 hours is a must for skin cells to repair themselves.

3. Prevent dehydration.  Prevent dry skin by avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, all of which dry out your skin. Keep skin moist  and dewy by drinking 8 eight ounce glasses of water each day. Water hydrates your skin and helps to flush toxins from your body. Being properly hydrated helps you efficiently sweat thus resulting in clear and clean skin.

4. Diet. A well balanced diet centered around Mypyramid is the best way to get all the nutrients you need to nourish your skin.

• Include antioxidant rich foods in your meal plan. Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, beta carotene and selenium help protect cells from damage by free radicals. By this action, these nutrients may help interfere with the aging process. Red peppers, sweet potatoes,oranges, lemons, grapefruit and berries( berries are also rich in polyphenols which may prevent premature aging) are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C helps in collagen synthesis. Collagen is a protein that keeps your skin strong and resilient  thus reducing wrinkles. Nuts, seeds, wheat germ, avocados and fortified cereals are great sources of vitamin E. Vitamin E guards against  damage by ultra violet light radiation. Low fat dairy products contain vitamin A . Vitamin A helps in the growth and repair of cells. Some individuals may not have the ability to turn beta carotene into vitamin A so it is necessary to include this vitamin in their diet. Carrots, butternut squash and apricots all contain beta carotene.  Beta carotene helps to facilitate the growth and repair of skin cells. Tuna, wheat germ and whole wheat breads and cereals are good sources of selenium. Selenium protects elastin giving skin its elasticity.
• Add healthy fats to your diet. Replace butter and margarine with olive and canola oils. These fats may help protect the membranes of skin cells and add to skin lubrication. They are essential fatty acids which means that you need to include them in your diet since your body doesn’t manufacture them. Omega 3 is another essential fatty acid.  This fat may help to prevent skin irritation. Sources include salmon, flaxseed oil, walnuts and canola oil.  Look for oils labeled as cold pressed, expeller processed or extra virgin. These types oils are less processed and retain most of their nutrients.
• Increase intake of whole grains and nutritious carbs. Whole grains made with whole wheat flours as well as vegetables, fruits and beans provide nutrition for maintaining the quality of the skin. Refined sugars can bind to skin collagen by glycation causing skin to become stiff and sagging.
• Include high quality proteins. Consume 4-6 oz of protein rich foods such as skinless poultry, fish, egg whites and lean meats.  Excessive intake of protein forces the kidneys to work harder and may lead to dehydration.

You can find organic and high quality foods in your neighborhood. Shop at  Whole Foods located in Union Square in NYC or in Westchester, Whole Foods in White Plains is a good option.

You may also enjoy reading Superfoods to help fuel the super new you.

Source: www.examiner.com ]]> http://the-problemsolvers.com/668696/saving-face-tips-for-healthy-skin/feed 0 http://the-problemsolvers.com/668696/how-to-care-for-your-skin-with-things-at-home http://the-problemsolvers.com/668696/how-to-care-for-your-skin-with-things-at-home#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:09:31 +0000 admin http://the-problemsolvers.com/668696/?p=956

Most of us tend to spend a fortune on cosmetics like face creams, cleansers, and moisturizers when we can use things available in our own home. So you can take care of your skin with no or lesser side effects than these chemicals based cosmetics. In addition it would cost you a fraction of costs spent on those cosmetics. Here are a few of those  skin care tips which could help take care of different skin types; dry, sensitive, oily and ordinary skin types.

Bananas, available in almost any home can be used to take care of dry and/or sensitive skin. Bananas can be mashed and applied on the skin and left for a period of five to ten minutes. Then it could be rinsed off with lukewarm water.

In addition, warmed coconut milk available at home can be mixed with two tablespoons of honey and massaged on the skin. Thereafter it could be rinsed off with lukewarm water after about ten minutes.

Honey available in the kitchen of any home is great when it comes to caring for dry skin. Glycerin is also great for dry skin care. Glycerin combined with lightly beaten egg white, finely ground oatmeal and honey forms a good paste to moisturize the skin. Honey is great for dry skin. A tablespoon of honey, a lightly beaten egg white and a teaspoon of glycerin, mixed together with finely ground oatmeal to make a paste, is a great moisturizer. This mixture can also be applied on your skin and rinsed off after about twenty minutes.

Honey can be also used to take care of oily skin at home. It is found to be very effective for cuts and pimples on your skin and is a great antiseptic. Honey mixed with a ripe pureed peach can be applied on your skin and rinsed off after about five to ten minutes.

Similarly tomatoes available in any home can help take care of your oily skin. Tomatoes contain natural exfoliates and acids. A handful of crushed strawberries can also be used in the same way to take care of your oily skin.

To conclude one can easily take care of ones skin with things available at home and avoid the bad effects and costs of chemical based cosmetics.

Source: www.natural-homeremedies.com

Here are the top 5 skin care mistakes I think we ALL can admit we’ve done. I’m guilty of all 5, thats for sure. These are all advised by an esthetician whose been working with skin for 20+ years. Here is a list of  things you can do to your skin–that you’ll definitely later regret.

1. A pierced nose is a large pore for life! Don’t do it! Many teens and 20-somethings love this trend, but at some point, you’ll get tired of it or your career won’t allow it. And now you’re left with an extra large pore that’s impossible to close. It’s bad enough we all have large pores anyways, so intentionally making yourself one?

2. Picking at your skin–the wrong way. I do believe there is a right way and a wrong way to “pick” at a blemish, although most skin care professionals will say you should never touch your skin. But let’s face it. Who wants to be walking around with a whitehead on their skin? Gross! But you need to know the right way to handle a blemish once you get one. Here’s my advice to heal acne blemishes fast!

3. Washing your skin with bar soap. If you wash your skin with a bar of soap (no matter how much you paid for it), you immediately strip your skin of all its water which instantly creates dead skin cell buildup. Then you have to quickly put moisturizer on to put back exactly what you just took out–makes no sense! The binders that hold a bar of soap together have a high pH balance making it too drying for most skin types. But they they also reverse the benefits from any exfoliants that you’re using (AHA’s, BHA’s and facial scrubs) since those are intended to remove dry skin cells. Bar soaps are a no-no, so look for mild, sulfate-free, soap-free gel cleansers.

4. Not wearing sunscreen in your daily moisturizer. The #1 cause of wrinkles is sun exposure. Period. But you need to realize that you get UV damage when you’re driving in your car, working in an office near windows, and certainly walking down the street. So wearing moisturizer with a sunscreen 365 days a year, rain or shine, inside or out is a must. And the earlier you start, the better! But here’s the deal. For those with oily skin and prone to acne breakouts, you need to apply it generously–a little dab will not do ya! The best lightweight, non-pore clogging sunscreens should contain at least 6% Zinc Oxide. So find one you love and wear it daily. Your skin will thank you for it!

5. Not using an alcohol-free toner after every washing. Toners are misunderstood. Most people aren’t really sure what they do and they often don’t use them because the alcohol is irritating. Toners without alcohol are a perfect way to give your skin the water
and hydration it so desperately needs. Your skin cells are like fish. They need water to live and without water they die prematurely resulting in unhealthy skin–not to mention dry skin cells. Use an alcohol-free toner every time after you wash, but make sure to leave it damp before applying your serum or moisturizer to seal in the hydration.

Source: www.thelipstickdiaries.com