Skin Care Essentials {Skin Care}

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Last week, I discussed about how a man's skin differs from a woman. But, the skin care routine stays more or less the same for both the genders so let us discuss some points.

Good Cleanser

Using a good cleanser is very imperative to a clean skin. The cleanser should be mild and be able to clean out the dirt out of your pores. Using medicated cleansers presecribed by dermatologists is also an option.

Exfoliate

This is another carnal rule of skin care. You don’t want your pores to be clogged. So, exfoliate using gentle scrubbers which remove the dead skin easily and do not really tear the skin. Once a week is sufficient if you are using a really powerful scrubber but it can also be extended to twice a week depending on your usage of products and exposure to natural forces like pollution and sun.

Sun Protection

You don’t really want to look aged at any age, right? So, get a good sunscreen with adequate protection for yourself and slather it on before you venture out even if it is for 5 minutes or even for 2 minutes. Preferable, get a Zinc Oxide based sunscreen which is skin friendly and environment friendly too.

Wear Shades

Getting a good quality sun glasses which wrap around your eyes is a very good idea to protect your eyes from not only sun rays but also from letting the dirt and pollution inside the eyes. Don’t hitch to spend on a good quality shade.

Protect Hands

Hands again are important as they are continuously doing our work and come in contact with so many germs. So, it is our duty to keep them soft and healthy looking. Slather on a rich face moisturizer on your hands before you sleep. And, do not forget to use a moisturizer on hands after washing them every time.

Lip Care

Your lips are sensitive and do not have any sun protection. So, make sure you always slather on a good lip balm on your lips and it is even better if the lip balm comes with sun protection.

Facial Moisturizer

Again very important and easily ignored by many people, your skin needs a lot of moisture from outside as well. So, use a good moisturizer which suits your skin and keep it looking soft and healthy.

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Jojoba Oil {Ingredient}

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Well, I was checking out Aroma Magic products and came across Jojoba oil so thought I would do a post on it. Now, do you remember my post on what hydrates our skin? Jojoba oil has a relation to that post so do go through the previous post if you want to understand the references.

Jojoba Oil (pronounced as 'ho-ho-ba' oil not 'jo-jo-ba')

It is not actually an oil but a liquid wax and its structure is the most similar to that of the sebum. Thus, it is believed to get absorbed very quickly. Jojoba oil is a stable oil and has a very long shelf life unlike other vegetable oils which get oxidized within a span of 6 months - 1 year without preservatives.

Jojoba oil has fatty acids but it doesn't have triglycerides which are an important part of the skin lipid structure. Thus, jojoba oil doesn't get metabolized (broken down) in the human body when ingested. Since it is rich in fatty acids, it is useful for the skin. The oil keeps the skin soft and supple. And, since it gets absorbed quickly, it is very popular in the cosmetic industry. It creates a skin barrier, keeps the skin moisturized for long periods and is supposed to have a spf of 4.

In fact, jojoba oil is not only useful for skin but also hair. It is supposed to provide moisturization to the hair just like it does to the skin. It helps increase the shine in the hair and also is great for people suffering from psoriasis and eczema. It helps in preventing early aging of the skin and delays wrinkles and fine lines. And, it is also great for people suffering from sensitivity of skin.

How to determine purity of Jojoba Oil?

Jojoba oil is bright to light golden (depending on the jojoba seed plantation and harvest) in color if it is in the pure form but if it is highly processed or diluted, it loses the characteristic golden color and becomes colorless. 

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A nourishing and moisturizing mask

Well, after playing Holi, you should apply an extremely nourishing mask to avoid the drying of your skin with colors. So, what mask should you apply for that. Definitely, a honey mask would be a good option. But, we can surely improvise on it.

Ingredients:

1 half of a very ripe Banana (mashed)

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon cold / chilled yogurt 

5 tablespoon milk cream

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon almond oil

1 teaspoon coconut oil

Method: Blend the egg yolk first into a smooth and frothy paste. Add banana and yogurt to blend again. Then, add honey and milk cream and blend for 5 minutes more. Finally, add the oils and runt he blender for a minute. Your nourishing face mask is ready. This mask also acts as a skin firming and anti-aging mask.

Apply it on your face in a thick layer and settle down. You can put cucumber slices or chilled tea bags on your eyes. Wait for 30 minutes. Remove the mask and wash your face with cold water. Your face would very soft. You can moisturize if you feel the need or apply 1 drop of olive or coconut oil. Preferably, apply this mask at the night and do not put any moisturizer on your face afterward. Your face will be soft in the morning.

For Oily Skin: You can exclude the oils, substitute the milk cream with milk and lemon or tomato juice and the egg yolk with egg white.

Use Orange peel to bring a glow on your skin

 

Today, I would be sharing with you a simple scrubbing method for your face without getting into the trouble of elaborate recipe making techniques. Yes, just as I talked about Banana peel last time, this time I am going to talk about how to use orange peel.

Eat your orange. Now, rub the peel directly on your face or anywhere else. Make sure you dig into the skin of the orange peel with your nails to extract its juice and apply it to your face. Keep on rubbing till the skin color of the peel changes into black. Do not wash your face immediately. Wait for 15-30 minutes. Then, wash off your face with cold water. Do not use any cleanser or soap after this application. Your skin will glow and be squeaky clean. And, this also ensures reduction in blemishes and dark spots. But, remember to do this at night as the citric acid makes the skin photosensitive and dry.

A tip: Dip the orange peels in raw milk for 1 hour before scrubbing. This would balance the drying effect of the orange peel with the moisturizing effect of milk. 

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Also read: 
Benefits of Orange on Skin

Get rid of the blemishes and dark spots on your body

Today, I would be sharing with you a very simple home remedy to get rid of blemishes and dark spots anywhere on your body. Well, that is banana peel. Yes. Eat your banana everyday to get your vitamins and proteins. And, instead of throwing the skin, use it to beautify yourself. Applying banana skin or banana to your body gives the same benefits. Its just that one you can gain from inside and one from outside. 

Rub the banana peel over your body and let it stay for 5-15 minutes. Go and take a shower. Your skin would be smooth and soft. Banana nourishes and moisturizes your skin well. And, a regular usage would ensure your dark spots and blemishes are all gone. Enjoy a flawless skin. And, do not forget, banana also helps in anti-aging skin care.

Is Glycerin drying for our skin?

Well, the title may seem really odd. But, yes, there have been lately many contradictions to the fact that glycerin draws moisture from our body and not from the air. Here, you would find one of the articles which states such a claim.

Glycerin is a natural by-product of the soap making process and is separated for soap to be used in the lotions and creams. 100% natural glycerin is highly concentrated and is not considered good for our skin as it can cause blisters by drying our skin. But, the glycerin which you get in the markets is not the original concentrated glycerin but the diluted glycerin which is good for daily usage. 

And, when you use glycerin, you mix glycerin with other ingredients and then use it on face (or for any skin care). Interestingly, a mixture of glycerin and rose water used to be a favorite moisturizer in the olden days when there were no body lotions available. And, your grand moms will swear by the remedy. So, basically, it does not dry out our skin. Instead, it acts as a humectant just like honey and provides a protective covering instead of just coating our skin like Vaseline does. So, if you are buying a product which says it has glycerin in the top of its ingredient list, do not worry, because it is not the original glycerin but rather a diluted form of it. And, it would not cause any skin irritation or have any drying effect.

You can read more about glycerin here.