10 Ways To Protect Your Sensitive Skin

by Jim DeSantis

If you are fair-haired, you likely are fair-skinned and this usually means you have sensitive skin. Sensitive skin brings with it a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it is attractive. On the other hand, it can cause no end of trouble for you. Here are 10 ways to keep your sensitive skin healthy and beautiful.

An effective sensitive skin care routine is really simple when we follow a few fundamental steps. Most important is to understand the definition of sensitive skin so you can understand if this condition applies to you. Then, we can cover the 10 best ways to protect yourself while taking advantage of the beauty this skin type offers.

The Definition of Sensitive Skin

This skin type makes you vulnerable to all kinds of environmental conditions. Your skin can become irritated when you come into contact with the world around you. This irritation can even be caused by skin care products themselves which is why the cure is sometimes worse than the problem itself. 

Many products contain compounds that may be good for people with average skin tone but a definite hazard to those with fair skin. That's why it's so important to take the time to read product labeling to determine if your fair skin will be helped or harmed. Look for statements such as "for sensitive skin" or "not for sensitive skin" or similar statements that tell you what to expect if you use the product. 

You may know through your own experience that, in general, most skin types do not respond well to products that contain chemical based formulations. Look for products that contain natural ingredients and that are designed for sensitive skin. Chemically based compounds in products do help some people but, for the person with sensitive skin, the threshold for damage is quite a bit lower than the average person. The damage comes much quicker and more severe for fair-skinned users of these products which is why it's so important to choose only products that are specifically formulated for sensitive skin.

Finally, people with sensitive skin are quite susceptible to acne. Good skin hygiene means keeping your skin pores clean and not clogged with oils or lotions you think are protecting your sensitive skin. Clogged pores are fertile ground for acne-causing bacteria to grow.

Now that you have a definition, here are the 10 things you should do to protect your sensitive skin:

1. Use only sensitive skin care products that have natural ingredients, not chemicals or oils in them that could clog pores and contribute to acne or skin irritation. 

2. Do not use skin care products that any kind of chemical-based additives such as perfumes or coloring.

3. Skin toners are not a good thing either. These contain compounds that will actually dry your skin and cause irritation.

4. Be careful of what you touch. No matter what you touch, be it laundry products, things at work, things at home, do not touch your face without first washing your hands with a sensitive skin soap product. Chemicals, grime, and bacteria are enemies to sensitive skin.

5. Another important tip for 'sensitive skin care' is to avoid excessive exposure to sun. Apply sun screen lotion before getting out in the sun.

6. It goes without saying that the Sun is not a good thing for folks with fair skin but I remind you anyway. In spite of negative news stories about the effectiveness of sun screen, use it anyway. At the very least, wear a hat and keep your arms and legs covered when venturing out in bright sunlight.

7. Hypoallergenic moisturizers that are labeled for sensitive skin are your friend. These usually contain only natural ingredients and no harmful additives.

8. Stay away from soap based or alcohol based skin cleansing products. Again, the word is: natural! You want skin cleansers with non- toxic ingredients and that are labeled for sensitive skin application. You will need to cleanse your face daily to clean off the grime and bacteria picked up out in the world.

9. Using a good exfoliation product once a week is recommended. It will help clean your face of dead skin cells so the body can replace them with new cells to keep your fair skin radiant. Be very gentle, though. Sensitive skin does not do well with vigorous scrubbing.

10. Remove makeup as soon as possible. As soon as you get home from work, use a hypoallergenic makeup-remover and get that stuff off your face. The longer you allow makeup to sit there, the greater the chance of clogged pores giving acne the fertile environment it needs.

About the Author: Don't allow acne to ruin your life! Visit the Simple Acne Cures Blog for more helpful acne home remedy tips and tricks. For reviews of the top three natural acne treatments, also visit Natural Acne Cures.

How Stress Influences Acne

by Lance Carr



Does your acne flair up after an emotional disturbance? When you become stressed at your job, are you more likely to suffer skin outbreaks? For many years dermatologists have argued over the connection connecting stress and acne.


Though it's true that genetics could play a part in your odds of developing acne, lots of dermatologists presently recognize this troubling condition can additionally be connected to additional factors like stress or an inadequate diet.


It is no surprise that stress can assert a harmful impact on your immune structure. Irrespective of what form of malady you suffer from, a good deal of stress can either worsen your condition or lengthen the amount of time it commonly takes your body to heal and get well.


At those times when people suffer stress or emotional turbulence, the body often reacts by producing an overabundant quantity of hormones. Male hormones notably have a great impact on the sebaceous gland. If the gland becomes overactive, the body subsequently manufactures an excess of sebum. Once the pores become blocked with sebum, acne is very likely to crop up.


Besides aggravating existing acne breakouts, stress can also produce an overall deterioration in the appearance of your skin. Apart from influencing sebum production, an unhealthy presence of stress may possibly cause the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. The cortisol then is released into the sebaceous gland and manufactures a greater quantity of oil in the skin.


Even if you are at this time taking a prescription or over the counter remedy for acne, managing your stress level is able to help to improve your general skin condition. The following techniques are useful for easing stress in order to contend with acne. Through following some of these suggestions, not only will your acne most likely improve but you can also attain better overall physical condition and wellness.


Exercise is possibly one of the best known techniques for lowering stress. In literally minutes, you can ease excess tension and concern. Unfortunately numerous people consider exercise as an objectionable task. By means of shifting your negative concepts linked to exercise, you'll be more likely to take part in healthy vigorous activity.


Too much caffeine can frequently give rise to a high degree of stress. By lowering your ingestion of sodas, coffee, tea, and other stimulants, you can quiet down your body and inhibit other common negative side effects such as headaches or high blood pressure.


Scrutinize your diet. Attempt to consume as many healthy and organic foods as possible. A diet containing the appropriate quantity of fruits and vegetables will exert the most affirmative impact on your wellbeing. Lots of people habitually eat extraordinary quantities of sugar and processed foods every day. This can show the way to stress and other behavioral difficulties, specially in younger people and teenagers. By shifting your eating behavior, you can improve your acne and scores of other general maladies.


Strive to get outdoors on a daily basis. Only a minimal amount of time outdoors each day will have a positive affect on your body. Sunlight brings about the fabrication of Vitamin D which provides for healthy skin. A quick walk three or four times a week is all that is needed.


Whether you decide to cure your acne with established or unconventional medicine treatments, by easing stress, you can multiply your chances of gaining healthy skin and a healthy-looking complexion.

About the Author: Lance is an expatriate Australian living in Taiwan. His grasp of the Chinese language ranges from poor to laughable and in most circumstances his actual use of the Chinese language results in laughter.
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Castor Oil: Natural Skin Care and Protection Without Equal

By Laura Thomas

At one time, castor oil was the natural home remedy of choice that young mothers would use for any digestive problem, such as sore tummies to sickness, diarrhea and constipation. Woe betide you if you failed to fill your diaper or nappy. Your reward was a spoonful of castor oil - yugh! It was enough to keep you off the potty!


Thankfully, these days are behind those of us old enough to remember them, and castor oil now has other uses, one of the more unlikely being skin care. It's unlikely it tastes any better when used as a skin care product as it did when used for its medicinal purposes, for but at least we are no longer forced to drink it. In fact, castor oil is a surprisingly effective skin care product, and is used to treat burns, cuts and abrasions, sunburn, acne and any condition caused by excessively oily skin in addition to using it to maintain a hydrated, smooth and healthy-looking skin.
Although the castor oil itself is an oily substance, it can be used to prevent your skin from the effects of the skin oil that causes acne. That is because it can penetrate deep into the skin along with the isostearate succinate it contains, and exert a highly antioxidant effect. Isostearate succinate is used as an ingredient in many commercial skin care preparations such as lipstick and lip balm, and helps to keep the skin smooth and hydrated.

Castor oil skin care products also contain ricinoleic acid, a strong anti-inflammatory that helps to reduce the skin eruptions of acne and eczema. The antioxidant properties of the oil protect your skin from the damage cause by free radicals generated by the action of strong sunlight on your skin, and also of pollutants such as traffic fumes and tobacco smoke. Free radicals can kill off your skin cells accelerating the appearance of aging, and without the strong antioxidant effects of natural skin care products, your skin would age prematurely and turn dry and leathery.

The oil helps your skin to feel silky and smooth because of its humectant properties: it absorbs moisture and passed that into to your skin. The oil itself does not leave your skin feeling sticky as many other oils do because it is easily washed off with soap water. Its moisturizing effect supports the antioxidants castor oil contains to help to prevent wrinkles developing, and also helps to maintain a good circulation of blood that keeps it supplied with the nutrients and the oxygen needed to maintain a healthy supply of new skin growth.

Although many find its effects on their skin surprising, there are very good medical and chemical reasons why castor oil should offer a high degree of skin care through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties. It is a more effective natural moisturiser for your skin than the vast majority of synthetic moisturizing preparations on the market today, and is in fact one of the best natural substances that nature can provide to care for your skin.

Castor oil skin care preparations can help to maintain well-hydrated healthy skin, and if used in conjunction with a healthy diet should enable you to maintain your youthful looks for many years to come while others around you are becoming old and wrinkled.

About the Author: For further information on natural skin care products visit Laura's site at Castle Baths where you will also find out more on the properties of Castor Oil in protecting your skin.

How Can I Cure Underarm Sweating?

By Howard Ordemann

As of now there is no natural cure for excessive underarm sweating. There are many ways you can try to reduce the severity of it though. If none of these methods work for you or help in the least bit, you may want to contact a physician because you might have a more serious condition known as hyperhydrosis. Hyperhydrosis is a very common condition affecting over seven million people in the United States alone. Some forms of treatment include surgery and botox injections. Before you head to the doctor give these methods a try to help cure underarm sweating.

Drink plenty of water. You need to replenish the fluids lost by your excessive sweating. This is probably the most important step to try. The recommended amount is 8 glasses every day, but do not be afraid to consume more then that. You should also try not to drink beverages that are too cold. Your body will actually have to work harder after a really cold beverage because it is always trying to remain a constant temperature.

Watch what you eat. A healthy diet is one of the most important factors in trying to reduce your sweat. Overweight people tend to have many more problems then a person of normal weight. Try to stay away from processed foods and those high in fat. Eating spicy foods may also contribute to your problem.

Avoid excessive amounts of alcohol. Alcohol can cause your blood flow and heart rate to increase, which will in turn make your body temperature rise.

Quit smoking. Smoking can also increase your blood flow and heart rates similar to the way alcohol does. The chemicals found in cigarettes can add to your body's adrenaline levels. This increased rate of adrenaline will also promote sweating.

Try to relax. Relaxation is a huge factor in trying to cure underarm sweating. Simple activities such as exercising or taking a yoga class may reduce your stress level. A lower level of stress will usually mean a lower amount of sweating.

About the Author: To read more on this article you can visit http://www.stopunderarmsweatingtoday.com/2009/09/15/how-can-i-cure-underarm-sweating/ . Howard Ordemann is the author for stop underarm sweating. Here you can find regular articles on how to help excessive sweating.

Foundation makeup - How to Choose the Right Color

By Linda Asato

Foundation comes in various forms and most recently as a natural mineral powder. It also comes in various shades of skin color that poses a question for most women. Which color should they choose for their skin color? After all, they don't want to look pasty white, nor do they want to look falsely tanned.

There are several shades of foundation starting with light, moving to medium, medium warm, medium dark, dark, spiced honey, cappuccino and espresso. Different manufacturers have different names for these shades but you get the idea of their range.

So just how does one choose the right color? Here is some data to help you make a wise choice.

Medium is what suits the skin color of most American women so this is a good place to start, especially if you are of Scandinavian, German or English descent with pink undertones.

If you are of Hispanic, Mediterranean or Asian descent, you may have yellow undertones in your skin, and your choice would be more of a Medium Warm color.

If you wonder whether you have pink or yellow undertones, there are a couple things you can check to determine which you have. If your veins show somewhat blue through the skin, or if you tend to burn before tanning, you probably have pink undertones. If your veins appear more greenish, and you go to straight to tanning without burning first, you would have a more yellow undertone.

Light foundation is your choice if your skin is lighter, but you can mix light and medium to get any in-between shades that match better.

The next shade darker is Medium Dark and this can be mixed with Medium for your in-between shades using the medium as a concealer. Dark is the next shade darker, and the same principles apply. From there we go darker to Spiced Honey, Cappuccino and Espresso.

Using powdered mineral foundation is popular these days and preferred over liquid or cake by many ladies. The advantage to using this form of foundation, besides it being composed of natural minerals that feed the skin rather than harm it with added chemicals, is that you can add layers bit at a time and end up with a more natural looking skin rather than cakey.

So now you know where to start as you experiment with the different shades of foundation.

About the Author: Linda has researched many subjects and written about them in her books and articles. She is currently working with her daughter in manufacturing and marketing an all natural mineral makeup that is good for the skin. You can visit the website at http://www.deluviausa.com

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Cucumber - Makes Your Skin Smooth

By Alice

Cucumber is one of the excellent source of silica. Silica is kind of mineral that helps to strengthen our connective tissue which and hold our body together. Cucumber is also effective to cure many skin problems such as swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Ascorbic and caffeic acids in cucumber can prevent water retention. So that's why cucumber tropically can be helpful for swollen eyes, burns, and dermatitis.

Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is a trace mineral that contributes to the strength of our connective tissue. Connective tissue is what holds our body together. Cucumbers are effective when used for various skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. They also contain ascorbic and caffeic acids. These acids prevent water retention. So that is why they have great help for swollen eyes, burns, and dermatitis.

Cucumber belongs to the same family as pumpkins, zucchinis and other squashes. Original cucumber has dark green skin and whitish or very light green flesh. Basically there are two types of cucumbers we often see - the pickling varieties and the slicing varieties. Only with around 2 - 4 inches long, the pickling one looks much smaller.

Magically the cucumber can provide immediate relief to your puffy eyes. To cut a fresh cucumber into thin slices and put on eyes for 10 minutes. You can do it after a tiring day working in front of the computer . It especially helps to relieve stress and get rid of dark circles around the eyes. Another way is to grate cucumber and use as a mask or tonic for face and neck.

Cucumber also has a lot of nutritional benefits such as natural salts, enzymes and vitamins for cell growth and repair. And the cucumber peel also has high mineral content which offers a natural source for a powerful antioxidant. In fact the balance alkalinity of cucumber is good for our health. Thanks to the sufficient water base ,cucumber is also a great choice as a diuretic.

Cucumber also can help cleaning up your intestines and removing accumulated waste and chemical toxins. While it helps eliminating uricacid to cure arthritis, fibre-rich skin and high levels of potassium. People who have high blood pressure should often eat cucumber which keeps blood circulating smoothly.

Cucumber is an ideal choice for people in dieting for its low calories. Actually there are many reasons to get fat. One of them is the accumulation of waste and chemical toxins. And cucumber just has cleaning action and removing the bad accumulation. During the same time you do not need to worry about the lack of nutrition for cucumber's juice contains nourishing vitamin. However, you can not keep cucumber diet for long time because it does not have all of nutrients we need such as protein.

About the Author: Alice recommends the quality designer handbags and replica louis vuitton speedy 30 with lowest price. Check it out.

Sun Damaged Skin and The Best Way To Reverse It

by Elizabeth Ruby

People generally underestimate the effect that sun damaged skin has on the way that you look as you get older. The more time that you spend exposed to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun, the more lines and wrinkles that will form on your skin. These lines will typically form earlier than they would have had you not spent time soaking up rays, and are usually deeper.

Another thing that could result from this exposure is what is typically referred to as age spots. These spots on your skin are formed by the same melanin hyperpigmentation that causes your skin to tan in the summertime. Age spots, or sun spots, occur when cells in your skin become so badly damaged that the melanin hyperpigmentation becomes permanent.

The first thing that I want to tell you about treating the lines and wrinkles that result from sun damaged skin is to avoid the use of the typical collagen and elastin formulas on the market. These products will not reduce the lines on your skin, because the two main ingredients cannot be absorbed. They are simply too dense to be able to pass through your skin.

The most effective ingredient for alleviating these lines is a pair of proteins that are known together as Functional Keratin. What Functional Keratin does for your skin is it causes an elevation in the production rate of your collagen and elastin. As the amount of these connective tissues grows, the lines and wrinkles on your skin begin to disappear.

There are plenty of formulas out there that are designed to treat the age spots formed by sun damaged skin also. These skin whitening formulas are ineffective due to the fact that there are chemical bleaching agents in them for removing the hyperpigmentation from your skin. These bleaches will do a lot more harm to your skin than they will good.

These chemicals have a tendency to spread out beyond the borders of the area being treated. When this happens your skin becomes mottled or blotchy in appearance, and your hyper-pigmented areas will still appear clearly. There are far better ingredients that you could be using on your skin than these chemical agents, and these compounds are far more effective in treating your problem.

In order for you to be able to remove the brown spots caused by sun damaged skin, your product needs to contain an ingredient that is known as Extrapone nutgrass root extract. This extract has been in use for thousands of years in India, where this nutgrass grows freely. This compound is the most effective natural melanin inhibitor in the world.

Not only will Extrapone root extract lighten the affected areas and blend them back in with the rest of your skin, but it will also prevent new outbreaks of these spots from forming. This ingredient in combination with a collagen and elastin enhancer such as Functional Keratin, is all that you will ever need in order to give your sun damaged skin its youthful appearance once again.

About the Author: Elizabeth Ruby is passionate about good health and using healthy products on her skin. She does extensive research on the best products to use and what products to avoid. Visit her website at http://www.your-best-skin-care-site.com/ to find out what products she recommends.