After seeing an improvement in forehead lines and furrows, the researchers determined that higher levels of lycopene correspond to a greater reduction in the roughness of skin. Experts believe this could be due to the ample antioxidants in lycopene, which doesn't occur naturally in our own bodies.
There you have it, get yourself some tomatoes then visit a CTS equipped salon or buy an At-Home Skin Analysis kit to see if they worked.
Everybody seems to be battling dry skin lately. Even those with typically oily skin year-round are complaining of tightness and flakiness, no doubt resulting from cranking up the indoor heat in cold, dry weather. Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all moisturizer, since we all have different skin types and reactions. The best way to find your perfect moisturizer--and remedy ultra-dry skin--is to get educated about the ingredients that go into moisturizing products, then determine what works best for you.
The post gives a brief breakdown and examples of alpha hydroxy acids, antioxidants, emollients, humectants and occlusives. Check it out.
Here's another example of how adding oil to your skin helps with acne:
When my skin is breaking out the last thing I think about is adding moisture. I want to put acne cleansers and treatments on as soon as possible to dry out my skin and zap the trouble areas. But drying out irritated skin is usually the wrong way to solve the problem…
It may sound backwards at first, but one of the best ways to heal skin that is breaking out is to keep it thoroughly moisturized. If your skin is extremely tight and dry, your body will start to secrete natural oils as a reaction. Shiny, oily skin can easily cause infections in pores that turn into serious breakouts.
My secret ingredient when my skin is in desperate need of moisturizer is the Sonya Dakar Omega-3 Repair Complex. I have combination skin, so when my skin gets out of balance I instantly break out in my T-zone. The natural Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids replace lost moisture in the skin by mimicking natural oils and helping to regain the skin’s natural and proper balance.
I thought that adding oil to my breakouts would only make them worse, but it turned out that this nourishing oil can be a key ingredient in helping your skin to find its natural balance. The Omega-3 Repair Complex is available at SonyaDakar.com for $42.
And of course, ahem, the At-Home-Skin Kit by Reveal contains the sebum test strips that will enable you to get an accurate and detailed picture of how your skin is responding to the regimen you're using.
Speaking of which, let me share with you the tip of using scotch tape to heal acne marks from reader A Burn, A Shiver who left the following comment:
Regarding acne marks, I’ve found a FANTASTIC way to get rid of those nasty red marks. I believe it’s called the taping method. You put tape on your face after washing it, and you peel the tape off. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but I tried it and a lot of my marks are gone.
Mind you, I’ve had these marks for over 3 years and have tried pretty much every product, DIY or store bought, even prescription, to get rid of these marks. I was about to get laser surgery but then I found this method. I gave it a try and BAM! This really works!
I’ve only done it for a week, and my marks have faded and are significantly less noticeable. this hasn’t made me break out too much, but it might also be because I’ve been stressing so much lately over tests and college applications. :/
Weird as it may sound, it came across as pretty logical to me. Personally, I’ve always found that acne marks heal way faster and better if the top layer flaks off so I’m guessing that this taping method peels off the top layer quicker.
Kendra the esthetician and blogger over at Nature's Basin Blog gives her advice on toner, according to skin type and season:
It's a question I get all the time as an esthetician: Do I really need a toner? Toner is certainly something you can skip if you're trying to save a little money on your skin care, but a natural and organic facial toner is a great addition to your regimen, especially if you have combination or oily skin. A toner helps remove cleanser residue, important for skins that have a tendency to get clogged. Toner can also help restore skin's pH barrier, keeping it protected. I love how toner imparts a fresh feeling and helps shrink and tighten pores to make skin look more smooth. In the winter, I often suggest dry skin types avoid toner, but our natural and organic toners are so gentle and full of beneficial botanicals that they work in any season. So, when it comes to a natural facial toner at Nature's Basin, my answer is "Yes, you need one."
Lip balm. Yup, you might love them, but these little beauties commonly have ingredients like menthol and camphor, both of which actually dry out lips even more.
Hand sanitizer. The alcohol in them and lack of water can dry your hands out and make your nails brittle.
Fragranced hand lotion. The problem with lotion isn't the product itself, but constant reapplication. You only need to put it on once or twice a day. More than that and you can injure your skin's moisture barrier by constantly taking it from dry to wet.
Warm water. A piping hot shower feels great when everything around you is freezing, but it strips your skin of its natural oils, drying it and making it more vulnerable.
High-lathering soaps. It's really satisfying to work up a good lather, but the surfactants that make some products so bubbly actually dry your skin instead of soothing it.
And a commenter adds "Using dry heat such as natural gas to heat your home also really dries your skin out. It lowers the natural humidity within the household."
Have you ever looked at the ingredients list of the skin care products and skin care cosmetics that you buy and got confused by the undecipherable terminologies used? Just as it is important to consider the ingredients of your skin care products, it is important that you know what the terms and jargon are. So here is a handy list of common buzz words of the skin care market.
Posts
