Take care of your skin now and you’ll reap the rewards later. Celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston and Nicole Kidman have flawless skin but don’t millions of us suffer from the same shortcomings.
Poor diet, lack of sleep and exposure to the sun can wreak havoc on our skin. By understanding our skin type we can easily find ways to care for it.
Our skin is made up of 3 main layers. The external layer wears off and is replaced by the internal layer. The epidermis is the third layer that protects the skin and contains our glands and hair follicles. The dermis is the layer that contains our blood and cells.
Our skin starts to show signs of ageing around the age of 25 when the skin’s elastin production slows down. The elastin in our skin is responsible for giving us a firm outer layer.
By the time we hit the big 4-0, our skin has already started to thin and age. By the time we hit the age of 40, less than 50% of our skins surface hairs have increased in size. That’s why it’s time to start using skin care products designed for mature skin.
There are 2 types of skin care products you really should consider.
The moisture rich cream
When we dry out our skin prematurely, our epidermis becomes draggied and dull. As dry skin occurs, our skin looks thinner. The more moisture you apply to your skin, the flatter and more youthful it looks.
Moisturizers are rich in ingredients that actually stick to your skin and provide adequate hydration. That means your skin is able to generate more of the moisture it needs and retain it for a firmer and more youthful look.
Exfoliate at least once a week to remove dead cells from the surface of your skin. Exfoliation is another word for the gentle removal of dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. Sometimes, our daily scrubbing with the bathroom soap or body wash is all we need.
Types of Exfoliators:
Most exfoliators fall into one of the following categories:
• Gentle acids like hydroxy acids (salicylic, glycolic, lactic, etc.), which remove dead cells from the surface of the skin and can also loosen or dissolve clogged pores.
• Gentle astringents like witch hazel, which loosen and dissolve dead cells, but without affecting the living cells underneath.
• Medium-class acids like hydroxy adbeptic acid (Beypless), which is similar to salicylic acid but has slightly different properties.
• Betty observers like the acid lactic/glycolic acids. Betty’s observe affect the living cells underneath in a non-invasive ways that lemon peel never could. These acids by themselves are very strong but when combined with the moisturizers, they can release strong acids that can penetrate the top layer of skin to physically remove it. Betty’s observe that the strongest exfoliate should be left on the skin for about 15 minutes.
Then wash off with water.
Then moisturize.
Wait a minimum of 10 minutes (with lots of warm water) for the next exfoliation.
Repeat this twice a week for a two week period.
Then once a week if you want to rid your face of deep-seated impurities and dead skin cells.
Some popular tips on how to exfoliate include:
• Using sugar or salt as a scrub, as it stimulates the growth of dead cells.
• Rubbing almond oil on oily skin to moisturize and soften the skin.
• Washing your face with grapefruit or sugar water.
• Rinsing your face with cold water.
• Along with moisturizing, apply enough sunscreen to cover the entire body.
• Always keep misted facial products away from the eyes.
• You can exfoliate your skin with a gentle rub with a baby toothbrush.
• Baby toothbrushes can help stimulate the skin to break up dead skin cells and increase circulation to speed up the healing process.
• Follow your favorite skin care regimen. Follow it carefully and you will achieve the results you want.
• A cream-based cleanser that is alcohol free is a better option than a soap-based cleanser. Soap-based cleansers often contain harsh detergents and preservatives that can irritate the skin.
• thorough cleanse – remove all makeup and cleanse your face using a deep cleaning scrub formulated for your skin type.
• Steam your face to open your pores and prevent breakouts.
