Dark Under Eye Circles

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal

It is always said that the easiest way to tell how old a woman is or how she generally takes care of herself is to look at her eyes. The eyelids and the skin under the eyes are among the most delicate areas of the skin. The skin on that area is so thin, it wrinkles easily and is susceptible to puffiness and darkening.

Puffy and dark circles under the eyes can make us look tired and appear older beyond our years. Women approaching their thirties and older generally address this area first when they try to rejuvenate themselves, because puffy and dark circles under the eyes are one of the more obvious indicators of aging.

What causes us to form dark circles under our eyes, also known as eye bags? We have to recognize and accept it with ourselves that having dark circles under the eyes is part of the natural aging process. Also, we could be genetically pre-disposed to develop them earlier. Dark circles under the eyes can also develop from factors from our own environment, such as pollutants and allergens in the air. In addition, crying our eyes out is a sure-fire ticket to having dark circles under the eyes.

Not a few women think that undergoing cosmetic surgery or using expensive creams are the only ways of dealing with dark circles under the eyes. This is not so. While it is not possible to be able to remove them completely all the time, there are ways that we can take to combat them, or at least to make sure that they do not get worse over time.

One of these ways of fighting dark under eye circles is to keep our bodies hydrated by drinking plenty of water and fruit juices every day. Eight glasses or two liters of water is the recommended amount. Water flushes out the toxins in our body and acts as a natural moisturizer for the skin.

Another way of doing it is to get plenty of sleep every night. We should get around seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Sufficient sleep allows the body to repair and rejuvenate itself. When the body is able to repair itself properly every day, the skin appears younger and healthier, including the skin around the eyes.

If you are a smoker, you would do well to stop smoking. Smoking robs the body of nutrients and dries out the water in our cells. It is not just our skin that suffers from smoking; the entire body suffers from the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke.

Dark under eye circles home remedies:

• Resting your eyes for thirty minutes or so with a slice of cucumber over each eyelid.
• Putting on an eye pack that spent time inside the refrigerator before going to sleep.
• Chilling a couple of used teabags with most of the water squeezed out of them and then taking a nap for fifteen minutes with the teabags on your eyelids.

Getting dark circles under the eyes is a part of the aging process, but you do not have to go under the knife just to be able to get rid of them.

Natural Moisturizers for Dry Skin

Natural Moisturizers for Dry Skin
By Laci Chiodo

Does your skin feel like a desert? Not to worry! Soft, supple skin is not a mirage. If you're stuck in a dry spell and searching for relief, try a few of these natural moisturizing techniques to hydrate and revitalize your skin.

Hydrating Facial Mask
In a small bowl, mix one avocado, one raw egg, and one teaspoon of coconut oil to form a creamy paste. Apply the paste to your face and let it work its magic for 25 - 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Raw eggs and avocados contain natural moisturizing proteins, making them a super combo for fresh, luxurious skin. Adding coconut oil provides a boost of antioxidants.

Milk Bath
Fill your bathtub with warm water and add up to five cups of rich, whole milk or buttermilk. Light a few candles, turn on some tunes, and soak yourself for twenty to thirty minutes. Milk contains proteins that can help smooth and rejuvenate dry skin.

Oatmeal and Yogurt Exfoliant
Mix one cup uncooked oatmeal and a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt to create an exfoliating paste. Use as a gentle body scrub to remove dry, flaky skin and dead skin cells. The oatmeal will do the scrubbing while the yogurt does the moisturizing.

Maintain a Healthy Diet
Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day and eat foods high in nutrients. Think fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco - all skin dehydrators, and avoid processed and packaged foods as much as possible.

Hand Treatment

A Quick Hand Treatment

Hands are the most visible parts of you, but they also take a lot of abuse. You use them in everyday activity, and yet, they are the ultimate accessory. You must give them the same attention you give your face.

* Soften your hands even while you do the dishes. Add a little almond oil (about a teaspoon) to dishwater. The water will soften rought skin while the oil seals the moisture.

* Slough off dead skin cells with a solution made of sea salt lemon. Brush it into hands with an old toothbrush. Do this twice a week to soften hands and remove discoloration.

* Wash hands thoroughly with warm water, then, using a coarse washcloth, rub briskly. While skin is slightly damp, apply a mixture of one teaspoon honey and one teaspoon olive oil. Place hands in small plastic bags, then in a pair of cotton gloves for thirty minutes. The heat helps the treatment penetrate.

* Warm a cup of milk in the microwave for thirty seconds (or until warm, but comfortable to the touch). Soak your hands for five minutes to strengthen nails and hydrate skin. Not only is milk loaded with lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates dead skin, but its high calcium content will strengthen fragile nails.

Lemon-Cucumber Whitening Extract

Lemon-Cucumber Whitening Extract

This recipe is good in whitening dark underarms and neck.

You will need:
Lemons
Cucumber
Turmeric

Procedure:
Extract lemon juice using juicer, and extract the same with cucumber. Mix lemon and cucumber juice together with a pinch of turmeric.
Apply to neck or underarms daily and leave this for 20 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

Dark Under Eye Circles

Dark Under Eye Circles

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal

It is always said that the easiest way to tell how old a woman is or how she generally takes care of herself is to look at her eyes. The eyelids and the skin under the eyes are among the most delicate areas of the skin. The skin on that area is so thin, it wrinkles easily and is susceptible to puffiness and darkening.

Puffy and dark circles under the eyes can make us look tired and appear older beyond our years. Women approaching their thirties and older generally address this area first when they try to rejuvenate themselves, because puffy and dark circles under the eyes are one of the more obvious indicators of aging.

What causes us to form dark circles under our eyes, also known as eye bags? We have to recognize and accept it with ourselves that having dark circles under the eyes is part of the natural aging process. Also, we could be genetically pre-disposed to develop them earlier. Dark circles under the eyes can also develop from factors from our own environment, such as pollutants and allergens in the air. In addition, crying our eyes out is a sure-fire ticket to having dark circles under the eyes.

Not a few women think that undergoing cosmetic surgery or using expensive creams are the only ways of dealing with dark circles under the eyes. This is not so. While it is not possible to be able to remove them completely all the time, there are ways that we can take to combat them, or at least to make sure that they do not get worse over time.

One of these ways of fighting dark under eye circles is to keep our bodies hydrated by drinking plenty of water and fruit juices every day. Eight glasses or two liters of water is the recommended amount. Water flushes out the toxins in our body and acts as a natural moisturizer for the skin.

Another way of doing it is to get plenty of sleep every night. We should get around seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Sufficient sleep allows the body to repair and rejuvenate itself. When the body is able to repair itself properly every day, the skin appears younger and healthier, including the skin around the eyes.

If you are a smoker, you would do well to stop smoking. Smoking robs the body of nutrients and dries out the water in our cells. It is not just our skin that suffers from smoking; the entire body suffers from the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke.

Dark under eye circles home remedies:

• Resting your eyes for thirty minutes or so with a slice of cucumber over each eyelid.
• Putting on an eye pack that spent time inside the refrigerator before going to sleep.
• Chilling a couple of used teabags with most of the water squeezed out of them and then taking a nap for fifteen minutes with the teabags on your eyelids.

Getting dark circles under the eyes is a part of the aging process, but you do not have to go under the knife just to be able to get rid of them.

Carrot Juice Exfoliating Toner

This recipe for uneven skin tones due to blemishes and pigmentation.

You will need:
Carrots

Procedure:
Make a carrot juice by extracting the juice using a juicer. Apply on face's blemishes and pigmentation. Use this daily to achieve clear and well-toned skin.

Wrinkle Remover

Wrinkle Remover

Green Thompson seedless grapes! It has one of the ingredients in those big time expensive wrinkle creams.

All you do is cut a grape in half and gently crush it on your face and neck. Make sure that you get the "crows-feet" and the lines around your mouth. Leave it on for twenty minutes or so and rinse with tepid water and pat dry.

Repeat every day and before you know it... those nasty old lines will be hard to find!

Don't forget to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. And... eat veggies rich in Vitamin A, such as carrots, celery and spinach.

If you can, get 8 hours of sleep every night.

Blackheads and Whiteheads

Blackheads and Whiteheads: What is the Difference?

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal

The presence of blackheads and whiteheads on the skin is a common problem for those in their teens and up. Teenagers and people in their early twenties suffer most from them, but even those who are in their thirties and forties can still have them too, especially those with oily skin.

Both blackheads and whiteheads are forms of acne. We may have thought of acne as limited to those red, bumpy pustules, but that is not so. All forms of acne are considered disorders of the pilosebaceous units of the skin, which are made up of the sebaceous glands, the hair follicle, and the hair strand itself. And like all acne, the problem with blackheads and whiteheads starts deep down the sebaceous glands, or oil glands.

You see, the pilosebaceous units are the skin�s self-moisturizing mechanism. The sebaceous glands secrete oils called sebum, which are stored in the follicle. When the follicle is full, the oil is spilled off to the skin. The sebum is supposed to keep the skin healthy and moisturized.

But sometimes, that is not the case. Sometimes, the oil is trapped inside the hair follicle instead of flowing onto the skin. When this happens, bacteria develop in the follicle and leads to the infection we know as the pimple. Sometimes, instead of being infected, the follicle just gets all clogged up and forms comedones � the things we call blackheads and whiteheads.

What is the difference between a blackhead and a whitehead?

A blackhead is a comedone formed when the opening of the follicle becomes wider than normal. Because the follicle opening is wider, the sebum and the trapped dead skin cells there react chemically with the air, resulting in the oxidation of melanin, which in turn causes the dark coloration of the blackhead.

On the other hand, a whitehead is a comedone formed from a hair follicle that is not open to the air. It is also clogged with sebum and trapped dead skin cells, but the lack of exposure to the air does not lead to the oxidation of melanin, so the clogged matter stays white.

How do we get rid of blackheads and whiteheads? Ridding the skin of acne, not just blackheads and whiteheads, takes time, consistency and effort. It is also very simple. Because acne is not exactly triggered by the food we eat, we do not have to go on a diet. Because acne does not exactly mean that our skin is dirty, we do not have to continually wash our skin. Doing this will rob the skin of its natural moisturizer and will only cause irritation. Washing the face twice a day with mild soap or a facial scrub will do the work. It will take time, but it will do the work.

Blackheads and whiteheads can also be treated using antibacterial products like benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin. Benzoyl peroxide is good for mild cases. It treats the hair follicle so as to reduce the clogging. Tretinoin, on the other hand, forces the closed comedones (the whiteheads) to open up. In this way, the materials clogging the follicle can be easily expunged.

Hair and Beauty Home Recipe

Natural Beauty

Homemade Products

Debbie DeSpirt

Beautify your hair and complexion with simple and inexpensive recipes.

Millions if not billions of dollars each year are spent on advertising campaigns to teach us how to look beautiful. As you look in the mirror you see your face is a little lifeless and you have countless options to bring the spark back into your skin. Nevertheless, the best kept secret is natural beauty products made at home. As well, the key to beautiful skin and hair is a balanced diet with limited intake of sugar, caffeine, and oil products.

Shiny Hair

Remove the build up from your hair with a simple natural recipe. Take care of your hair by removing the stagnant and dead particle matter that gets locked into your hair strands. Often the hair becomes dull and lifeless when life becomes stressful and overwhelming. Remove the toxins with either of these two recipes. Your hair will be left shiny and soft after the build up has been removed.

Clean Hair Recipe #1

Put 1 cup of molasses, maple syrup or honey into your hair. Make certain the molasses, maple syrup, or honey covers all of your hair from the roots to the ends. Wrap plastic wrap around your hair and put a towel over your head. Let the product sit in your hair for 15-30 minutes. Rinse and shampoo as usual.

Clean Hair Recipe #2

Mix 2 teaspoons of baking soda with 1 cup of natural shampoo.

Pour 1 tablespoon of the shampoo into the hair and lather. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

Health and Beauty Secret

Many of us are looking for the ancient secrets that will keep us looking healthy and beautiful. We search the stores and listen to the countless infomercials on the power of their product to reduce aging and to bring our youthful complexion back.

Water, water and more water is the answer. Water removes the toxins from the body to give your skin a healthy and vibrant look.

As well, to keep the skin hydrated use a few drops of jojoba oil on the face. Apply the drops to a damp face, as the water aids the oil to absorb into your face.

Natural Health and Beauty Experiment:

For six weeks drink 8 glasses of water a day. At the beginning of this experiment, your complexion will probably look worst as all the toxins are coming to the surface. After the six weeks, you should have a vibrant complexion.

During the six weeks, refrain from highly processed foods and increase your vegetable and fruit intake. Vegetables and fruits are best in their natural state.

Natural Dry Hair & Skin Remedies

Natural Ingredients and Recipes to Soothe Your Skin and Hair

Catherine Solmes

Treat and soothe your dry skin and hair with natural ingredients and recipes you can make yourself.

Often the most effective ways to treat dry skin is using natural ingredients and remedies. Did you know that remedies for dry skin and hair can be found in your kitchen cupboard? Give your dry skin a break and soothe it with natural and gentle ingredients.

Hair that is dehydrated looks flat, dull and dry. For a quick, at-home, all-natural fix, try this floury hair mask for soft, super-shiny hair:

• 1/2 cup of white spelt flour
• 1/2 cup of barley flour
• 1 cup of distilled water
• 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

Sift the flours together and pour in the liquids, mixing well. Smooth over dry hair, making sure to coat each strand. Cover with a shower cap and leave on for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing with cool water.

Olive Oil

The wonder product that is good for your inside and outside. Massage it into excessively dry skin such as your heels, elbows, knees and cuticles. Mix some into warm (not hot) bath water. Massage it into dry hair and scalp. Use it as a facial moisturizer or after a shower or bath as a body moisturizer.

For an exfoliating treatment, mix two parts brown sugar with one part olive oil. Rub gently into your skin before a shower.

Banana

Banana is a gentle, effective moisturizer for dry or aging skin. The natural emollients in the fruit will soothe and hydrate your parched skin. Simply mash a ripe banana into a paste and apply it to your face or whatever part of your body that is excessively dry for ten minutes. To make this simple mask even more effective, combine it with a teaspoon or so of olive oil.

Honey

Honey acts as an intensive moisturizer for the skin. It will soften, firm, smooth and moisturize your skin, and is especially good for aging skin.

Ways To Use Honey:

• Smooth a thin layer onto freshly cleansed skin and leave on for a few minutes before rinsing.
• Try mixing 1/4 cup of honey into warm bathwater for a moisturizing soak.
• Combine a teaspoon of honey with 4 cups of warm water and work through hair after shampooing. Do not rinse and dry as usual for extra shiny, sweet-smelling, soft hair.
• Apply to the dry, flaky skin of the heels, elbows and knees and leave for ten minutes .

Oatmeal

Oatmeal's mild exfoliating, softening and cleansing properties makes it ideal for sensitive and dry skin and skin conditions such as psoriasis and excema.

Ways To Use Oatmeal:

• Try 2 cups of colloidal oatmeal (finely ground oatmeal powder available at most grocery and health food stores) in a lukewarm bath to soothe dry, itchy skin.
• Use cooked oatmeal as a body mask. Apply it to clean, damp skin and leave for a few minutes, then rinse off in a bath or shower.
• For a gentle cleansing treatment, mix 1/2 cup of oatmeal with 2 tbsp of plain yogurt and apply to skin. Leave on for ten minutes and rinse off with lukewarm water.

Extra Tips

• Because hot water will dehydrate your dry hair and skin, use only lukewarm water to wash it.
• Treat your hair, feet and hands to an all-night hydrating mask. Saturate your hair and massage into your skin, a generous amount of olive oil, wrap in plastic and cover with socks, gloves or a towel. Wash as usual in the morning for soft, smooth, moisturized skin.
• Eating oily foods can increase the moisture in your skin - try adding the healthy oils to your diet by eating nuts and fish. Ensuring you drink lots of water each day will help your skin and hair hydrate itself.
• Things that can aggravate dry skin and hair include: pollution, caffeine and smoking.

DIY Make a Milk Bath

Natural Skin Care Recipe

by Kim DeLeary

Remember Cleopatra's famous milk and honey baths? It is easy to create your own luxurious milk and honey bath at home.

The milk and honey baths of Cleopatra are well known because they were part of her regular skin and beauty treatments. Milk is a luxuriant skin treatment when it is added to bath water. Milk exfoliates, softens and nourishes the skin. There are several ways to enjoy a milk bath.

Use Dry Or Wet Ingredients In Your Milk Bath

You can use liquid milk or dried milk. The honey may be liquid or dry. You can use any combination or dry or wet ingredients. Milk provides nutrition directly to the skin. Milk acts as a mild exfoliate. Milk softens and hydrates the skin too.

Add Honey, Oatmeal, Sea Salt Or Baking Soda To The Milk Bath

Honey softens, provides nutrition and acts to protect the skin. If you add oatmeal, the oatmeal will soothe dry, itchy skin and protect skin. Sea salts detoxify and soften skin. Another ingredient you can use in your milk baths is baking soda. Baking soda is a good cleanser and skin softener. If you add all of these ingredients together, you will have a wonderful mixture. Even if you use any of these ingredients alone, it will good for the skin.

Try An Oatmeal, Cream And Honey Bath

Oatmeal soothes skin. If you have cooked oatmeal and there is some liquid from it, add this to the bath as well. You can use cooked oatmeal in a bath tea bag that doubles as a washcloth.

Customize This Milk Bath Recipe

You can make a simple milk and honey bath by adding between half a teaspoon to one or two tablespoons of wet honey (or its dry equivalent) and one cup of liquid milk (or its dry equivalent) to your bath water. Add about half a cup of dried milk or one cup of liquid milk as a single ingredient for a simple milk bath.

For a large batch, mix three cups of dried milk to one cup of ground quick cooking oats. You can grind the oatmeal in a blender. Grinding the oatmeal is optional. Use a few tablespoons for each bath. You can also scoop some of this mixture into a large tea bag. The oatmeal will soften and soothe the skin. Store your mixture in an airtight container and use a scoop or pour out from the container when using it. Avoid putting your fingers or moisture into the mixture. Another recipe for a large batch of milk bath mixture combines one-cup cornstarch, two cups dried milk and half of a cup of sea salt. Add two or three tablespoons of your bath mixture to each bath.

It is easy to use milk as a bath product. A milk bath mixture can easily be customized by adding other simple ingredients that can be found in most households. Just be sure you are not allergic to dairy products before using milk in your bath. By adding such nutritious ingredients to your bath water, you will have softer and smoother skin.

Acne Problems

Spot The Problem: Acne
By Joanne Elliott

What's Acne?

Acne is a term that's used to describe whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. (You may well recognize slang terms like spots, or zits). Most teenagers get the type of acne called acne vulgaris, which can show up on the face, neck, shoulders, back, and chest. Skin pores contain oil glands which naturally lubricate your skin and hair. But sometimes if a pore gets clogged beneath the skin with excess oil and bacteria, the dreaded acne is caused...

Whiteheads happen when a pore gets clogged, closes, and then bulges out. If a pore gets clogged but stays open, the top may darken and you've got a blackhead. A pimple happens when dead skin and bacteria work their way under live skin. This leads to a small infection that makes your skin look red. Get glowing!

What Causes Acne?

Although everyone is different, acne is usually caused by the build up of oil and dead skin in a pore. This build up of oil and dead skin is caused because of:

• Natural hormones. These are particularly active in your teens.
• Plugged skin. Lots of skin cells can close the oil glands or pores, creating blackheads or whiteheads, (as mentioned earlier).
• Bacteria. Bacteria can easily infect oil glands and pores and grow very quickly.
• Family background. If you have acne, your kids are more likely to have it too.

How To Reduce An Acne Problem

• You shouldn't squeeze, pick, scratch, or rub your skin as it makes the problem worse, and it might even cause scarring.
• Regularly shampoo your hair, and try to keep it off your face if possible - especially at night.
• Keep a food diary to work out if you are one of the few people whose acne gets worse if they eat certain things.
• Exercise regularly to get the old blood flowing, and make sure you get a wash as soon after as possible.
• Avoid unnecessarily touching your face.
• If possible, try to minimize your stress levels.
• Avoid getting sunburned.
• Change your wash cloth every day, as bacteria can grow on damp cloth.
• Wash your face twice a day with a gentle soap like Dove or Lever 2000.
• Always rinse really well with lots of water.
• Only wear makeup on special occasions, and then make sure you remove it completely.
• Granular facial scrub can make acne worse by aggravating the skin.

Medication For Extreme Cases

Oral antibiotics
Oral antibiotics have a high success rate, and can be safely used for up to a year. It can take up to six months to fully take effect, but there should be a noticeable difference within six weeks. Oral Antibiotics include erythromycin, minocycline and tetracycline

Antibacterial cream
Benzoyl peroxide kills the bacteria which causes inflammation. It is available over the counter in 2.5%, 5% and 10% creams and lotions. It is available in gels in the same percentages but only by prescription. Clinically, there�s not much difference between the effectiveness of the various strengths and types used.

NOTE: Unfortunately, there can be some side effects of the use of Benzyol peroxide, including hypersensitivity, irritation, and contact dermatitis (although these are very rare). Remember to always keep Benzoyl peroxide away from clothing as it has a bleaching effect.

Homemade Skin Treats

Simple, Effective and Natural Products Found In Your Kitchen

Catherine Solmes

Sept 18, 2007

Use everyday products found in your kitchen to smooth, soothe and soften your skin.

Think of how cashmere, silk and cotton feel against your skin compared with nylon, polyester and rayon. If you've never tried an all-natural or largely natural moisturizer, mask or exfoliator, you're in for the same experience. Natural products have been used for centuries by women attempting to smooth, soften and moisturize their skin, and while it's easy to get distracted by the rows of tempting bottles and tubes at the drugstore or department store, you've actually got plenty of skin treats in your own kitchen! So open that fridge and those cupboards and get gorgeous!

Brown Sugar-Olive Oil Scrub

Don't spend your money on pricey scrubs; make your own with brown sugar and olive oil. It exfoliates away all the dry skin, moisturizes what's underneath, increases your skin's circulation and can improve the appearance of cellulite.

For gorgeously smooth skin, combine roughly three parts brown sugar with one part olive oil (11/2 cups to 1/2 cup; 3 cups to 1 cup, and so on). Before you shower, stand in your bathtub and apply the scrub with your hands to your body and rub. Be gentle, as this is quite abrasive, but you can be a bit rougher where your skin is thicker and drier (i.e. your feet). Rinse off in the shower, and you'll find there's no need to moisturize afterwards.

Yogourt Mask

Used by women for centuries, yogourt works on all skin types to soften skin, soothe redness and tighten pores while gently deep cleaning. Use a natural, unflavoured, plain yogurt (Balkan style tends to be thicker and is easier to apply) and apply to your face as you would a mask, avoiding the eyes and mouth. You may want to let the yogourt warm up slightly before applying it! Leave on for ten minutes and rinse off with warm water. Follow with a honey mask, or apply moisturizer as you would normally.

Honey Mask

Honey is also an ancient beauty product used alongside yogourt to soften, deep clean and soothe your skin. Honey is a natural antibiotic and will help to kill any bacteria in your pores, which in turn helps to eliminate redness. It's also gently moisturizing and full of vitamins. Simply smooth it onto your face, avoiding your eyes and mouth and let it sit for ten minutes. Rinse off with warm water and follow with your regular toning and moisturizing routine.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is an all-purpose, rich, but non-irritating moisturizer. Try rubbing it onto dry bits like your elbows, knees and heels. Try it as a nighttime moisturizer for your face during the cold months. Smooth it on your body for an extra-nourishing treat and rinse off the excess in the shower – your skin will feel amazing. Or warm it carefully and very, very slightly and use it as a heated deep-moisturizing mask.

Olive oil can also be used as a deep moisturizing hair mask. Smooth it onto warm, damp hair from your ears down (the oldest, most damaged/dry part of your hair). Wrap some plastic wrap around it and then a towel to keep it warm. This is best done at bedtime so the oil has time to penetrate the hair shaft while you sleep, but you can let it sit for a minimum of half-an-hour if you prefer. Then wash your hair as usual and you'll be amazed at the difference.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is an all-purpose, gentle exfoliator and skin softener. To use it as an exfoliator, simply pour a quarter-sized amount of baking soda into the palm of your hand. You can add a tiny bit of your regular cleanser or some warm water to turn it into a paste. You may need to add more to get the right consistency. Apply to your skin, avoiding your eyes, and rub gently with your fingertips in a circular motion. Adjust the pressure of your fingers as you wish for a harder or lighter scrub and then rinse off the paste with warm water. Follow with your regular toner and moisturizer.

You can also sprinkle some baking soda into a warm bath for an extra-softening skin treat.

Wrinkle Removal Recipe

Wrinkle Removal Recipe

Banana is wonderful as an anti-wrinkle treatment.

Mash 1/4 banana until very creamy. Spread all over face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water followed by a dash of cold.
Gently pat dry.

Free Face Massage Video

Learning massage doesn't have to be expensive nor does it have to be intimidating.

If you are a beginner, there is no better way to learn massage but by watching massage video clips performed by experts.

Check this page regularly as I will be adding free massage video clips.

Face Massage

This facial massage video clip shows you what has recently become extremely popular in facial skin care. Massage is free and effective, it doesn't get better than that!

Face massage lessons

Duration: 9 min 08 sec

Avocado (dry skin) facial mask

Tips for Home Spa Treatments : Homemade Avocado Facial Mask: Relaxing & Healing Facial Masks -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Know your skin type

Skin Type - Do you really know yours?

Since I started collecting all these recipes, I never really thought of my skin type. I just assumed it was "normal" and went with it. Well, after reading this article, I realized that it was combination. How about you?

In order to care for your skin properly you must first determine the type of skin you have. There are 5 types of skin: Normal, Dry, Oily, Combination and Problem Skin.

Normal:

The skin is soft, supple and smooth. It is fine-textured and free of blemishes (with the exception of periodic blemishes). It has a nice glow and never feels oily or dry. Less than twenty percent of women have this skin type. If this is your skin type you are fortunate; however, this does not mean that you shouldn’t take care of it.

Dry:

This type of skin to has a fine texture and is transparent looking. It feels tight and drawn without moisturizer and tends to have fine lines around the eyes and mouth. It feels especially dry after washing and may have whiteheads around the eyes and dry patches. This type of skin needs proper care because it shows signs of aging early.

Oily:

The oily complexion is greasy, sallow and course. It has large pores and tends to have pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. Within hours of washing the oiliness will reappear and makeup is usually absorbed quickly.

Combination:

This type of skin is oily in the T zone and the rest of the face is dry. The T zone is the forehead, nose and chin. The extent to which both areas are dry and oily may vary; however, both areas require a separate cleaning routine to restore them to balance.

Problem Skin:

Problem skin is usually oily and has a course texture and is subject to acne. It has large pores, blackheads, red blotches and may become more irritated under stress. If the problem is serious it will require the assistance of a dermatologist.

There are also 2 skin conditions that may occur either together or separately and may occur with any skin type. These are sensitive and allergic conditions. If when applying skin care products you begin to sneeze, wheeze, itch or breakout you are probably allergic. Skin that appears thin, pale and flushes easily and may be sensitive and be subject to allergies. If this is the case, treat your skin gently and use hypoallergenic products.

About The Author

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download a copy of her e-book Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.

sheila@sheilasfashionsense.com