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We have heard this many times, drinks lots of water and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to maintain good health. While this is great for keeping health from the inside/out, what about from the outside/in of our bodies?
The skin is the largest organ of the body and takes up 15 – 20% of your actual total body weight. It literally holds us together. One of the most amazing qualities of the skin is its elasticity. But, as we grow older the skin starts to loose its elasticity. It is vitally important we look after our skin through out the changes in life to maintain the skins natural elasticity. Unfortunately people give skin little consideration.
Most skin care products that are sold in stores contain an array of harsh chemicals such as propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates and petro-chemicals just to name a few. The average women applies more than 200 chemicals on her skin in one day and about 60% of these chemicals are absorbed into the bloodstream. What these chemicals do is strip away the natural oils from the skin leaving your skin more vulnerable to skin damage.
If you are serious about maintaining healthy younger looking skin, try natural skin care. Natural skin care is rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins that soothe, nurture and improve your skins appearance. They do not contain harsh chemicals which only dry and irritate the skin. Natural skin care may cost a little more, but the results are worth it.
Get back to nature; use natural skin care for smoother, softer feeling skin.
BIO: Marie Otty is the founder of Essential Stuff, a natural skin care business. All products are handcrafted, 100% vegan and cruelty free. The Essential Stuff range includes Body Butter, Body Mousse, Gardeners Hand Balm, Lip Balm, baby products and more. For more information on the Essential Stuff range please visit www.essentialstuff.com.au
When a person’s skin becomes dry, the epidermis (the outermost layers of the skin) are damaged and dead. Your skin will feel rough to the touch, tight, and even itchy and inflamed. Dry skin often looks white and flaky. Low sebum levels are the cause of dry skin due to environmental factors and lack of basic skin care. Dry skin can be cured, just by following a few simple steps.
If you are used to using cheap store soaps, throw them away. These soaps are very drying to the skin. Store soaps are made from harsh chemicals and contain no glycerin (a humectant that draws moisture to the skin). The glycerin is taken out during the soap making process leaving a hard bar of soap when finished. These soaps generally don’t last very long and can be quite costly. Opt for a natural soap. Natural soaps are made of vegetable oils that are choc full of vitamins and contain glycerine. Natural soaps moisturise your skin while washing and don’t leave your skin feeling dry and tight. Once you have tried a natural soap you will never go back to using cheap store soap again.
Avoid using cleansers that have harsh chemicals. Instead use a mild sulphate free natural body wash or gel. Cleansers that contain chemicals only strip away the natural oils from the skin leaving the feeling dry.
Don’t take long hot baths because this can aggravate dry skin in the winter months. Instead try short, lukewarm baths or showers. When you get out of the shower or bath gently pat your skin dry and apply your moisturiser while your skin is damp. This will help seal in moisture and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.
Moisturise your body daily. Moisturisers are designed to reduce water loss from the epidermis and preventing the skin from dryness. It acts as a barrier from extreme weather conditions and grime. Daily moisturising will leave you skin feeling soft and supple.
To help keep your lips soft and hydrated use a lip balm. Avoid licking you lips, as this will only cause further dryness and cracking. Lip balms are also great to apply on dry and brittle nails.
Drink 8 glasses of water a day, this will keep your body hydrated throughout the day.
Beautiful Hands
Your hands are usually the first place on your body to show signs of age, and they can make you look 5 to 10 years older than you really are, but it’s not too late to turn back the hands of time.
These are the days your hands look their best. They are soft, plump, and evenly toned. Your primary concern isn’t so much combating the signs of aging, but preventing them.
Cumulative sun exposure is the biggest cause of premature skin aging and now’s the time to start protecting yourself. Apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 at least twice a day.
If you plan to be in strong sunlight for long periods of time, use a sunscreen that has a UVA-blocking agent in it, since UVA rays cause brown spots and wrinkles.
Once a week, lightly slough off the dead skin flakes on your hands with a gentle scrub. Removing this flaky, occlusive layer will help your daily moisturizer penetrate your skin more deeply.
Apply moisturiser to your hands before going to bed. Wear a pair of cotton gloves overnight and your hands will feel lovely and soft.
To reduce or eliminate age spots or areas of discoloration there are a few alternative remedies,
-A mixture of honey and yoghurt creates a natural bleach that can lighten age spots. 1 teaspoon of plain yoghurt plus 1 teaspoon of honey. Mix together apply to your hands. Allow to dry for 30 minutes and then wash off. Do this once a week.
-A few drops of lemon essential oil added to a vegetable carrier oil, then apply the mixture to your the ageing spots twice a day.
-Cut a lemon in half and rub the lemon on your age spots once a day
-Any beauty products that contain glycolic acid or licorice extract can lighten or eliminate age spots. Glycolic acid contains natural sugars derived from papaya, citrus, or other foods. It gently exfoliates the top layer of the skin, while the licorice bleaches the spot.
Remember to apply a good hand moisturiser whenever your hands are feeling dry and before you go to bed. If you are out and about keep a container of hand moisturiser in your handbag.
How To Improve Your Nails
Dry and brittle nails should be cut when they are soft from bathing. Cutting you nails when they are dry can cause further damage.
If your fingernails are looking dry, apply some lip balm and gently rub into the nail.
Carry an emery board with you. This is so any potential cracks can be smoothed out, preventing further damage to the nail, and reducing snapping.
If your have fragile nails, keep your nails short, this reduces further damage. The longer your nails are the more they are risk of splitting and cracking.
You have probably have heard this many times. Don’t push or cut your cuticles. But if you suffer from over grown and dry cuticles there is nothing more ugly. If you have healthy looking cuticles do not touch them. Cutting healthy cuticles can leave the base of the nail open to infection. Overgrown cuticles need to be softened first by bathing, and then gently push back with a cuticle stick. Cut back the excess cuticle, but not too far back so there is still some cuticle. Once finished apply some moisturiser.
Once a week give your nails a manicure.
-Using a double sided emery board begin to file your nails using a gentle stroke in one direction. Do not file in both directions as this can cause splitting.
-Begin to shape your nails.
-Apply a softener to your cuticles. Allow to sit for a minute or so.
-Transfer your hands to a bowl of warm water and soak for a few minutes.
-Gently push back your cuticles.
-Remove any ridges by using a 4 way manicure block.
-Final step buff and shine.
BIO: Marie Otty is the founder of Essential Stuff, a natural skin care business. All products are handcrafted, 100% vegan and accredited by Choose Cruelty Free. The Essential Stuff range includes Body Butter, Body Mousse, Gardeners Hand Balm, Lip Balm, baby products and more. For more information on the Essential Stuff range please visit www.essentialstuff.com.au
Shea butter is one of the most affective natural moisturises. It is used in soaps, balms, creams, lotions and hair conditioners (adds and maintains moisture in dry brittle hair giving it a softer appearance). Shea butter absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling. Shea butter is also rich in vitamins A and E. (Vitamin A promotes enzyme activity in the skin, thickens the epidermis and helps skin cells reguvenate in a healthier way. Vitamin E is a natural anti-oxidant that slows down the signe of ageing and the degeneration of skin cells. Reduces fine lines and wrinkles and soothes the irritaion of dry skin).
Shea butter also has remarkable healing qualities. It is known to be effective in the treatment of scars, wrinkles, very dry skin, stretchmarks, eczema, chapped lips, rashes, acne, blemishes and fading scars. This natural ingredient also contains cinnamic acid, which provides natural protection against the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays
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