Natural Homemade Fruit Facials

Fruits are a treat by Mother Nature. They have a positive effect within our bodies when consumed as well as a nourishing effect on our skin when applied. A fruit facial mask is a simple, quick and inexpensive way of rejuvenating and hydrating your face. Besides being natural, homemade fruit facial masks are free from chemicals, perfumes, preservatives and other artificial supplements because you make them at home! Treat your skin with a moisturizing homemade fruit facial mask and protect your skin during the dry winter season.

Zesty Lemon Facial Mask

Lemon is rich in Vitamin C and is believed to be a naturally nourishing for our skin. Not only does it have the capacity of unclogging and tightening pores, lemon also helps in fading away age spots, freckles and acne scars leaving behind gorgeously soft and bright skin.

To Prepare: Mix together 2 tablespoons of flour, lemon juice and egg whites. Apply mixture to your freshly washed face. Leave the mask on for at least 20 minutes before washing it off with lukewarm water. Apply a moisturizer after washing off the mask.

Sweet Kiwi Facial Mask

Kiwi is rich in Vitamin A, E, C and citric acid making it helpful in the deep moisturizing of your skin and also increases your blood circulation. Kiwi also deep cleans your skin, washing off excessive oils and tightening pores. Nothing can be better than kiwi juice for your skin.

To Prepare: All you will need is 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of kiwi juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix the ingredients well and apply the mask to your face. Leave the mask on your face for about 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it off with a damp washcloth.

Tangy Tangerine Facial Mask

Tangerine works well with treating dry and flaky skin. Containing potential ingredients such as vitamin C, B, folate, magnesium, beta-carotene and potassium, tangerine helps in rejuvenating and hydrating your skin.

To Prepare: Hydrating your skin with tangerine is very simple and inexpensive. You need tangerine juice and an egg yolk. Mix these ingredients well and apply evenly on your facial skin. Leave the mask on your skin for about 30 minutes before washing it off with cold water. Find your skin flawlessly hydrated skin once the mask is washed off.

Banana Rose Facial Mask

Banana is a fruit rich zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium vitamin A, B and E. Banana works best as an anti-aging agent.

To prepare: Mix together a mashed banana, two tablespoons of oat flour and one table spoon of rose water. Blend all the ingredients well and apply on your face and your neck. After about 15 to 20 minutes wipe off the mask with a damp washcloth and then wash off any remaining mask with lukewarm water.

Not only are homemade fruit facial masks rich in vitamins, they are also pure, chemical-free, inexpensive and effective. Have fun making them at home and let Mother Nature take care of your skin.

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How To Remove Hyperpigmentation And Get Glowing - Even Toned Skin

Although a lot of us dream of flawless skin, the truth is that most people, regardless of ethnicity and skin color, have pigment blemishes on their skin. The discolored small or large patches might be considered aesthetically unappealing and most people would like to get rid of these spots. To understand how to lighten your blemishes you need to understand that these spots or patches are nothing more than accumulation of melanin.
What is melanin?
Melanin is the substance that gives color to your skin. Ideally, melanin concentration should be even across the entire expanse of your skin but this is seldom the case. Various environmental, dietary, hereditary and age factors contribute towards the formation of these spots and blemishes. These lesions or spots have different names depending on the cause. Melasma, hyperpigmentation, freckles are some of the various names that refer to these blemishes.
How do I rid myself of these spots?
Any dermatologist will tell you that pigment problems are extremely difficult to get rid of. But there is hope. There have been various advances in the field of pigment research and there are a number of remedies that can effectively remove the excess pigment and prevent the re-accumulation of melanin on the skin.
Are all pigment problems basically the same? Can I use the same treatment for various pigment problems?
There are several ways to get rid of spots or patches of hyperpigmentation. Pigmentation could be hormonal in nature like melasma, dark underarms, dark skin patches on the neck or inner thigh area and age spots. Once these spots or patches of dark skin have lightened, you will need to continue some sort of maintenance regimen due to the hormonal nature of the problem. Stopping treatment as soon as these spots have disappeared will cause them to reoccur in a few months. There are certain other kinds of spots or patchy skin caused by trauma to the skin by insect bites, shaving, acne or repeated pressure to certain areas of skin. These patches or spots once lightened usually don't return.
What are the various ways I can use to get rid of these blemishes?
There are three ways to get rid of these blemishes.
Mechanical: Mechanical methods work best when the pigmentation is recent and superficial. Those who don't exfoliate their skin on a regular basis will also see good results. There are various derma-abrasion kits available in your local pharmacy that could help gently exfoliate the area. Micro-derma abrasion cloths are also a good option as they remove dead skin cells very gently. Exfoliating encourages skin cell turnover ensuring that fresher and more even toned skin surfaces. However, one needs to be careful when exfoliating because over exfoliation or over zealous use of mechanical methods can actually increase the darkness of blemishes.
Skin peels: Peels work to invisibly remove the "glue" that holds the surface skin together and encourages exfoliation without any need for mechanical interference. Peels used to be administered at a doctor's office and some strong peels are still only available to medical or aesthetic specialists. Nowadays there are various kinds of peels available online and even at low concentrations over the counter. The right choice of peel depend on the nature of the problem, the depth of pigmentation and the general health of the skin. Certain peels can go as deep as the dermis (deepest layer of the skin) to lighten skin from the inside out. Certain peels along with their exfoliating capabilities also target abnormal pigment cells and work to uniform skin tone.
Skin Lightening Agents: Skin lightening agents penetrate the skin to destroy extra melanin and give skin an appearance of being even toned. There are various skin lightening agents identified by scientists and herbalists and many of them work very well on skin blemishes. Different skin whitening agents have different modes of action. Some work to destroy melanin, some work to prevent the transfer of melanin from the deepest layer of the skin to the surface, still others interfere with the actual production of melanin. There are a few chemical agents actually destroy the melanin creating cells called melanocytes. These should never be used for skin blemishes unless one has depigmentation problems. The best methods entail the use of herbal or natural skin lighteners that are used in a combination so as to affect the whole production cycle of melanin.
A combination of the right peel or exfoliation combined with the right combination of skin lightening agents can effectively lighten even the toughest pigment spots.

By Sheila Ray

Oily Skin Care Tips - Get Rid Of Those Pimples And Greasy Spots On Your Face Forever

Oily skin is not a disease, its just a skin texture that makes you uncomfortable from which you want to get rid of. Due to lack of proper guidance and information on oily skin care available, it has turned into one of the major skin problems resulting into pimples, acne, blackheads and many more.

Several factors are said to be responsible for the aggravation of an oily skin:

CAUSES OF AN OILY SKIN

1. Heredity is quite responsible for an oily skin, but so do hormones. Pregnant women sometimes notice an increase in skin oil with the changes in hormonal activity. So do women going for birth control pills.

2. Stress can also lead in the overdrive of the oil glands.

3. The wrong cosmetics can easily aggravate an otherwise mild case of oily skin.

Some of these causes are within your ability to control, but others you will have to learn to live with.

In most of the cases, oily skin can be treated at home. But sometimes, the situation demands more than just a home remedy. You need to call for a doctor if you develop sever acne or notice notice any sudden change in your skin. Otherwise, go for these tips and try them at home:

TIPS ON OILY SKIN CARE

1. Keep your skin absolutely clean - You might be quite aware of the fact, that oilier the skin, the dirtier it looks and feels. And to get rid of this, keep your skin clean by washing it at least twice a day.

Generally, some doctors recommend you to use detergent-type soaps on your face. As a substitute to it, you can add 1-2 drops of dish washing detergent to your regular soap.

While some doctors condemn the use of detergent-type soaps as they are too harsh for your oily facial skin. Instead they recommend glycerin soaps to be used to clean your face twice a day.

If using a detergent soap irritates your facial skin then try the glycerin soap,easily available over the counter.

2. Give Aloe-Vera a Try - This wonder plant of the household is the best at absorbing skin oils. Slice open a leaf and smear the gel on your face 3 times a day. Let it dry. Or you can also keep a small amount of gel in the refrigerator during the summers for a refreshing face-lift.

3. Wipe with Astringents - Wipe the oily spots on your face by rubbing alcohol or a combination of alcohol and acetone that helps degrease your oily skin. Many drugstores even sell pre-moistened, individually wrapped alcohol wipes that are really portable, you can carry them in your purse for quick touch-ups all day long.

4. Carry Tissue papers with you - Paper facial tissues are the best substitute of astringents as they help soak up excess oils in a pinch. Get those special oil-absorbing tissues from a cosmetic counter that are very in removing excessive oils between cleansings.

5. Rinse your face with cold water - Simply splashing your face with cold water and blotting it dry a couple of times a day is equivalent to applying chemicals to your skin. These cold water rinses remove excessive oils from your face.

6. Say NO to moisturizers - Do not ever go after those tempting advertisements compelling you to buy facial moisturizers for oily skin. These are the fatal temptations taking you to disastrous skin. Instead apply a sunscreen on your face before facing the sun or going outdoors. And yes, do not forget to check the labels for products especially designed for oily skin.

7. Make your own scrub - Make a paste of a small amount of ground almonds with honey and apply as a facial scrub for removing oils and dead skin cells. Now gently massage this paste on your face with a hot washcloth. Finally, rinse with cold water.

Another scrub from oatmeal mixed with aloe vera can prove to be very beneficial for you. Rub gently on your skin and leave on for 15 minutes, Then rinse thoroughly. And if suffering from acne on your face, then you should probably skip the scrub, as it can aggravate your already-irritated skin.

8. Apply Masques on your oily face - Masques prove to be very beneficial in reducing the oiliness. Either Clay masques or you can mix Fuller's Earth (easily available) with a little water and make a paste. Apply this paste to the face and leave on for about 20 minutes and then rinse off.

9. Go for water-based cosmetics only - Try to make your skin breathe by living without make-up, especially foundation. Using make-up or foundation that are oil-based blocks the pores of your skin thereby resulting in blemishes. And if necessary, then use water-based make-up only, especially spot concealers rather than coating your entire face. In general, prefer stick with powder or gel blushers, and avoid cream foundations as much as possible.

10. Tie up your hair properly - Keep your hair away from your face as oily hair accompanies an oily skin.

11. Do not touch your facial skin - Avoid touching your face throughout the day as your hands deliver excessive oils and dirt.

12. Choose a powder for you - For that extra shine-free protection, use simple products for your oily face such as Johnsons Baby Powder. This makes a superb face powder when fluffed lightly over your makeup.

13. Splash on the hot suds - Hot water is a great solvent. So, warm water should be used to wash an oily face and that with plenty of soap. Hot water plus soap dissolves skin oil better than cold water and soap.

By Navneet Brar