If you want to have a youthful and attractive face, start today to look after it. Whether you are 15 or 50, you can help to prevent lines and wrinkles and develop a glowing complexion.
Wash your face daily with an exfoliating soap or cleanser that will remove dead cells which cause wrinkles and clog pores. You can purchase single-use cleansing wipes for those times when you might not be able to be at a sink. Special cleansers are available for those with acne. You will want to start your morning with a skin cleansing routine and at night use a cleanser that removes your makeup and the grime of the day.
Pat a good toner on your dried skin after each washing to remove any cleansing residue or any make-up, dirt, oil, and debris that the cleanser did not take away. A toner will also balance the PH level of your skin and add plant extracts and other beneficial ingredients which have been added.
Treat yourself weekly to a 10 to 15 minute facial mask which nourishes and hydrates the skin, tightens the pores, and provides a deeper cleansing than your daily care. Make this a weekly time just for you, and relax, play soft music, light a candle, soak in the tub, and pamper yourself. Always use toner after a mask and be sure and purchase the type of cleansers and toners for your skin, as you may have oily, dry, sensitive, combination, or normal skin.
There are many good cleansing products on the market, with some wonderful choices of natural products available. And you can make your own, too. A Video at http://technorati.com/videos/youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DjgufNEOHSiw can teach you how to make an energizing and deep-cleansing mask using natural ingredients, giving you control to ensure you are using non-irritating products, saving you money.
Using a good moisturizer which contains vitamins and enzymes is important too. Look for one with Vitamin C or E, and the Vitamin-A derivative retinol. Apply moisturizer while skin is damp, within three minutes of your morning shower or evening cleansing to lock in the moisture you’ve given your skin through washing. In the winter you may want to apply extra moisturizer. Moisturizers don’t add moisture to the skin but rather lock in the skin’s own moisture. The more oil a moisturizer contains, the better it protects again moisture loss. Ointments and creams are better than lotions as they contain more ingredients that lock in moisture. Avoid products that contain fragrances or preservatives as these chemicals can irritate the skin.
If you smoke, quit today, and if you don’t, promise yourself you will never start. The puckering when you puff creates lines to form around the mouth and the smoking itself causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, impairing blood flow and depleting oxygen. The aging process that even a few years of smoking can cause is irreversible. More information about smoking and its effects on your skin can be found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/smoking/AN00644.
Use sunscreen even when it’s overcast and wear sunglasses to prevent squinting. And keep your life from being stressful, as worry lines will appear and skin conditions such as eczema, acne, psoriasis and cold sores will worsen. Getting rid of stress equals a healthier you and a healthier skin. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to flush waste materials and toxins out of your body and transport nutrients to your skin. Some health professionals are reporting that part of the water intake can be green tea as long as you don’t add sugar.
Exercise activates and rejuvenates the skin, and body sweat triggers the production of sebum which is the skin’s own natural moisturizer. Practicing yoga has been promoted by many as it balances your hormones and boosts the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your skin. The postures also help to keep your skin resilient and tone the muscles in your face and neck.
These few simple steps will keep you looking younger than your age and your youthful appearance will be the envy of your colleagues. Start today to care for your skin and you’ll be amply rewarded for your trouble.
