Articles by Topic: Skin Care

In a recent survey, 51 per cent of people said they lelt better about their body when it was tanned. They felt thinner, they felt sexier and they felt fitter. Feeling confident about your body is one of the most beautiful states any woman can be in. However, as we know only too well, tanning comes at a price. Exposing yourself to the sun's ultraviolet rays ages the skin, adding up to 20 years to how you'll look by the time you reach your forties.

Doctors may debate whether or not cellulite exists, but if you suffer from that orange-peel effect on your bottom and thighs, you'll know it does. The old theory was that cellulite was caused by toxins building up under the skin, but that's probably not true. It's more likely to be the result of poor skin structure, causing the fibres to split. This means fat and, yes, possibly toxins squish out through the holes in the fibres, creating that lumpy effect.

The ultimate relaxing bath is around 38 degrees Centigrade; this is the temperature that's been shown to relax the muscles and stimulate the production of calming chemicals in the brain. Add soothing bath oils containing scents like lavender, melissa or patchouli.

Throughout this site, we've mainly discussed things to put on the outside to make you look better. But what you put inside your body is as important when it comes to creating perfect skin . Here's what you need.

All the skincare in the world won't help if you don't tackle the factors that destroy your skin. Here are the seven deadly skin sins and solutions to help you beat them.

If you're in your twenties or thirties you may be surprised to find yourself in this category - surely maturing means you're in your forties? Well, not necessarily. What maturing skin means is that for some reason (be it sun damage, smoking, or high levels of stress) your skin is starting to 'act old' - and this may have nothing to do with what it says on your birth certificate.

If you have sensitive skin you will find that skincare or make-up products are very hard to use, creating itching, flaking, reddening or flushing. Eighty per cent of women think they have sensitive skin, though in reality only 10 to 20 per cent show the true characteristics.

What are the characteristics of combination skin? Combination skin is normally a mix of oily skin in the centre of the face (an area commonly called the T-zone) plus dry or normal skin on the cheeks. Exactly which areas are affected often changes with age -teens find their forehead and nose are big problems and this tends to be caused by the hormones flying around in puberty; older women find chins sometimes break out, too, and this is often linked to increased stress levels.

What are the characteristics of dry skin? If you've got dry skin you probably never really feel comfortable in your face - it'll be tight and look dull and grey. It's often flaky too (particularly around the nose) and develops lots of tiny fine lines which can make you look older than you are. Dry skin occurs when the protective barrier of oil in the lower level of the skin starts to break down and water evaporates from the skin into the air.

Treating oily skin is a matter of trying to reduce oil production and keeping the pores clean to prevent stretching and oxidation. On average, the pores on the face of someone with oily skin produce around two grams of sebum a year. The thin layer of oil this creates on the skin leads to a shiny surface, open pores (which stretch as oil accumulates in them), blackheads (which occur when that oil is exposed to air and oxidizes) and whiteheads (which occur when dead skin cells stick in the oil and degrade).

To create perfect skin you have to treat each individual cell within it perfectly. You need to know if the cell needs more water, less oil - or just leaving alone to calm down and stop getting hot and bothered. The only way you're going to do this is to know your skin type. Now, you may think you know this already, but many of us are wrong. For starters, skin types change with age, so oily skin in your teens doesn't mean oily skin in your twenties, thirties or forties.

A soak in a tub for about 15 minutes will rehydrate your skin, but add good bath oil and you'll soften and moisturize the skin like you can't believe. The oil, which smells nice and floats in shimmery little slicks on the water, actually clings to the body as you leave the tub—instantly sealing in the moisture the skin has soaked up from the bath.

So many skin problems (such as flaking and itching) that people blame on everything from diet to weather to indoor heating come down to the soap they use. If your skin is always dry, it's probably the fault of your cleansing bar. To counter the dryness, you probably over moisturize and find yourself in a cycle that will never really correct the problem, especially if you use a mineral oil- or petroleum-based moisturizer.

Removing makeup is just as important as putting it on, however, it’s incredibly surprising that many woman seem to overlook this process, especially after a long day. Many ladies use waterproof makeup products and it is essential to use good, gentle removers to protect delicate areas and prevent infections.

If your body's skin is as thick as one hundred sheets of paper, then your face is the thickness of ten sheets of paper and your eye area is like one sheet of pape — so treat them accordingly. If you're seeing a dermatologist, make sure to ask about your cleansing routine as they may require these steps to be in a different order. Remove eye and lip makeup first, and then wash your face. Don't forget to wash your hands before touching your face.