Herbal skin care

Skin care is not a topic of recent times; it has been in practice since ancient times, when herbal skin care was probably the only way to take care of skin. However, skin care has transformed in a big way. Herbal skin care routines have been replaced by synthetic/chemical-based skin care routines. The herbal skin care recipes which once used to be common place are not so popular today (and even unknown to a large population). This transformation from herbal skin care to synthetic, can probably be attributed to two things – our laziness (or just the fast pace of lives) and the commercialisation of skin care. Even herbal skin care products have been commercialised. These commercial herbal skin care products have to be mixed with preservatives in order to increase their shelf-life, hence making them less effective than the fresh ones made at home. However, it seems that things are changing fast and more people are now opting for natural and herbal skin care routines. But still, none want to make them at home and hence the commercial market of herbal skin care products is on the rise.

So what are these herbs or herbal skin care mechanisms?

Aloe vera, which is an extract from Aloe plant, is one of the best examples of herbal skin care product. Freshly extracted aloe vera is a natural hydrant that helps in soothing skin. It also helps in healing cuts and treating sun burns.

A number of herbs are known to possess cleansing properties. Dandelion, chamomile, lime flowers and rosemary herbs, are a few examples of such cleansers. Their herbal skin care properties get invoked when they are combined with other herbs like tea.

Antiseptics are another important part of Herbal skin care. Lavender, marigold, thyme and fennel are good examples of herbs that are known to possess antiseptic properties. Lavender water and rose water also form good toners.

Tea plays an important part in herbal skin care. Tea extracts are used for treatment of skin that has been damaged by UV radiation.

Oils prepared from herbal extracts present another means of herbal skin care. Tea tree oil, Lavender oil, borage oil and primrose oil are some popular oils used in herbal skin care. Some fruit oils (e.g. extracts from fruits like banana, apple and melon) find use in shower gels (as a hydrating mix)

Homeopathic treatments and aromatherapies also come under the umbrella of herbal skin care remedies.

Herbal skin care is good not only for the routine nourishing of skin but also for treatment of skin disorders like eczema and psorasis. Most herbal skin care products don’t have any side effects (the most important reason for preferring them over synthetic products) Moreover, herbal skin care products can be easily made at home, hence making them even more attractive. So, herbal skin care is the way to go. However, this does not mean that you totally discard the synthetic products. Some people go to the extent of debating with their dermatologist, if he/she suggests a synthetic product. You should accept the fact that some skin orders might need usage of clinically proven non-herbal skin care products.

Home Remedies for Wrinkles

Having wrinkles on your face or on your body is a normal fact of life. You can accept it for what it is or do something about it. Instead of buying expensive creams and moisturizers, perhaps you can try some home remedies that have proven to be effective against wrinkles.

You can apply egg whites under the eyes. For those that want to prevent wrinkles, you may also use odor free castor oil and put this to the skin, under the eyes or the throat.

Those who want to make their own cleansers can do so by emptying the contents of 3 Vitamin E capsules into a small bowl and then mixing this with 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt, half a tablespoon of honey as well as half a tablespoon of lemon juice. When this is mixed together, you get a cotton ball and rub this on your face and leave it on for 10 minutes then rinse.

Another mixture may come from a quarter cup of comfrey infusion, a quarter cup of witch hazel and 10 drops of patchouli essential oil. What is nice about it is that you can store the excess in a clean bottle so you can use it again later on.

You may also mix 1 teaspoon of raspberry juice with one teaspoon of orange juice, a teaspoon of olive oil, whipped egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of grind oatmeal. After mixing everything, you wait 20 minutes and smear this on the face. Once it dries, you wash this off with warm water.

If you happen to have coconut oil around, apply this in skin pore areas nightly before going to bed. For those that pineapple at home, you can cut this open and then rub the core of the fruit on your face for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing.

You can also use green Thompson seedless grapes. Once you cut this in half, you gently crush this on your face so the juice will be absorbed by the skin. Make sure to leave it there for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water and then let it dry with natural air.

A paste of turmeric made with sugarcane juice can also be used as it has proven to be effective in getting rid of wrinkles and slow skin aging.

No matter what you use, be sure to have regular facials as this is very effective in controlling wrinkles. You should also give yourself a facial massage as this helps increase blood circulation which results in the tightening of the muscles which reduces the fleshiness of the skin and restores your youthful look.

When you do this, make sure you always start from the neck upwards and then end at the forehead. A faster way of doing this will require using all your fingers and massaging rapidly in a circular motion. If there are wrinkles on the jaw, pinch the skin between your thumb and fingers.

Before you apply any of the home remedies for wrinkles on the face, make sure you clean the area first with wet cotton so you are able to remove make up and be able to open the pores on the skin. If you need to go outdoors, the only thing you can do to protect yourself from the sun is to use a pair of sunglasses and wear a hat which helps delay the onset of wrinkles on the sides of the eyes strangely referred to as crow’s feet.

Which is the best skin care product?

There is really nothing like a best skin care product. There really can’t be anything like ‘The best skin care product’, because skin care products work differently for different people (based on the skin type to some extent). A product that is the ‘best skin care product’ for one person might end up being the worst for another person. So, a more logical question to ask would be ‘What is the best skin care product for my type of skin?’. However, this still is not completely logical. We tend to segregate people into 4 groups based on their skin types – i.e. dry skin, oily skin, normal skin and sensitive skin. However, this classification is just too broad to be used definitively in determining the best skin care product. We can say ‘best skin care product for a dry skin’ or ‘best skin care product for an oily skin’ are better statements than just ‘best skin care product’. But really, that is what it is – ‘better’; still not accurate.

So, it really comes to rephrasing the question to – ‘What is the best skin care product for me’. Yes, this is exactly the question that you should be asking, and unfortunately there is no easy answer for this. Arriving at the best skin care product for self will need some effort on your part.

First of all, you need to understand how the skin care products work. This is simple. You can consider all skin care products to be composed of 2 types of ingredients – Active and inactive. The active ingredients are the ones that actually work on your skin. The inactive ones just help in delivering these active ingredients to your skin. Both the ingredients need to work for your skin, in order for the product to be effective (and move on to become the best skin care product for you).

Besides the ingredients, the way you apply your skin care products is equally important. In fact, this is even more important. If you do not know how to apply skin care products, you might forever be hunting for the best skin care product for yourself, when that has already passed you. Moreover, it’s also important to decide on the frequency of application (of the skin care product). The environmental factors - temperature, humidity and pollution level, also affect the selection of best skin care product. Here are a few rules that you could use to ensure that your best skin care product is really the best for you:
* Cleanse your skin before applying that best skin care product.
* Use a makeup remover instead of plain water and remove your makeup before going to bed.
* The effectiveness of active ingredients is reduced when applied over another product e.g. over moisturiser. So apply that best skin care product first and then apply a bit of moisturizer if needed.
* Apply the products on moist and warm skin.
* You will have to experiment with a few products before you arrive at the one that is the best skin care product for you.
* Do not exfoliate too much or too hard.
* Vary your skin care routine as per the seasons (winter/summer etc), changes in environmental factors and changes in your skin type

Note that the best skin care product cannot be determined overnight. It’s only through experiment (and awareness) that you can find the ‘Best skin care product’ (for you).

Until next time, keep living your best life!