When it comes to skin care products, you will find that a lot of people are very particular about using only natural skin care products. They treat all the synthetic products as harmful to the skin.

So, are natural skin care products the answer to all of our problems? What if a natural skin care product is not available for the treatment of a particular skin disorder? Are the synthetic skin care products so harmful that they should be banned?

Different people have different answers to these questions. However, the reality is that due to presence of synthetic preservatives, it’s really tough to find a natural skin care product that is 100% natural. There are natural skin care products that have natural preservatives, but their cost might be detrimental. Moreover, such natural skin products have a shorter shelf life and hence are not preferred by the manufacturers of natural skin care products.

Some people carry a wrong notion that since natural skin care products are natural, they cannot cause any harm to the skin. The suitability of a skin care product is not based on whether it is synthetic or natural. An unsuitable natural skin care product can harm you in almost the same way as a synthetic one. So, use natural skin care products, but be open to synthetic ones too (you might need them when a natural solution is not available)

Your selection of a natural skin care product should be based on 3 factors:

* The skin type (dry, oily, normal, sensitive) of the person who will use that natural skin care product
 

* The climatic conditions in which it will be used e.g. hot and humid condition would warranty the use of oil-free natural skin care products.
 

* The process for application/use of the natural skin care product. A good natural skin care product (in fact any product) can seem useless if not used in the proper way.

You can also make natural skin care products by yourself, by using the recipes that are readily available on the internet and in the books at book stores.

Use of organic fruits and vegetables is also popular as a natural skin care procedure. Some essential oils, herbal oils, are useful too and are known for their moisturising and antiseptic properties

However, using a natural skin care product does not mean that you can exercise carelessness with other aspects of skin care. Natural skin care products should be used like supplements to the following ‘essential’ recommendations: healthy eating habits (avoiding oily food), regular exercise, drinking a lot of water (8 glasses everyday), and cleanliness. This will then form a perfect and completely natural skin care routine that will help maintain a healthy beautiful skin for longer time.

‘Sensitive skin care’ is governed by a few basic rules. However, even before we delve into the rules for sensitive skin care, it’s important to understand what a sensitive skin is. Sensitive skin is one which is unable to tolerate any unfavourable conditions (environmental/other), and which easily gets irritated on contact with foreign materials (including skin care products). For this reason, some products are especially labelled as sensitive skin care products. The degree of sensitivity can however vary from person to person (and depending on that, the sensitive skin care procedures vary too). 

Generally, all skin types respond negatively to detergents and other chemical based products. 

However, the damage starts generally beyond a defined threshold (or tolerance level). This tolerance level is very low for sensitive skin types, leading to skin getting damaged very easily and quickly.  Sensitive skin care products either avoid the potential irritants or keep them at very low concentrations.

Here are a few tips for sensitive skin care:
 

* Use sensitive skin care products only (i.e. the products that are marked for sensitive skin care only). Also, check the instructions/ notes on the product to see if there are specific restrictions/warnings associated with the product).
 

* Even within the range of sensitive skin care products, choose the one that has minimum preservatives, colourings and other additives
 

* Do not use toners. Most of them are alcohol based and are not recommended for sensitive skin.
 

* Wear protective gloves when doing laundry or other chemical based cleaning.  If you are allergic to rubber, you can wear cotton gloves below the rubber ones.
 

* Another important tip for ‘sensitive skin care’ is to avoid excessive exposure to sun. Apply sunscreen lotion before getting out in the sun.
 

* Avoiding exposure to dust and other pollutants is also important for sensitive skin care. So, cover yourself adequately before going out.
 

* Use hypoallergenic, noncomedogenic moisturizer as a sensitive skin care product (if there is none specifically labelled as a sensitive skin care product)
 

* Use soap-free and alcohol free cleansers. Cleanse your face whenever you return from spending time out doors.
 

* Do not scrub or exfoliate too hard. It can cause reddishness and even inflammation.
 

* Do not leave the makeup on for too long. Use hypoallergenic makeup- removers.

So, sensitive skin care is very different from the normal skin care. Sensitive skin care is more about being careful with your skin (both in terms of sensitive skin care products and protection against environments atrocities on skin).

The question about sebum is, if it is so important, why would anyone want to bind it with clay? The answer is that, even though sebum is important, it can be too much of a good thing. Overproduction of sebum leads to oily skin. One of the most common symptoms caused by oily skin is acne. In addition, excess sebum can combine with keratin (skin debris) to create plugs in pores, leading to the formation of whiteheads or blackheads.

What is Clay?

Clay is a term that refers to fine-grained soils with a combination of certain minerals and metal oxides, along with a small amount of trapped moisture. Together they form different mixtures of what geologists call layered silicates. There are more than two dozen major kinds of clay. Clays have a long history of medical, industrial, and agricultural uses. Up to four billion people worldwide live or work in buildings made with clay.

Clay as medicine originated in prehistoric times, when it was taken internally for soothing upset stomachs and to suppress hunger. Kaolin clay (also known as white clay, white dirt, or white chalk), is still taken orally for its health benefits during pregnancy. In South America kaolin clay is still consumed as a means to bind with toxins in wild potatoes. (Not to worry, our domestic potatoes do not contain these toxins except for a small amount in green skins.)

Another type clay, called bentonite clay, is also an important ingredient in many nutritional supplements for aiding digestion.

The versatility of different clays includes their uses in natural skin care products. The most important of these uses is their ability to reduce problems associated with sebum overproduction.

Clay vs. Sebum

Scientists have found that bentonite is such a powerful sebum absorbent that it can be used for measuring sebum secretion. The general method entails embedding a disk of fine Dacron mesh in fresh clay, then applying the disk to the forehead for up to 3 hours. Secretion rate is reflected by the amount of sebum extracted from one of these disks.

This method shows that those with acne have a three-fold higher rate of sebum secretion than people without acne. This kind of study points to a high sebum secretion rate as the predominant factor in inflammatory acne.

The use of bentonite clay for studying sebum secretion shows how useful it is for binding to sebum. This binding affinity is the underlying reason for including bentonite clay in natural skin care products for oily or acne-prone skin.

Combining Clay with Herbs

Focus on sebum secretion reveals a number of processes that interact with one another. Removing cellular debris, oxidizing triglycerides, and balancing microbe levels are the main ones. Excess sebum otherwise creates an imbalance in all of these processes, which becomes apparent when acne flares up.

Removing excess sebum is an important component for restoring healthy skin, although it is not the only one. It is equally important to provide antioxidants for controlling the degradation of triglycerides and for quenching the inflammatory response of the immune system when it reacts to bacterial growth.

The combination of processes that go haywire with too much sebum illustrates the need for multiple ingredients in skin care products that support skin health. The best natural skin care products should therefore include not only clay but also herbs that provide the necessary antioxidants and other ingredients for stimulating the healthy metabolism of skin. Good examples of such herbs include green tea, Artemisia, mulberry and many other herbs that are known for their benefits to skin health.

Natural skin care products available online at NaturalSkinRX.com focus on mixtures of clays and herbs in products such as the Cleansing Cream for Normal to Oily Skin by Jadience Herbal Formulas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Dennis_Clark,_Ph.D.

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.

How many beauty products do you use every day? Once you start counting, it's usually more than you think! All too often, we assume these products are harmless - but in reality, less than 20% of cosmetic ingredients have been safety-tested. The US cosmetics industry is self-regulated, which means its products are not subject to pre-market approval by the FDA. Worryingly, not all ingredients are even required to be listed on the label.

The skin is the body's largest organ, with the ability to absorb up to 60% of products that are topically applied. Most commercial beauty products contain a cocktail of synthetic chemicals, which are then absorbed into our bodies. To understand this concept, we only need to consider the effectiveness of nicotine and birth control patches.

The average woman uses 12-15 personal care products every day, each one containing over a dozen chemicals. It is estimated that this results in the absorption of over 4lb of chemicals every year! Do you ever stop to think about how the absorption of these substances affects your internal system?

Clearly, not all chemical substances are hazardous to our health. But when it comes to the long-term toxic effects on our bodies, the jury is still out.

Crucially, how is our health affected by being exposed to a dizzying combination of chemicals on a daily basis? The synergistic effect can often be much greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Nobody has assessed the cumulative effect of exposure to these toxic chemicals over the long-term.

We carefully consider what we put in our mouths - why not what we use on our skin? Amazingly, it's thought that absorbing certain chemicals through our skin can even be more damaging than swallowing them. Most dangerous are those products designed to soak into the skin, such as moisturizers and body lotions, rather than those which are quickly rinsed away.

Many commonly-used synthetic chemicals are known skin irritants, hormone-disruptors and carcinogens. Scientists admit that some of these substances are absorbed into the bloodstream - some have even been discovered in the umbilical cord of newborn babies.

What Can You Do?

While it is impossible to completely avoid exposure to synthetic chemicals, by making wise choices we can limit the toxic overload on our bodies. Read product labels carefully and opt for those containing 100% natural ingredients where possible - or experiment by making your own!

What To Avoid

Parabens

This term describes a group of preservatives that are used to extend the shelf-life of products. Parabens are highly toxic, yet widely used in personal care products and cosmetics. They have been controversially linked to an increased risk of breast and testicular cancer, as well as infertility, early menopause and skin allergies.

Fragrance/Parfum

A generic term used to protect the secret formula of a product, which often masks a multitude of toxins that can cause cancer, irritate the skin, disrupt the endocrine system, cause respiratory problems or affect fertility.

Phthalates

Often included under the term 'Fragrance', phthalates describes a group of chemicals used to provide softness and flexibility, which are often found in cosmetics, hairsprays and nail polishes. Phthalates are known endocrine-disruptors and have been linked to reproductive birth defects, neurological damage, infertility and an increased risk of breast cancer.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) / Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)

Found in more than 90% of personal care products, these lather-creating chemicals are used in foaming cleansers, shower gels, shampoo, toothpaste and bubble bath. SLS is a possible carcinogen and known to irritate the eyes, skin and lungs.

Triclosan

Commonly found in anti-bacterial hand wash, Triclosan is a potential skin irritant and endocrine disruptor that can also increase the antibiotic resistance of bacteria. There is no evidence that it is any more hygienic than washing the hands with regular soap and water.

Aluminium

This toxic metal is widely used in personal care products, especially antiperspirant deodorants. When applied to the skin, it prevents the natural excretion of toxins and can cause an estrogen-like effect on the endocrine system. Its use has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Just a few ways to help you detoxify your life this year! Be sure to sign up for my complimentary detox plan at http://www.greengoddesssolution.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sylvia_Mikell

‘Facial skin care’ is more a matter of discipline than anything else. A facial skin care routine is what you need (and you need to follow the facial skin care routine with complete seriousness). So let’s check what comprises an effective facial skin care routine. Well, very simply, a facial skin care routine can follow the following 4 steps:
 

* Cleansing
* Toning
* Exfoliating
* Moisturising

Cleansing is the first thing in facial skin care routine. Cleansing helps in removing dust, pollutants, grease and extra oil from your skin, thereby preventing damage to your skin. Just spot your face and neck with a good cleansing lotion or cream and gently massage it into your skin using upward strokes. Use a soft face tissue or cotton wool to wipe your face in a gentle patting fashion (do not rub).  Cleansing should be done at least twice a day i.e. morning (as part of complete facial skin care routine) and evening (on a standalone basis). Water soluble cleansers are the best for inclusion in your facial skin care routine.

Toning is the next in a facial skin care routine. However, this is the optional part of the facial skin care routine. Mostly, proper cleansing can compensate for toning. Toning helps remove all traces of dirt, grease and excess cleanser. Instead of making it part of your daily facial skin care routine, you can using toning occasionally i.e. when you have been exposed to particularly harsh environment/pollution.

Exfoliation is again, kind of, optional step in everyday routine for facial skin care. However, exfoliation is necessary at least once a week (or twice, depending on the skin type and the environmental conditions). Exfoliation finds its place in facial skin care routine because of the natural tendency of skin to replenish the skin cells every 3 or 4 weeks. As a facial skin care technique, exfoliation helps in removing the dead skin cells that block the pores, thus assisting the skin in the natural process. However, excessive or harsh exfoliation can cause damage to your skin; so you need to balance it out.

The next thing in facial skin care is moisturising. In fact, moisturising is the most important part of facial skin care routine. Moisturisers prevent your skin from getting dry. Dry skin is really undesirable since it cause the upper layer skin to break, leading to dead skin cells. Again, use light upward strokes to make the moisturiser more effective. Moisturisers work the best when applied on warm and damp skin. So do not try to remove all the moisture in the previous steps of facial skin care routine.

Besides the normal facial skin care routine, you should also exercise the following for facial skin care:

* Use proper make-up remover instead of just washing it away
* Pay heed to your skin type and the environment, when choosing facial skin care products.
* Before you start using a new facial skin care product, test it by applying it on a short patch of skin e.g. ear lobes.
* Never rub your skin too hard.
* Use sunscreen lotions for protection against sun.

Vitamin C is often regarded as a wrinkle fighter or an anti-aging agent. The main objective of ‘Vitamin C skin care’, in scientific terms, is to increase the synthesis of collagen (a structural protein that is found in skin).  The additional benefit of ‘Vitamin C skin care’ is related to its capability of countering free radicals which cause damage to the skin.

Vitamin C skin care, however, faces a major challenge today. This is related to the oxidation tendency of Vitamin C skin care products. On coming in contact with any oxidising agent (e.g. air), the Vitamin C in the Vitamin C skin care products,  gets oxidised; thus making the Vitamin C skin care product useless (in fact counter-effective). The oxidised Vitamin C imparts a yellowish-brown colour to the Vitamin C skin care product. This is something that you need to check before buying a Vitamin C skin care product. Even after you buy a Vitamin C skin care product, you need to store it properly and keep checking that it’s still good to use (i.e. it hasn’t attained a yellowish-brown texture).

The manufacturers of Vitamin C skin care products have tried to deal with this (oxidation) problem in multiple ways (and research on Vitamin C skin care products is on the top of their list). One such method of retaining effectiveness of Vitamin C skin care products for a long term is to keep a high concentration (say 10%) of Vitamin C. However, this makes the Vitamin C skin care products even more expensive. The Vitamin C skin care products are already pretty inexpensive and making them even more expensive will throw the product manufacturers out of business. The other way is to use Vitamin C derivatives (like ascorbyl palmitate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate). These are not only more stable but also inexpensive.  Even though the derivatives based products are not as effective as the Vitamin C skin care products, their stability against oxidation is a very desirable feature that makes them very attractive.  Moreover, these are known to be less irritating too.

Talking of effectiveness of Vitamin C skin care products, it’s important to mention that not everyone responds to Vitamin C treatments. So it’s not a magic potion in any way.  If you don’t see a noticeable difference in your skin, it might be because of your skin not responding to Vitamin C treatment (and the Vitamin C skin care products might not be at fault, at all).

As more research goes on, one can only keep our fingers crossed and wait for a complete solution to the challenges faced by ‘Vitamin C skin care’ today.

Luckily, there are a number of things you can do everyday to make sure your skin is less prone to flare ups. Here are five tips for taking control of your acne starting today.

1. Exercise - Keeping in shape can help fight acne by fighting off negative stress levels that can come from negative self-esteem and depression. However, some safeguards need to be in place to ward off acne that can result from your workout routines. Watch what you put on your body with regards to clothing, sports gear and equipment.

For example, tight lycra and nylon exercise outfits might look great in the movies and on magazine models, but if you are susceptible to acne problems, avoid these synthetic fabrics that tend to trap in body moisture and heat resulting in a bacteria frenzy. Instead, choose loose clothing made of cotton or natural blends to allow more air to get to your skin.

And when you are finished with your workout, get out of clothing wet from perspiration or water sports. Shower and change into dry, clean clothing. And keep your sports gear and equipment clean, too. Dirty headgear, for instance, can irritate forehead areas prone to acne problems. So toss headbands into the washing machine after workout sessions.

2. Cosmetics - To avoid pore-clogging and skin irritations that are similar to acne and that can contribute to acne, use products labeled noncomedogenic or oil-free. Shimmering facial colors can contain a flaky mineral called mica that can cause skin irritations and clog pores. Other additives in coloring that can cause similar reactions are coal tar derivatives, carmine and heavy cream in blushes.

More preventative measures include using a lip gloss that promotes a matte finish instead of a high gloss for less pore-clogging; note the more the shine, the more then comedogenic content and the more the pores can clog. Beware that eye creams can contain heavier concentrations of moisturizers than regular creams and lotions, meaning they have greater potential to clog pores in the surrounding facial areas.

3. Diet - Studies show that diet does not play a role in either the cause or the treatment of acne. However, what is recommended for acne preventative care is this: what is best for your body is best for your skin, especially since your skin is the largest organ of your body. So remember to watch your diet and consume healthy vitamins, minerals and other supplements. This will help to prevent and help conquer acne breakout.

4. Hygiene - A healthy skin regimen should include no harsh scrubbing or over-washing, because this can cause possible skin irritation or possible over production of oil to replace what has washed off, clogging pores in the process. Products with gentle exfoliation ingredients are OK to use; i.e. not scratchy nut or fruit shell pieces that can tear skin. And skip alcohol products when possible; these can take off the top layer of your skin and cause your glands to product more oil, clogging pores in the process.

If you do spot acne-troubled areas, do NOT mess with them. Remember that these are already weeks in the making, and squeezing or picking blemishes can force the infected area to regress back inside, further troubling the region and possibly leave a scar. If necessary, seek help from a dermatologist for alternative treatments.

5. Shaving - Shaving for both genders is actually an excellent way of exfoliating or removing dead skin to help with the prevention and spreading of acne instead of leaving the remains to clog pores. And for some light acne cases already in process, shaving can help rid whiteheads and blackheads from the face. A word of caution: for areas with infection or high inflammatory activity (redness, sensitive, open acne, sores, etc.), do not shave. Or at the very least, use a shaving cream for sensitive skin!

One of the most interesting topics on skin care is ‘anti aging skin care’. As one gets older, the natural defence of our skin (and in fact of the whole body) weakens. ‘Anti aging skin care’ is about protecting your skin from the negative effects of aging process. ‘Anti aging skin care’ helps in maintaining a young and fresh look for a longer period of time. However, ‘anti aging skin care’ doesn’t end just here. Besides maintaining your looks (good looks), ‘anti aging skin care’ is also about retaining the resistance to disease. Though the awareness about anti aging has increased over a period of time, still a lot of people are unable to recognize the aging symptoms (and hence are unable to determine if they are in need of additional anti aging skin care measures).

Here is a list of visible anti aging symptoms that will help you in the planning and execution of your strategy for anti aging skin care: baldness, forgetfulness, graying hair, wrinkle formation, loss of eyesight or hearing loss and menopause. The occurrence of one or more such symptoms is an indicator for upping the ante on anti aging skin care. Note that we are talking about introduction of additional measures for anti aging skin care, we are not talking about starting ‘anti aging skin care’ altogether. ‘Anti aging skin care’ actually starts much before the symptoms of anti aging appear.  Serious anti aging skin care is building and following a proper skin care routine much earlier in life (say in your teens). Anti aging skin care doesn’t mean adoption of any special skin care procedure but just following a normal procedure in the right earnest. Eating a lot of fruits, avoiding stress, drinking a lot of water and using natural therapies can delay the aging process.

Once the signs of aging start showing up, you should start using some additional measures in the form of anti aging skin care products. The market is full of anti aging skin care products. In fact there are so many anti aging skin care products that they will probably find you even before you find them. Also, with age, the skin undergoes significant change. So you will need to analyse your current skin care procedure to check if it still holds good i.e. if it is still suitable for your skin.

You should remember that aging is a natural process and there is nothing that can stop it from happening. All these anti aging skin measures can just help in delaying the aging process.