Why Natural Anti Aging Facial Masks are Better for You

Our skin is the largest organ of the body and protects the rest of our organs from outside elements and harm. We have all been taught to take care of our skin not only to look good, but also to be healthy.

The benefits of eating natural, whole foods have been getting a lot of press in recent years. If you want beautiful skin, a healthy inside will reflect a healthy outside. Today, natural, anti aging skin care is the fastest growing area in the skin care and beauty industry.

Why natural, anti aging masks? Beauty products have been known to contain many chemicals such as parabens, to preserve their shelf life. Parabens are actually harmful to the skin, and overall health. Natural anti aging skin care products and facial masks are all natural and do not contain any chemicals or preservatives. The key ingredients used to make these products contain few if any toxins or chemicals.

You may then ask, “Do natural anti aging skin care face masks expire more quickly than others?” The answer is no. In order to extend the product’s shelf life, manufacturers recommend you use something sanitary–such as a spatula–to remove products from containers and always close containers directly after use. It is widely agreed upon that once skin care products of any kind are opened and exposed to air, they should be used or thrown out after 6 months.

When natural or organic skin care products are used to treat skin disorders such as eczema and acne, they are much less likely to cause irritation to sensitive skin. Choosing natural anti aging masks are a beneficial and safe way to take care of your skin and overall health. Today there are many natural anti aging skin care lines and products to choose from, including cleansers, toners, moisturizers, make-up and even anti-aging serums.

Some natural products you may already have at home are: essential oils like ginger and tea tree, natural anti aging plant oils such as grape seed and almond oil, and herbs such as lavender and green tea. You can use these in your bath or make fabulous natural anti aging, facial treatments. The internet or your local library has hundreds of great recipes to choose.

Natural, anti aging fruit extracts such as papaya, apples, citrus and cucumbers are proven to have a healthy effect on the skin, due to the absence of toxic pesticides. As you can imagine, there are many great natural anti aging skin care lines available for retail, if you’re not interested in making your own home remedies. However, “natural, anti aging” doesn’t always mean organic or pure and labels can be deceiving; do some research on ingredients that seem skeptical.

The intent of this article is to help you be aware what you are putting on your skin and what harmful ingredients may be looming in your favorite skin care products. Now that you know more about natural, anti aging face masks follow the below home recipe for a great glow!

Make sure that your at home ingredients are certified organic or all natural.

Moisturizing Avocado Mask:

1 avocado, 1 teaspoon of apple vinegar, 1 egg white, 3 teaspoons of olive oil. Peel and mash avocado. Separate and beat egg white, add to mashed avocado along with other ingredients. Apply to face and wash off after 20 minutes.

Supplements for Your Skin

Dry skin recommendations and supplements that can help your skin

Dry skin responds best to climates with high humidity and hates cold, dry and windy climates. Indoor heating and air-conditioning can also be drying to skin. If you live in a dry climate, try to use a humidifier to add moisture to the air. There are many affordable varieties available on the market or for re-sale today.
Don’t steam your face or use excessive steaming facials because steaming is actually more drying than hydrating. Likewise, avoid steam rooms, swimming pools, chlorinated hot tubs and overly hot baths. Avoid those old-fashioned recommendations to put your face under a towel over a pot of boiling water. Not only will this lead to excessive drying, it can also cause broken capillaries or blood veins along the fragile skin of the cheeks and nose.

If your skin tends to be dry, and tight or wrinkled and sun spotted, avoid excessive sun, exposure or hot wax facial treatments, hair sprays and hair dyes that can dry your skin and provoke inflammation leading to dark spots.

Hormone replacement therapy can help to lessen skin dryness after Menopause though it will increase age spots due to new hormones stimulating pigment production. It may help prevent the wrinkles that quickly occur after menopause Consult with your doctor with your family health history to make an informed decision on HRT.

Your Face Reflects Your Diet

You may have heard the old saying, “You are what you eat.” Never does it ring more true when we consider the quality of our skin. It’s not a fallacy to say we feel better when we eat pure, healthy foods that support and nourish our bodies as compared to a diet of over-processed, chemical-laden foods. Without proper nutrients, the body just can’t function optimally. It will be sluggish, lack vitality, and lack muscle mass. On the surface, the skin may show wrinkles, sagging, acne, age spots and appear overall to be dull. Free radicals can take the blame for some of this skin degeneration, but if you want beautiful, healthy, glowing skin – you have to feed it right. Antioxidant-rich foods that contain vitamin C and E have been found to defend against free radicals by giving them their own electrons and forming a barrier that protects skin cells. You may already know certain behaviors and habits will either help or harm your skin, such as proper diet, exercise, smoking and sun exposure. One of the most significant sources of skin-damaging free radicals is cigarette smoke.

The modern Western diet is filled with carbohydrates, unnecessary sugars and salts, fats and caffeine. Most would be shocked to learn just how many of these detrimental elements they consume in a day. According to current research, it is the sugars and carbohydrates that have the worst effects on your complexion. They rob your skin of the oxygen it needs to stay youthful and can also cause inflammation.

In opposition to the processed foods, a diet that is pure and natural to its original essence as possible will provide your skin with vital nutrients and oxygen. Fruits and vegetables are on the top of this list of course, but other vital fats like walnuts, olive oil and fresh fish oils will also contribute greatly to beautiful, glowing skin. You cannot improve your skin without first improving your daily diet. Take the time to research various natural foods and their beneficial qualities. Try to incorporate these foods as much as possible into your lifestyle. Also beneficial is to replace those sugar-laden sodas with fresh water and teas. Proper hydration will help flush residual toxins from your system while you are optimizing your diet.

Once you consider what foods you are ingesting, you may also need to consider your smoking and drinking habits. We all know how harmful excessive smoking or drinking can be for our health, but our skin will be the first to show the signs of damage–long before our bodies give any indication of disease or imbalance. Smoking creates a toxic metabolism in your whole body. Many know the lungs are damaged by smoking–which is bad enough in itself–but the lack of oxygen will show on your face first. You will see more wrinkles around the eyes and mouth and smokers also have skin that is slower to heal. Blood is actually directed away from the skin by the destructive effects of nicotine, resulting in a sallow, grayish skin tone. On a scientific level, the nicotine blocks the oxygen supply to your skin, causing the subdermal capillaries to go into spasms, eventually increasing the rate at which your skin ages.

If you are hoping a cosmetic procedure will “erase” all the damage you have done – be aware that many doctors today will not perform any invasive procedures on a smoker due to the slower healing rate and lack of it results it can cause.

Once you have incorporated healthier foods into your life and reduced or eliminated smoking and excessive drinking, it is guaranteed you will see noticeable positive results in your skin’s appearance and in your overall health.

What Are You Buying?

Many consumers are frustrated by skin care products that don’t do what they claim to. Worse still is investing in an expensive yet ineffective cream or treatment only to discover the cheapest drug-store brand would work just as well. In a world of hyper-consumerism, false advertising and a plethora of products from which to choose, how do you choose the good from the bad?

There are some great products on the market that can genuinely improve your skin’s appearance and help your skin look smoother, more radiant, and youthful. But, there are literally thousands of products to choose from and unless you spend hours a day researching beauty products, it’s difficult to find the one of the few that actually produces real results and eliminates years of aging from your face and body.

Not only should a quality skin product help reduce bags under, and fine lines around, the eyes, but it should even out coloration inconsistencies caused by age spots and other unwanted pigment concentrations.

In a marketing-rich world of super models and glamorous actors, many will understandably spend any amount of money to make themselves look better or younger. Cosmetic surgery and skin care is a multi-billion dollar industry.

As the law of supply and demand proves, the higher the demand for youth and beauity, the more manufacturers will rush to provide the solution. Many times this rush results in the creation of an inferior product with little to no research and development to back it.

All of the money goes into the marketing of the product. On the surface everything looks great. The bottles and jars that the creams come in look appealing. The magazine advertisements are glossy, complete with a youthful looking model or a well known celebrity who doesn’t even really use the products.

You can’t really blame these companies. When you are spending a fortune paying for marketing, whether it be on the product containers, magazine, radio, and TV ads, royalties paid to celebrities and models, you have to charge a lot of money for your products or you’re going to lose money.

On the other hand, this doesn’t mean you and I have to fall for these types of marketing schemes. After all, these companies aren’t going to encounter any shortage of people who will open their wallets and purses to purchase their products anytime soon. The reality is most people simply won’t take any time to research products and understand what ingredients work and what ingredients are actually bad for your skin!

Organic Face Masks at Home

SPA INDEX PAPAYA PUMPKIN FACIAL

If you have visited spas and resorts in exotic locales such as the Pacific Rim, Bali, Hawaii, and Tahiti, you’ve probably seen an esthetician select and mash fresh fruit in front of you for a fresh-on-the spot enzyme mask. It’s easy to recreate this mask at home — we’ve found a Balinese mask for you which will leave your face fresh and glowing.

2/3 cup fresh papaya, mashed
15 oz. can pure pumpkin
1 egg, beaten

1. Prepare the mask. Cut the papaya in half and scoop out the seeds. Scoop out the papaya fruit and mash it well to eliminate lumps in the mask. Beat the egg until it is frothy. Combine that with the papaya. Add the pumpkin to the egg/papaya mixture and whip together. You can also mix the ingredients in the blender or a food processor for an extra smooth mask.

2. Prepare your face. Wash with your daily cleanser and remove all residual makeup on your skin. Rinse with warm water. It’s very important to have clean skin to ensure you get maximum benefits from the facial.

3. Apply the Mask. Cover your entire face, being careful to avoid the immediate eye area. If you have sensitive skin, test the mixture on your hand before spreading it on your face. You’ll feel some tingling as the enzymes in the pumpkin go to work immediately — gently exfoliating your top layer of skin. It works like a scrub without being abrasive to your skin. Leave the mask on for 10 minutes.

4. Rinse Off Mask. After you’ve relaxed for ten minutes it’s time to rinse. The mask is fairly thick — head for the kitchen sink.

5. Apply Toner & Moisturizer.

LEMON FACIAL MASK

2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon finely ground oatmeal
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 drop lemon essential oil
Cucumber slices (optional)
Mix the sour cream, oatmeal, lemon juice and essential together in a bowl. To use, massage over clean face and neck skin and the rest for 10 minutes (with cucumber slices if you have them) over your eyes. Rinse well with warm water and follow with toner and moisturizer.

Always use Lemon Facial Mask immediately for best results — the lemon juice will cause the sour cream to curdle if it is not used quickly.

AVOCADO CARROT CREAM MASK

This mask combines avocados, which are rich in Vitamin E, with carrots, which are high in beta-carotene and antioxidants, and cream, which is high in calcium and protein.  These ingredients will rebuild skin collagen, improve tone and texture, and fade age spots.

1 avocado, mashed
1 carrot, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons honey

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  Spread gently over your face and neck, and leave in place 10-15 minutes.  Rinse with cool water and follow with your favorite toner.

Avocado Dry Skin Masque
California Avocado Commission

Beat the yolk of an egg until it is light and frothy, then add the mashed pulp of a half avocado, blending it well (you may use a blender at this point). Cleanse your face thoroughly before using this masque (or any masque). Spread the avocado mixture over the face and neck evenly; relax on a slant board or bed for about 20 minutes. Remove with clear tepid water and a face cloth, followed by a rinse of cold water or a mild skin lotion. The result should be a marked improvement in skin texture, and all-around revitalizing.

Avocado Oily Skin Masque
California Avocado Commission

Put the white of an egg, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and the mashed pulp of a half avocado into a blender. In seconds, you should have a lovely green mixture. Wash your face and neck thoroughly, then apply masque evenly on those areas. Relax for 20 minutes; remove with tepid water and a face cloth. Follow with cold astringent or skin tonic.

ALMOND-MAYONNAISE SCRUB
Dry Skin Exfoliator

1/4 C. almonds
1/8 tsp. mayonnaise

Grind almonds in blender until they form fine almond meal. Whirl in mayonnaise.  Gentle rub scrub onto your face, and leave in place 10 minutes. Rinse. Use a toner thereafter.  Shelf Life: Refrigerate for 2-3 weeks.

Apple Cucumber Facial Mask
1/2 cucumber, peeled
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon apple mint leaves
1 drop lime essential oil
Combine all 5 ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the essential oil last and mix well. Refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes.

Apply a layer to your clean face and neck area and leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. Apple Cucumber Facial Mask is best when used immediately as the ingredients are perishable. The leftovers can be refrigerated in the coldest section of the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days but should be discarded after that

Apple Face & Neck Gelee
Yield: Approx. 2 applications
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons hot distilled water
1 teaspoon freshly juiced apple juice
1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
1 heaping teaspoon powdered pectin

Add the glycerin to the water/juice/gel combination and stir to fully incorporate.  Add the pectin while the liquid remains quite warm (if it cools, place it in the microwave or a double boiler to raise the temperature) and use a hand held electric mixer to blend, or stir vigorously to dissolve the pectin. Once the pectin has fully dissolved, a light gel will begin to form. This may take from 15 minutes to 1/2 hour. Once the gel sets, Apple Face & Neck Gelee is ready to use. Apply the gel in a layer to your clean, damp face and neck. Rest for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and follow with a light moisturizer if desired. Leftover product can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. Enjoy!! The shelf life of this product is necessarily limited by the fresh apple juice. It should be used within a few days after it is made.

Organic Skincare Products

Skin is the armor of the body. It is the outside waterproofing, element-fighting surface that protects our internal organs and skeletal structure from the harsh outside elements. Yet skin, overall is ignored most of the time. Healthy skin is important for a glowing completion of course, but if your body is unhealthy – your skin will be also.

The toxic world of industrialization has finally caught up with us. Producing toxic waste disasters, disease and tons of garbage buried so deep it can never breakdown. All these “modern advancements” have left our food supply as little more than a chemical compound in itself. If you can do ONE thing to give your skin and your body a fighting chance, you would be wise to choose as organic a diet as possible. To maintain a healthy skin, organically grown food is must.

In light of recent organic trends in our food, organic skin care products are also gaining popularity. For healthy lifestyle and healthy skin, limiting the amount of toxins and chemicals you put in your body is a must. If the environment or living “green” is important to you, you should also be aware of companies that produce the products you buy and their manufacturing practices.

Organic Skin Care is the most rapidly developing field in the beauty industry. Now what does Organic mean? Organic refers to anything grown or raised naturally. But more specifically, it means plants are grown on certified natural land without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, genetic modification or irradiation. In many cases, these organic farms are highly regulated by the Federal Food Safety Commission. Organic skin care means protecting your skin from harmful chemicals and using organic products whenever possible.

There are many organic products available on the market today. Most can be found at a local organic specialty stores, food suppliers or a national health food chain like Whole Foods. As organic products become more and more popular, many standard food stores, Like Safeway or Albertsons’ are also providing these products on their shelves. There are also plenty of websites offering organic skin or beauty care products online.

An organic product is preferable for natural skin care balance as it will generally contain far fewer chemical properties then it’s drugstore counterparts and thus have less possibility to cause inflammation or irritation. Of course, even an herbal product can have side effects as they are “chemicals” in their own right, so always be aware of the list if ingredients in the products you buy and the reactions your skin personally has to allergens.

Bad Lifestyle Habits and Your Skin Care

“Is it too late to save my bad skin? I never paid much attention to my skin because I never had any skin problems. I never bothered with skin care products because I didn’t need to. Now I’m seeing wrinkles and spots forming, I guess it’s just too late to anything about it.” If this sounds like you, you may want to keep reading.Never fear, because there is still much that you can do to help your skin. If you are lost in sea of product choices, you can still be assured cosmetic dermatology can offer many alternative treatments. Read more

SKIN BIOLOGY 101

The top layer of the skin, called the epidermis, is made up of four distinct layers. When you look at someone’s skin, you see the very top layer, made up of cells that reflect light. When that top layer is smooth, it reflects light evenly so that the skin looks more uniform and radiant than it does when the surface is rougher. Read more

Latest Anti-Aging Findings

American life expectancy has increased from 47 in 1900 to 77 in 2007. It is important to remember that this number is an overall average, which includes every person born, no matter how short their life might be. In 1900, average life expectancy appeared disproportionately short because of very high infant mortality, numerous serious childhood diseases, and also because of the high numbers of women who died in childbirth or shortly thereafter. Reducing infant mortality, reducing the incidence of childhood diseases and reducing the number of women who die bearing children have been three of the most significant factors in changing the overall life expectancy. Read more

Anti-aging Tips

If you want to avoid the early signs of aging, there are plenty of anti aging skin care products available for you. You can also look up tips and guides on how to make your skin firmer and healthier. On the other hand, there are treatments for anti aging, which are easy to follow. These treatments will not take up much of your time. The best skin care treatment does not necessarily involve expensive products. You do not have to buy costly products, in order for you to prevent wrinkles from appearing around your eyes and your mouth. Anti aging tips include simple reminders such as drinking water constantly. As simple as this step, you will be able to keep your skin healthy. Read more

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