BEAUTY WATCH Natural Skincare for Specific Conditions
How often do you neglect or abuse your skin, and then complain about its lackluster, bumpy, uneven appearance? Does your reflection indicate too many late nights? How do you cope with stresses in your life - at school, work or home? Are you working in air-conditioning, with little or no natural light and fresh air? Is your main regular exercise walking to the coffee machine, and your nourishment a snack from the vending machine? Do you dedicate time out for yourself, or is that morning coffee break your "relaxation"? And then there is life in this modern urban environment with pollution attacking us from every direction... No wonder your skin isn't as happy as it could be!
Maybe it is time you redefined how you see yourself! By putting a few beauty basics into place, (you know the drill - you've heard it a million times... a good healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables [preferably organic], regular exercise in the fresh air to increase your oxygen in take, plenty of pure [filtered] water, relaxation and a good skincare regime) you will reap the benefits of preventative skincare.
As the season of overindulgence and gluttony comes upon us, don't take on the "I'll deal with it in the morning" attitude'; however, you have to be willing to alter your lifestyle for the sake of looking good, which means adjusting any downward spirals that rely purely on knowing the latest quick fix! For a more long term solution, think moderation - feed your skin from the inside out, and always remove all of your makeup before you call it a night. Instead of being attacked by a ghoulish grey saggy mask that used to reflect your lackluster and sluggish complexion, you'll be pleasantly greeted with radiant skin, which not only means you look great, you'll feel great too - full of renewed vitality!
Even the healthiest of complexions will give you moments of grief - like just before a hot date, or an important function, so try these natural / home-made skin pick me ups to treat specific problems.
Rough patches For dry sensitive skin: blend a base of avocado + jojoba, add jasmine, rose, rosewood and geranium essential oils and treat affected areas; bathe in a hydrating aromatherapy mix of rose geranium, lavender and neroli.
Congested Skin Do not over scrub congested skin to get that "healthy glow", as this will make your sebaceous (oil) glands produce even more oil, try a gentle weekly clay mask with a few drops of geranium and grapefruit, lavender and rosemary, or juniper and eucalyptus essential oils. These blends are designed to calm and soothe skin with their anti-inflammatory properties whilst providing antibacterial / antiseptic healing to the skin. In conjunction with a sensitive skincare routine, you can also add a few drops of one of the above blends to your moisturiser to help rebalance congested skin.
Inflamed skin Try a calming warm water compress of German Chamomile and Lavender (anti-inflammatory) with calendula; mix into apricot oil for a nourishing moisturiser; or for a therapeutic bath use this blend and add patchouli and jasmine.
Sunburn To take the sting out of skin after a sun burn, take a lukewarm bath in a blend of aloe vera, almond oil, avocado, German chamomile + lavender. A spoonful of honey added to the mixture soothes the skin too. To prevent dehydration drink lots of water, and avoid alcohol.
Dandruff Treat your scalp to a a combination of rosemary + cedarwood in jojoba on a regular basis, massage into scalp and leave for 5 mins before you wash your hair. Use only mild shampoos, and rinse with cider vinegar, patchouli and lavender.
Banish that odd spot Directly treat spots and minor blemishes with a dab of sandalwood + lavender, tea tree and lavender, or neroli, bergamot and lavender.
Eye soothers Chilled cucumber slices placed over closed lids is a well known remedy to soothe tired eyes, or soak some cotton pads in rose water and gently press pad over closed eyes (preferably while you relax :) to release fatigue.
For skincare hints on dark circles and makeup cover-up tips, click on MaQ
Puffy eyed makeup tips, and natural remedies can be found on MaQ
The use of essential oils and the unique properties of each oil provides a natural alternative to remedy common skin conditions. For further information on alternative skincare for specific problems, FaceArt delves deeper into the ancient healing practice of natural remedies for skincare.
When the ancient practice of aromatherapy is applied daily, it alleviates mind body and soul; combined with massage, you work to stimulate circulation to improve skin tone and texture, regenerate cells, and treat specific problems, boosting a sluggish skin to look supple and radiant.