Skin Zen

How to have perfect nails using natural oils

GuestPoster — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 04:19:09 +0000

There is no secret for anybody that oils are used for almost anything, even for nail treatment. Nails are the mirror of the hand, because clean nails are the reflection of a clean and healthy body. The top three oils that can help your nails are listed below.

The first and the best is the jojoba oil. It has been used for centuries, by many cultures, and nowadays represents the common way to repair and treat nails. Furthermore, it is also good for your hands. The jojoba oil is applied on cuticles and nails plate, and then massaged until it enters the skin. This treatment can be used two times per day, and it’s more effective when Vitamin E is added as a supliment.

Our next oil has properties that can cure infected nails. The plant oil in question is the lavender oil, known for its many properties. Lavender oil can be used against fungal infections, which can destroy the strength and the quality of the nails. If mixed with oregano oil and eucalyptus oil, it has an even greater effect in preventing these infections. But you have to keep in mind that a fungal infection is a serious disease, and it is best to consult a physician, in order to not aggravate the situation of your nails.

Last, but not least, we have the almond oil for skin. It’s true that this oil is used mostly for skin, but its properties, which can smooth and lubricate the skin, have a beneficial use for the nails, too. The reason for it is the fact that it repels the water, so the nails won’t have to bear the wet-then-dry effect. By massaging the nails two times per day with almond oil, your nails will keep their strength and elasticity. If you can’t find almond oil, you must know that one of the coconut oil uses is the skin treatment, therefore it has the same properties as almond oil, so you can use it as a replacement.

It doesn’t matter if they are long, short, colored or not, what matters is the health of your nails. There are many treatments for infections, cuticles or rigidity, but those based on plants are the best, because they are natural, organic, and can be easily found, when needed.

Bare Minerals Makeup: A Natural Alternative?

GuestPoster — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:04:12 +0000

Bare Minerals is one of the most popular mineral makeup brands. From Bare Escentuals, it claims to be 100% free from preservatives, oils and fragrances. It’s definitely got a lot of people talking about this new approach to makeup. But is everyone happy with the results? Not exactly. Let’s have a look at what some are saying.

Many Bare Minerals makeup reviews are full of positive endorsements from women who have tried it and found that it has given the results they want. Typically, users find that it hides imperfections and gives smooth, natural-looking skin. But not everyone thinks it is easy to apply. This is because some women find that they need to blend two different foundation tones to match their skin, and this takes extra time and care. It’s certainly not as simple as applying a liquid foundation. But the results can be very good.

The company claims that its product is excellent for concealing imperfections like acne and sunspots, and that it has protective and calming properties for the skin. However, a careful look at the reviews will uncover a minority of women who disagree, and they seem to be those who already have sensitive or dry skin. There are may reports of skin irritation from those with these skin types. It’s possible that Bare Minerals is not ideal for these women who may benefit more from a liquid foundation.

As with any makeup product, in the end you need to test it for yourself. Bare Minerals is definitely an exciting range which has brought the desired results for many people, but be aware of the full picture when you make a decision. Bare Escentuals makes a trial pack available at their department store counters, and the range is also available through a number of reputable internet sellers, so why not take the plunge and decide for yourself?

4 Tips to Get Rid of Bothersome Arm Acne

GuestPoster — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:55:07 +0000

Arm acne can be very embarrassing to both men and women, especially when it occurs in its severe form. Fortunately, there are several ways to get rid of it, including the use of acne spot treatment and medications. Follow the given tips below to get a smooth and flawless skin on your arms and anywhere on your body.

Tip # 1- Tight clothes are a no-no!

One of the reasons why arm acne occurs is because of the dirt, dead skin cells, and sweat that block the pores on the skin. When tight fitting clothes are worn at all times, chances are sweat and dead skin cells are trapped on the body. Sweat does not easily evaporate when tight clothes are worn while dead skin cells are not shed off properly. Thus, you might consider wearing loose and comfortable clothes to get rid of the acne on your arms.

Tip #2- Do wear clothes made of natural and light fabric.

There are some types of clothing that irritates the skin on your arms. Prolonged irritation can cause acne later on. Thus, you should change your line of clothing to those made of natural fabric such as cotton. Also, cotton is good to wear during hot weather days or summer to help air circulate on your body and dry off sweat easily.

Tip #3- Cleanse your body regularly!

As we all know, clogging of pores with dirt, oil and dead skin cells are the main causes of acne on the arms. Thus, it is important to regularly wash your skin with mild soap. People who sweat a lot should also wash their body immediately after doing any rigorous activities to prevent the sweat and dirt from staying too long on the skin.

Tip #4- Using acne treatment products and medications.

There are several anti-acne products sold in the market. It comes in forms of soap, creams and ointments. While they are readily available over-the-counter, it is still best to consult your doctor first before using any of these products. Severe arm acne requires medical consultation.

Make sure you follow the given acne tips above to get rid of your arm acne for good. Arm acne, unlike facial acne, takes a few weeks before it completely heals since the skin on the arms is thicker than on the face. Usually, medications do not go through the acne until a couple of weeks later.

Homemade Facial Mask Recipes To Prevent Wrinkles

GuestPoster — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:51:05 +0000

Wrinkles and fine lines are completely normal as we age but we can still do something to prevent them from appearing soon. By using skin-care products such as cleansers, masks and creams, we can keep the natural glow of our skin. When looking for the best product, you can check facial masks reviews online to know how effective it is. Although many use the commercial products, a growing number of people are trying homemade facial masks to get excellent results without spending too much on popular brands.

The great thing about homemade facial masks is that the ingredients can be easily found right in your kitchen. Now, you can prevent wrinkles, regain skin elasticity, revitalize your skin with these homemade facial masks that can be made depending on the available ingredients. Here are the different facial mask recipes that you can try at home.

The easiest way to treat wrinkles is to place slices of fresh cucumber on your face or apply the cucumber juice with the use of a cotton swab. You can also use the crushed Chervil herb or boiled Chervil to diminish your wrinkles naturally.

You can also use fruits such as wild strawberries and oranges as they are great exfoliating and smoothing agents for the skin. Flowers like rosemary, poppy petals, and cornflowers are also ideal to treat wrinkles and other face issues. By mixing these dried flowers with boiled water you can enjoy a facia mask that doesn’t just remove skin impurities but also has a soothing effect that can calm you.

If you can’t do these homemade cleansers, there are organic ones that you can buy on your local beauty bar or through the internet. But be careful with facial masks online, unless if it’s branded, as it can irritate your skin. Always trust for brands that received good reviews and are used by many.

Feel Healthy and Look Young with the Help of Facial Masks

GuestPoster — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:38:05 +0000

A lot of people are very conscious on how they look. This is very true on celebrities because they want to look good all the time in front of the camera. That is why most people who idolize celebrities also want to look good and just be like their idols and the best way to achieve what they want is by using skin care products in the market that can help them have beautiful and glowing skin.

There are many types of skin care products in available in the market nowadays, which is why the beauty products industry is one of the most successful businesses in the world. If you want to improve your skin and maintain its smoothness, one of the skin care products that you should consider is a facial mask.

A facial mask is a thick cream that is applied on the face. It should stay on the face for a short period of time in order for the pores of the skin to open easily. This is needed in order for the essential nutrients to penetrate easily and enter the skin. Compared to facial moisturizers, a facial mask need extended application in order to be more effective.

With so many facial masks in the beauty shops and other skin care product stores in the market, it is quite confusing on which one to choose. This is the reason why you should compare facial masks from different brands so that you will identify which one is the best for you to use.

Buying facial masks online is more convenient because you can easily compare various products. There are also comparison sites, which can help you to know the opinions and feedbacks of other consumers who have already used the product, because sometimes you can discover things that manufacturers hide from consumers by reading opinions and feedbacks.

Homemade Facial Moisturizers And Their Benefits

GuestPoster — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:48:06 +0000

Homemade facial moisturizers are becoming more and more popular these days, especially with the aggressive media campaign promoting natural and organic health and beauty products. Organic facial moisturizers don’t have the harmful ingredients that are usually present in manufactured facial moisturizers.

The best facial moisturizers are those that use natural ingredients, like herbs. Caring for the skin using herbs and other natural ingredients is not new. Archaeological evidences showed that people in ancient times used natural methods to keep their skin smooth and youthful looking. There are organic facial moisturizers available in the market, but most of these are expensive. There are several brands of low cost facial moisturizers but only a few of them claim to be organic. You can’t be sure too if their claim has been verified. One can always come up with his own mixes of random plants and herbs then label his product organic.

But you don’t need to buy organic facial moisturizers because you can actually make your own natural moisturizers by buying organic ingredients. Some of the ingredients can even be found right in your backyard or at the nearest vegetable market. This is a lot cheaper than buying commercial organic facial moisturizers at your favorite beauty care outlet. Also, you can make your own mixture for your moisturizer to suit your needs. But it is important that you research on the ingredients first before you use them. The Internet is a great place to search for information about natural ingredients for homemade facial moisturizers. Avoid using ingredients based on unverified claims of their benefits.

Or you can just copy existing moisturizer recipes that are posted in the Internet for free. This is way much safer than inventing your own. The longer you use natural ingredients, the more prepared you are to come up with your recipe in the future.

Natural Beauty Products: Why Buy Them

GuestPoster — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 04:51:05 +0000

There are ways on achieving beautiful skin without going over budget. You can do many things without costing a fortune actually. Fruits and vegetables lying on your kitchen table is one of them. You can make them as a natural face cleanser it is easy, cheap and effective.

The benefits of homemade fruit acids become evident as soon as you start using them on your skin. Your skin may start feeling soft and smooth. Even the legendary beauty, Cleopatra’s famed milk baths made her skin soft and supple because milk contains alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). AHAs such as those found in milk, lemon juice, vinegar, blackberries, grapes, oranges, tomatoes and apple juice exfoliate the skin by dissolving the glue that holds dead skin cells together. They cleanse the top layer of skin, allowing the body’s natural emollient oils to reach the surface cells and help moisturize and relieve dryness. They help cleanse oily skin and remove blackheads.

We all want our beauty products to be as natural and less chemically-based possible. That’s why many people switch to natural-based cosmetics. For those with sensitive skin, or who are allergic to sulfates, they avoid using these chemicals. A sulfate-free shampoo would be much gentler on the scalp, and not cause an allergic reaction unless of course, the user is not allergic to any other ingredients

Though some beauty products are available at home, we still buy organic products sold in the market that suits the needs of our skin. It may be more expensive, but is becoming more readily available. Beauty and bath products that are green, products that do not contain any unnatural chemicals that may be harmful to the environment have become very popular. Chemical-free cosmetics are in greater demand because of environmental concerns, as well as for health reasons.

Is mineral makeup just hype, or what?

GuestPoster — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:11:04 +0000

It’s undeniable. Mineral makeup is everywhere. Sales are booming. A long time ago, this product was so rare that only special television shows offered them as gifts to their audience and they were sold in some online stores. But today, the mineral makeup has started a cosmetic revolution. We can get loads of colors and all different formulations from top brands and stores. But have you ever asked: “Is mineral makeup just hype, or what?”

Filled with minerals

Most companies and top brands of mineral cosmetics claim that their products are filled with minerals. Almost everybody claims that it is “natural” or “pure” compared to traditional makeup. The main mineral makeup ingredients are minerals like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica and iron oxide. Do you know that a lot of regular makeup contains these minerals too? You can read the ingredients list and recognize that a lot of them are the same. But, the real difference is the OTHER ingredients that mineral makeup doesn’t have.

Toxic ingredients

Unlike regular makeup, the mineral variety should not have toxic ingredients. The toxic ingredients are added to your regular makeup for a variety of reasons. Be sure to read the ingredients list first and avoid parabens, preservatives, mineral oils, fragrances and chemical dyes. But mineral makeup doesn’t need that since it is dry powder. There is very little chance of bacterial contamination and does not need any preservatives to prolong its shelf life. With regards to color, the minerals give off a natural color and do not require any chemical dyes.

On nanoparticles

If you have been using mineral makeup you will notice how it is barely there. That is because mineral makeup is lightweight and it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing it at all. This lightness allows the minerals to sit on your face without even clogging your pores. It should last all day long without the need for constant retouching. However, some companies tend to micronized these minerals and push it too far to become nanoparticles. This is the scary part and can cause repercussions to one’s health. It is only helpful to research about your mineral makeup brand to see how safe it is for use. The best tip is to go for brands that use larger micronized particles and apply it in a well ventilated area.

Mineral makeup’s rise to fame gives us a huge and enticing selection of color, texture and coverage that makes us pretty. But as a whole, mineral makeup is found to be the best option with its number of benefits. So to answer the question above: Mineral makeup is more than just a hype, it is a healthy beauty regimen and a way of life.

Best Facial Hair Removal For Women

GuestPoster — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 09:28:05 +0000

Unsightly facial hair is truly an annoyance in a lot of women. Hence, there are no more questions if you want to find the best product to offer the best facial hair removal for women. However, before you go out in the market, take note that the best product is not named generally. The best product is always dependent on what your facial hair removal needs are.

For instance, if you are targeting eyebrow hair removal, the best product can be tweezers. A good quality pair of tweezers will work to successfully shape your eyebrows without a trouble. Other than tweezers, finishing touch hair removal is also a good product to consider for eyebrow shaping.

If your problem is the upper lip and chin area, the best products will usually not anymore be tweezers, not even razors. The best product you can use is a depilatory cream. This provides a safe and gentle hair removal on these facial areas, lessening the chances of ingrown hair, razor bumps, and other unsightly side effects. Also, some depilatory creams can qualify as a permanent hair removal product. With continued use, these creams can prevent the hair from ever growing back to the surface.

If you don’t mind the price, your best facial hair removal options are laser and electrolysis technology. They are more expensive facial hair removal options but they are most likely the most effective. Both of them offer permanent hair reduction and removal, which can bring you to a life away from unwanted facial hair for life.

If you are looking for the best product for your facial hair removal goals, think about several factors first to ensure you will be on the right track of picking a good product to trust. Depending on the effects you want to get, the budget you have, and the areas of the face you focus your hair removal goals, you can find a product that will offer you the best.

Don’t Let Makeup Ruin a Healthy Face!

GuestPoster — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 07:41:06 +0000

You may have a youthful and healthy face right now, but improper makeup application techniques can really have shocking long-term effects. Using cosmetics of the highest quality does represent a great start, but there is a lot more that you can do to ensure long-term radiance and beauty.

Even the makeup that you use needs to be removed properly. Not every product can be successfully removed with water alone – even though the colorful pigment seems to have washed away, the binders or oils may remain, blocking pores and causing blemishes.

Many beauty tips for face require a considerable (sometimes outrageous) amount of creams, cosmetics, and other various cover-ups that can be harsh on the skin. Many of these products are known to dry out your healthy face, damaging and aging the skin. Meet this complication head-on by staying adequately hydrated and using facial moisturizers when needed. That is the key to maintaining a healthy face.

“An ounce of prevention…”

Don’t assume that a few handy eye makeup tips and a fabulous concealer will take care of those bags, blotches, and inevitable fine lines forever. Opt for preventative measures like a healthy diet, proper pH balance, and adequate sun protection should also be valued just as much as the quality of your cosmetics.

But not all preventative measures are created equal so be mindful. Certain products like exfoliants, peels, scrubs, and even chemical-laden moisturizers can get in the way of your skin’s natural healing and cleansing abilities when abused. Cosmetic treatments can be fun, but are best left to moderation unless otherwise specified by a dermatologist.

Everybody wants a healthy face, but trying to “fake” it can really fetch a hefty price. Makeup always looks better on a clean, fresh, and balanced canvas – cosmetics can be part of the solution, but the rest is truly up to proper maintenance habits!