A brief review of Skin toners and their importance.

Published On Sunday, February 06, 2011 By Luv4Nature. Under: Uncategorized. Tags: face care, fresh, Skin Care, skincare products, toners

Toners are an essential part of the skin care routine. They help in smoothing your skin, and act as a balm after the exfoliation process. These help to seal skin pores, tightens the outer layer of the facial skin. They also act as a safety net after a heavy exfoliation and cleansing routine. Toners are generally applied to the face using damp cotton wool or a gauze. They can also be sprayed on to the face. Toners also restore the acid/alkali balance of the skin. Some types of the toners can be used specifically for treating red irritating skin or removing dead skin cells. Toners which contain witch hazel may dry the skin, so a moisturizer like a honey may have to be used.

Types of Toners

There are three types of toners which are as follows

• Fresheners
• Skin Tonics
• Astringents

Fresheners

These are the mildest form of the toners. They contain virtually no alcohol, (0-10%) water, and a humectant such as glycerin. Humectants help to keep the moisture in the upper layer of the epidermis by preventing it from the evaporating. A good example of the skin freshener is the rosewater. These types of toners are gentle to the skin and are suitable for the dry, normal, sensitive, and dehydrated skins.

Skin Tonics

Skin tonics are slightly stronger and contain a small quantity of alcohol, (up to 20%), water and a humectant ingredient. Skin tonics remove the last trace of cleansing milk or cream and help to restore the skin’s natural proactive mantle. They are best for the normal, combination, and oily skins.

Astringents

Astringents are the strongest form of toners and contain a high proportion of the alcohol (20-26%), antiseptic ingredient, a humectant ingredient, and water. They are commonly recommended for the oily skins as they are drying, but note that the removal of oil from the skin can lead to excess oil production as the skin tries to compensate for this and prevent moisture loss. Witch hazel is the best example of astringents.
You can get a range of natural toners from your kitchen or back yard garden. We will list some good and easily available natural skin toners in some next post

Glow Your Face with These Simple Masks

Published On Friday, February 11, 2011 By Luv4Nature. Under: Natural Skincare Recipes. Tags: Beauty, Facial, glowing skin, homemade skincare, natural skin care recipes, Skin whitening

Our skin is one of the greatest assets gifted us by nature. Proper care can keep it glowing for the whole life time while negligence and lack of a good skin care regimen may lead to dry wrinkled skin at a very earlier stage. It must be remembered that to regain the lost beauty is extremely difficult. Facial, once a week, keep the face attractive. They are an important part of skin care. It is recommended that you use a facial mask at least once a week. A face mask boosting treatment will help prevent the signs of aging and bring natural freshness also. If you eat balanced diet and drink at least 8 glasses of water daily and use the face masks made with natural ingredients to enhance the beauty of your face, hands and neck, surely you will get soft and supple skin within days. The regular use of face masks will help refine the skin’s texture and naturally minimize your pores.

Facial Mask Recipes

Honey Face Mask

The honey mask is very popular as well as the best facial mask. Honey mask is effective for all types of skins. Apply pure honey to your face and neck. Leave it to set for about fifteen minutes on your face and neck until dry. When it dries to some extent, then massage your face with the help of your fingers. After this rinse your face and neck with warm water. This mask help reduces the dryness of skin and also firm up your skin.

Here are some more skin care recipes with honey.

Melon’s seeds Face Mask

• Melon’s seeds= 1 teaspoon
• Almonds= 2
• Lemon juice= 6 drops
• Fresh cream or whole milk= 4 teaspoon

First of all mash the seeds and almonds in a chopper to make a fine powder. Pour milk or cream in a bowl and add this mixture to it. Now add lemon juice and mix well to form a homogeneous paste and apply it to already cleansed face. Leave it for about 8 to 12 minutes. Wipe your face with wet cotton before rinsing with luke warm water. this facial mask helps you to keep your skin fresh and youthful.

Milk Face Mask

• Milk=1/4 cup
• Lemon juice= 1/2 teaspoon
• Almond oil= 5 drops

Mix all these ingredients and apply it on your face. It is very effective face mask and gives natural freshness to the face.

Eye Wrinkles and their cure

Published On Tuesday, February 15, 2011 By Luv4Nature. Under: Anti aging skincare, Eye Care, Natural Skincare Recipes. Tags: aging skin, anti aging, Beauty, natural skin care recipes, Skin Care, wrinkles

Wrinkles around the eyes are the most common problem in the people over the age of the forty. The skin around the eyes is deprived of oil glands and is very delicate. The lack of the oil glands makes it easier for the wrinkles to form. Moreover, the skin contains a substance known as “collagen” that gives firmness and a youthful appearance. Collagen is considered a connective tissue and as time goes on its elasticity. Wrinkles under the eyes are an indication of the skin loosing its elasticity and incapability of retaining its original shape.

Causes of wrinkles around the eyes

• Over exposure to the ultra violet rays of the sun can lead to the formation of the wrinkles around the eyes.
• The oxidation caused by the free radicals in your skin break down the cells and wrinkles appear around the eyes.
• Smoking can also cause premature wrinkles under the eyes from not only draining the moisture from the skin, which in turn lead to the formation of the eye wrinkles.
• If your skin is not fully hydrated then it can develop the wrinkles also.
• Stress can also contribute to the formation of the eye wrinkles.
• Watching TV or staying in front of computer screen also contributes to the development of the eye wrinkles.

Natural ways to get rid of wrinkles

There are natural ways to get rid of the wrinkles.

• Improve the quality of your skin by drinking plenty of water.
• Protecting your eyes from sun’s harmful rays can help in preventing the eye wrinkles. Always wear sunscreen before going outside. Apply the sunscreen lotion.
• Quit the habit of the smoking because smoking loosens up your skin around the eyes.
• You can minimize the appearance of the eye wrinkles by taking enough sleep every night.
• Fresh cut slices of tomatoes also help reducing the eye wrinkles.
• Eating foods rich in vitamin E helps combat damaging free radicals. It also adds moisture to the skin and prop up the skin’s elasticity.
• Wear sunglasses this will prevent you from squinting, which contributes to the under eye wrinkles.

Home remedies for eye wrinkles

• Massage coconut oil around your eyes every night before going to bed.
• Mix shredded ginger along with the honey and consume it on daily basis. It will improve your wrinkle condition.
• Castor oil is also very effective for the eye wrinkles. Massage Castor oil around your eyes. It will help you removing the eye wrinkles.
• Take lukewarm milk and add brown sugar in it. Now apply it on the eye around the area keep the flexibility of the skin tone intact and help reducing the eye wrinkles.

Cosmetic Uses of Cucumber

Published On Friday, February 11, 2011 By Luv4Nature. Under: Natural Skincare Recipes. Tags: Beauty, Cucumber, homemade facial masks, natural skin care, Skin Care, skin care recipes

Cucumber a well known veggie, cultivated throughout the world for centuries is famous for its cooling and soothing effects. Here is a brief review of some important skin care treatments with cucumber.

• Cucumber is a great way to naturally hydrate your skin both internally and externally. Besides, hydration cucumber also promote glowing skin through silica and ascorbic acid-important constituents of cucumber.
• Silica helps to maintain skin tone by strengthening connective tissue. It also gives you a radiant complexion with youthful skin.
• Further more, it promotes hair elasticity, luster and elasticity.
• Ascorbic acid or vitamin C another of important element, is well known for anti aging and skin whitening properties. Thus regular use of cucumbers give you more healthy, younger looking skin with a radiant complexion and beautiful lustrous hair.
• For promoting beautiful skin and hair, cucumber is not only taken orally but also applied topically to enhance it’s beneficial effects. This can be done either by placing grated cucumber or cucumber slices over face or by make useful homemade face masks.

Yummy Chocolates and Skin care

Published On Thursday, February 24, 2011 By Luv4Nature. Under: Natural Skincare Recipes. Tags: Antioxidant, Beauty, Chocolate, skincare

Image via Wikipedia

Chocolate comprises a number of raw and processed foods produced from the seeds of the tropical cacao tree. Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine , which have physiological effects on the body. Flavanols , found in chocolate, are antioxidants and can help prevent damages from the sun. They also promote healthy arteries and, in turn, healthy blood flow. Healthy blood flow is good for the skin and keeps it looking young. Eating a little bit of dark chocolate daily is good for the skin and the body. If chocolate is applied on the skin, then it will return a youthful glow and protect the skin from the effects of the pollution.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is produced by adding fat and sugar to cacao mixture. Dark chocolate, with its high cocoa content, is a rich source of flavanoids epicatechin and Gallic acid, which are thought to possess cardioprotective properties. Several studies have indicated that dark chocolate have proved to be a high energy food supplement and supply instantaneous energy to the body.

Dark chocolate has recently been promoted for its health benefits, including a substantial amount of antioxidants that reduce the formation of free radicals, although current scientific evidence is against the health improvements by the dietary antioxidants. Some studies suggest that daily consumption of the chocolate drinks could protect your skin from the harmful effects of the ultra violet rays of the sun.

Benefits of Chocolate for Skin

• Chocolate contains powerful anti-oxidant properties and is considered to be a health food.
• Due to the anti-oxidant quality, it prevents the free radicals from causing damage to the skin’s elastin, other protein and collagen.
• Eating foods that are rich in flavanoids help to maintain collagen and fight the sun damage.
• Chocolate is used to smooth out the wrinkles due to the anti-oxidant properties.
  It hydrates the skin and prevents it from the drying effects.
• Chocolate rejuvenates the skin and act as a good moisturizer.
• It can exfoliate the dead skin cells and helps in the regeneration of the new skin cells.
• Frequent dark chocolate facial can delay the anti-aging process of the skin.

Chocolate Facial Mask

• 1/3 cup of cocoa butter
• ¼ cup of honey
• 3 teaspoons of oatmeal
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream

Mix all these ingredients thoroughly and make a fine paste. Now apply this paste on your face and gently massage it so that oatmeal removes the layer of the dead skin form the face. The oatmeal is a great exfoliant, especially if you massage it in! This creates a skin care treatment that results in clean and healthy skin. Leave this facial mask on your face for at least 20 minutes and then wash ff with the lukewarm water. Finish off the skin care treatment with your favorite moisturizer.