It’s Never Too Late, or Too Early, to Take Care of Your Skin

 

It’s never too late to start taking care of your skin but, equally, it’s never too early. Some people put off thinking about their anti-ageing wellness until the first wrinkles appear, but your skin actually begins to age when you’re only in your mid-20s, albeit not visibly. However, whatever your age, there are steps you can do to enhance your skin wellness, so what are you waiting for?

 

1. Use a gentle cleanser: If you have oily skin, you need to find an oil-free, foaming cleanser, but if you have dry skin you need to use a cleanser that’s rich and creamy. If your skin is very sensitive, a lot of cleansers may be harmful to your wellbeing, so it might be a good idea to talk to a dermatologist about how you can avoid irritation. Remember to wash your face with cool or warm water, as hot water can strip your skin off its natural moisture and protective layer. For the same reason, when drying your face remember to pat dry, rather than rub.

 

2. Moisturise: It’s important to use a moisturiser on your face as this will protect your skin, as well as making it look and feel better. Using a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser every day can be helpful if you have oily skin or breakouts, while people with dry skin may need to apply moisturiser more than once a day. To seal the moisture in, may sure you apply your cream or lotion when your skin is damp.

 

3. Always wear sun cream: Whether it’s summer or winter, a sunny day or pouring it down, a day outside or you’re staying indoors; you need protection from the sun during daylight hours. The rays of the sun can pass through clouds and even windows, so you’re never safe from exposure. This means you absolutely have to wear sun cream on a daily basis, and this needs to contain a broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher. When you’re buying your moisturiser, you can kill two birds with one stone by choosing one with SPF included. Remember to cover your lips, and to reapply your sun cream all over if you sweat or are outside for a long time.

 

4. Layer in the right order: It’s completely fine to layer your beauty and wellness products, you just need to do it in the right order to make sure they all do their respective jobs. First and foremost, you need to start with clean skin, and then proceed to apply any prescription creams or gels you might have. In the morning, you should layer on your moisturiser, followed by your sun cream (if it’s not in your moisturiser) and then, finally, makeup if you wear it. In the evening, you should follow up your clean face and prescription cream with an anti-ageing product (if you use one) and then a moisturiser without sun cream.

 

5. Exfoliate: Scrubbing away your dead skin cells will help your skin to glow. It’s dealers choice as to what you use for buffing, but generally a soft washcloth, spinning brush or a body scrub with synthetic beads will get the job done. If you have dry skin, you can probably get away with gently exfoliating once a week, but if your skin is oily, you may have to exfoliate twice weekly. However, if you have sensitive skin or acne, exfoliating may be irritating to your skin so speak to your dermatologist about the best way to move forward. No matter your skin type, exfoliating too much or too hard can irritate and thicken your skin, so be gentle.

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Categories: anti ageing, cream, Dry Skin, moisturiser, oil free, oily skin, skin, Sun Cream, wear sun

Dust off your Kitchen Gadgets

 

A survey conducted by insurance company Direct Line has discovered that 65% of British people own expensive gadgets that they never use. In fact, they have found that there could be as many as 123 million bread makers, coffee machines, food processers and other kitchen devices sitting at the back of cupboards.

 

Of course, when we first buy costly kitchen gadgets, we’re full of good intentions, believing that we will use them regularly. We may even justify the high price by telling ourselves that the gadgets will save time, improve our culinary skills or make us healthier. But all too often, after just a couple of uses, our sparkly new gadgets are consigned to life at the back of the cupboard and never see the light of day again.

 

So how can we avoid spending money on gadgets that won’t get used? Well the obvious answer is don’t allow yourself to be tempted by clever marketing that makes you buy gadgets you simply don’t need. For example, a food processor is a great investment if you cook all of your meals from scratch and make lots of dishes that require fiddly preparation. However if you only chop a few vegetables each week, then a good quality kitchen knife is all you need and of course, the added benefit is that it’s much cheaper and will take up less space in your kitchen.

 

Equally, a coffee machine might seem like a great buy – particularly if you love your daily dose of caffeine. But if your mornings are spent rushing to get to work, then you’ll probably find you stick to instant coffee as it’s so much quicker.

 

If you already have a cupboard full of gadgets that are not being used, why not take them out, give them a clean and remind yourself why you bought them in the first place. Put them on display and you’re more likely to use them. Here are five common gadgets that are worth putting to good use once more:

 

• Juicer – homemade juice is delicious and a great way to get one of your five-a-day. Make juicing part of your daily routine for maximum health benefits.


• Breadmaker – homemade bread tastes so much better than supermarket loaves and avoids the preservatives and additives often found in processed bread. Always keep a supply of ingredients in your kitchen cupboard and you’ll be able to make delicious loaves each week.


• Slow cooker – a slow cooker is ideal for making affordable and nutritious meals. Set your slow cooker going in the morning and you’ll have a tasty meal waiting for you when you get home from work.


• Ice-cream maker – if you own an ice-cream maker but don’t use it because you think ice-cream is unhealthy, try making low-calorie frozen yogurt and sorbets instead. Show the kids how to use the ice-cream maker and it’s sure to get plenty of use!


• Hand blender – if you have a hand blender that’s tucked away in a cupboard, it’s easy to forget about it. Keep it on the kitchen counter instead and it will always be to hand for making delicious soups and smoothies from left-over fruit and vegetables.

 

If you’re looking for new recipe ideas to help you get the most of your kitchen gadgets, visit: www.bbcgoodfood.com

 

Categories: cream, cream maker, cupboard, gadgets, hand blender, ice cream, kitchen, kitchen gadgets, nbsp

It’s Never Too Late, or Too Early, to Take Care of Your Skin

It’s never too late to start taking care of your skin but, equally, it’s never too early. Some people put off thinking about their anti-ageing wellness until the first wrinkles appear, but your skin actually begins to age when you’re only in your mid-20s, albeit not visibly. However, whatever your age, there are steps you can do to enhance your skin wellness, so what are you waiting for?

 

1. Use a gentle cleanser: If you have oily skin, you need to find an oil-free, foaming cleanser, but if you have dry skin you need to use a cleanser that’s rich and creamy. If your skin is very sensitive, a lot of cleansers may be harmful to your wellbeing, so it might be a good idea to talk to a dermatologist about how you can avoid irritation. Remember to wash your face with cool or warm water, as hot water can strip your skin off its natural moisture and protective layer. For the same reason, when drying your face remember to pat dry, rather than rub.

 

2. Moisturise: It’s important to use a moisturiser on your face as this will protect your skin, as well as making it look and feel better. Using a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser every day can be helpful if you have oily skin or breakouts, while people with dry skin may need to apply moisturiser more than once a day. To seal the moisture in, may sure you apply your cream or lotion when your skin is damp.

 

3. Always wear sun cream: Whether it’s summer or winter, a sunny day or pouring it down, a day outside or you’re staying indoors; you need protection from the sun during daylight hours. The rays of the sun can pass through clouds and even windows, so you’re never safe from exposure. This means you absolutely have to wear sun cream on a daily basis, and this needs to contain a broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher. When you’re buying your moisturiser, you can kill two birds with one stone by choosing one with SPF included. Remember to cover your lips, and to reapply your sun cream all over if you sweat or are outside for a long time.

 

4. Layer in the right order: It’s completely fine to layer your beauty and wellness products, you just need to do it in the right order to make sure they all do their respective jobs. First and foremost, you need to start with clean skin, and then proceed to apply any prescription creams or gels you might have. In the morning, you should layer on your moisturiser, followed by your sun cream (if it’s not in your moisturiser) and then, finally, makeup if you wear it. In the evening, you should follow up your clean face and prescription cream with an anti-ageing product (if you use one) and then a moisturiser without sun cream.

 

5. Exfoliate: Scrubbing away your dead skin cells will help your skin to glow. It’s dealers choice as to what you use for buffing, but generally a soft washcloth, spinning brush or a body scrub with synthetic beads will get the job done. If you have dry skin, you can probably get away with gently exfoliating once a week, but if your skin is oily, you may have to exfoliate twice weekly. However, if you have sensitive skin or acne, exfoliating may be irritating to your skin so speak to your dermatologist about the best way to move forward. No matter your skin type, exfoliating too much or too hard can irritate and thicken your skin, so be gentle.

Categories: anti ageing, cream, Dry Skin, Exfoliation, moisturiser, oil free, oily skin, skin, Sun Cream, wear sun

How to Prevent Dry Skin This Winter & All Through Year

Dry skin is, ironically, a real dampener on your wellbeing. When your skin is flaky and itchy, all you can think about is getting fast and effective relief, and never having to go through that irritation again. This means you might find yourself reaching for a moisturiser with a hefty price tag, but enhancing your skin wellness isn’t just about slapping on a cream and being done with it; it depends on all kinds of factors, such as how you clean your skin, the air around you, and even your clothes. Try our top tips for soothing your dry skin:

 

1. Don’t get overheated: According to dermatologist Andrea Lynn Cambio, MD, even though that steamy shower feels good, the hot water is actually drying out your skin. If your shower or bath is hot, rather than warm, it strips your body of its natural oil barrier that otherwise works to trap moisture and keep your skin smooth and hydrated. As well as turning down the temperature, you should also dial it back on how long you spend in the tub. Skincare experts recommend short, warm showers or baths that last no longer than five to 10 minutes, and you should gently pat dry and moisturise your body afterwards.

 

2. Cleanse gently: When you’re in the shower, make sure you use a gentle soap that doesn’t contain any fragrances, deodorants or antibacterial additives, as these can be harsh on your skin. Dermatologist Carolyn Jacob, MD, notes that cleansers that contain ceramides help your skin to hold in moisture, as these fatty molecules make up the outer barrier of your skin. However, you lose ceramides as you age, making products containing the molecules essential to your anti ageing wellness. You should avoid any toner, peel or other astringent that has been made with alcohol, as this dries your skin, and Jacob warns that exfoliating too much or too hard can irritate and thicken your skin, so be gentle.

 

3. Shave smartly: When you shave unwanted hair away, you also scrape off natural oils, which is why shaving can irritate dry skin. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends shaving after a shower, as it is during this time that hairs are softer and more pliable. Make sure your razor is sharp and you clean reusable blades with rubbing alcohol between uses. Never neglect to use a shaving cream or gel, and make sure you shave in the direction the hair is growing.

 

4. Shun the sun: Dry skin, wrinkles and roughness are all caused, to a large extent, by sun damage, and so wearing an SPF 30 sun cream every day can help to reduce the sun’s impact on your skin. Dressing correctly can also help you lessen sun damage, and Cambio points out that during cool weather you should ‘dress in layers to prevent overheating and perspiring excessively; both can irritate the skin.’ In winter, you can also prevent dry lips by using a lip balm with SPF 15 sun cream. When summer rolls around, light, loose, long-sleeved shirts and a wide hat can help to shade your skin.

 

5. Get the right moisturiser: Dermatologist Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, MD, advises, ‘Petroleum jelly makes a great moisturiser.’ However, you can also use mineral oil or your favourite cream or lotion – just find one that works for you. Leslie Baumann, MD, director of the Cosmetic Medicine and Research Institute at the University of Miami, recommends rich moisturisers containing shea butter, ceramides, stearic acid, or, her personal favourite, glycerin, as she says, ‘All are rich moisturisers that will help you replenish your skin barrier.’

Categories: Cleanser, cream, Dry Skin, Hot Water, nbsp, prevent dry, rich moisturisers, shower, skin, skin nbsp, Sun Cream

Try Yoga For the Glowing Skin You Dream of Having Forever!

The skin is the largest organ in the body and undoubtedly one of the most important to us in our daily lives. Our skin is our first line of defence against every piece of dirt and bacteria that we come in contact with and yet it’s also a signifier of our health and physical wellbeing. We expect a lot from our skin and yet it is so often one of the parts of the body that gets neglected when we think about looking after ourselves. But when we do try to take care of it there are a lot of different ways that people think are a good idea.

 

For many people, finding a way to care for their skin comes through one way and one way only: creams. A huge number of people use creams on their skin in order to stay healthy. And yet so many of these creams don’t contain natural or healthy ingredients, and while they may initially make your skin look better they will actually be worse for you in the long term. So it is a much better idea to look for other ways – healthier natural ways – that can help your skin look its best.

 

Interestingly one of the key ways that people are now beginning to care for their skin is through the practice of yoga. Yoga is well known as a way to exercise and become more flexible, but you may not know it as a way to keep your skin looking as good as it can. The science behind it is actually fairly simple – yoga increases blood flow which means that it is easier for the skin to be oxygenated. This means that skin is healthier in every way and will have that characteristic glow that we all want to achieve form our skin.

 

There are a number of different asanas or poses that can really make a big difference to your life and your skin. Before you attempt any of them, though, it is well worth going through the basic requirements of thinking about practising safe yoga. Firstly, if you have any existing back problems, neck pain or high blood pressure, practising yoga can be something of a problem. You should certainly consult your doctor and talk about whether it is actually safe for you do it. Clearly your health needs to take precedence over good looking skin.

 

One key pose is known as the matsyasana. This pose will help you to relax your facial muscles and then strengthen the muscles that you have in the neck and back. It also allows for controlled flow of blood to the face and increases the amount of oxygen that you have in your blood. Clearly these are all fantastic things for improving your skin. And it is also one that you can do comfortably in your own home.

 

To do this you will need to lie down flat on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Then you have to straighten your legs, and place your arms on either side of you. Now you will need to raise your hips, and do it on both sides, but only one side at a time and place your hands under each hip as you do it. Then bend your elbows and push your upper body off of the floor, being sure to breathe out when you do this. You should raise your chest, and then tilt your head back. Hold this pose for five seconds and then breathe out.

Categories: cream, nbsp, people, skin, skin nbsp, skincare, ways, yoga

Get it Right: How to Apply Your Anti Ageing Products

These days you get so many anti-ageing wellness products, it can be difficult to know which ones to take, in which combinations and in which order. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.

 

Let’s start with your new routine to help you look and feel young. Start your mornings off with a body moisturiser, and then move onto a cleanser, day treatment and eye cream (although the latter three are more optional). You then need to apply a facial moisturiser with sun cream, and after that you can apply your make up (if you want). In the evening, you again begin with a body moisturiser and cleanser, and then you have the option of an exfoliator. After that, a night treatment is a must, but the following eye cream and night face moisturiser are less necessary.

 

So that’s your general routine to help your anti-ageing wellbeing, but how do you apply specific products?

 

Day Moisturiser with Sunscreen

As this is your protection from the sun’s harmful rays, there’s no reason to tread lightly. Avoid your lash lines and eyelids, but otherwise you should spread a generous amount to your face, neck, the base of your throat and your chest. Let it sink in for two minutes before you put on make up.

 

Eye Cream

Using your ring finger, stroke a bead of eye cream once under your eye, starting an inch away from the outer corner of your eye. Then move your finger once over your eyelid from the inner corner to where you started. Keep doing this until the eye cream is blended in.

 

Night Treatment

This is usually best done on a clean, damp face, but if you have sensitive skin your face should be completely dry for two minutes before using the treatment. This is because the ingredients penetrate more deeply on damp skin, so they can irritate your sensitive complexion. As treatments are more potent than a moisturiser, you only need a pea-sized amount.

 

Body Moisturiser

Again, moisturise on damp skin, massaging it in right after you’ve had a shower. You should use a marble-sized blob for each limb, and the front and back of your torso.

Categories: anti ageing, body moisturiser, cream, Daily Routine, damp skin, Eye Cream, moisturiser, nbsp, Night Treatment, treatment

New Cream Could Completely Reverse The Signs Of Ageing

A new wrinkle cream called MitoQ could be a revolution in the anti-ageing market, as it is thought to both soften the skin and actually reverse the signs of ageing. This was discovered by scientists Rob Smith and Mike Murphy from Cambridge University, who stumbled across the blend of ingredients by accident. It is thought that the cream floods the cells with antioxidants and that these destroy any lurking free radicals.

 

If proved, this discovery will join a whole host of accidental medical breakthroughs which have occurred when scientists are looking for something else altogether. These include Botox, Quinine and Viagra, which were all discovered by accident.

 

In this case, the scientists at Cambridge University were working towards a cure for liver damage, and in the course of this they accidentally created a cream which they now feel sure will work as a powerful reversal for the signs of ageing.

 

Naming their product MitoQ, the scientists have patented the product which they say floods cells which the health-giving molecules and send them straight to the mitochondria, to eliminate the free radicals that cause tissue damage. The team claims that this discovery could massively enhance the body’s antioxidant capacity and restore ageing cells to their optimal function.

 

Other accidental discoveries include Viagra, which was discovered when scientists were looking for a medicine for angina. When the medication, designed to relax blood vessels, was tested on trial volunteers, the results for angina were disappointing. Then, the volunteers started to report that the side effect of the drug was that they were experiencing more erections. At this time, there was no treatment for erectile dysfunction and so this discovery was incredibly exciting.

 

Ritalin was also discovered by accident. It was originally intended to medicate depression in adults and is now used to tread ADHD in children.

Categories: ageing, aging, cambridge university, cream, discovered, Free Radicals, nbsp, reverse, scientists

Could You Get the Benefits of Stem Cells from a Cream?

Stem cells are being hailed for their use in multiple aspects of wellbeing, but now they may be able to improve your anti-ageing wellness. However, this discovery was a bit of an accident. Sydney cosmetic doctor and stem cell clinician Ralph Bright explains, ‘I’ll never forget the woman whose knee was injected with stem cells to repair it, and came back two months later saying her skin on her face was smoother and more elastic. We hadn’t touched her face.’

 

Now, stem cell derivatives are starting to be used in a new generation of face creams, but what makes them so effective? According to Sydney surgeon Bill Lyon, ‘many people believe stem cells are the holy grail in many aspects of medicine with excellent results. In animal experiments, stem cells have been shown to improve skin quality and integrity. They are thought to replenish the aged cells and tissues within the skin.’ This was the thought behind Luminesce, a range of creams and serums – created by US cosmetic company Jeunesse – which contain cytokines. These are the stem-cell derived messengers that communicate between stem cells within your body.

 

Brand spokesperson Vincent Giampapa, a New York plastic surgeon and anti-ageing doctor, comments, ‘Growth factors or cytokines are the cell’s language. In other words, the way thousands of cells communicate allowing them to do one vital function – repair and regenerate the tissue in the body. These cytokines are packed with vitamins and nutrients to nourish skin, and send signals to the body to slow down the signs of ageing . After extraction, the stem cells go through an extensive process to isolate the cytokines. These are in the creams. It is important to understand these stem cells and their receptors are extracted from the fat cells of grown adults. Human adult fat cells are packed with stem cells.’

 

Dr Bright notes, ‘You cannot keep stem cells active in a cream, so the use of cytokines, the cell’s messengers if you like is the closest we can get in a cream.’ However, Dr Lyon is sceptical. ‘Cosmeceuticals with stem cell extracts will work as well as any other product as long as the base ingredients are effective,’ he says. ‘The problem with any topically derived cream is getting the ingredients through the barrier [the skin] unchanged and still active. If this has been achieved they could be effective.’

Categories: cream, cytokines, stem cells