HOW TO GET YOUR PERFECT SKINCARE ROUTINE

Finding the perfect skincare routine can feel like mission impossible, so we’ve designed this guide to help you find a routine that suits you and your skin. Remember your skin will change over time, and you will need to update your regime on a regular basis in order to keep your complexion in tip-top condition.

What’s your skin type?

Very dry/dry
Your skin can often feel quite tight, and flakey skin is not uncommon. You feel as though you can’t moisturise enough, and your skin sometimes feels uncomfortable after cleansing. You may also suffer from sensitivity, and you find that perfumed products can leave your skin looking angry.

Normal/combination
Your skin is either very well behaved or a total nightmare. You find yourself with clear skin for days but then will have a sudden breakout across your t-zone. You're also prone to dry patches of skin as well, although more frequently you’re trying to fight off blemishes which seem to always appear across your forehead and nose. You’re never 100% sure which products to use.

Oily/blemished
You may have always had oily skin, or you may have found yourself suffering from adult acne in the last few years. You struggle to keep your makeup in place all day, and you often find that your foundation has slipped off. You always feel like your skin is shiny, and you don’t feel like you can use any moisturiser in case it makes you more oily.

What to use when

Cleansers
Use a cleanser twice per day, in the morning to clean and freshen the skin, and in the evenings to remove all traces of makeup. Use a cleanser designed for your skin type, and if you have very dry skin opt for a cream based cleanser.

Toners
Toners are used after cleansing and before moisturising, you use these to keep the skin feeling fresh and to remove any remaining traces of makeup. We recommend using a toner once per day. See all Toners

Masks
Face masks are a leave-on formula which you can use for a more intensive skincare routine. We recommend using a mask once per week, and opting for one designed for your skin. Masks are great for helping you solve common skin complaints such as overly dry skin or blemishes. Just follow the instructions and sit back and enjoy an at-home pamper session. 

Exfoliators
These buff away dead skin cells, to leave the skin looking smooth and blemish free. Very gentle exfoliators can be used daily, whilst rougher formulas should only be used once or twice per week. Combination skins will benefit most from daily exfoliating.

Moisturisers
It’s a myth that oily skin types shouldn’t use moisturiser. Every skin type needs to be hydrated, but you need to pick a moisturiser which is right for your skin. If you do have oily or combination skin, opt for an oil-free formula, and gels are also a better option than creams. For dry skin you can pick a richer, creamier formula. Only apply moisturiser where you need it, so if you have a troublesome t-zone, apply the lotion to your drier areas such as cheeks, and lightly to the forehead and chin. You only need a pea-size amount of moisturiser, too much will overload the skin and can result in breakouts. 

Serums
If you have very dry skin you can use a serum before a moisturiser, although other skin types may choose to use a serum instead of a moisturiser too. Serums are a more targeted part of the skincare routine, they are absorbed better into the skin, and are usually created for specialist needs such as added hydration, acne or ageing. You only need to apply a pea-sized amount of serum. 

Night creams
Night creams are perfect for dry to very dry skin, they are packed full of nutrients to rehydrate the skin overnight. Apply after cleansing and before bed. Combination skins can also benefit from night creams on any dry or tight areas, oily skin types may find the night cream formulas too rich, and we would suggest using your morning moisturiser at night for added hydration. 

Eye creams
The skin around the eye is much thinner and therefore more delicate. The eyes also show signs of fatigue, with dark circles, puffiness and wrinkles being common issues. To try and combat this, it is advisable to use an eye cream or serum twice per day. Eye creams are much richer formulas which help soothe the eye area and hydrate the skin. Oily and combination skins are able to use eye creams as frequently as dry and very dry skin types. A top tip when applying eye cream, is to gently pat the cream under the eye, rather than rub as this can make the eyes feel sore. 

Men’s skincare
It’s not just women who benefit from a good skincare routine, men can also banish spots, signs of ageing, and dry, tight skin. The products you shouldn’t be without are; an exfoliator, a face wash, a moisturiser and a post-shave cream or gel. You may also want to invest in an eye cream if you find you suffer from fatigued eyes or soreness. Use these products daily or as advised, and you’ll be amazed at how great your skin looks and feels. 

5 Top skincare tips:

• Tip1: Change your skincare seasonally; you need heavier formulas during the winter months when your skin becomes drier, during summer opt for a lighter moisturiser which is oil-free.
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• Tip2: Less is more, you don’t need to use huge amounts of moisturiser and products, just a pea-size amount daily is more than enough.
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• Tip3: If you use a moisturiser which comes in a pot rather than a pump make sure your hands are super clean, to prevent putting any bacteria into your cream, as this can then lead to spots.
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• Tip4: Don’t jump around products too much, but do try new ones. You need to give new products time to work, so don’t discard after a week of use, after a month if you haven’t seen any positive changes then this cream may not be right for you.
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• Tip5: Remember that your skincare needs will change as you age and on your environment. The moisturiser you used in your twenties probably won’t be right for your skin in your forties. If you live in a busy city, your skin is more prone to pollutants and you may need a more intensive cleanser.
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source : http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/A+Buyer's+Guide+to+Skincare/buyingGuideSkincare,default,pg.html

The Best 5 Anti-Aging Skin Care Face Mask

If you’re crunched for time, or tight on cash, and can’t make it to the spa, you can still provide your skin with the special attention it needs to look healthy and rejuvenated. These simple homemade anti-aging skin care recipes cover all the bases. You can do any of these homemade anti-aging skin care recipes in the comfort of your own home, using only natural ingredients, to take care of the overall health of your skin.
Homemade Anti-Aging Skin Care Recipe for Hydration

This homemade anti-aging skin care recipe is really only one ingredient: honey. After you’ve cleansed your skin, smooth over a teaspoon of honey all over your face. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, and then rinse it off with warm water. Not only will the honey draw out skin impurities, it is also a natural moisturizer, which makes it the ideal ingredient for a homemade anti-aging skin care recipe.
Another good hydrating ingredient for homemade anti-aging skin care recipes is extra-virgin olive oil. If you have really dry skin, rub a drop or two between your fingertips and gently rub it into your skin before bed. You can also add a few drops to a bath to target dryness all over your body.
Homemade Anti-Aging Skin Care Recipe to Brighten Your Skin
There are two ways to brighten your skin: internally and externally. The best brightening ingredient for homemade anti-aging recipes is vitamin C. Start by adding more of it to your diet. An easy way to do this is to add a slice of lemon or grapefruit to a bottle of water while you’re on the go. Citrus fruits make for great homemade anti-aging recipes, even just on their own, because they help to cleanse you from the inside out by removing toxins and impurities that could show up on your face.
You can just as easily add vitamin C topically using orange juice as a homemade anti-aging skin care recipe. Simply soak a cotton pad with 100% orange juice—avoid the processed stuff—and wipe it across your face and neck. Then rinse and pat dry. The brightening effect is gradual, but it works.
Homemade Anti-Aging Skin Care Recipe to Refine Skin Texture         
For this homemade anti-aging skin care recipe, you’ll need two whole walnuts. Start by crushing the insides of the nuts, then mix in two tablespoons of yogurt, followed by a teaspoon of 100% pure almond oil. This creates a natural exfoliant that’s gentle enough for everyday use. Each ingredient has a role to play in this homemade anti-aging skin care recipe—the walnut buffs away dead skin, dirt, and oil from the face, while the lactic acid in the yogurt refines texture and tightens pores. The almond oil will sooth and moisturize the skin, leaving it feeling soft and smooth.
Homemade Anti-Aging Skin Care Recipe for Bags Under the Eyes
Tea is a popular ingredient for homemade anti-aging skin care recipes. Brew a cup of white tea on medium heat—setting the temperature too high prevents the tea leaves from steeping to their maximum benefit. Wait until the tea is warm, then soak a facecloth in the water and place it over your eyes. The heat will open up pores and the tea will infuse itself into your skin. White tea works well as a homemade anti-aging skin care recipe because it’s loaded with antioxidants and neutralizes free radicals. Its anti-aging properties will help deflate bags under the eyes while also treating the rest of your face.
Homemade Anti-Aging Skin Care Recipe for Oily Skin
This is one of the simplest homemade anti-aging skin care recipes for oily skin. Using one egg, separate the yolk from the egg white and apply the egg white directly onto your face. As you feel it tighten, it is also drawing out impurities in the skin, including excess oil. After 10 minutes, rinse off with lukewarm water and pat dry.

Here’s another homemade anti-aging skin care recipe that works well for oily skin. Drench a washcloth in warm black tea and lay it over your entire face—make sure you can breathe comfortably. Doing this for 10 minutes every day for two weeks will drastically reduce the slick appearance of oily skin over a longer period of time.

source : www.agein.com

The Dirty Truth: Coconut Oil as a Facial Cleanser

Okay, okay... I know. The idea of smearing oil all over your face is completely the opposite of what many of us grew up learning. I know. It's weird.

I mean most of us grew up with the idea that oil was the cause of our bad skin. I thought that the more I could get rid of oil, the better I would look and that belief lead me to years of buying prescription medication, cleansers, and lotions that said "oil reducing". I spent a ton of money and my skin only got worse! Eventually, I gave up all the expensive oil stripping products and things started to get better.
Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly that easy. But there was enough of an improvement that I began to wonder if oil wasn't so bad after all.

I did a lot of research, but part of me was still very hesitant to try it. I somehow just knew that if I used it, then I would wake up the next day with a face full of zits. I bet that's how you feel too, right?

Oh, the horror!! 

Seriously, it took me months to grow enough nerve to try it. Yes, I know. I'm a wimp.

I was such a wimp that I decided to start experimenting with coconut oil in other ways. I made deodorant with oil. I know. It's weird. But it worked! My pits smelled fabulous and there are no zits.Sweet!

I tried other beauty products with coconut oil and each one worked great. I didn't break out anywhere on my body, plus my skin was smoother and softer. I became a believer! It was time to start using coconut oil to clean my face.

Why Coconut Oil Is Good For Your Skin

• It has antibacterial and antifungal properties (goodbye acne and eczema)
• It won't change the pH of your face so it's not irritating
• Lots and lots of antioxidants to help diminish fine lines and wrinkles
• Great natural moisturizer
• It tricks skin into thinking it has enough oil to slow down oil production while locking in the moisture.
• It's been shown to work for all skin types although some people may be more prone to break outs using only coconut oil. If you break out then you can mix it with other oils like castor oil or jojoba oil.

Even celebrities use it! Heck yes, I want to look like Gisele Bundchen and Gwyneth Paltrow!!  If it's good enough for them, then it's definitely good enough for me! Also, I found out that ancient nobility (Pharaohs, Roman Emperors) used natural oils commonly for skin cleaning and moisturizing. If oil is good enough for models, celebrities, and ancient royalty, then I suppose it's good enough for me. {wink}

The one thing I will impart with you as IMPORTANT is that you buy a good quality coconut oil.

You should look for a coconut oil that is unrefined, 100% coconut oil, and preferably organic.Remember this stuff will be entering your pores and hydrating your skin-- this is a time to splurge a little! Get the good stuff!

Your face will smell like vacation.

What You Need:

• Coconut oil (organic is best) 
• I use these brands: Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• A warm, wet washcloth-- I use 100% 
• Organic Cotton Wipes Technically, they are baby wipes. I know. I know. But they are a nice size and softer than a wash cloth.
• Essential oils optional 

Step 1: gently massage the coconut oil to your face (~30 secs)

Step 2: apply warm towel onto your face (to open up the pores)

Step 3: wait 15-30 seconds or so and then lightly remove oil with washcloth-- no scrubbing!

Step 4: if you feel like you need it, splash some warm water to remove excess oil, but your skin should absorb most of it. 

Done! See-- not so hard, right?

The warm cloth will open up your pores and allow the coconut oil to go inside and push out all that dirt and yuck that's inside.

Overtime, coconut oil is supposed to help even skin tone and reduce the size of your pours. You can also use this in the shower, but I don't recommend washing it off right away. Let your skin absorb it for a few minutes before you try to remove any excess oil.

You can also add other oils into the coconut oil for additional benefits. I've seen multiple websites that recommends mixing the coconut oil with carrier oils, especially castor oil at a 1:1 ratio.

You can use carrier oils such as....

• Almond oil or Grapeseed oil for oily skin
• Sunflower oil or Aragan oil for regular skin
• Avocado oil or Apricot oil for dry skin
• Jojoba oil for all skin types, but especially acne prone skin
• Castor oil for all skin types (but is more likely to cause drying and sensitivity than other oils)

Don't be afraid to experiment!

Essential oils

You can add essential oils to your coconut oil to get added skin benefits. Just make sure to dilute them by using 1-3 drops per teaspoon of coconut oil.
I recommend using therapeutic grade essential oils because other essential oils are more likely to cause a reaction because they are not meant to be applied directly to the skin. Did you know that only 10% of an essential oil actually needs to be 100% plant matter to have "pure" on the label! Blasphemy!

Trouble Shooting
There have been reports of increases acne with the use of coconut oil in some people. Other people have great results, so you'll have to see how your skin reacts to the coconut oil. If you do notice that you start to break out, then I've read that people will often replace the coconut oil with jojoba oil or mix it with castor oil which greatly improves the symptoms.

Storage

I recommend putting a little coconut oil in a container with a lid so you can freely dip your fingers or put a cotton ball into it.

It can be stored at room temperature. It does NOT need to be refrigerated. It will last years at room temperature, but since you will be introducing objects or fingers into the coconut oil, I recommend that you use your best judgement. Even though coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties remember that your fingers harbor bacteria so you probably don't want much more than a few weeks supply in your storage container at at time. Sorry, I'm a total germaphobe.

You should not store coconut oil in anything that doesn't have a lid that easily comes off or that you can  not stick your fingers into because it can be a liquid or a solid or something in between. Coconut oil has a melting point (anytime the temperature is above 75 degrees) so the consistency will change throughout the year. It's summer and I have seen it as both a liquid and a gel consistency, but I know from using coconut oil that it can become solid when it's colder. However, it easily melts when it comes in contact with heat (like your hands).

The Dirty Truth is...
I know that this isn't for everybody, but a lot of people really love cleansing with coconut oil and they have seen tremendous results. But it can cause comedogenic acne in quite a few people (which are tiny clusters of small, hard pimples) and if that happens you should change what you're doing! You can keep cleansing with oils, but you should either change oils or blend the oil with another carrier oil. Some other people have a tremendous about of acne with OCM and that doesn't mean that OCM isn't for you- it means you have to experiment more with different kinds of oils and ratios.

sourcee : http://www.overthrowmartha.com/2013/07/coconut-oil-as-facial-cleanser-dirty.html