Popular Herbs Used in Skin Care and Their Benefits

Popular Herbs Used in Skin Care and Their Benefits: Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Lavender and Rosemary

Today skin care and cosmetics are increasingly going natural. You may have heard that herbs and oils are commonly used in skin care and cosmetics; but, you may not know why or what purpose they serve. why, and what do the do? Four very common and popular herbs that are used in the form of oil or gels are chamomile, Aloe Vera, lavender, and rosemary. All provide unique benefits for the skin and body.

The benefits of chamomile for the skin and body range from calming effects to healing. Recent and on-going research has identified chamomile’s specific benefits as

chamomile herb

anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-allergenic. Chamomile is most often recognized as an herbal tea; however, chamomile is present in many skin care products. Chamomile’s active ingredients extracted from the flower are essential oils and flavonoids. Essential oils help to calm and relax irritated skin. Essential oils have also been found to be beneficial to treat and sooth acne prone skin. Flavonoids – or plant metabolites- are rich in anti oxidants that help the body repair and heal damaged skin, as well as fight free radicals, which create damage to bodily cells. Chamomile has few side effects and is effective and beneficial to the skin topically or if ingested.

Aloe Vera contains numerous, minerals, vitamin, enzymes, and natural sugars that help with inflammation. Aloe Vera is commonly known for its healing properties, which explains its popular use in skin care. Aloe Vera aids in the healing of skin burns and cuts and moisturizes and softens skin. Aloe Vera is used in skin care products to help with dry sensitive skin as the plant has unique healing and soothing properties. Taken internally, Aloe Vera has been found to regulate digestion, which in turn builds healthy skin from the inside out. Aloe Vera is available as a gel, spray, lotion, juice, cream and in the form of a capsule. Aloe Vera is most commonly found in soaps, cleansers, facial masks, skin care gels or creams.

Lavender has many uses in skin care that include aiding skin repair, stimulating cell growth, reducing inflammation, preventing scarring and pigmentation, regulating oil production, and reducing pain. Lavender also works as antiseptic or antibacterial agent and is considered an essential oil. Due to its extensive benefits to the skin, lavender is often found in soaps, cleaners, or facial masks formulated to treat acne prone skin.

Rosemary can be used as an essential oil just like chamomile and lavender. Rosemary and lavender are actually found in the same herbal family. Rosemary tones

rosemary herb

the skin, helping to even out skin tone and texture, while reliving dryness. Rosemary strengthens capillaries and is good to use on aging skin. Rosemary is found in skin care cleansers, soaps, face masks, toners and creams.

There are many other herbs used in skin care and cosmetics today-most in the form of essential oils or extracts- and all can have different or positive effects on the skin and body. Herbs and oils have been used to heal for many centuries and now are being utilized for safe, natural ways to treat skin conditions and maintain a healthy complexion.

by Tiffany Oney

Removing Blackheads and Comedones

Eliminate blackheads and whiteheads

Blackheads are tiny, dark spots caused by a small plug in the opening of a follicle (pore) on the skin. Blackheads are also called open comedomes. A blackhead is a type of acne vulgaris. It is caused by excess oils that have accumulated in the sebaceous gland ’s duct. Blackheads are typically caused by excessive oil and makeup, which can facilitate the multiplication of the bacterium propionibacterium acnes, the predominant anaerobe of the normal skin flora. The substance found in these bumps mostly consists of keratin and modified sebum (an oily secretion of the sebaceous gland ), which darkens (resembling dirt) as it oxidizes.

If you suffer from blackheads or whiteheads and need to know which products are best. Look for non-comedogenic products - they are less likely to cause blackheads (called open comedones) or whiteheads (closed comedones). Most brands of make-up are non-comedogenic, which means they won’t clog your pores. If your skin is prone to acne or
especially sensitive, try to find products that are non-comedogenic, oil-free (water-based), hypoallergenic (unlikely to cause an allergic reaction) and fragrance free. It may be helpful to remove make-up before exercise, as the products can travel across the face through sweat and clog your pores. However, since no product is non-comedogenic for everybody, it’s a good idea to first test any new product on a small area of your own skin.

Blackheads are the slightly different sibling of pimples, and like pimples, squeezing them can be damaging. Composed of the same oil, or sebum, that contributes to the production of pimples, blackheads result from a building up of this oil in pores. The difference in appearance than that of a pimple is the result of the blackhead’s exposure to the air.
The oxidation (or darkening)  of the the oil causes the trademark black color of these blemishes.

While blackheads are more easily obscured by makeup, they can seem less offensive to the sufferer, and as a result, less damaging to squeeze. But squeezing is not good for blackheads. It can leave a permanent scar on skin and also leaves your skin open to infection. Comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) are caused by the densely packed skin cells. Comedones, commonly appear on the face and shoulders, but they may also develop on the trunk, arms, legs,
and buttocks. They are most common in teenagers but can occur at any age, even in infants.

Treatment for whiteheads and blackheads depends on the severity of the condition. Treatment may include lotions or gels placed on blemishes or sometimes entire areas of skin, such as the chest or back (topical medications). Oral medications, such as antibiotics, may be prescribed.

Causes of Blackheads

Blackheads are caused when excess skin oil, sebum and congesting toxins are expelled through your skin from the blood and lymph fluid that supplies your skin with nutrients. These congesting toxins combined with skin oil and sebum clogs your pores causing blackheads, whiteheads, and full blown acne. Dirt also plays a big role in developing skin blackheads. The dirt stored on the face or other parts of body help the bacteria to develop.

Symptoms of Blackheads

Blackheads and whiteheads are a combination of oils, sebum and cellular fragments that form firm to hard plugs within hair follicles. Blackheads are open to the skin’s surface and become darkened at the surface by exposure to oxygen (oxidation). They are called open comedones (or comedo, singular). Whiteheads are closed from the skin’s surface by
cellular debris at the follicle opening. Because they are closed from oxygen they do not oxidize or turn brown. They form a light or yellow-white lump and are called milia (or milium, singular). When bacteria is added to these plugs, the condition can lead to acne.

Treatment of of Blackheads

Mild cases of acne can be self-treated with over-the-counter topicals (applied to the skin) creams typically with benzoyl peroxide. Zinc Oxide is also a safe natural alternative to reduce infections. There are also a variety of different medications that your family physician might prescribe that come as creams, ointments, and pills. Some of the stronger medications for acne are not to be used if you are pregnant, so make sure you tell your doctor if this is a possibility. Most acne medications work by reducing the next “crop” of acne, so don’t get discouraged if the treatment does not work right away.

Home Remedy for Blackheads
1. In 3-4 cup boiled water, add 2 tsp of soda bicarbonate. Steam a towel with this. Thereafter, place the towel gently on your face. Do it for about 5-6 times. Make a paste by mixing 1 tsp curd and 1 tsp rice flour.  Apply the paste on the affected area. After some time, wash your face with cold water.

2. Take about 1 tsp of juice extracted from fresh coriander leaves and add ½ tsp of turmeric powder in it. Apply this mixture while going to bed. Wash your face the next morning with cold water.

3. Take a pinch of soft portion of glycerin soap and mix with a pinch of table salt. Apply this mixture on the blackheads. Do it for about a week and see the magical results.

4. Salicylic acid, glycolic acid, benzyl peroxide, etc. can be counter-productive to softening and dissolving blackheads and whiteheads as they can dehydrate dry, normal and combination skin

5. Make a paste by mixing 1 tsp limejuice and 1 tsp of finely powdered cinnamon. Apply it on the affected area before going to bed. Wash it off in the morning.

When looking over other strategies on how to remove blackheads, you want to make sure that you are not using your fingernails to squeeze. Your fingernails could be loaded with all kinds of bacteria, which could cause infections. If you do decide to squeeze, make sure you are properly cleaning and sterilizing your hands or using a tissue, to reduce the risk of infection.

Exercise caution. Squeezing a blackhead too much or too soon may lead to the rupturing of a blood vessel. Even though this is a rare occurrence, it can still happen. If you find this happening to you, do not continue to squeeze the blackhead because you may make it worse.

End of Summer Skincare and Zinc Sun Protection

By Van Le | Labor Day can be bittersweet since it offers an always-welcomed three-day weekend, but it also marks the unofficial end of summer. In other words, after one last frolic at the beach, it’s time to put away the swimming suits and flip-flops, and wake the winter coats and boots from their hiatus. The seasonal closet makeover is a no-brainer, but there’s another place that needs attention: your makeup and skincare cabinet. Towards the end of the year, your skin needs protection from cold weather and reduced humidity. Switching to winter-friendly products can keep your skin looking healthy and beautiful.

Hot, humid weather during the summer can cause pores to expand because sebum is more fluid in this environment. As a result, deep cleansers and foamy cleansing products are appropriate, since they are able to reach deep into the pores, eliminating dirt and oil buildups. During the winter, however, cold temperatures can lead to dry and cracked skin. Switch to a mild soap, and your skin will feel smooth and soft as opposed to dry and tight after washing. Products that contain natural moisture such as Aloe vera are also excellent, since they are not harsh on dry, winter skin.

Winter air literally sucks moisture from your skin, so moisturizing is a crucial step in winter skin care. Even more important to moisturizing is choosing the right product. Products containing mineral oil, almond oil, or avocado oil work especially well since they keep the skin hydrated without clogging pores. Flaxseed oil is another beneficial ingredient, since it is not only rich in omega-3 fatty acid, but also has the ability to hydrate the skin from the inside out. Moisturizing right after a warm shower will help seal in the water and prevent dry skin. Also consider using a humidifier in your room or office, since it returns the moisture into the air and help the skin stay hydrated.

Just because it is cold outside does not mean you should toss your sunscreen tube. Even when you can’t feel the heat, the sun is still emitting harmful UVA and UVB rays, so it still important to protect your skin. Apply a moisturizer that contains an SPF of at least 15, or use products containing zinc oxide, which acts as a natural barrier between your skin and the sun. Surprisingly, the sun’s reflective power on snow can be as high as 80%, so it is possible to be sunburned after spending a day on the ski slopes without sun protection. Moreover, don’t forget to help your lips battle harsh winter conditions with plenty of lip balm. Packaging is also important when deciding on a lip balm. Little tins and jars can spread germs since you are using your fingers to apply. Tubes can be a healthier and more convenient option. Remember to keep your skincare products readily available in your purse, car or desk so you can reapply throughout the day.

Winter skin care may differ from summer skin care in the type of products used, but the regimen for healthy skin is the same year round: cleanse, moisturize and protect.

Van Le is a staff writer for the CSU paper the Daily Titan and writing intern for Vivoderm Laboratories in Los Angeles, California. She is currently pursuing a Journalism degree at California State University, Fullerton.

For the latest findings on natural skincare link to http://www.bestnaturalsoap.net

Natural Anti Aging Skin Care Ingredients

We know it is impossible to stop the natural aging process; however it is possible to delay it. There are many options available to achieve this, including cosmetic surgery and medical treatments, however the most popular and most cost efficient solution, aside from eating well and exercising regularly, is the use of anti aging products. These products can be for both cosmetic internal and external treatment.

Although wrinkles, lines and age spots are formed by the natural effects of getting older, one way to prevent them from appearing early on in life is to avoid direct sunlight and use sunscreens with SPFs 15 or higher. While, most of us have some form of sun-damaged skin, there are ways to regain healthy, smooth skin.

After many years of research, scientists, dermatologists and plastic surgeons have discovered that a variety of natural ingredients and vitamin extracts significantly help slow down and even reverse the signs of aging skin. These ingredients are now found in many physician developed and physician recommended anti-aging skin care products, which are specified below.

Vitamin A (Retinol) - Topical Vitamin A has been suggested to help build collagen fibers within the skin in addition to its more superficial exfoliating property. This is the basis for its use in minimizing the appearance of fine wrinkle lines.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C or ascorbic acid acts as an antioxidant and is considered vital in wound healing because it aids in stabilizing collagen. When applied topically, vitamin C can reduce fine lines and wrinkles and may lessen the severity of sunburns.

Vitamin E - Vitamin E is another antioxidant that shows to have anti-inflammatory effects on the skin. When applied topically, vitamin E has been shown to improve moisturization, softness and smoothness and also provides modest photo protection.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) - AHAs are designed to smooth fine lines and surface wrinkles, to improve skin texture and tone, to unblock and cleanse pores, to improve oily skin or acne, and to improve skin condition in general.

Glycolic Acid - Glycolic acid is the most active and beneficial of the Alpha-Hydroxy-Acids (AHAs) in skin care. Once inside the cells, the acid triggers new formations of collagen to plump cells and the ground substances in the skin to reduce wrinkles on the skin’s surface. Glycolic acid is proven to be very effective in the treatment of acne as well as in cosmetic uses.

N-6 furfuryladenine (kinetin) - The nature-identical plant growth factor, furfuryladenine, retards the aging of plant cells as well as in vitro human skin fibroblasts. This natural, anti-aging ingredient has been proven to reduce wrinkles and fine lines and is exclusively found in Kinerase creams and lotions. This is a proven alternative for people with sensitive skin or people who are sensitive to products containing Retinol and Vitamin C.

Copper Peptides – Copper Peptides are the latest scientific breakthrough in skin rejuvenation. Copper has been found to naturally firm the skin, enhance elasticity, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

Pal-KTTKS - Pal-KTTKS is an effective ingredient for reducing fine lines and wrinkles. It’s found to promote a smoother, younger complexion quickly, without with out expensive and painful chemical peels, surgery or injections.

Green Tea Extract - Green tea’s anti-inflammatory and anti-growth qualities are found in many skin care products designed to reduce the appearance of puffiness, wrinkles, fine lines and large pores.

TNS - The biotechnology of the skin’s natural healing process has arrived with the first tissue repairing complex containing growth factors found in normal, healthy skin. Unlike anything else currently on the market, TNS is the next level of skin rejuvenation that delivers dramatic results, for smoother, softer, younger looking skin.