Women Skin Care & Beauty Blog

Exfoliating Faces by stevehicks

One of the best methods used to keep the skin radiant and healthy is through regular exfoliation. This is the process used to remove the dead cells and dirt on your skin. This can be done more often according to the kind of exfoliate used, the skin type and the general skin health of a person. Exfoliating is a skin treatment done to slough off dead skin using a sponge or brush. This process is commonly used in the face to remove the dead cells and oil that cause the pores to get clogged leading to the development of common skin problems such as pimples, whiteheads, blackheads and acne. Dead cells when left unattended would create a problem in the sebaceous gland making your skin look patchy and dull.

Facial Exfoliation

Exfoliation will encourage the growth of new skin cells, making your skin feel smoother and look brighter. This will also speed up the skin flaking, shedding and improve your skin complexion. The process is done by first washing your entire face with a mild cleanser to remove residue of make-up and any impurities present in your skin. Wet the surface of your skin and apply an exfoliating cleanser which is designed only for the face or put a small amount in a brush or sponge. Scrub your face in a circular motion and avoid the area surrounding your eyes as this part of the skin is very sensitive to abrasive products. Rinse your face carefully with lukewarm water and pat dry completely with a clean towel.  Apply an exfoliating mask to make your skin brighter and healthier. Finally, apply a nourishing cream and moisturizer to your skin.

Exfoliating Products

Regular scrubs can be used to treat your skin but the result will not be the same as an exfoliator does. The natural fruit based products and the ones containing oatmeal, kernels, apricot seeds and almond meal can be used as an excellent peel. Exfoliating scrub will help increase blood circulation leaving your skin smooth and youthful without irritation.

Nonabrasive and gel-based products are the most effective exfoliating peels which will moisturize the skin. This is also an excellent treatment for acne because it does not contain abrasive ingredients and irritating granules that can damage your skin. Exfoliating astringents will help control excess oil in the face and this is appropriate to all skin types including acne-prone skins.

Exfoliating mask is also designed to get rid of dead skin cells of the face. They can help refresh your skin with the growth of new cells in the skin. If you want to make a homemade exfoliator, you can combine oatmeal and water into a paste. Regular sea salt can also be use while showering and would provide better results. However, if you already have a dry skin, it is advisable to use a moisturizer after.  Sugar is one of the best natural exfoliator used by many people. You can mix two teaspoons of honey and sugar for a daily exfoliation. Add a little oil to the mixture if necessary.

Fat accumulation is not the main cause of cellulite formation. But cellulite may form due to the presence of excess fat in the body. That is why obese people have a greater chance of developing cellulite than thin or skinny people. You should hence exercise restraint on your food habits. Dieting is important as it helps in reduction of unnecessary fat which not only spoils your metabolism but also makes the presence of cellulite visible. However, mindless anti-cellulite diets will only enlarge fat glands and do nothing to reduce cellulite.

So, let me enlighten you with some guidelines which will help you pursue an anti cellulite diet which is both healthy and effective.

Foods that you should eat:

• Fish: Fish contains fatty acids which help fortify your skin cells and improve the texture and quality of your skin. Cellulite will reduce gradually with the aid of these fatty acids which get replenished regularly. Fish also contains proteins which help fight cellulite. Some fishes that produce effective results are tuna, halibut, herrings, salmon and mackerel. But remember to have fish boiled, steamed or grilled, and never fried.
• Nuts: Nuts contain lots of fiber, protein and other beneficial fats. A handful of nuts, each day is enough to provide stability to your diet and ward off cellulite. You can try hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, almonds, pecans and peanuts.
• Cheese without preservatives and low fat yogurt: They contain vitamins and calcium which are essential for the body to fight cellulite. However, only have them in low quantities; else they may become detrimental to your health.
• Vegetables and fruits: No healthy diet is complete if it is not replete with fruits and vegetables. They contain antioxidants which help in eliminating cellulite in your body.

Foods that you should avoid:

• Saturated fats: Stop eating saturated fats which include animal fats as well, especially steak and pork. These fats are perfect catalysts for the initial formation of cellulite in your body. You will do well to buy only lean cuts of meat (red meat especially). If you can reduce the intake of meat completely, so much the better.
• Carbonated beverages and caffeine: Most carbonated beverages contain caffeine. Tea and coffee have caffeine in them. Caffeine can seriously harm you by promoting waste storage in your body and decreasing circulation of blood through blood vessels and body fluids through lymphatic nymphs. The basic reasons of cellulite accumulation are stagnating, improper body fluid circulation and waste storage.
• Sugar laden products and junk food: These foods contain toxins which are harmful for your body. The may not form cellulite, but they definitely worsen conditions of already existing cellulite to a large extent. This is the sole reason why most health experts urge you to stay away from snacks and fast foods!

A common misinterpretation is that dieting is starving (especially to people obsessed with being slim). Starving weakens your body by disallowing nutrition from entering it, something your body badly needs. But anti cellulite dieting implies that you maintain a healthy food habit, by just doing off with unhealthy foods which aid the production or increase of cellulite in your body.

No matter how hard you try to avoid them, the signs of aging will show up sooner or later. And the problem is not just restricted to wrinkles and fine lines on your skin, but extends to physiological and psychological changes as well. Despite modern medicine advancing by leaps and bounds, there is still no ‘magic pill’ to prevent the aftermath of aging. Diet can obviously play a very important part in deciding how gracefully you age and whether your health remains intact throughout the aging process. But then is there anything such as an anti-aging diet?

Perhaps there is! Some foods and drinks contain powerful components called phyto-nutrients, which are believed to hold the key to long-life. These are actually anti-oxidants which destroy disease-causing free radicals in your body. You may not be aware but these ‘free radicals’ are oxygen molecules which can hasten the onset of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Other than antioxidants such as these, some other foods also enhance the rate at which you age by causing cellular inflammation. So, an ideal anti-aging diet should consist of foods which are anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants.

Therefore such a diet can never include trans-fatty acids, sugars, starches and saturated fats. Ideally you should look at diets comprising of:

• Cold water fishes such as salmon which are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. This acid offers a multitude of health benefits.
• Avocado, which is a great source of monounsaturated fat, which is healthy and helps reduce bad cholesterol from your body. It is also a good source of vitamin E which prevents signs of aging from showing up on your skin in the form of fine lines and wrinkles. Being rich in potassium it also helps you keep blood pressure under check.
• Berries are a great source of antioxidants and phyto-nutrients. All black and blue berries help reduce the number of free radicals in the body.
• Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and sprouts which can significantly reduce the amount of toxins in your body. These are best eaten raw or very mildly-cooked so as to keep the important enzymes intact.
• Nuts, which are not only great sources of minerals but also help you control the levels of cholesterol in your body.
• Wholegrain foods, which provide soluble dietary fibers and also large amounts of phyto-nutrients.
• Yogurt which has probiotic elements. These help in introducing good bacteria to your intestines particularly when you have yogurt with active cultures.
• Whole meal pasta and rice which gives you complex carbs. This helps you stay energetic and beat lethargy, which is a vital sign of aging.
• Soya which helps stabilize estrogen levels after menopause. Unstable estrogen may hasten aging post menopause and fermented Soya products can help you prevent that.
• Lots and lots of water everyday. Provided you are drinking clean water, there is better way to flush out toxins from your body and keep your skin fresh and radiant.

It’s not necessary to have all of these as a part of your diet, but you should definitely try to include as many as possible. Remember that anti-aging diets are simple and effective and there is nothing miraculous about them!

Have you ever developed cellulite in your thighs, abdomen, arms, breasts or buttocks? Have you experienced stretch marks on various parts of your body? If you have, you will know how ugly they (cellulite and stretch marks) look and how depressing it feels to have them. Generally, poor blood circulation, impaired lymphatic drainage, fluid retention and reduced venous flows trigger subcutaneous cells to turn into cellulite. The cellulite accumulates in certain areas of your body giving it a flabby, obese look.

The skin in the process gets stretched, in order to accommodate the underneath flesh (with the cellulite added). As a result, skin proteins like elastin and collagen are lost. This creates stretch marks on that part of the skin.
Let us now look into the primary causes of cellulite and stretch marks.

Genetics

If you have inherited excess fat cells, weak lymphatic vessels and poor vein structure, chances are that you will suffer from cellulite formation. Poor circulation of blood and other body fluids, as well as hormonal sensitivity are other inherent features which can cause cellulite.

Stress

Much as it may sound disconnected, high stress levels and increased surge of adrenaline in veins can also help in the formation of cellulite.

Female Hormones

Have you ever observed that cellulite is a problem more prevalent in women than in men. This is because, firstly, the fibrous septae structure is more entangled and mesh-like in women than it is in men, where it is smooth. This makes the structure more prone to trapping fat cells and forming cellulite. Secondly, the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone stimulate development of cellulite. Estrogen determines the quantity and location of fat cells and encourages cellulite to grow around thighs, breasts and buttocks. Progesterone leads to fluid retention in veins and increases weight.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, there is a surge of hormones and high retention of body fluids. The hormones weaken tissues in the body, especially the ones present in walls of vessels and veins.

Pelvic surgery and liposuction

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery which helps you get rid of cellulite. In reality, it does so only temporarily. Gradually with time, the capillaries and the nymph vessels get damaged (primarily because of the surgery). Hence, when the effect of the surgery wears down, cellulite starts developing again with greater impetus since there is reduced microcirculation. Pelvic surgery can also disrupt the lymphatic system and form fibrous scar tissues producing cellulite.

Obesity

This does not necessarily mean that cellulite follows obesity, since skinny people are also not immune to cellulite formation. But the probability of an obese person developing cellulite is more. This is because excess fat shoves the cellulite in the subcutaneous layer upward making the cellulite even, more prominent.

Some other factors that contribute towards cellulite and consequently stretch marks are smoking, passive lifestyle, harsh massages and enlarged lymph nodules. If you have a genetically weak structure that is not very resistant to cellulite, there is little you can do. However you can definitely manage the other factors and ensure that you do not invite cellulite and the ugly stretch marks that it leaves behind.