Beauty Tips Guides

How many times have you seen commercials for dandruff shampoos that claim to help dandruff? Have you ever thought that people who have dandruff are not taking proper care of their hair?

Maybe you have dandruff and are wondering what you are doing wrong, why you cannot seem to get rid of it. Maybe you even spend even more time scrubbing your scalp and shampooing your hair in an attempt to rid yourself of this condition. If this is you, then you know that dandruff is not caused by lack or hygiene. So, what is dandruff?

Dandruff, which affects nearly everyone at some point, is dry, white, and flaky. It comes from the scalp and is usually noticed on your shirt or blouse, most often on the shoulders. Dandruff can be a number of conditions, so it wise to see your doctor or dermatologist to determine the exact cause of your particular dandruff. Conditions that may be causing your dandruff but require special attention include seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis.

Simple dandruff is your scalp shedding dead skin cells in larger clumps than normal. These clumps look like small flakes that are dry and white or grey in color. Small patches where the clumps have fallen from the scalp may be seen hidden within your hair, appearing more often on the top of your head.

Because skin cells replenish themselves very quickly, you scalp is constantly shedding dead cells. Usually, like the rest of your skin, these dead cells are shed almost invisibly. Without this shedding process, the scalp would be unusually thick.

Sometimes, the skin begins to over produce new cells, causing an excess of dead cells to build up. These fall in the larger, visible flakes that we call dandruff.

Most people think that dandruff is the result of a scalp that is too dry, when the opposite is usually true. In many cases, oily skinned people have more trouble with dandruff than people with dry skin. This may be due to the fact that the oil tends to act as glue, sticking the dead cells together and holding them to the scalp for longer than usual. Because more men have dandruff than women, it is possible that male hormones also come into play with this condition.

In the case of oily skin, proper care can help control your condition. The first thing you should realize is that you should not try to combat oily scalp by using shampoos that are excessively drying. Moisturizing shampoos may actually help you more because over-drying your skin causes your oil glands to work harder in an attempt to correct the lack of moisture. Use of moisturizing conditioners may help also.

Good scalp manipulation while cleansing can relax the inner workings for a short while (notice how your head feels when you have been to the salon). More important than any moisturizing agent is to be sure that you rinse extremely well. Shampoos and conditioners left on the scalp to dry will cause excess dryness in your scalp. Remember that you still need to keep your scalp clean, just use the right products to clean it.

When dandruff is actually the result of seborrheic dermatitis, an abundance of dead cells is usually apparent in eyebrows and around the nose (in the folds). Like that in people with oily skin, there is an overabundance of yeast on the skin. Because the yeast tends to thrive on oils, seborrheic dermatitis is an even more optimal environment for this growth than simply oily skin is.

Everybody has this fungus on their skin, but it often over produces in people with seborrheic dermatitis. When this condition is present, certain triggers often preclude a flare up. These can include: seasonal changes, diseases, stress, and excessively dry air, use of over drying shampoos, sweat, allergies, yeast infections, among other things.

Basically, by being careful about what gets on your scalp and staying away from things that cause drying, you can often control simple dandruff at home. Seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis will take more in depth treatment and should be seen by a dermatologist to get the best results.

Louise Forrest has created the ultimate FREE Health & Beauty guide. Find out how you can gain access to FREE skin care articles, tips and techniques at http://www.NaturalElements.co.uk
Learn how you can help care for your dandruff at www.NaturalElements.co.uk

Foot care begins with nutrients, removal of toxins, and an infusion of moisture. If you are eating good, organic food and drinking plenty of water, doing regular foot massages will increase circulation which will increase the nutrients to you skin cells and will and aids in the removal of toxins.

Increased internal moisture is also a great benefit that your skin will get through a healthy diet, fluid intake, and regular foot massage.

You can examine and change your diet and fluid intake, and see a manicurist regularly to achieve these benefits or you can learn to pamper your feet at home. I do have to tell you that the good side to home massage is that you spend less money, but the bad side is that you do not receive the same relaxation that you would by visiting a manicurist. If you want beautiful feet from home, check out our sections on diet to learn more about what you should be eating to achieve healthy skin, drink your water, and do the following massage at least once per week.

In order to do a proper foot massage, you will want a lotion or oil that can be warmed. Many times, you will find that warming in the microwave will work, but you should be very careful using this method. The emollient (lotion or oil) can get very hot very quickly in the microwave. It is better to find a product that is packaged in individual packets which are designed to be placed in a bowl of hot water to warm them. You can often find these for hair care and they are fine to use for your foot massage.

You will need a mild cleanser, a footbath full of warm water, a hand towel (you will get oil or lotion on this so do not choose that hand-embroidered towel that has been passed through generations), and the above-mentioned emollient that you can warm. The water in your footbath should be fairly warm but not hot. You want to help soften your skin to prepare it for the massage, but you do not want to strip natural oils from your skin. Make sure that you are wearing older, shorts or pants that you can roll (or otherwise fix) your sleeves up to your elbow.

First, rest both feet in the footbath, and let them soak until they begin to feel relaxed. You may choose to do the massage as part of a bath, which makes it easier to soak your feet and legs comfortably.

Second, smooth the warm oil (or warm lotion) all over both of your lower legs and feet from the knee to the tips of your nails, getting between each toe and along each nail.

Begin to massage by using your thumb and fingertips to gently rub small circles along the lower leg, starting at the knee and working all the way to the ankle. If you thumb cannot comfortably massage a portion of the leg, use the fingertips.

Once you have massaged the entire leg, you should be at your ankle. Ankles tend to swell throughout the day due to various triggers. This inflammation can slow the circulation to your feet, which is why you want to spend some extra massage time here. Massage both the inner and outer wrist in tiny circles.

Resting the back of your foot on the fingers of your hand, place your thumb on the sole. You will feel plenty of muscle in this area and will probably feel quite a bit of tension in these muscles. Massage tiny circles over each muscle, relieving the tension in them. If a muscle feels particularly tight, massage it until it begins to loosen. Once your palm muscles are fairly limber, you are ready to move to the toes.

Begin at the base of your pinky (smallest) toe with your massaging fingertips on the back and your massaging thumb on the palm side of the finger. Rub small circles with both your thumb and fingers at the same time; work from the base to the tip. Repeat this finger massage two times on each finger and on your thumb.

Turn your foot over and rub tiny circles around each nail, making sure to massage all the way around each nail.

Repeat the process on the other leg and foot, wiping excess oil from both legs and feet using the hand towel.

Louise Forrest has created the ultimate FREE Health & Beauty guide. Find out how you can gain access to FREE natural skin care articles, tips and techniques at http://www.NaturalElements.co.uk
Learn how you can benefit fromnatural foot care at www.NaturalElements.co.uk

Every woman idolizes the female stars of the red carpet. How is it that their skin is so perfect and flawless? How can we have skin like that? What unique skin care treatments and regimens do they use? Why is it that some people just have amazing skin? There are thousands of skin care products hawked in TV ads and at the local stores. Some can be quite expensive like Strivectin SD (around $100 a tube). What really works? Great skin is not only for the stars and can be achieved by anyone with a little knowledge of skin care and treatments. It also does not have to be super expensive either.

First of all, too many of us use harsh soaps and cleansers that actually dry out the skin. Dermatologists know this and routinely prescribe and recommend gentle cleansers like Cetaphil that will clean without irritation. Irritation can lead to rashes and breakouts. It can also worsen acne. Yes, in some really oily cases, dermatologists will recommend a strong anti oil soap like Dial soap. But for regular to dry skin it will cause over drying and can cause photo aging of the skin (which causes wrinkles and fine lines to appear before their time).

It is a good idea to follow up with a moisturizer that is non comodogenic or non pimple causing. Find a moisturizer that you like and stick with it, one that smells pleasing, does not cause skin allergies, and one that you really like. It is important to find a moisturizer with sun blocking features added. If it does not then you will need to add a sun lotion to your regimen. Basically, you want to keep your skin care regimen as simple as possible. The simpler it is the more likely you will follow it. Every added and unnecessary step will make it that much more likely that it will end up like a New Years resolution, a wish that does not hold out.

Limit sun exposure as it can age your skin and cause wrinkling, sun spots, freckles and fine lines. Yes, many of the stars always seem to have beautiful tans and the sun only makes them look better. The reality, though, is that many of them fake it. They use spray on tans and products with self tanners in them. They also have these professionally applied so it is a beautiful and seem less application. Also, many of the pictures we see have actually been touched up by computer photo editing and digital software. The latest advances in digital photo editing have recently been revealed in articles in the New York Times and it is quite amazing. They can add or remove weight, age or rejuvenate skin, etc. So, many times when we see these stars and how beautiful they may look, they really do not look that way.

One treatment currently used by almost every plastic surgeon and dermatologist on stars and non stars is the TCA peel. The TCA peel has the ability to remove several layers of skin and reveal younger and fresher skin from underneath. It can treat aging skin, remove or lessen blemishes and pigmentation problems, even tighten skin as it increases the production of collagen. A TCA peel will also restore the skins pH to normal and reduce the conditions favorable to a bacterial infection like acne. TCA peels are actually one of the only treatments currently used for both anti aging and acne treatment.

So there you have some great advice, use a gentle cleanser, moisturize, use a high SPF protection, get a TCA peel, and do not get discouraged as the stars do not always have perfect skin.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. For more information and great tips on skin care, anti aging treatments, acne and the TCA peel please visit Great Looking Skin And The TCA Peel.

Cellulite is a common term used to describe overfilled fat pockets right under your skin. These are fat cells that have become enlarged causing these cells to take up more space between the skins connective tissues than normal. The fat then expands these spaces resulting in the overlying skin dimpling, often called the orange peel effect. It is obviously not too pretty, that is for sure.

It appears in ninety percent of post adolescent women, but is rarely seen in men (not fair). Common areas where cellulite tends to appear, are the thighs, buttocks, and the abdomen. Contrary to popular belief, cellulite is not related to obesity, since it occurs in overweight, normal, and thin women. As you might have already guessed, it causes many image problems and many women avoid wearing short skirts or shorts because of it.

What causes Cellulite ? There are many factors, such as :

1. Heredity - it may run in your family. However, you can still do a lot to fight the effects.

2. Not drinking enough water - water helps flush toxins and waste from your body. Drink seven to eight glasses of water a day.

3. Diet - poor eating habits (alcohol, caffeine, spicy or fatty foods) contribute to the formation of cellulite because the toxins they produce get trapped in the fatty tissue. Saturated fats block the arteries and get trapped in the tissue as well, preventing sufficient waste and toxin elimination.

4. Smoking is not only bad for the skin and lungs, but it weakens the skin by causing constriction of capillaries. It also damages the connective tissue and can increase the dimpling effect of cellulite.

5. Tension and stress can cause a muscle to seize up in pain and they can also cause the connective tissue that covers that muscle to seize up. Tension can also block the tissue, preventing proper waste elimination and purification.

6. Medication can disturb the natural processes of the body, disturbing the purification system that is naturally in place. Diet pills, sleeping pills and diuretics can all lead to cellulite; oral contraceptives, which increase estrogen, cause fat cells to enlarge, leading to water retention. Retaining water inhibits the body from flushing the system of toxins, leading to the formation of cellulite.

7. Lack of exercise contributes to the formation of cellulite. Exercise decreases many health risks and also improves muscle tone, circulation and overall well-being, helping to break blocked tissue and purify the body.

There are three main cellulite treatments - endermologie, cosmetic surgery, and topical creams or lotions:

Endermologie - As scary as it may sound, the Endermologie machine, developed in France over a decade ago, has been found to have an effect in fighting cellulite. It uses rollers and gentle suctioning to deeply massage the affected areas, increasing circulation. Toxins and abnormal water buildup are expelled as connective fibres are stretched. Endermologie also exfoliates the skin, leaving it soft and silky. The increased circulation may give you a natural energy boost. Many sessions are normally needed. This can add up to several hundred dollars and it is expensive.

Cosmetic Surgery - treatments like liposuction (surgery to remove fat) and mesotherapy (injection of drugs into cellulite) are either expensive or may produce only temporary improvement. Many doctors advise against liposuction because it is designed to remove deep fat instead of cellulite, which is close to the skin. This is performed by a plastic surgeon and can be expensive compared to other methods. Consult with your doctor if you want to explore this further.

Cellulite Creams or Lotions - thankfully, this is a less costly alternative and is the safest and most popular way to reduce the problem. Because cellulite is actually little pockets of fat under your skin, your blood circulation does not easily reach these areas and specially formulated creams can help. Some of the ingredients used in these products include Algae extract (which can break down fat and increase your metabolism), Green tea extracts (will back up the algae extract and increase the rate at which your fat is broken down to form smooth tissue) and Retinol A (a compound that is a derivative of Vitamin A) and targets your skin and connective tissues directly to condition and strengthen. Retinol A has a rejuvenating effect on your skin, and will decrease your cellulite while preventing it from becoming worse over time. It can improve your skins texture, so your skin will become smoother and firmer and this helps your cellulite vanish even faster.

So, try one of these cellulite treatments and make yourself even more beautiful and confident.

Ken Black is the owner of Skin Care Reviews, a website with information on the best Anti Aging Skin Care Treatments.

An important part of keeping oily skin under control is keeping the topmost layer of your skin free of debris and oil build-up. It is important not to over-strip the skin and to use mild cleansers because harsh skin care products can create a cycle of oiliness that just gets worse. When your skin is too dry, it tries to correct the moisture imbalance by creating more of its natural oils. By adding exfoliation to your skin care regimen, you open pores and remove toxins from the skins surface, allowing the skin to breathe more naturally. This is important in alleviating oily skin. Aside from this, fine lines will become less visible with regular exfoliation and your skin will have a healthy glow.

These steps describe a total body exfoliation, but may be adapted for exfoliating only the face. It should be noted that over exfoliation can lead to cracked skin and broken capillaries just beneath the skins surface layer, so exfoliate but do not over do it.

Wet your entire body in the bath or shower. A slick, smooth skin surface is important to keep the skin from being pulled (which stretches it).

Apply an organic exfoliating treatment (you want to find or make one for oily skin) to a pair of exfoliating gloves (the exfoliation surface of the gloves should not be too rough). Make sure the treatment is well dispersed over the exfoliating surface of the gloves. Exfoliating treatments that utilize citric juices as ingredients are good for oily skin.

Beginning with your feet, massage the treatment over the entire surface of your skin, being very careful with sensitive areas like the insides of arms and thighs. Your massaging should consist of small circles which overlap each other repeatedly.

Once you work up to the top of your thighs, switch and start on your arms. Your torso should be last. It is recommended to save your face by exfoliating it with your normal skin care. Exfoliating your face in the mirror allows you to see when you are being too rough with it. You do not realize how much you are pulling your facial skin when you cannot see it.

Rinse your body thoroughly. Cleanser left on the skin can be overly drying and lead to even more oil production.

Follow with a good organic moisturizer for oily skin applied to wet or damp skin. This will help seal water into the outer layers of the skin which can help balance the moisture content and allow your skin to slow its oil production.

Tips:

Exfoliation is for men, too! When making your own exfoliating treatments, you can make your man more comfy about this by watching the fragrances of essential oils you may use. Using the woodsy essential oils will give the treatment a more masculine scent. By making your own moisturizers, you can do the same with moisturizer; he may be more inclined to use it this way.

When exfoliating the face, apply a bit of witch hazel with a cotton ball for a mild astringent to help with oil control.
Mix 4 tablespoon organic oat flour with 2 tablespoons powdered milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to make a smooth paste. Apply to face, let sit until dry, and rinse with warm water. This can be used a couple of times a week.

If you have contacts, be very careful. The fine particles in exfoliating treatments (which are necessary for exfoliation) can scratch or tear your contacts or become trapped under your contact and scratch your cornea. When rinsing, make sure your eyes are tightly closed.

Oatmeal exfoliation can be very soothing to your skin. It is rather sticky and messy, so be sure to do this over the sink (so you can rinse you hands easily after application and so the mess falls in the sink not on the floor). First take a tablespoon of honey and spread it over the entire face. Let this sit for 3 to 5 minutes because its moisturizing properties will loosen the upper layer of debris and old oil.

Then take oatmeal and press in onto the face, making it stick to the honey, leave for another 3 to 5 minutes (allowing the natural chemicals in the two to mix). Begin massaging the mixture all over the face making tiny circles. You can just rinse with warm water after this process, but you may want to use a mild, organic cleanser. Either way, follow with a good organic moisturizer for oily skin.

Louise Forrest has created the ultimate FREE Health & Beauty guide. Find out how you can gain access to FREE skin care articles, tips and techniques at http://www.NaturalElements.co.uk
Learn how you can help treat your oily skin at www.NaturalElements.co.uk

Picture this - clean, smooth, hairless bodies! Doesn’t that sound appealing? What more, that you can permanently free yourself from waxing, tweezing and shaving? Well laser is the solution!

Laser hair removal has become the rule of the day. This therapy is defined as “epilation performed by laser.” Epilation means removal of hair from the body. The chief technology behind it is selective photothermolysis. The scientific definition of selective photothermolysis is - getting the right amount of the right wavelength of laser energy to the right tissue to damage or destroy only that tissue, and nothing else.

So what is the role of a Laser Hair removal specialist? And how do you know that you have consulted the right specialist? There are some questions that you need to ask before deciding if this therapy is right for you.

A laser hair removal specialist or surgeon (as they are known) uses a special instrument in order to deliver pulses of light into the hair follicles. Follicles are damaged and hair growth is terminated due to the heat emitted. The laser pulses are long enough to vaporize the pigment, and thus disable a number of follicles at a time. This drastically hinders any hair growth in the treated area.

The time frame of the treatment and the intensity of the laser beam is dependant on two criteria:

* Density and color of the body hair.
* The body surface from which the hair is to be removed.

The treatment can be performed in either minutes or hours. The number of sessions required for the treatment can vary though. Usually patients need to wait for nearly a year to notice substantial benefits of the treatment, as hair growth cycles are about six months.

Selecting Your Specialist
The parameters of selecting a laser hair removal specialist are:

* Ensure that the specialist works on a good laser, which has been prescribed for hair removal.
* Is the laser used, harmless to your skin and hair type?
* Reliable certification of being a laser hair removal specialist and level of experience in the field.
* Policy of the clinic to correcting or repeating the procedure if the therapy does not produce desired and expected results.
* Cleanliness of the clinic.
* Last, but not the least, charges for the treatment.

Guidance From The Specialist
A reliable and qualified specialist should also be able to guide his customer on the following:

* How your skin will respond to the thermal effects of hair removal.
* He should be able to detect and understand underlying causes of hair growth, which can influence your hair removal progress, and develop a treatment schedule that will work for you.
* Should be able to refer you to respective specialists when hormonal imbalances are detected which cause some types of hair growth or when unusual dermatology conditions are observed.

A special mention here is that customers ready to undergo this therapy should be aware that not all laser hair removal specialists are physicians, as some of them may be have studied or trained for specifically, hair removal, under which they learn the biology and growth cycles of human hair, laser physics, and safety concerns of the treatment.

Customers Should Make Certain
It is suggested, that customers go for the first-time consultation and trial, before undergoing the therapy itself. Also, customers should inform the hair removal specialist about specific allergies and medical conditions. They should intimate the surgeon if they are undergoing any particular medication, as that can affect the therapy adversely.

Also, it is the customers right to know more about the therapy. So customers need to ask the following questions:

* Can the laser treatment cause irritation to the skin?
* How many sessions to undergo?
* Any specific methods that will be used, deviating from the normal procedure, is so, why?
* Any health-related side effects?
* What are the precautions to be used during the treatment, and post treatment?
* Confirmation of the permanency of the treatment.
* Is the treatment, completely painless and if not, what kind of anesthesia is being used?
* The chances of re-growth.
* Talk to clients that have previously undergone the treatment from the particular practitioner.
* Also, make sure to have a written document of the prescribed treatment and the expected results. In this regard, it is advantageous if the customer notes down the particular laser device used and other specifications of the treatment.

Safe beautification is the key! Make sure to take adequate precautions and select the right specialist.

Owen Walcher is a freelance writer, writing laser hair removal articles such as Laser Hair Removal Specialists You can find more laser hair removal articles here: http://www.laserhair-removalnews.com/