For Extra Dry Skin, Try Oil Based Cleansers
I recommend oil based cleansers for anyone with extra dry skin. In fact, I make a handmade soap from organic oils, specifically with dry skin in mind. But oils have long been used as cleansers without the intermediate step of turning them into soap.
When a Roman citizen came home from a busy day building aqueducts and conquering barbarians, the evening started with a bath. The Roman would cover him or herself with olive oil, which was then removed by a slave using a strigil, a blunt bladed knife. He would then go into a steam room to open up the pores, before finishing off the process by plunging into a pool of water.
The Romans obviously enjoyed the process immensely. One Roman emperor was asked by a foreigner from one of the smellier ancient nations why he bathed once a day. The reply was, he didn’t have time to bathe twice a day. Soap was not used until much later in the history of the Empire when things were beginning to go badly for the Romans.
In the absence of slaves, modern bathers have switched to synthetic cleansers containing detergents and other scientific wonders. They wash off dirt and cut grease, with no muss or fuss, and they leave us squeaky-clean. Unfortunately, they can also leave our skin very dry. Over-cleaning is not good.
I’m not saying this is why European happiness levels have been declining lately (as this article in Science Daily reports), but I know it can’t help.
That’s why oil-based cleansers are such a good idea, especially if you have extra dry skin. And be sure to avoid harsh detergents in your cleansers, especially sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium deodecylbenzene sulfanate.
You can learn more about oil based cleansers at Colin’s Beauty Pages, the source of the above quote. The site is informative (written by a cosmetic scientist) and a lot of fun (how can that be?).
For Soap You Can Love
It’s a lot of fun to make your own soap. There are so many ways you can go with it. The same basic process has been used for hundreds of years – add fatty acids to a strong alkaline base at the right temperatures, and voila, soap!
The kind of soap you get can vary so much. You can make spectacular soaps with colors, textures and shapes from your wildest dreams. Heady smells, too. Soap-making can be a sensual art form, for sure.
But my interest in soap-making has more to do with what the finished product does for my skin. I want a moisturizing cleanser that I can use every day on my face without depleting my natural oils; something that smells divine, and leaves my skin feeling soft afterwards. And I don’t want that tight, dry feeling; not ever! That’s the feeling of skin stripped bare of its dewy, protective shield.
So for fatty acids, I use rich organic oils. And when I mix them into the alkaline base, I add still more organic oils to “super-fat” the mixture, causing the finished soap to be soft and nourishing. Of course, I love its smell. That’s because of the essential oils I choose, another of the joys of making your own soap.
And the soap is just right for my dry skin. It’s a pleasure I enjoy every day.
Face Reading
Here’s looking at you…
If you’ve been wondering what other people think when they see your face, the ancient art of Chinese face reading, tells you the answer! We’re all pretty skilled face readers, and Chinese face reading explains what your face is saying about your health, character and life experiences. Having your face read is fun and it’s often also quite profound, and a chance to reconnect with who you really are, and who you really want to be. For couples or family members, it can highlight similarities, and also areas of difference, and how you can adapt to each other’s needs.
Check out these face-reading videos to see what people’s faces show about them – and what they might be thing about you when they look at your face. It’s a way we can deepen our connection with each other and find more common ground. Plus it’s a lot of fun, of course.
Are You Ready For Glamor Food?
There is plenty of research showing that specific foods can benefit our appearance. A recent study at the University of Kingston, for instance, found that white tea, even in small quantities, had a surprisingly strong effect in slowing the breakdown of collagen and elastin.
“The researchers were blown away by exactly how well the white tea had performed. “We were testing very small amounts far less than you would find in a drink,” Professor Naughton, one of the country’s leading specialists on inflammation, said. “The early indicators are that white tea reduces the risk of inflammation which is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers as well as wrinkles.”
Here is what The Republic of Tea in Novato, CA have to say about their Get Gorgeous brew
Herb Tea for Clear Skin – Let’s get one thing clear. True beauty comes from within. But when it comes to clear skin, some of us can use a little help.
So here’s good news: this organic, rooibos-based, naturally caffeine-free tea blend is brimming with antioxidants – your skin’s best friend.
We can expect to hear more about nutricosmetics, I’m sure. The trend will underscore that we can do a huge amount for our appearance by eating and drinking well.
Click here to learn more the beauty benefits of green tea.
Acupuncture Can Help With Facial Lines
Have you been paying attention to the cosmetic acupuncture stories that have been in the press lately?
Here’s a quote from The Irish Times, reported by the Cosmetic News Portal saying that acupuncture is “a viable alternative to cosmetic surgery and the effects can run much deeper than simply improving appearances.”
I’ve been interested in acupuncture for a long time, both for my appearance and for general health reasons. I find it really works, and I’m delighted to see it getting more attention in the beauty area.
You can get a lot of helpful information here about how acupuncture can improve facial lines. The site tells you what you can expect from the treatment, and how to make sure you are a good candidate for it. It is written by a practicing acupuncturist, who is going to stand by whatever she represents to her patients, so it is very clear about what is reasonable to expect, and the fact that different people will respond differently to treatment. The whole site is packed with practical information for anyone contemplating acupuncture treatment. Highly recommended!
You can get a lot of help for fine lines from a good organic moisturizer. It will plump up your skin and close up fine lines. And of course, a good moisturizer will keep your skin from becoming too dry and developing deeper lines in the first place.;
When Not To Exfoliate
Even though exfoliating is a cornerstone of good skincare, there are times when we should not exfoliate.
Top of the list is when we have any degree of sunburn. Sunburned skin is too raw for exfoliation. The same goes for chapped skin – and for the same reason.
If your skin is sunburned or chapped, let it heal completely before you exfoliate it.
And avoid exfoliating on days when you are having a spa treatment or giving yourself a facial – anything outside of your normal skincare routine. At these times, your skin has enough going on already, and it needs time to rebalance itself.
The key to exfoliating is to do it regularly – once or twice a week – but only when your skin is ready for it. And gently!
Related Articles
The Best Exfoliant For Dry Skin
How To Tell If You Are Exfoliating Too Much
Age-Defying Oils For Dry Skin
There is a good article at PositivelyBeautiful.com about dry skin products based on organic coconut oil and Argan oil from Morocco. The author, Carmindy, writes about oils that moisturize and protect our skin and keep it looking great
One of my favorites is pure organic coconut oil that easily absorbs into the skin and contains vitamin E, lauric acid and other antioxidants. It smells heavenly and hydrates the skin naturally. Helena Rubenstein famously quoted, “Don’t put anything on your face that you would not put in your mouth.” and with coconut oil, I could not agree more.
I’m a big fan of coconut oil. It is one of the best oils you could possibly use for rejuvenating dry skin. I use the extra virgin grade in my moisturizing products.
For those of us with dry skin, the right oils can really help repair and maintain our moisture barrier. Our dry skin is a result of loss of water from the skin. Oils prevent that loss, as well as serving to soothe and smooth the skin, leaving it looking and feeling soft and dewy.
I follow Helena Rubenstein’s advice and do not put on my face anything I would not put in my mouth. So I moisturize with products made from pure, organic oils. They work the best for me.
I wrote previously here about organic coconut oil for health and beauty.
