What are the Best Body Moisturizers for Different Skin Types.

If you are constantly confused as to which is the best body moisturiser to use or more importantly which is the best for your particular skin type then this article will help you to choose the right product and tell you what you should be looking for in a body lotion to cater to your individual needs.

Knowing what skin type you have is key to choosing the correct body lotion.

SKIN TYPES.

Normal skin - indications include : Skin with an even tone that appears smooth, feels soft and does not suffer from dryness, blemishes, etc.

Oily skin - indications include : Skin that is prone to blemishes and breakouts especially on the back, chest and shoulders, extreme cases of oily skin can be prone to acne.

Dry skin - indications include : Skin that is prone to dry, rough patches and irritates easily, extreme cases of dry skin can be prone to eczema or psoriasis.

There are of course exceptions to these 3 skin types, you could have a combination of the 3 types for example, you may have dry skin on your legs and arms but oily skin on your back and chest, or you may have mostly oily skin with a few dry patches. By using the above indicators you can determine which skin type you have, if you have combination skin you may need to use 2 different moisturisers, read on to find out which ingredients work best for different skin types.


WHAT PRODUCTS TO USE FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE


Normal Skin : If you have this skin type you are extremely lucky! You may think that because you don't have skin problems that you do not need to moisturize regularly and people with this skin type often neglect their skin. You do however need to keep your skin hydrated to keep it smooth and supple, you should be using a light textured, vitamin enriched body lotion with cucumber or aloe vera to keep your skin supple and beautiful.

Oily Skin : If you have oily skin you may be wary of using moisturizers but there are lots of body lotions that are formulated for this skin type that will not block your pores so knowing the right ingredients to look for in a moisturizer is key. Use a light, oil free, noncomedogenic ( does not block pores ), ph balanced body lotion containing zinc and retin A or lemongrass to keep your skin oil free and beautiful.

Dry Skin : If you have dry skin you need to use a fragrance free, rich textured body lotion containing vitamin E, honey extract, shea butter or neem oil to keep your skin smooth, soft and beautiful.


Articles on how to manage eczema or acne prone skin are upcoming.

Check the archive for more great beauty tips and tricks.

3 Vitamin Packed Smoothies and Juices For Healthy Skin.

We all know that to keep your skin healthy you need to include at least five fruits and vegetables in your diet, you also need to drink between 6-8 glasses of water a day, but actually fitting these elements into your daily routine can be quite a challenge. Drinking smoothies and juices is a fantastic way to contribute to your 5 a day fruit and vegetable target and they also have a high water content which will contribute to your daily water intake.

Here are 3 delicious smoothies and juices which you can make yourself .

Kiwi Smoothie.

Ingredients :

5 fl oz of milk (soya or rice milk can be used as substitutes)

1 Lemon juiced

1 Lime juiced

2 Kiwis

12 oz of vanilla ice cream (soya ice cream can be used as a substitute)

1 teaspoon of sweetener or 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Step 1 : Put all ingredients into a food processor and process on a medium setting until smooth.

Step 2 : Decorate with kiwi slices.

Spicy Carrot Juice.

Ingredients :

9 fl oz of carrot juice

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of ginger

I teaspoon of fresh, chopped parsley

3 fl oz of water

Ice cubes

Step 1 : Put all ingredients into a food processor and process on a medium setting until smooth.

Step 2 : Garnish with some chopped parsley and add ice cubes.

Peach and Raspberry Smoothie.

Ingredients :

6 fl oz of milk (soya or rice milk can be used as a substitute).

6 oz of tinned peaches

17 oz of fresh raspberries

2 sliced bananas

Step 1 : Put all ingredients into a processor on a medium setting and process until smooth.

Step 2 : Decorate with raspberries.

These tasty recipes are packed with vitamins and taste fantastic. Incorporating plenty of fruit and vegetables into your diet will help you to achieve beautiful, healthy skin, hair and nails, so by drinking one of these smoothies or juices every day will soon see the benefits, feel free to try out your own recipes also, try combinations like strawberry and apricot, apple and cinammon and blueberries and blackberries, for tasty, healthy treats !

How to Get Perfect Lips.

If you always see beautiful models with perfect pouts and are wondering how to achieve this look for yourself look no further. Here you will find all you need to make your lips irresistibly kissable !

Lip care Tips.

The skin on your lips is different from that of your face and so needs to be cared for differently. Using a moisturising lip balm containing vitamin E daily is important as it helps keep your lips soft and supple. Avoid excessive use of lip gloss though as this can actually dry out your lips.

If you have very dry lips a good tip is to apply a layer of Vaseline to your lips, take a dry flannel cloth and gentle massage your lips using a circular motion with the flannel, do this for about 1 minute, wash off all the Vaseline and pat dry, now apply a vitamin E lip balm to your lips. By doing this once a week you will help to slough off any rough, dry skin from your lips. Be careful not to scrub your lips though as the skin is very delicate. If you suffer from cold sores be careful not to rub or scrub your lips as this may trigger a cold sore.

How to Apply Lipstick Perfectly.

Get perfect lips in 5 steps.

For this you will need :

Lip Balm

Foundation or Concealer

Lip brush

Your favourite lipstick

Lip liner pencil matching your lipstick colour

Clear Lip Gloss

Step One : Apply a thin layer of lip balm and rub into your lips well.

Step Two : When applying your foundation or concealer put a little on your lips so you will have a smooth canvas to apply your lipstick.

Step Three : Using your lip pencil draw around your lip line keeping the line soft and feathery, do not draw a hard, blunt line, the idea is to give your lips a natural but defined line. Pay particular attention to your cupids bow, make it a little more pointed for a glamorous look or more rounded for a natural look.

Step Four : Apply colour to your lips using your lips brush, blending the lip colour into your lips to ensure longer-lasting colour.

Step Five : Put some clear lip gloss on you bottom lip only to give your lips a fuller look and give your lips a glossy sheen.

Tips and Tricks for Beautiful Lips.

Dramatic lips need toned down eye make-up and dramatic eyes need natural lips so go for one or the other ! This will ensure that you achieve a gorgeous look and properly accentuate your features.

If you have big lips don't apply gloss all over your lips instead only apply to your bottom lip in the center to avoid the "trout pout" look !

If you have small lips avoid dark lip colour, go for bright warm colours to give the illusion of fuller lips.

If your teeth are a bit on the yellow side avoid red lipstick.

It's that simple, 5 steps to gorgeous lips !

How to Get Rid of Dark Circles Under Eyes.

If you have dark circles under your eyes it could be due to food allergies or weak kidney function,poor kidney function leads to bad circulation and so causes dark circles, some people are born with dark pigmentation under their eyes and so this is hereditary. To find out which of these is causing your raccoon eyes just follow these steps !

Look in the mirror and lightly apply some pressure to your under eye area, if the dark area lightens momentarily then the most likely cause is poor circulation, if there is no lightening then your dark circles are more than likely genetic.

Either way there are a lot of things you can do do diminish or conceal them, try the following tips and you will have beautiful, bright eyes.

TIPS AND TRICKS

What foods to eat to get rid of dark circles under eyes ?

1. Eat foods that support kidney function such as, salmon, walnuts, garlic, kidney beans, ginger, raspberries, blackberries, onions and beetroot.

2. Take a horsetail supplement (500mg twice daily) and magnesium supplement (300mg twice daily).

3. Drink 2 glasses of cranberry juice daily.

4. Try Uva Ursi Tea or in capsule form.

5. Eat iron rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, spinach, lettuce, etc.,

What eye cream to use to get rid of dark circles under eyes ?

1. Creams which contain yarrow root, aloe vera and vitamin k are proven to have fantastic effects on dark under-eye circles.

How do I conceal dark circles under eyes ?

1. Use concealing powders which contain light diffusing particles and mica or a creamy concealer one shade lighter than your skin tone to conceal dark circles. Lightly dab on the concealer and blend well, do not rub it in to your skin as the skin under your eyes is very delicate.

2. Use a white make-up high-lighting pen or cream in the corners of your eyes to brighten up the eye area.

Other Tips and Tricks

1. Get at least 8 hours sleep every night, your beauty sleep really is important !

2. Use cucumber slices or used teabags on your eyes to brighten and refresh your under-eye area.

Follow these tips for beautiful, sparkling, bright eyes !

Beauty on a Budget - Facials.

If you want a fantastic facial or a pretty pedicure but don't have the money to buy that expensive face cream or to splash out at the salon, look no further as I will be adding a new "Beauty on a Budget" post every week to help you look gorgeous without spending a lot of money. The first post on this subject will be on how to give yourself an amazing facial for little or no cost using stuff you can find in your kitchen.

FANTASTIC FACIAL FOR ALL SKIN TYPES.

What you will need :

A Face Cloth

Honey (2 tablespoons)

Oats (1 tablespoon)

Pre-soaked Almonds (3 tablespoons) mixed with water to form a paste.

RoseWater

Cotton Wool

Vitamin E Cream

Soft Fluffy Towel

Ok so you've got all you need to begin your facial so here is exactly what to do :

Step One : Remove all make up with your regular facewash or cleanser.

Step Two : Wet your facecloth with warm water and drape over your face for a minute to open your pores.

Step Three : With your skin still damp apply the mixture of honey mixed with oats to your face in a gentle circular motion, do not scrub your skin, do this for about 1 minute paying particular attention to your t-zone to unclog pores. Leave the mixture on for a further 2 minutes to get the moisturising effect of the honey.

Step Four : Remove mixture from your face using your facecloth and warm water.

Step Five : Apply the almond paste to your face like a face pack and leave on for 5 mins.

Step Six : Wash off paste with warm water and pat your face dry with a soft towel.

Step Seven : Dab your face with some cotton wool and rosewater to close your pores and remove any last traces of the face pack.

Step Eight : Moisturise using a light vitamin E cream using a gentle upward motion, use this sparingly and rub in until totally absorbed.

Your skin will be refreshed, glowing and silky soft after this facial, do this once a week for gorgeous skin. This facial is suitable for all ages and skin types.

Come back soon for more great beauty tips !

Anti-Aging Tips

This is my first post and I have decided to begin with tips for aging skin. From your 20's onwards your skin will start to lose it's elasticity and gradually become less firm and plump. This is inevitable, it is a natural progression, but it is easy to understand why women panic at the first signs of aging. There are a lot of things that you can do to slow down the aging process and the sooner you start the better.

Here I am going to tell you exactly what you should be doing to keep your skin as fresh and youthful as possible.

Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day, this keeps your skin hydrated and flushes out toxins from your body.

Take a silica complex supplement every day, silica is a naturally occurring mineral in your body and is vital for healthy skin, hair and nails.

If you are buying an anti-aging cream look for these ingredients ; 15% glycolic acid, alpha hydroxy acid, and retin A, these are key for rejuvenating aging skin.

Take an omega - 3 Fatty Acid supplement or even better eat raw nuts and oily fish 2-3 times a week. Omega - 3 acts as a anti-inflammatory and is excellent for your skin.

Eat green and red vegetables, these contain natural nutrients and anti-oxidants that prevent the formation of free radicals which damage cells and contribute to skin aging. The high water content of these vegetables also helps keep your skin hydrated.

Limit your sugar intake, sugar acts as an oxidant, having the opposite effect to an anti - oxidant.

If you follow these simple tips you will see a fantastic difference in your skin and keep your youthful look for longer.