We all hear how we need our vitamins and it would seem that Vitamin C is not only good for your general well being, but also could reduce wrinkles.

Skincare Blog has written an article about Vitamin C combating the effects of free radicals in your body and on your skin.

Free radicals are the unstable molecules in the environment that can cause aging of the skin. So, when vitamin C is properly delivered into skin cells, there is a good chance to reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture.

They go on to say that you won’t get by with a bag of oranges though.

In order to see the benefits of vitamin C on the outside of your body, you will need to find a way to combine a healthy diet that is rich in vitamin C with skin care products that contain this important nutrient.

And ladies, with winter coming, you may be also looking for ways to protect your skin as the weather turns a little colder.

Concentrate now… A guide for Anti-Ageing from Olay (formally Ulay - I’m showing my age eh?)

1. Concentrated Cleansing

Try a new generation of anti-ageing cleansers (eg: Total Effects Age-Defying Wet Cleansing Cloths) for quick and easy deep cleansing that also fights 7 signs of ageing.

2. Concentrated Protection

Choose an anti-ageing daily moisturiser with a high SPF to protect, moisturise and fight the signs of ageing all in one go.

3. Concentrated Nutrients

Give your body a kick-start with a ‘power-boost’ breakfast of blueberries and orange slices (rich in Vitamins A & C antioxidants, key age fighters) and Vitamin B rich cereals to fuel your body for the day.

4. Concentrated Action

A 10 minute morning stretching regime will release muscle tension making your body stronger and more agile for the day ahead.

5. Concentrated Exercise

It’s a fact, says fitness trainer Matt Roberts, that if you concentrate on your exercises instead of just ‘going through the motions’ you’ll improve the efforts by up to 30%.

6. Concentrated Mind Fuel

As a rule of thumb, brightly coloured foods, like fruit and vegetables, are considered ‘Brain Food’. So eat small portions regularly during the day to stay alert.

7. Concentrated Thinking

A quick tip for quick thinkers is to spend a few minutes a day writing a journal. Author Thomas R Blakeslee believes an active mind will keep you feeling and looking younger for longer and that this regular outlet for thoughts and feelings can boost mental agility.

link: Olay

We already know that Phenomen Oil is great for your nails, intensively conditioning and softening cuticles, it also promotes the growth and strength of your nail.

Containing natural jojoba, almond and rice oils, Phenomen oil also heals and rehydrates making it excellent, too, for elbows, feet, knees, in fact any rough, dry area that needs deep moisturising.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is the liquid wax produced in the seed of the Jojoba plant, a shrub native to parts of Arizona, Californian Mexico. Jojoba oil is used extensively in cosmetics for it’s skin and hair softening properties.

Sun tan lotion can soften or dissolve your acrylic nails or nail polish according to this article on Beauty Brains.

If you want to find out if your sun tan lotion of choice will ruin your nails, try this (from Beauty Brain):

Smear a little of your favourite nail polish on a piece of glass (you can use an empty nail polish bottle or even a old compact mirror. Then, take that with you when you’re shopping for a sunscreen. Squeeze a little of the sunscreen product onto your polish smear and see if it softens the film. That should be a pretty good indicator if it will be okay when you actually apply it with your manicured fingers.

They also refer to another article worth reading: 3 Ways to Tell if Your Sunscreen is Bad.

Apparently, we still don’t see taking precautions against the sun as a real priority according to this survey, reported on Cosmetics Design:

Ultimately the survey results appear to
indicate that awareness of preventing skin damage is still overshadowed
by the desire to find treatments for skin damage.

Cancer Research advises us to be SMART when it comes to suncare.

Apparently, men are three times more likely to develop certain types of skin cancer:

Researchers state that where female skin possesses a higher level of
antioxidants in their skin, while male skin does not, turning male skin
more susceptible to skin cancer or skin damage - Ref. Skincare Blog

Add that to the macho attitude and it’s a recipe for disaster.

Looks like I will be bullying encouraging my fella to slap on the Ambre Solaire a little bit more this year!

iVillage reports on how smoking is bad for your complexion

‘It may be hard, but the best thing you can do for a
beautiful, glowing complexion is to stop smoking. Smoking both
dehydrates and deprives your skin of oxygen, so you will see real
benefits - skin will become smoother and more radiant.’ Sarah Monzani, make-up artist to Madonna

An increasing number of women are developing acne later in life, sometimes for the first time having missed it as teenagers.

People with acne have an increased sensitivity in their sebaceous (oil-producing) glands to normal levels of the male hormone testosterone. The cells that line the hair follicle become sticky and, instead of being shed in the normal way, progressively block the duct so that sebum (oil) and dead skin cannot escape.

Bacteria multiply around the blockages, causing inflammation. Follicles blocked with waste material discolour on exposure to air and become blackheads. When the bacteria breaks down the trapped sebum, pus is created, forming whiteheads. Red blotches indicate more extensive inflammation.

Possible causes

It is not known why some people develop acne, although it may be hereditery. Also, it is not clear why more people are now getting acne during adulthood but one of the main causes is thought to be stress, which increases the production of male hormones (androgens). Greater use of oral contraceptives, which contain progesterone, may also be a factor.

Hormone changes before menstruation and during pregnancy can cause a flare-up of acne, as can hot temperatures and high humidity. Diet plays no part.

Another myth is that acne is caused by poor hygiene. If anything, sufferers tend to wash more frequently than those with clear skin in order to clear away excess oil. This may be a mistake as over-washing can dry out the skin and make the condition worse.

If you suffer from acne you could try the Ketsugo 3 step regime for oily skin.

(Article adapted from iVillage)

1. Genetics

If your mum or dad had acne as a teenager, there’s a good chance you will too.

2. Hormones

During adolescence, hormones called androgens become active and stimulate oil glands in your skin, increasing oil production. This clogs pores causing pimples and blackheads. For women, hormonal changes that occur during a period, or when starting or stopping taking birth control pills, can also cause an acne break-out. (In some cases, however, certain birth control pills are prescribed as a treatment for acne.)

3. Stress

Although stress doesn’t actually cause acne, it will potentially aggravate this or any other skin condition you may have.

4. Diet

Dermatologists aren’t sure whether or not what we eat plays a critical role in acne. Some experts do believe, however, that food allergies can trigger acne outbreaks.

5. Washing your face too often.

This can aggravate the skin, causing acne to occur.

6. Skincare products

Greasy skin care products and oily cosmetics clog oil ducts and may cause acne.

7. Medications

Acne can be a side effect of some drugs, including barbiturates, seizure medication and steroids.

Skincare solution: try Ketsugo

This article has been adapted from iVillage.

Making sure your hair looks great is a very important. But, the products you put on your hair may be causing problems to your skin and what you don’t want is a great hairstyle and your forehead covered with pimples and acne?

If you’ve suffered from pimples along your hairline or on your forehead, chances are it’s due to your styling products. According to Solveyourproblems.com, the following styling products should be kept out of contact with your skin at all costs:

• Hair gel
• Mousse
• Hair sprays
• Oils, especially mineral oil
• Products that contain alcohol or adhesives

Now this is not to say that you can never use these products, but if you do, take your skincare into careful consideration. Make sure your forehead is covered by a cloth or towel while applying these types of products on parts of your hair that will come into contact with your skin (eg. hair spray on your forehead). At the end of each day, thoroughly cleanse your face with your favourite skin care products to ensure there is no hair care product residue sitting on your skin.

Another helpful tip to save your skincare is to not put hair care products on your hair when exercising. Make sure you have your hair tied up and pulled away from your face while working out so your skin can breathe and sweat properly. If you put gels, mousse or spray in your hair and it comes into contact with your skin while working out, this can cause the perspiration from your scalp to trickle down to your hairline, clogging your pores and causing pimples.

For sunny days or as a winter trend, hats and caps are cool but this fashion option can also have disastrous results on your skin. If you decide to wear a hat or cap, make sure that the fabric is clean and loose enough so that if you do sweat, the dirt and bacteria doesn’t get trapped on the hat itself, which will only result in your forehead being rubbed up against hours of accumulated dirt and bacteria.

This article was adapted from Skincare News