Men Skin Care 1- Determine Your Skin Type

NORMAL SKIN
How to Tell
• Small, clean pores
• Smooth, rosy complexion
• Face is matte after cleansing
• Excellent skin elasticity
• Few blemishes or none at all
How to Treat
You're among the small percentage of people who are blessed with normal or balanced skin. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't look after it. Ignore your skin and it may dry out or become sun damaged, which can hasten the signs of aging.

Follow a twice daily cleanse-tone-moisturize regimen and use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 rating, if you plan to spend more than 10 or 15 minutes outside. Exfoliate with a gentle facial scrub once or twice a week, in the shower after cleansing, and mask once or twice a month.


OILY SKIN
How to Tell
• Large pores clogged with dirt and oil
• Skin is thick, sallow, insensitive to irritants
• Face is shiny, even after cleansing
• Few wrinkles or fine lines
• Problems with blemishes
How to Treat
Try a mild facial cleanser every morning in the shower, followed by an astringent toner and oil free face lotion. Do not use products that dry out your skin. Do not rub your skin dry after cleansing. Instead, pat it dry with a soft towel.

Use glycerin soap when you shower. Exfoliate with a mild facial scrub two or three times per week, in the morning after cleansing. Mask at least once a week. Tone before and after exercise or when you're sweaty. Use an astringent aftershave or aftershave gel instead of a lotion-based shave balm. Avoid all-over body moisturizers.

DRY SKIN

How to Tell
• Small or invisible pores
• Fine lines, especially around eyes
• Droplets of perspiration on upper lip
• Men of color: Skin is grey or ashen
• Caucasians: Skin is thin, flaky, transparent

How to Treat
It's easy to mistake dry skin symptoms or some mild forms of skin disease for truly dry skin. In fact, you most likely have normal skin that you aren't treating with the proper amount of respect.

Follow the instructions above for normal skin. If you don't see an immediate improvement, talk to a dermatologist.

COMBINATION SKIN

How to Tell
• Shiny "T" zone (forehead, nose, chin)
• Large pores on nose
• Dry or normal eye areas, cheeks, neck
• Dry areas have small or invisible pores
• Fine lines around eyes

How to Treat
Treat each area separately, according to the instructions for oily and normal or dry skin types.

SENSITIVE SKIN

How to Tell
• Skin reacts to sun, wind, fabrics, cosmetics
• Exposed skin burns easily in direct sunlight
• Skin is dry and thin
• Skin always itches or stings
• Shaving is often extremely painful

How to Treat
Be very careful about the products you choose for your skin. Even with their fine botanical ingredients and hypoallergenic testing, some of our items have been known to provoke rare but intense reactions in a few of our more sensitive clients.

For shaving, try a gel instead of a cream. Follow with an aftershave balm that has a little sun protection for your daily walkabouts. Bathe with a glycerin soap bar and avoid fragrances.

Caution remains the word of the day. If you see redness after an application of any product, discontinue its use at once.

PROBLEM SKIN

How to Tell
• Very large, dirty pores
• Pores exude fat when squeezed
• Skin is excessively oily
• Moderate to severe acne
• Skin is prone to blackheads, blemishes

How to Treat
Consult a dermatologist, if you have not already done so. You most likely require prescription medication that you cannot obtain at MenEssentials.

If you are already on prescription medication, do not pop, squeeze or pick at acne blemishes. Wash your face twice daily with a mild cleanser and pat dry. Use cosmetics and toiletries that are specifically marked "noncomedogenic."

Avoid things that can aggravate your acne (oils, airborne grease, irritating clothing or sporting equipment, and so on). Use protective clothing and sunscreens. Avoid tanning booths.

A must food towards healthy skin

Apart from calcium, cottage cheese is great for selenium and it’s an essential mineral for a youthful, glowing skin, Ladies!

Almonds …

Vitamin E helps to moisturize your skin from within. It also protects your skin from damage and premature aging. Eating almonds can help your facial tissue stay in its best shape for years!

Mangoes …

Yum! I’m glad this one’s on the list. Lots of vitamin A is in store with this skin do-gooder! This fruit will repair your skin cells so that your skin doesn’t look flaky. It has only 70 calories per serving so it’s ideal for your weight loss program as well.

Avocado is rich in B-complex vitamins and essential oils and works like an anti-inflammatory agent. It also soothes skin that is red, irritated or blotchy. You can even mix it with yogurt and berries to add some flavor!

Water …

Did I even need to mention it? :) Good hydration is our skin’s best friend, right? And I’m talking about good bottled or filtered water in its purest form and not sodas or energy drinks. So ensure that you’re getting at least 8 glasses of water a day for your beautiful skin.

This drink contains polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory characteristics. And despite what they say, a good tea will not dehydrate your body, it will only work as an anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent that’ll keep bacteria at bay and will fight off those free radicals that make our skin age early.

Low fat yogurt …

Low fat dairy products are full of vitamin A. This essential vitamin does wonders for our skin. If you have a thyroid problem or diabetes that’s another reason for you to stock up on organic law fat yogurts!

Berries …

I am talking about plums, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries (No, not the phone!). These berries have a great antioxidant capacity which means - the more of these we have, the longer our skin will look youthful and healthy!

Salmon …

Our skin needs essential fatty acids. If fish isn’t your thing, try walnuts, flax seed or canola oil. All these will give you an amazing result! Omega 3 and Omega 6 may sound like a Sci-fi flick, but these fatty acids are a must for a beautiful, well moisturized skin

Skin Scrubbing recipes

Brown sugar body scrub

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground oats
2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond oil (in case you don't have almond oil, use olive oil, it is a great substitute).

Preparation

• Before you start preparing this scrub, grind the oatmeal using a coffee grinder or food processor. It has to be of sandy consistency, flaky and light otherwise it will scratch the skin.
• Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until it resembles a paste
• It should be applied on moist skin, the best time is after you took a shower. It will help the skin cells slough off faster.
• Use circular motion and massage gently using your fingertips.
• Rinse off with warm water.

What do these ingredients do?

Oatmeal is hypoallergenic. In case you have sensitive skin, using the oatmeal is highly recommended because it is soothing and there is no risk that it will irritate the skin. Oatmeal is benefitial to oily skin as it is extremely absorptive and picks up on excess oil. It helps dry and itchy skin and is widely used in cosmetics.

Aloe vera gel is gentle on skin, it speeds its healing and reduces the possible irritation and pain.

The next brown sugar scrub contains lemon which is a great natural disinfectant. It opens up the clogged pores and cleanses them thoroughly so your skin can "breathe" better.

Skin Scrub

Normally, dead skin removes itself every two to four weeks. Even though you can’t see it happening, every minute of the day we lose about 30,000 to 40,000 dead skin cells from the surface of our skin. After the age of 20, this skin removal slows down and which is why some of us start having wrinkles and spots.

Using a sponge, salt, brush, etc. will help eliminate the dead cells. Your skin will look nice and glowing.

• Dry skin—skin scrubbing will help the lotion absorb into your skin more effectively so your skin will not be as dry as usual.
• Mix skin—skin scrubbing helps reduce acne problems by smoothing up your skin.
• Oily skin—skin scrubbing helps clean your skin pores, reducing blemishes from acne problems on your skin.
• Cellulite on your skin—using a soft sponge scrubbing on the cellulite areas every day will help stimulate blood circulation, and reduce the cellulite marks.

It is ideal to perform a facial scrub once or twice a week and once or twice a month for your body. After scrubbing your skin, it’s a must to use a moisturizer for your healthy skin. Now let’s take good care of ourselves.

Cleaning Makeup Brushes for the Best Cosmetic Results

Your skin care routine is very important to the health and beauty of your skin. A skin care routine is not just about your cosmetics or your lotions and serums. It is also about how you maintain the effectiveness of your skin care products. Some of the most important tools that you use in your skin care regimen are your makeup brushes . You may use them to apply mineral makeup, brush on bronzer or feather on a bit of eye shadow or blush. Some people even use small brushes for eyeliner or lip liner.
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Failing to properly care for your makeup brushes can have some very serious consequences. You may end up blending incompatible cosmetics. This can ruin large volumes of cosmetics. In addition, dirty makeup brushes give your makeup itself a dirty look over time. You might even look as if you slept in your makeup just seconds after putting it on. Most importantly, however, not cleaning your makeup brushes gives bacteria a chance to grow in them. If this happens, then each time you apply your makeup you actually are rubbing potentially harmful bacteria all over your face. This can result in skin irritation, acne and eye infections.
Top skin care products to perform a good skin care with natural acne skin care and biomedic skin care in Online Skin Care Blog.

Cleaning your makeup brushes is not a complicated process. It should be a part of your skin care routine at least once a week if you wear makeup every day. All you need is a small metal bowl, some makeup remover and warm water. Squirt about a tablespoon of makeup remover into the bowl. Add some water. You will need just enough to make the makeup remover liquid. Dab your makeup brushes in the bowl of diluted makeup remover. Be gentle so that you do not bend or crease the bristles of the brushes. Work the makeup remover all through the bristles up to the top of the brush. You may need to use your fingers to help with this process. Just as the makeup remover cleanses your face and removes your makeup, it will do the same for the makeup brushes.
Top skin care products to perform a good skin care with natural acne skin care and biomedic skin care in Online Skin Care Blog.
Once you have worked the makeup remover dilution through the bristles you need to rinse your brushes. Hold them under warm running water. Gently massage the bristles to get all of the makeup remover out. Do not use high water pressure. When the water runs completely clear, you are done. You can stand your makeup brushes upright or let them air dry on a clean towel. Some people even blow dry them on low air and a cool temperature setting.
Top skin care products to perform a good skin care with natural acne skin care and biomedic skin care in Online Skin Care Blog.

Using clean makeup brushes can make a huge difference in the caliber of your cosmetic application. In addition, you will likely notice that any skin irritations that you have may be reduced or disappear completely. From the very first time you clean your makeup brushes, you will be glad that you made this process part of your skin care routine.
Top skin care products to perform a good skin care with natural acne skin care and biomedic skin care in Online Skin Care Blog.

Facial Massage

Facial Massage Massage helps the skin to absorb oils and creams easily. It relaxes you. It relieves tension. It restores energy to your body by stimulating the blood flow. Pour a small amount of the blended oil into the palm of your hand and gently apply all over the face. Avoid your eyes. With the backs of your hands, gently tap the skin around the jaw-line and underneath the chin to stimulate the skin cells. Apply small circular movements to the chin area, using your thumbs. This will tone, help circulation and eliminate toxins. Make an "oooh"-shaped mouth. Massage either side easing out fine lines. With your fingertips, press along the top of the cheekbones and massage outward up to the temples to release toxins. With the middle fingers, apply pressure to points above the bridge of the nose and underneath the eyebrows. Hold for 5 seconds and smooth across from the inner to the outer corners of the eyebrows and continue up to the temples. To relieve tension, apply firm pressure at either side of the temples, and rotate backward. Stroke up the forehead to the hairline with the palms of the hands, smoothing out fine lines.

Types of skin

Knowing your skin type is absolutely necessary in order to make a right decision about a proper skin care or treatment, which is suitable for your particular skin needs. The initial quality, or type, of your skin is genetically determined - meaning that you are born with it.

However, the health and beauty of your skin later in life largely depends on what you eat and how you take care of yourself. A popular Russian saying states that, after the age of 30, a woman looks the way she deserves …To always look great, the first step is to determine your skin type so that you can match it with the best recommended methods to improve your look and slow the aging process.

Generally, we can single out five basic skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive, with each having particular characteristics and requiring specific care and/or treatment.

To determine your type, use a simple test with a clean facial tissue (or paper) to wipe your face in the morning, when you have just woken up:

1. Normal Skin …

If you skin belongs to a normal type, the tissue will not reveal any traces of oil. Your skin should feel vibrant, elastic, and supple. Normal skin is the least problematic type.

It looks clean and smooth and has a good circulation and healthy complexion. Even with a minimum care, it will look good well into your advanced age.

2. Dry Skin …

If your skin is dry, the paper will be clean, too, but your face skin will feel flaky, dry, and tight after you have wiped it.

Dry skin can easily develop a sallow tone, wrinkles, and fine pores, and it is very prone to aging and irritating. It might still look great on a young person, but, to keep it healthy, you should apply thorough care and use regular treatment with natural masks and moisturizers.

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3. Oily Skin …

If you have oily skin, the paper will have spots of facial oil on it, corresponding to the areas of your cheeks, nose, and forehead. Oily skin is problematic - it usually looks greasy, thick, coarse, and shiny, has enlarged pores, and tends to break into acne.

A good thing, though, is that oily skin is not prone much to aging and wrinkling. Careful cleaning, minimizing of carbohydrate consumption, and avoiding rich creams can be helpful in improving the quality of oily skin.

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4. Combination Skin …

If you skin is combination, like that of most women, the tissue will have traces of oil coming from your nose and forehead, but will be clean in the areas that touched your cheeks.

Combination skin has patches of both dry and oily skin, and it requires different types of care in relation to particular facial areas.

Dry zones, which are usually located on the cheeks and around the eyes, should be treated with rich creams and moisturizers, while oily areas, usually on the forehead and nose, will benefit from frequent and thorough cleaning.

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5. Sensitive Skin …

Sensitive skin is usually very dry, tends to feel tight, and becomes inflamed and irritated easily. Typically, sensitive skin develops reddish and scaly areas, can be itchy and tingly, and is prone to breaking into spots. It is the most problematic and fragile type of skin, which needs a very special type of care.

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Dry Skin Care

Reasons for dry skin include a variety of conditions such as too much sun, windburn, harsh soaps and cleansers, aging and even diet. Insufficient water can dry your skin overnight. Start working on dry skin problems by increasing your water intake.

Vitamins and Natural Oils that May Help Dry Skin

Drinking lots of water is one remedy for dry skin, but if your skin is very dry, you may need additional help. You may have noticed that many skin care creams contain vitamins: although Vitamin E has been shown to work externally to correct dry skin, most other vitamins don't have a noticeable effect. Look for Vitamin E enriched skin creams, and increase its effects by also taking Vitamin E capsules, which help strengthen skin from the inside.
Another benefit of taking Vitamin E is that it works on the skin all over your body—hands, feet, face and everything in between. Other natural remedies for dry skin include Evening Primrose oil, flaxseed oil or Omega 3 oils derived from fish. All of these nutritional supplements have been shown to increase skin's elasticity, its rebuilding capacity and its moisture. You can get these treatments at any health food store, and most pharmacies carry them too.

Moisturize After Showers or Handwashing

Moisturizer is the key to soft, supple skin. Apply product when skin is slightly damp. For best effect, pat skin dry instead of rubbing with your towel before application.

The skin on my legs can drive me crazy with itchiness all year round. I find I prefer oils to lotions on for the body. Renowned makeup artist Pati Lubroff got me hooked on organic extra virgin coconut oil, which you can buy in health food stores or online. Simply massage the coconut oil all over the body. Trust me, this will get rid of dry, itchy skin and the oil isn't sticky like lotion tends to be.

Antibacterial soap in public places can be harsh on hands, so I like to keep hand salve in my purse (my hands-down favorite: Kiehls). To keep cuticles soft, massage in olive oil.

Extra tip: I love keeping moisturizer and facial water on my desk at work. I spritz Evian Mineral Spray , and then dab on moisturizer. The water locks in moisture and leaves my skin refreshed even in harsh office heat.

Baby Your Hands & Feet

Hands and feet can suffer terribly from dry, itchy skin. Put on moisturizer and gloves BEFORE you head outdoors in the winter, and consider lathering up your feet in thick moisturizer and sleeping in cotton socks at night. Extra tip: Cover feet in a thick moisturizer, wrap feet in Saran Wrap, then pull on a pair of socks for a couple hours. Try to sit or lie down while the moisturizer soaks in or risk sliding into a full split and pulling your groin muscles. The same treatment can be done on hands, except try plastic bags and keep hands in a pair of socks. A half-hour should do you

Consider Fish Oil Pills

New studies show omega-3 fish oil pills may soothe super dry skin. Patients who took fish oils pills in a study reported in Allure magazine, saw significant results within a few weeks. "You can see, within six weeks, the skin, hair and nails improve markedly," according to skin expert Dr. Andrew Weil in Allure. Ever since I started taking fish oil pills in March, 2007, I have received numerous compliments on how amazing my skin looks. So there you have it.

For Extreme Dry Skin Treatment and Relief

Extreme dry skin can get relief through intensive therapy by way of daytime moisturizer lotion, night creams and increased home humidity. If you suffer from dry facial skin or dry skin all over your body, especially in winter, it may be because the heat in your house is drying you out. Try putting a cool mist humidifier in your bedroom at night, and you may see a difference in a few days. A popular home remedy for dryness is the moisturizing facial mask. Use a half of a ripe avocado, pureed. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and apply the mask while your face is still damp. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water and pat dry. Apply your favorite moisture lotion.

Acne skin care

Acne may have started in your teen years, that time when age and hormones meet to cause those awful breakouts. Or, you may have begun experiencing acne breakouts in your adult years.

Either way, many people find acne bothersome or embarrassing. To reduce acne and its damage to your skin, follow these tips.

#Clean your face gently, as trauma to the acne breakouts may worsen the acne or cause scarring. When washing your face, use your hands, as any terrycloth or other scrubbing material may cause acne sores to rupture.top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin care
#If you need to use a moisturizer, use only light, non-comedogenic moisturizers, which do not aggravate acne. There are oil-free moisturizers on the market that contain anti-bacterial agents for acne-prone skin. This type of product may be your best option.top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin care
#Choose a cleanser specially formulated for acne. These products often contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, which help to clear acne sores.top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin car
#If you are a woman, use an oil-free foundation. Heavy makeup or other cosmetic products that block pores may cause a flare-up of acne.

Home treatment to reduce acne flare-ups

• Wash your face (or other affected skin) gently one or two times a day.
• Do not squeeze pimples, because that often leads to infections, worse acne, and scars.
• Use water-based skin care products that gently clean your skin. Avoid products such as milky cleansers, cold creams, lipsticks, and lip glosses that contain oils.
• Use over-the-counter medicated creams, soaps, lotions, and gels to treat your acne. Always read the label carefully to make sure you are using the product correctly.top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin care

Habits for healthy skin care

1.Protect yourself from the sun

The most important way to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. Ultraviolet light — the invisible but intense rays from the sun — damages your skin, causing deep wrinkles, dry, rough skin, liver spots, and more serious disorders, such as noncancerous (benign) and cancerous (malignant) skin tumors. In fact, most of the changes seen in aging skin are actually caused by a lifetime of sun exposure.

For the most complete sun protection, use all three of these methods:

• Avoid the sun during high-intensity hours. The sun's rays are most damaging from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reduce the time you spend outdoors during these hours.
• Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with clothing, such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also, keep in mind that certain clothing styles and fabrics offer better protection from the sun than do others. For example, long-sleeved shirts offer better protection than short-sleeved shirts do. And tightly woven fabrics such as denim are better than are loosely woven fabrics such as knits. Several companies now make sun protective clothing (SPF clothing), which is specifically designed to block out ultraviolet rays while keeping you cool and comfortable.
• Use sunscreen. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) greater than 15. Apply liberally 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every two hours, after heavy sweating or after being in water.top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin care

2. regular moisturization

Moisturizers help maintain your skin's natural moisture levels. They work by providing a seal over your skin — to keep water from escaping — or by slowly releasing water into your skin.

The moisturizer that's best for you and the frequency with which you need to moisturize depend on many factors, including your skin type, your age and whether you have specific conditions such as acne. A good way to test if you need a moisturizer is to wait 20 minutes after bathing. If your skin feels tight, you should apply a moisturizer.

Select a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15 to help protect your skin from damaging ultraviolet rays. If you have sensitive skin, look for products free of heavy dyes, perfumes or other additives. If your skin is very dry, you may want to apply an oil, such as baby oil, while your skin is still moist. Oil has more staying power than moisturizers do and prevents the evaporation of water from the surface of your skin. If your skin is oily, you may want to skip moisturizing. top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin care

3. Quit smoking

Smoking accelerates aging of your skin and increases wrinkles. Skin changes from smoking can appear in young adults after 10 years of smoking.

Smoking causes narrowing of the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin. This decreases blood flow, depleting the skin of oxygen and nutrients, such as vitamin A, that are important to skin health. All of these factors increase damage to the elastic fibers (elastin) and collagen, which give your skin strength and elasticity.

In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — may contribute to wrinkles. It's also possible that repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes may damage your facial skin over time. top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin care

4. Gently skin washing

• Use warm water and limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time to about 15 minutes or less, and use warm, rather than hot, water.
• Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps — those most capable of stripping oil from your skin — can leave your skin dry. Instead, choose mild soaps or detergent substitutes with added oils and fats. Good choices include Dove, Vanicream, Cetaphil and Purpose.
• Avoid irritating additives. If your skin is sensitive, avoid products containing perfumes or dyes. These can irritate your skin and may trigger an allergic response.
• Remove eye makeup carefully. Use a soft sponge, cotton cloth or cotton balls when removing eye makeup to avoid damaging the delicate tissue around your eyes. If you wear heavy, waterproof makeup, you may need to use an oil-based product, such as Eucerin, Aquaphor or petroleum jelly, to remove makeup.
• Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on the skin. Immediately moisturize your skin with an oil or cream.top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin care

5. Gentle shaving

Shaving is a common and inexpensive way to remove unwanted hair. But shaving can cause skin irritations, especially if your skin is thin, dry or very sensitive. For a smooth shave:

• Press a warm wash cloth on your skin before shaving to soften the hair. Or shave after a warm bath or shower.
• Don't shave dry skin, which can cause razor burn. Apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving to protect and lubricate your skin.
• Use a clean, sharp razor. If using an electric razor, don't use the closest setting, which can aggravate the skin.
• Shave in the direction of hair growth, not against it.
• Rinse your skin afterward with warm water.

If irritation does occur, apply a lotion that doesn't contain ethyl or isopropyl alcohol. Though alcohol and alcohol-based products may feel cooling, they don't really soothe irritated skin because the alcohol evaporates rapidly from the skin.top skin care products, good skin care, natural acne skin care, online skin care, biomedic skin care