Cleansing is the first essential step in
your daily skin care routine.
Cleansing the face 2-3 times a day; is adequate for
normal skin. If your skin is oily a more frequent cleansing
i.e. 4-5 times a day is necessary. If your skin is dry
it is best to avoid frequent washing and you may have
to use a suitable oil-based cosmetic cleanser instead
of soap, which has a dry effect.
There are several alternatives to soap and water cleansing.
Cleansers can be in the form of creams, milks, lotions,
gels and liquids. All are, a mixture of oil, wax and
water which have been formulated to suit different skin
types. A cotton -pad dipped in fresh milk available
at home, is an equally effective cleanser.
The right way to apply cleansers and creams on your
face is in an upward and outward movement. The skin
should not be stretched, dragged or pulled. Leave the
cleanser on for a minute or two so as to loosen the
dirt and make up. Remove it either using a cotton wool
or with a tissue paper, again using an upward and out
ward movement. Finally rinse with water.
Masks
Basically all face masks have some sort of a cleansing
action. Various ingredients are used in the masks, depending
on the skin type. Clay, form an important constituent
of many face masks. They help to remove dirt, sebum,
and dead skin so that the skin looks clean, soft and
youthful.
 Fullers
earth is a special type of clay often used in face packs.
It contains aluminium silicate. As it dries on the skin,
it absorbs the superficial dead cells and blots up any
excessive oil on the skin. It is therefore excellent
for an oily skin but should not be used on dry skin.
Kaolin is also a fine clay which has been used for tummy
upsets because it absorbs toxins from the system. It
removes grime, oils and dead cells. Kaolin is also best
for oily skin and best avoided for dry skin.
Another ingredient of some of the masks is the peeling
or the exfoliating agent-these remove the top layer
of dead cells from the skin, leaving behind fresh youthful
skin. Oatmeal and bran are the commonly used peelers.
Oatmeal is obtained from oats which is rich in Vitamin
B and Vitamin E
Also added to many masks are natural ingredients-cucumbers,
curds, lemon juice and Brewer's Yeast. It restores the
acid / alkali balance of the skin.
Freshening
The skin care products include cosmetics like skin
fresheners, toners and astringents which basically contains
alcohol and water. These products are used after cleansing
the skin to freshen and tone up the skin, they also
restore the acid/ alkali balance of the skin. Having
cleansed, wipe away any last traces of dirt or oil with
a skin freshener or toner (cleansing milk) which suits
your skin type. Non alcoholic freshener are for dry
and sensitive skin. Those with alcohol (astringent)
are for oily skin. People with combination skin should
use toner and astringent.
Mosturising
Regular use of a suitable moisturiser benefits your
skin. The moisturiser not only replaces the water lost
from the skin but also prevents its loss to the surroundings.
It protects the skin against the drying influences of
the environment such as the effects of the sun, cold
and heat. Tinted moisturiser are very helpful under
foundation. It always keep the make up moist.
A moisturiser is particularly helpful for dry skins.
Oil free moisturisers can be used for oily skins.
There are two types of moisturisers: Oil - in water
emulsions and water -in -oil emulsions. The moisturiser
you select should suit your skin type. For normal skins,
a water based moisturiser containing a little oil is
suitable. Sensitive skins and dry skins need moisturisers
having a high oil content.
Protecting
The sun, is the environmental factor that is most harmful
to the health and appearance of the skin. Ultraviolet
radiation from sunlight can cause permanent damage to
the skin. It can cause the skin to sag, lose elasticity
and form wrinkles. Severe sunburn can even cause skin
cancer.
Sunscreen and foundation protects the skin against
the damaging ultraviolet rays. It also shields your
face from direct contact with dirt or pollutants in
the air and helps the skin against loosing its necessary
moisture.
Sunscreen's come in lotions and creams. A sunscreen
with the sun protection factor (SPF) of number 10 can
block most of the sun's ultraviolet radiations before
it can damage the skin. The SPF number indicates the
length of time, the product will protect the skin. Sunscreen's
should be applied at least 10 minutes before you go
out in the sun.
|
