Wednesday, January 21, 2009

How to Properly Care for Your Skin

By Amy Nutt

Your skin is one of the first areas of your body that will show signs of aging. The best way to stay looking young and beautiful is to take care of your skin. Good skin care habits are important no matter what your age or gender. You do not have to spend a fortune on skin care regimens, many of which do more damage to your skin than good. Instead, you can care for your skin organically with these tips.

Avoid the Sun

The sun is the biggest danger to your skin. Tan may be beautiful, but unless your skin is naturally dark, it is also dangerous. Ultraviolet light in the sun, which you cannot see, damages your skin on the cellular level. This leads to wrinkles, dry skin, age spots, and even skin cancer or non-cancerous tumors.

Of course, you cannot always avoid the sun. When you need to be outdoors, wear protective clothing. Avoid the most damaging hours, which are from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon, as this is when the sun is the most intense. Use an organic sun protection product when you must be outdoors. It should be applied 20 minutes before you head outside. Remember to reapply it every two hours.

Use Gentle Cleansers

Cleaning your skin is an essential part of good skin care, especially the skin on your face. However, many of the skin care products on the market today actually have abrasive chemicals and dangerous products in them that could harm your skin more than they help. Always look for organic cleansers as you build your skin care routine.

Avoid any strong soaps or cleansers. These will strip the oil from your skin. This may seem like a good idea, because too much oil can cause problems like acne or other blemishes, but your skin needs some oil to be healthy. Strong cleansers can lead to dry skin problems.

You may also want to avoid products that have artificial perfumes or dyes in them. These can irritate sensitive skin and do not add any benefit to your skin. An all-natural organic cleanser will have a pleasant, natural scent, rather than an artificial one.

When you are done cleansing your skin, pat it dry. This keeps some of the moisture on the skin. Rubbing your skin can strip some of the oil away that it needs to be healthy.

Dont Forget the Moisturizer

Moisturizer is an important part of healthy skin. Once you are done cleansing, follow up with an organic moisturizer. This will lock in the healthy moisture and keep your skin soft and supple.

Keep in mind that there are many different organic moisturizers out there. Choose one that best matches your skin type. If you have particularly oily skin, for instance, a moisturizer with a lot of healthy oils will not help. On the other hand, very dry skin may need a more intense moisturizer.

Always moisturize as soon as possible after cleansing. This locks in the water that is on your skin. You should moisturize your face daily, but sometimes you can skip this step with your other skin. Wait 20 minutes after your shower or bath, and if your skin feels tight or dry, you need to moisturize that day. Otherwise, you can pass.

Taking care of your skin is not difficult, if you have the right products to use. Using organic skin care products will ensure your skin is only exposed to natural oils and cleaners that will help it stay young and healthy. If you are looking to buy a new skin care product, read the label first. If it is full of chemicals and names you cannot pronounce, think twice about putting it on your skin. Choose an organic product instead. - 15438

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