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Skin Care
Moisturising
Facial Skin Improvement Technoques
Moisturising
Why it matters
If you think of the difference between a plum and a prune, a
grape and a raisin, you'll see what a difference moisture
- or lack of it-can make! Moisture is the magic ingredient
which keeps skin soft and supple and keeps it looking young.
Make moisturising a regular step in your skin care routine and
your complexion will reap these benefits.
Why your skin needs water
When we talk of moisture in relation to your skin, we really
mean water. It is the skin's water content which keeps it
looking good and keeps it healthy too.
If your skin lacks sufficient water it will become rough and
dry. Fine lines may form and the skin may appear thinner and
more fragile.
Skin which is short of water is also less supple so that it may
crack or become chapped.
Harsh winds, hot sun, cold weather and dry air from central
heating are just some of the external factors that can take
moisture from your skin
Skin is a very complex structure and the ways that it retains
water are equally complicated. Basically, there are three
natural 'barriers' which prevent too much water loss. The
uppermost layer of the skin provides two and the 'acid mantle'
makes up the third.
The uppermost layer of the skin is made up of dead cells. These
overlap to form a natural barrier to regulate water loss.
Within the uppermost layer are chemical substances called
Natural Moisturising Factors which also help to hold water in
the skin.
The 'acid mantle' on the skin's surface is a film of water,
perspiration and sebum - an oily substance secreted from glands
below the skin's surface. The oil in this film helps to 'fix'
water to the skin.
How water is lost
A small amount of water is, nevertheless, continually lost from
the surface of the skin through evaporation. At the same time,
the lost water is continually being replaced from the skin's
lower layers. Ideally, water loss and replacement should be
regulated by the skin so that water content is always kept at
the right level. But only skin which is in good condition will
function ideally. Dry skin does not control its water content
well and all skins become drier with age.
There are also many external factors which speed up the rate at
which water is lost. Harsh winds, hot sun, cold weather and dry
air from central heating all increase the evaporation of
surface water from the skin.If the skin is immersed for too
long a time in water, particularly hot water, it will lose
water and become dry. You can see this by looking at your
fingertips after a long, hot bath.
Chemical factors, too, can lead to excessive water loss. Many
detergents and household cleansers can cause dryness because
they damage or even temporarily remove both the Natural
Moisturing Factors and the skin's 'acid mantle'. The 'acid
mantle' can also be adversely affected by using unsuitable
cosmetic products. For example, an astringent made for an oily
skin but used on a dry skin would remove essential oil and
leave the skin very dry.
Although your skin needs water, that alone can't be used as a
moisturiser as it would quickly evaporate. And although oil
will 'fix' water to the skin, that alone can't moisturise
either. A moisturiser combines both oil and water.
Moisturisers keep your skin looking good by:
• adding more moisture
• helping to retain moisture
• counteracting the effects of moisture loss
• protecting your skin against dry conditions
• making your skin smoother, so that makeup goes on better and
stays on better.
Choosing a moisturiser
Be guided by your skin type, your age and the conditions that
you live and work in when choosing a moisturiser to suit your
skin.
Broadly speaking there are two types of moisturiser: light,
oil-in-water formulations - often lotions - for young, normal
or oily skins; and heavier, water-in-oil creams for dry skins,
older skins and all skins which are exposed to very drying
conditions.
Some recently developed moisturisers are formulated to suit all
skin types and will adjust themselves to the skin's needs and
the surrounding conditions.
Using a moisturiser
Moisturise your skin when it is still slightly damp after
cleansing
Apply your moisturiser immediately after cleansing in the
morning and at night. If you put it on when your skin is
slightly damp then you'll retain more moisture on the skin's
surface.
Don't use too much moisturiser as your skin cannot absorb the
excess.
Do allow at least 2 minutes, preferably 4 or 5, for your skin
to absorb the moisturiser before you apply your make-up.
Don't forget your neck - it needs moisturising just as much as
your face.
Do use light outward strokes on your face and firm downward
strokes on your throat.
For young skin, normal skin, and skin with none of the problems
caused by excessive dryness, the regular use of a moisturiser,
day and night, is an effective programme of care. But, for dry
skin, for the dry areas of combination skin and for older skin,
stronger measures are needed.
Whatever your skin type, always remember that environmental and
other changes can sometimes make it dry - check regularly with
your mirror for any sign that it is in need of extra
attention.
Night duty
Night time is the best time to choose for this special care
because you can then use heavier, richer creams which you would
not want to use with make-up; and because your skin will be
resting and can take full advantage of the benefits. Suitable
creams are often called 'nourishing' creams or simply 'night
creams'. This is also the time to apply specialised eye or
throat care creams or oils, which can help particular problem
areas. The chart below gives general guidelines to the needs of
different skins at different ages (the eye and throat creams
mentioned are special care products only, you would, of course,
apply night cream to your throat and eye area too). The real
guide, however, is the way your skin looks and the way it
feels, so always consider this carefully before deciding on
your course of action.
Always apply your night cream to completely clean skin with
gentle upward and outward strokes - taking care not to drag or
pull. After about 20 minutes, gently remove any excess with a
clean tissue, as by this time your skin will have absorbed all
that it can.
Pay special attention to those areas which are the first to
show signs of dryness and ageing:If you prefer to use a beauty
preparation specially-formulated for use in the eye area, this
may be a cream, an oil or a stick. (If you choose the latter,
take care not to drag or pull the skin with it.) All of these
products are formulated to be rich yet light, so that the
delicate skin around the eyes can tolerate them. They should
always be applied with a light touch. Pat on cream or oil using
the pads of your two middle fingers only. Start above the eye,
at the inner corner of the lid and work outwards and then
around and under the eye and back to the inner corner. NB If
you use both creams, apply your eye cream first and then use
night cream on the rest of your face.
There are also some products specially formulated for use on
the throat - again in cream, oil or stick form - and if you
have problems with dry, lined or ageing skin in this area you
should try a special throat cream. Apply with firm downward
strokes, alternating with strokes from beneath each ear-lobe
around and under the chin.
Facial massage
Once a week, why not spend a little longer applying a
night-time treatment cream, and give yourself a facial massage?
Massaging is beneficial in a number of ways. It will tighten
and tone the skin and encourage the removal of waste matter
beneath the surface. It will stimulate circulation, help to
fight wrinkles and gently 'exercise' the facial muscles. You
will also find it very relaxing and an excellent way of
relieving tension. All skin types will benefit from this beauty
treat. First, thoroughly cleanse your face, and tuck your hair
back under a band. For an extra touch of luxury, try warming
your chosen massage cream on a radiator or in a bowl of hot
water. (Remember to loosen the lid first, or you may be unable
to remove it afterwards.) For a massage, you will need a heavy
cream which can be 'worked' around your face, as a light
preparation would be too quickly absorbed.
Begin by dotting cream generously onto your forehead, cheeks,
chin and throat, then lightly spread it.
All massage movements should be light but firm, using the pads
of the second, third and fourth fingers; and all must be upward
and outward.
Start at the base of your throat and do at least 20 strokes up
to your chin, alternating with first one hand and then the
other.The next massage stroke is along the jawbone, from the
centre of your chin to your left ear, 20 times; then 20 times
to your right ear. Again, your hands should be used
alternately. Keep your strokes light but firm and fairly
fast.
The third movement is from the outer corner of your mouth,
upwards, to the outer corner of your eye: 20 times on the left
side of your face and 20 times on the right.
Next stroke from the bridge of your nose up and over your brow
to your hairline. Alternate vertical strokes with outward
curves to left and right along your brow. Count 60 strokes in
all.
Now remove all traces of cream with a tissue. Your skin can
absorb no more and the excess will simply clog the pores.
Oily skin
If you have oily skin, its chief characteristic will be a
persistent shine. This will usually 'break through' your
make-up after a few hours, and you may have difficulty in
getting even coverage from cosmetics. Oily skin is prone to
spots and blemishes; and it may also have flaky patches which
you might mistake for areas of dry skin: in fact, these are due
to the build-up of dead surface cells where excess oil slows
down the rate at which they are shed. Oily skin is sallow, with
perhaps a yellowish tinge, and a coarse open-pored texture. The
skin is supple, with few lines but has a greasy feel.
Thorough cleansing and the control of surface oil are the
priorities in caring for oily skin.
Your beauty routine
using products formulated for oily skin
Cleanse three times a day - morning, noon and night - and
follow with an astringent. If no foundation is worn, astringent
can also be used between cleansings to remove surface oil.
Two or three times a week, use a face mask to deep-cleanse the
skin and rid it of dead surface cells. Use a light moisturiser
over bare skin or under make-up by day and at night. To give a
good base under make-up an oil-blotting gel can be applied to
the central panel of the face where maximum oiliness
occurs.
by -
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