Health And WellBeing

How To Protect Yourselves from UV Rays

We are in a health-conscious age, and one of the great advances has been a reduction in the number of adults who smoke. An equally simple remedy is available for those who wish to reduce drastically the risk of skin problems, including skin cancers.

Strange though it may seem there are a lot of young people who are prepared to listen to advise because they are more worried about wrinkles than they are about skin cancers. Common-sense is one of the most important ingredients for success.

Awareness

Take note of the strength of the sun: i.e. how close you are to the equator, what is the time of the day, what time of the year is it, is there cloud cover, are there reflective surfaces such as sand or snow? Under the strongest UV conditions, it may be sensible to spend just a few minutes unprotected in the sun. Noel Coward sensibly commented that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

What is Safe?

There is no such thing as the right amount or wrong amount of sun. Everything is best in moderation and very few doctors will advise that you should not get any suntan at all. If you are on a one-week holiday, there is probably not enough time to safely get many tans.

Skin Type

Those with a very fair skin may not be able to tan at all. So there is a little point in trying. If you do not tan you will build up no protection against the sun and will be burnt just as easily at the end of a holiday as at the start.

People who never bum are luckier in this respect. UV will still age the skin and lead to other problems but to a lesser degree. It should not be forgotten that melanin only absorbs some of the UVB.

Shade

Visible light is reflected off various surfaces into the shade. It is not often appreciated that UV is reflected in a similar way and can burn your skin while in the shade.

Sun Protection Clothing

This must be the simplest way to protect the skin. A little UV can, in fact, penetrate some lightweight clothing, but it remains a very useful way of blocking the worst effects. Hats protect much of the face and in bald people are most important. Sunglasses make life more comfortable but also protect the skin around the eyes.

It is best to buy Polaroid lenses. Long-sleeved shirts and long trousers or skirts should be taken on hot holidays. After swimming in the sea it may be best to put on these garments until your next go in, especially at the start of a holiday.

2 days ago • Beauty Tips, Health and WellBeing, Practical Tips, Skin Care Tips • Tags: sun protection, sun protection clothing

Daily Routines for All Skin Types

Skin is an organic, living thing that is constantly changing its nature in response to diet, hormones and the weather. Look at the pattern of your lifestyle to determine how best to care for your skin. I want to empower you to understand the fundamentals: what your skin is trying to say and how best to care for it.

If the weather is getting cold, and you’re going to be outside, use a more protective therapy, including a nourishing cream. If you are using central heating and staying mostly inside, drink plenty of water to keep your skin from drying out, and use a lighter moisturizer. Take control of your looks. Knowledge is power in your own hands.

When it comes to your daily facial-care routine, simplicity is imperative. If you attempt to follow some enormously complex routine with countless products to open and close, the truth is that you’re going to stop doing it after a few weeks. Instead, I’m going to give you a no-nonsense guide for caring for your skin, which makes sense, is easy to follow and works at a deeper level to maintain the quality of your skin.

Daytime skin-care is all about protection against dehydration and pollution. At night, your skin needs to rest, recuperate and regenerate.

How to Wash

1.) Massage the soap thoroughly all over your face and don’t forget your neck, under your chin, the sides of your nose, your eyebrows and your chin. Wash it away with plenty of water. If you have time, repeat the process, before using some cold water to close any open pores.

2.) If you have blackheads or congested skin on your nose, chin or forehead, wrap a flannel around your finger, wipe it across a bar of soap and use a moderate pressure to make small circular movements around the affected area. Rinse and repeat.

3.) If you are prone to dry or sensitive skin, you may find your face feels tight when you use soap, and you may be better off using a cleansing lotion with added moisturizer or a foaming cleanser without soap.

As a general rule, choose:

For dry/mature skin cream cleanser

Normal skin lotion cleanser

Oily skin foaming or gel-based cleanser

Alternatively, try my favored traditional method, which sounds unusual but actually makes perfect sense and is absolutely the best way to wash mature skin, skin prone to acne, or sensitive skin. Apply a light film of almond oil or unrefined vegetable oil, such as sunflower, all over your neck and face. Rub it in gently with the balls of your fingertips and leave for one minute. Then remove with a pad of dampened cotton wool. The oil will dissolve all the grime and build-up, without stripping the skin of its protective film.

Some people say you should only dab your face with a towel, but I think this is a lost opportunity. Rubbing your face very gently is an effective way to slough off any lingering dead skin cells. A sideways motion is better than rubbing up and down, as this can encourage the muscles to sag.

Read your own skin: If it looks taut and tight after washing, you need to try another approach.

7 days ago • Beauty Tips, Health and WellBeing, Practical Tips • Tags: skin types, types of skin

How To Get Rid Of Tired And Puffy Looking Eyes

The best way to solve persistently tired eyes is to review your sleeping habits. Check your bed is comfortable, your bed covers are not too hot or too cold, and that your pillow is giving your neck and head the correct support.

Avoid drinking stimulants such as coffee, cocoa, tea or cola after 6 p.m. as they can keep you awake. Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day, but not within six hours of your bedtime. Eat your last meal of the day early so you have time to digest before sleep, and avoid eating cheese or protein-rich snacks before bedtime.

Have a warm, scented bath just before you go to sleep to relax body and mind; using four drops of lavender oil will help you to unwind. If you worry during the night, keep a pen and paper by your bed and make a list of any sources of stress that are troubling you. If problems of sleeplessness persist for more than two weeks, see a doctor, as this can be an indication of depression.

Eye Massage

One of the best treats you can give your own over-tired eyes is an eye massage, which will help to stimulate the lymphatic system to drain any stagnating fluids or toxins.

Apply gentle pressure with the pads of your ring finger around the eye bone, starting in the corner and moving around the elliptical bones that contain the eyes. By doing this you are stimulating a lot of nerve endings, and you will feel a remarkable release of energy. Make 10 laps of the eye, but only use the weaker third finger to maintain a gentle pressure.

Quick Pick-me-up

If you have tired eyes, rest on your elbows on a table and rest on your face in your hands so that they’re covering your eyes. Five minutes will help put the sparkle back.

Red Eyes

Avoid using eye-whiteners, which are available over the counter. These drops work by narrowing the tiny blood vessels that cover the surface of the eyes, giving the impression of whiter than white whites … however, when they wear off the blood vessels dilate again and can appear larger than they were before. A vicious cycle beckons. If your eyes are red it is because they are tired, allergic to something, have an infection or are responding to cold or drying winds. Seek medical advice if the problem persists.

Crow’s Feet

Character and experience are etched over time into our faces, and a certain amount of a laughter-line wrinkling around the eyes is evidence that you often smile. The key is to keep the delicate skin around the eye from becoming too dry, as not doing so can lead to the lines becoming more deeply etched. Thin skin with little oil becomes dehydrated easily and is more prone to wrinkling.

Drink enough to keep your urine pale yellow. Use good sun protection. Eat a good diet.
Use a light, water-based moisturizer every day.

Puffy Eyes

Surprisingly, one of the most common causes of puffy eyes – when the eyelids and surrounding skin swell – is a good night’s sleep. When we sleep, we don’t blink, and this can lead to the build-up of fluid. As we start blinking again – we blink 10,000 times a day on average – the swelling subsides.

Other causes are lack of sleep, sensitivity to skin products, crying, pre-menstrual fluid retention, allergies such as hay fever, and the use of heavy or oily make-up removers which prevent tissue fluids from evaporating naturally overnight. Puffy eyes may also be caused by a thyroid problem, so see your doctor if they persist.

Apply chilled eye gel – or chilled aloe Vera gel – 15 minutes before applying make-up. In extreme cases, wrap an ice-cube in a handkerchief and place under the eyes – but for no more than one minute.

Avoid salty foods, and don’t add salt to meals.
Choose matte rather than the iridescent eye shadow. If your eyes are puffy around the bags, use a slightly darker concealer.

Place a cold, wet flannel over closed eyes for two minutes, followed by a warm one, then a cold one again. This will help boost sluggish circulation.

18 days ago • Beauty Tips, Health and WellBeing, Practical Tips, Skin Care Tips • Tags: tired and puffy eyes