Sure, your mother always demanded you wash your face with soap, but bar soap might not be the best option for daily cleansing. The average soap has an alkaline pH of seven, while balanced skin is about 4.5. Ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate create the foam the gives you that clean (or tight) feeling. Soap, however, can strip away the natural oils your skin needs, therefore leading to a misbehaving complexion. Discover your soap alternative when you keep reading
Just as there are foods that promote shiny hair, there are plenty of edibles and supplements to incorporate into your skin care routine, explains Suki Kramer, founder and president of Suki skin care. See some of her top good-eats picks, and make dull skin a thing of the past.
Source: Flickr User quacktaculous, Flickr User Wit, and Flickr User phunkstarr
Source: 7 Incredible Edibles That Combat Dull Skin
Good news and bad news from this year's just-concluded American Academy of Dermatology conference. First, the bitter reality: if it seems like you break out more as an adult than you did as a teen, you're probably right. As dermatologist Dr. Bethanee Jean Schlosser revealed at the conference, adult-onset acne is on the rise among grown women. A 2011 clinical study found that 45 percent of women in their 20s had acne, and 26 percent of 30-somethings had acne. Compared with men in the same age groups, women were disproportionately living in Breakout City.
So why are grown women more prone to pimples? A variety of factors are to blame, but it's mostly our surge of hormones. Both men and women have androgens, hormones that can cause oil glands to produce too much sebum. In addition, fluctuating androgen levels can cause skin cells to become sticky, leading to clogged pores. Acne is less common as women age, but some women experience it into their 40s and 50s.
So what's the good news? Acne can be treated and managed. Start by using a cleanser with salicylic acid, and apply benzoyl peroxide to your skin at night. Moderate to severe acne requires more attention, and can definitely benefit from a dermatologist's expertise. (Antibiotics, topical treatments, or birth control pills may be the answer; read a doctor's top acne advice.) Battling acne isn't always easy, and it's definitely not quick, but it is possible — and with any luck, you'll have a clear complexion in the bag.
Source: Flickr User Peter Hellberg
Source: No, You're Not Imagining Things. You Really Are Getting More Acne
While facial exfoliating is quite common, body scrubbing is often overlooked. During the cold weather months, however, scrubs can be a girl's best friend, working to remove flakes and salvaging dry, parched skin. They also moisturize and condition the body for a glistening, beach-ready body when it's a lot hotter outside. Here are four we love to slather on — one is even safe to apply pre-airbrush tan.
Source: 4 Softening Scrubs That Will Save Your Skin
Oils get a bad rap when it comes to putting them on the face, but really, there's nothing to be afraid of. In fact, embracing facial oils will lead to supple, dewy skin that stays hydrated throughout the day — which is perfect for dry Winter weather. For those still a little leery of the oil-to-face movement, here's an explanation of why you'll love them (plus, check out three to try).
Source: Why You'll Find Plenty to Love in Facial Oils
It's an almost-universal experience: your complexion has been fine for a while, and then one day, almost out of nowhere, you're in breakout city and your skin looks worn out and defeated overnight. You're cleansing and using a daily regimen, so what could be wrong? Well, if it's not stress or hormones, it could very easily be one of several smaller, less obvious culprits. See a list of the usual suspects below.
Winter skin issues like chapped lips and a raw, red nose don't have to get you down. Find out how to quickly solve both problems — fast! — and how to keep bad weather from causing complexion woes in the first place.
Winter can wreak havoc on your skin and hair, so we asked celebrity hair and makeup artist Desirae Cherman to share her secrets for battling the cold. Find out whether lipstick or lip gloss will help chapped lips and what kind of shampoo is best for frizzy, static-prone hair. With these 10 tips, you'll be able to keep your hair and skin fresh, glowing, and hydrated in the cold.
Source: 10 Ways to Solve Winter Beauty Problems
Most skin care lines will have you cleansing first, exfoliating second, and then moisturizing and sunblocking to top things off. But celebrity dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer, creator of the unique, step-reversing Skin Revival system, says that exfoliating at the beginning might get you better results.
"If you are thinking about the top layer of the skin, with all the pollution and debris, if you just use a cleanser first, the majority of that debris is not removed," he explains. That's why he advises using a polish first to blast the skin's surface. "The polish ingredients are linked directly to prime the skin for the cleansing step. Then there is a epidermis that is ready to soak up the nutrients, antioxidants, and minerals," he adds. And thats when the nourish — aka hydrating — step comes into play. It's a method that goes against the status quo, but next time you're standing over the bathroom sink, give it a try. You might just become a cleansing-second convert.
Making New Year's resolutions is one thing, but making changes that take little effort but have a huge beauty payoff? Now that's something to celebrate. Whether you're looking to banish bikini-line bumps for good, to have stronger nails, or to get that glowing complexion, these straight-from-the-experts tips will give you guidance. Read more to get started.
