Lotions, Ointments and Masks – Oh My! The Basics of Skin Care
When our grandmothers were young skin care seemed so easy. Today however, with thousands of skin products on the market, the basics of skin care can seem overwhelming. Cosmetic salespeople throwing lotions, ointment, and masks at every woman in sight does not make the matter any better. The truth is that if you want great skin, you do need to gather information on at least a few products in order to help you with your task.
Women today are plagued with sun damage, stress, poor diets, and air pollution, and their skin shows it. With so many skin damaging components in our everyday lives, there is a great need for counteraction. You can counteract these damaging components with great skin products. One of the basics of skin care is lotion. Lotion is extremely important because it helps the skin maintain its moisture. Hydration is a key to having great skin. Skin that is not properly hydrated will become dry, dull, and irritated. Even oily skin that is not hydrated will become troublesome. Therefore, it is important to use lotion at least twice a day on your skin.
There are different types of lotion for different areas of skin however. You should always use a lotion that is hypoallergenic as well as one that will not clog your pores. Facial lotions tend to be referred to as moisturizers most often. Lotions for other areas of your body are usually called body lotions. Make sure you are using the proper type of lotion on each area of your body. Body lotions are often too harsh for your face, so beware. Lotions are also broken up into moisturizing intensities. If you have dry skin, you will need more moisture. If you have oily skin, do not make the mistake of thinking you don’t need lotion. Your skin is producing oil because your hydration levels are off. Use a light moisturizer for oily skin.
Ointments are most often used for skin problems. You will often see ointments being used for eczema, rashes, or hives. Sometimes however, you may find that some women call specialty creams ointments. These creams are most often used for eye areas. If you hear someone talking about eye ointment, it is probable they are referring to specialty eye creams. These creams are great for hydrating the eye area and treating and preventing wrinkles in the area.
If you are looking for a once or twice a week pick-me-up for your skin, a mask is the way to go. Masks can be found for any skin type. They also come in many varieties containing many different ingredients. You can find masks with mud components to soothe and smooth your skin. You can also find masks that will help with acne. All masks work to help tighten your facial pores and smooth your skin’s appearance.
Masks should be used once or twice a week. Most masks are made so that you just apply them to your skin and wait. While you wait the mask will begin to dry and you may feel your face tightening. This is normal and indicates the mask is doing its job. After waiting for 10 to 15 minutes, you will need to rinse the mask off of your face. You can do this with a wash cloth, or you can use water alone. After using your mask, dry your face completely and apply a moisturizer. Since masks take a little hydration from your face, you must replenish it.
In addition to face masks, you can also get full body masks. These masks work the same way as a facial mask and will rejuvenate your entire body. Many salons are now offering body masks. They can help tighten and smooth the skin on your entire body. Be sure to drink plenty of water after you get a full body mask however. Body masks draw toxins from your body and may leave you a little dehydrated, so drinking water is essential.
Knowing about lotions, ointments, and masks will help you get the skin you desire. The most important thing to remember is proper hydration. Be sure your skin is always hydrated with lotions. You can also drink water to help your skin hydrate from the inside. If you take care of your skin, you will notice that your skin will always look radiant and fresh which is what all women dream of.
Lotions vs. Skin Care Creams
There is no dearth of skin care creams and lotions in the market. Name an ailment, and you will find hundreds of skin care creams, lotions and other products for it. As a result of ongoing research and due to ever increasing demand, the number of skin care products seems to be on the increase. Skin care lotions and skin care creams are the most popular forms in which these products are available, and there always seems to be a debate on which form is better?
Well, there is no definitive answer to this. It seems more like a matter of personal choice. However, greasy creams are surely less popular as compared to the non-greasy (or less greasy) ones. Since the application of skin care creams is easier, they seem to be preferred (over lotions) in cases where the skin care product is not to be removed immediately after application. So, skin care creams seem more popular as moisturisers than as cleansers or toners. For toners, lotions seem to be preferred over skin care creams. There are some skin care creams that acts as toners too, but generally the toners are available in liquid form only. For cleansing, lotions and skin care creams are equally popular; however, the tilt seems more towards lotions.
Creams are known to be most effective in keeping skin moist; hence, the most popular form of skin care creams is moisturisers. Due to the same reason, a lot of people tend to associate skin care creams with dry and sensitive skin. Though it is true to a certain extent, skin care creams are not used only for dry skin, they are also used for making products for oily skin e.g. vitamin A creams and sulphur creams that help reduce the rate of sebum production.
Skin care creams are also used for products that cater to skin disorders especially for disorders that require the application of product over a small localised area. This is again due to the fact that skin care creams are easier to apply (without wastage) on the affected area. However, in cases where skin needs to be washed using a medicine/product, lotion is a better choice. Mostly, the manufacturers too realize this fact, making it easier for you to choose between a lotion and a skin care cream
Eye-creams and anti-ageing creams are other examples where skin care cream is preferred over its lotion counterpart.
Whatever your choice be (cream or lotion), knowing how to use it effectively, is more important than anything else.
Acne Skin Care
Acne is defined as a diseased condition of the skin that involves the hair and oil glands. It is characterised by pimples, black/white heads, reddishness and cysts. Face acne can spoil your appearance to a great extent and body acne can really ruin your day by making you very uncomfortable. Considering acne as a minor problem, some people tend to totally discard the topic of ‘Acne skin care’. However, the importance of ‘Acne skin care’ cannot be undermined in any way.
Acne skin care should really start much before the acne actually appears. ‘Acne skin care’ is more about being proactive than reactive. Acne skin care is about being aware of preventive measures. Acne skin care is - following daily skin care routines with complete discipline. So let’s have a look at how ‘acne skin care’ can be applied to our daily routine.
‘Acne skin care’ starts with the most basic thing - cleanliness. So morning showers are the most basic way of keeping the skin clean. In fact, a lot of people take night showers too (that not only helps in keeping your skin clean but also provides relaxation to your body and enables a good sleep). If you are living in a hot and/or humid place, a night shower becomes a must. In fact, a shower is recommended after any activity that causes high levels of sweat to develop. It’s a very effective ‘acne skin care’ technique.
However, acne skin care is not about just showers. Acne skin care is also about wearing clean clothes and sleeping on clean pillows. Moreover, too tight clothes can cause sweat to accumulate quickly; so soft and comfortable cotton clothes are recommended, especially if you already have acne. In the same sense, ‘acne skin care’ also advocates regular cleaning of your make-up brush and any equipment that you use on your body.
Besides that, you should also use a mild, water-soluble, oil-free and soap-free cleanser for keeping your face, neck and arms clean. Cleansing is the most important part of any acne skin care routine. Cleaners are the easiest and the most effective way of removing dirt, grease, pollutants and excess oil from your skin; thus reducing the probability of acne occurrence. Acne skin care also recommends removing your make up using a make up remover, and this should happen before you go to bed (not in the morning).
If you already have acne, do not try to touch them or squeeze them; it can lead to permanent scars. ‘Acne skin care’ advocates gentle cleansing and cleaning of the affected area using an over-the-counter medication and a clean/soft cotton pad. There are various acne skin care creams and lotions available over-the-counter (a lot of these acne skin care products are actually cleansers). However, if these ‘acne skin care’ measures don’t give you the desired results, contact a dermatologist for ‘acne skin care’ advice and treatment.
Top 10 Skin Care Tips
Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This list of skin care tips has been restricted to 10 because anything more than that would not only be difficult to remember, but also shadow the more important tips. So let’s see what this top 10 list consists of:
