Oily Skin Care

Do you suffer from overactive sebaceous glands? That is, oily, shiny skin, and large greasy-looking pores and blackheads? If so, you need to educate yourself in effective oily skin care. We’ll provide you some solid guidelines that you will be able to follow to control this annoying skin condition and improve the way you look and feel. 

What causes your skin to become oily? 

Well, simply put, the sebaceous glands in your skin are producing more sebum (oil) than they should. Like most skin disorders, there is usually some kind of imbalance in your body that causes this to happen. Many skin disorders, oily skin being one of them, are inherited. Other factors that can cause your skin to produce too much sebum include hormonal shifts, improper diet, humidity, heat, certain cosmetics, birth control pills, and pregnancy.  Though aging brings with it a decrease in the production of sebum, which causes our skin to become dry, many adults continue to have oily skin, if to a lesser degree than when they were young. The hormonal imbalances that occur in pregnant and menopausal women can stimulate the sebaceous glands into over-excreting sebum, leading to oily complexions.

Effective oily skin care is not difficult to practice.  Here are some suggestions to improve your condition:

• Wash your skin with warm or tepid – not hot, not cold – water and use pure, gentle soap containing no additives and no alcohol. Wash two or three times a day. Washing too often can lead to an overreaction of the sebaceous glands, resulting in the production of more oil.
• Use very light oil moisturizers and sunscreen to keep your skin supple and reduce the excess oils.
• Clay masks have been widely used for oily skin care – visit our DIY section for some ideas you could try at home.
• Use a deep-cleaning defoliant if you have scaly oily skin. (Try using every other night followed by a light touch of oil-free moisturizer.)
• Adequate hydration is an important component of oily skin care. Drink lots of clean water regularly to keep your skin hydrated and to flush out toxins.
• Reduce intake of sugars, salt, chocolate, and fried foods. Avoid cooking with any oils.
• Avoid carbonated beverages and reduce alcohol consumption.
• Eat low-fat, protein-rich foods, whole grains, fresh fruits and leafy green vegetables.
• Smart, effective oily skin care and smoking do not go together. Find a way to stop smoking. Smoking causes pores to enlarge and harms the skin, among other of your body’s organs.
• Take a good complete multi-vitamin suitable for your sex and age so that you are not deficient in iron, B2, and all other essential vitamins and minerals.
• Use only facial care products and cosmetics that are designed specifically for oily skin.
• Practice common sense good skin care basics for overall skin health and take care of your mind, body and spirit.
• Try a number of all natural skin care techniques and see which ones work best for you. 

Some people have what’s known as combination skin, whereby certain areas of the skin are oily and others are dry. Interestingly, oily skin ages more slowly than other types of skin. That means fewer wrinkles! Just the same, too much sebum, as we know, is not too much of a good thing. 

There is no mystery to effective oily skin care. The guidelines and suggestions provided above, and the additional tips available by clicking on all natural skin care and good skin care will go a long way in reducing the incidence of greasiness, blackheads, and large pores, making you feel fresher and cleaner, and improving your appearance.

Mature Skin Care

Reducing wrinkles around your eyes and mouth, on your forehead and any other place on your body may once have been a pipe dream. Medical science and a greater understanding of how the human body functions have made the prospect of reducing wrinkles a reality for people of all ages.

Various forms of topical treatments may be included in any number of skin care products. These variations of vitamins, acids, antioxidants, and compounds can be packaged either as prescriptions or over-the-counter treatments and all have shown some degree of success in reducing wrinkles. Both the medical treatments and topical treatments cited above can work for different individuals. Not all are suitable for everyone, however.

Different skin sensitivities or conditions may prohibit the use of one or more of these approaches to reducing wrinkles. Allergic reactions are possible.

This is not to discredit or deny the value of these approaches to reducing wrinkles. Discretion and common sense are required, however. The last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money and end up disappointed with the results, or worse, end up with damaged skin.

There are many skin disorders that people have to contend with, wrinkles and fine lines being just one of them. Like the rest of our organs and body, skin ages. It becomes drier with age. Less collagen means less skin elasticity and suppleness, resulting in more wrinkles.

Here are some easy tips you can begin to do now for reducing wrinkles:

• Stay out of the sun - nothing ages your skin more than sun exposure. If you have to be in the sun, wear protective clothing and sunscreen.
• If you hope to reduce wrinkles and fine lines give yourself the best opportunity to be successful by drinking lots of pure, clean, non-caffeinated water every day to rejuvenate and hydrate skin cells. Water, combined with regular exercise, will allow the body to sweat more efficiently, removing toxins and allowing nutrients to enter through your pores into your bloodstream.
• Exercise regularly - healthy blood circulation will keep your skin looking younger.
• Get plenty of rest - sleeping on your back has been proven to reduce wrinkles on your face.
• Eat right - foods rich in omega-3 (like fish), soy products, fruits and vegetables, all of which help in reducing wrinkles and getting skin to look younger and fresher.
• Don't smoke, don't overindulge in alcohol and don't stress yourself out.
• Keep your skin moist - too much washing will strip your skin of its natural oils; use a good skin moisturizer.
• Avoid refined sugars and flours, fried foods, and foods high in saturated fats, which can increase the amount of oil and bacteria beneath the skin.
• Foods high in antioxidants include soy and soybean curd products, olive oil, black beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, watermelon, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and yes, dark chocolate.
• Our diets aren’t always as complete as they can, it’s a good idea to supplement them by at least adding a quality multivitamin suitable for your age and gender. Look for sufficient levels of Vitamins A, C, and E, which are potent antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals.