Skin Care Tips

Have a huge pimple the night before a big interview or date? Put a dab of toothpaste on a pimple before bed and by the time you wake up the pimple should be all dried out!
>> That bruise on your knee is still there! Brush over the bruise with a fine toothed comb to heal brusies quicker. Combing your bruise speads out the blood that collects underneath the skin cutting healing time in half.
>> For an overnight treatment of blemishes, cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing.
>> Drink lots of water. Internal hydration keeps skin cells plump and healthy. Water also helps transport nutrients to skin cells, keeping them nourished.
>> Dark circles:

1) Use the potassium in raw potato slices to minimize dark circles. Lie down and apply the potato slices under the eye. Allow the juices to absorb into the affected area.

2) Use inexpensive, not herbal, tea bags with tannic acid to minimize dark circles. Briefly steep the teabag, then let cool. Gently press the tea bag from inner to outer corners to drain the water before placing it under your eye. Lie down and apply the teabags under the eye. Be sure the teabag is cool; too warm, and they’ll puff up the eye. Allow the tannic acid to be absorbed into the affected area.

3) Soak cotton pads in rose water. Gently squeeze out the excess water from the pads. Lie down and apply the pads under the eye. Allow the rose water to absorb into the affected area.

>> Puffy eyes:

1) Take a metal spoon and run it under cold water. Place the metal on puffy area for at least sixty seconds.

2) Apply hemorrhoid cream (look for brands that include yeast and shark’s liver oil) to the puffy area.

3) Use thin cucumber slices as a compress over closed eyes.

4) Place a black tea bag soaked in cold water on each eye for ten minutes to reduce swelling caused by fluid retention. Gently press the tea bag from inner to outer corners to drain the water before placing it on your closed eye.

5) Avoid salty foods, which cause the under eye area (and the rest of your body) to hold fluid.

6) Elevate your head when you sleep to keep fluid from settling around your eyes.
>>Shaving rash: To soothe a shaving irritation, chill wet chamomile tea bags and place them on the inflamed skin. Chamomile has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and pain-relieving properties. For large areas of irritated skin, make a compress by dipping a gauze pad into a very strong, cold cup of chamomile tea.
>>Chafing: Apply corn starch directly from the box to the friction points. Corn starch is a moisture-absorbing powder.
>> Crows feet: Break open a vitamin E capsule and add it to about a dram of moisturizer. Gently pat it
under the eye -- never pull or rub this skin because it’s much too delicate to respond well to roughness.
>> Stretch marks: Rub flaxseed oil on the skin that’s been stretched. Flaxseed is high in vitamin E, which promotes cell regeneration.

>> Age spots are shallow pigmentations of the skin due to excessive sun exposure. They respond well to topical treatments. A natural method is to hold a lemon half directly on the age spot for ten minutes. Rinse off with warm water. Repeat once a day until the spot has been shed.
>> Blackheads: Soak a cotton ball in warm salt water. Press on top of blemish for three minutes to dissolve the top. Remove blackheads gently so you don’t scar your skin. Combine 1/4 cup boiling water with one teaspoon Epsom salt and three drops of iodine. Let mixture cool until it’s comfortable to the touch. Saturate a cotton ball with mixture and dab on blackheads. This will allow them to loosen so they can be easily squeezed with a gauze pad. When the blemish is gone, dab a bit of honey on the affected area to deep-clean the pore and draw out bacteria. Let sit for ten minutes, then rinse with warm water.
>> Dry Skin: Warm 1/4 cup olive oil in microwave. Make sure it’s comfortable to the touch and massage into skin. Wipe off with a cotton towel.
>> For flaky skin: Massage a small amount of honey all over your face. Let it sit for about ten minutes. Remove with a cotton ball dipped in grapefruit juice. Leave this juice on five minutes before rinsing with warm water. Revlon makes a Honey Masque that uses the same concept as this home-made formula.
>> Oil-remover: Peel the skin off an overripe tomato and crush the tomato into a mash. Tomatoes contain oil-absorbing acids that are natural exfoliants. Spread the tomato mash on your clean face and leave it on for fifteen minutes. Rinse with warm water.
>> Complexion renewer: Warm 1/2 cup of canned coconut milk in the microwave for thirty seconds. Stir in two tablespoons honey. Massage into skin and leave on for ten minutes. Rinse with warm water. Coconut milk smells good and contains lactic acid, an emollient, and honey, a cleanser.
>> Skin buffer: Mix 1/2 teaspoon baby oil with enough baking soda to make a paste. Massage over the skin and rinse with lukewarm water. This is a scrub – it doesn’t have to set on the skin. This should be the roughest action you ever take on your face.

>> Pore Cleanser: Mix one packet with two cups of boiling water in a bowl. Put your cleansed face over the bowl and drape a towel over your head so the steam will go into your face and not into the air. Stay there for no more than ten minutes. Wipe off with a towel – you’ll see the debris and accumulation come right off.
>> To unclog pores and control oil: mix a packet of raw sugar with enough lemon to create a spreadable consistency. Rub into nose and chin area, where large pores tend to settle. Rinse with warm water. Raw sugar is a natural glycolic acid that loosens dirt and dead skin. Pore-cleaning strips temporarily make pores appear smaller but are not a treatment.
>> Pore tightener: Cut half of a cucumber into slices and soak in 1/4 cup rose water and one teaspoon witch hazel. Refrigerate. Slide over skin after cleansing. This will reduce the appearance of the pores and tighten skin. Refrigerate the leftover solution for up to one week.

Cucumbers contain anti-wrinkling hormones and a pH of 5.5, the same as healthy skin. Use cucumbers to clean you pores and tighten skin. Rub cucumbers over your legs after you’ve shaved or waxed them.
>> Wrinkles: Take a vitamin C tablet (the strongest you can find) and dissolve it in 1/2 teaspoon boiling water. Vitamin C is the only topical antioxidant that has been proven to prevent oxidation of tissue. Let the water cool until comfortable to the touch. Add it to a small amount of eye cream, and gently apply it under the eye and around the mouth. Never use a facial moisturizer on the eye area if you have sensitive skin.
>> Oils for skin care: These oils can be found at a health food store.
Almond Oil: Excellent for all skin types to soften and smooth.
Apricot Kernel Oil: Good for delicate and mature skins. Extremely rich in vitamin A.
Avocado Oil: Good for treating dry or sunburned skin problems because of its high content of vitamins A and E..
Flaxseed Oil: High in vitamin E, and useful in promoting cell regeneration.
Olive Oil: Great for body and hair. Maximize the benefits by slightly warming in the microwave.
Wheat Germ Oil: Excellent for sensitive skin because it can be used as both a face and eye gel. Never use a facial moisturizer on the eye area if you’re prone to sensitive skin.