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HOLISTIC SKIN CARE AT ITS FINEST

Cleanse
Cleansing Milk – This is a facial cleanser. Not always a foaming cleanser.
Watch out for cleansers that foam a lot as they may contain detergents or
surfactants that strip the moisture out of the skin and make your skin dry.
Oilier skin types which have an oily T-zone, the area of the face that forms a
t-shape, along the nose or middle of the face and forehead will tolerate a
foaming facial cleanser. Combination skin types contain different levels of oil
and hydration/water moisture in different areas of the face. One area may be
dry while another area is oily. For example, an oily nose and dry cheeks. Dry
skin comes in two forms. There is water dry and oil dry. Most people have
dehydrated skin due to environmental factors and because most of us just
don’t drink enough water. This can also be caused from using petroleum
based products that rid the skin of moisture. Oil dryness usually occurs in dry
winter months or in the aging process. The drier the skin the older its
appearance is.

Exfoliate
A good exfoliator is essential to any skin care regimen. Depending on the
type of exfoliator used, the frequency of exfoliation can be 2-3 days.
Exfoliation is the shedding of the surface layer of the skin. We shed this skin
naturally every day as our cells are constantly repairing and reproducing
themselves.
There are exfoliates that are scrubs. They contain some type of gristle such as
pumice, ground up nuts, or seeds to shed this layer of skin. There are also
substances that breakdown the protein of the skin to shed the surface layer of
skin such a s bromelain. This is an enzyme that is in papaya and pineapple.
Enzyme peeling exfoliates can be used 2-3 times per week. A fine gristle
scrub can be used daily on oilier skin types. These two types of exfoliates can
also be used in combination.

Did You Know?
Every seven years our body reproduces its cells. Billions of cells that make up our bodies change the texture of our hair, skin, nails, and our vital organs are also regenerated as these cells reproduce.

Tone
After cleansing the skin, there is usually a tight feeling or a dry feel to the
skin. This is because cleansers strip the skin’s acid mantle which has a pH of
about 4.5-6, normally. The alkaline nature of a cleanser will alter this state.
The acid mantle is a protective barrier, therefore this pH must be restored to
keep the skin in total health. The next step in your skin care regimen should
consist of a toner or sometimes what we call a lotion. This product is water
based. It combats dehydration of the skin and restores the skin’s acid mantle.
The difference between a lotion and a toner is the alcohol. Alcohol is usually
in toners. They may also contain an astringent such as witch hazel. Preferably
an alcohol free lotion would be the best choice due to the drying effect of
alcohol on the skin. Though alcohol has a cleansing effect the drying effect it
has on the skin is not in the best interest of the skin. Essential oils of rose
increase moisture in dry skin. Citrus extracts of grapefruit, orange, and lemon
help combat oiliness. Problematic skin that is subject to breakout can use
ingredients such as salicylic acid and glycolic to clear up blemishes.

Moisturize
Moisturizers are essential to skin care as well. They are water-based or oilbased. Oil-based moisturizers usually have a small water content providing
more oil to dryer skin types. Hydration is needed in oilier skin types because
there is no need for added oil. Facial creams for dry or sensitive skin also
tend to be thicker than water-based moisturizers used on oily skin. Dry and
sensitive skin moisturizers tend to be more creamy and white; while oily skin
moisturizers have little to no oil with a more of a gel-like consistency. They
are lighter in texture. It is very important that no products containing mineral
oil or petroleum are used as moisturizers on our skin. It suffocates the skin
depleting it of oxygen. It just sits in the pores thereby clogging them and
making them larger and vulnerable to infection.

Shea butter based moisturizers are good for dry, sensitive. Oils rich in alpha
lipoic acid such as olive oil and flax seed oil are good for stimulating the
production of collagen in the skin which gives elasticity to the skin. Almond,
evening primrose and jojoba oil are also natural oils that are food for the skin.
Add a cleanser, exfoliator, toner, and moisturizer to your daily or bidaily routine. Seek to get all natural ones.

B Y  D R .  K A N I K A  J A M I L A

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