Healthy Skin Month is Coming!

Hey did you know that November is Healthy Skin Month? What better time than to get your skin in the best health possible.

What's necessary for healthy skin?

1. Start by making sure you follow a daily skin care regimen. Read these Skin Care Tips for more detail.
   
   
2. Use skin care products that are right for your skin type (normal, dry, oily, sensitive, combination)
   
   
3. Since whatever you put on your skin is absorbed into it, avoid skin care products with heavy laden chemicals.  While it is necessary to have some form of preservative to prevent bacterial invasion, avoid products that contain Parabens (ex: methylparaben, butylparaben).  Also avoid Sodium Laurel Sulfate and ingredients that look like it (ex: Sodium Lauryth Sulfate).  The chemicals prematurely age your skin and can even cause other health problems.
   
   
4. Patience - If you have issues with acne or other skin conditions, it takes time to get your skin healthy.  You may need to see a dermatologist but still be aware of the chemicals they are giving  you to use.  Acne medicines are ok to use for a short while.  Howevever if you notice your skin looking wrinkled or dried out, STOP using the product and consult your doctor.  Some ingredients are too harsh for sensitive skin.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

 NOTE: Blended Naturals is being re-launched this month. What a great time for a healthy skin line to be introduced during  healthy skin month!  Stay tuned for the announcement.  I'll be giving away free samples. All you will have to do is sign up to receive them - while supplies last so stay tuned!

Free Skin Hydrotherapy At Home

As a member of Total Beauty, I have access to tons of great beauty tips.  Some of it isn't for skin like mine (and yours if you are a woman of color).  However, whatever I come across that I know will be useful, I pass it on to you!  This one is about hydrotherapy...

Your shower is the place to go when you need a free hydration treatment. Since this blog is for women with all kinds of skin issues, dry skin is probably a problem for you on some part of your body!

A hydration treatment at home is a comparable solution to expensive spa treatments.  Here's what to do:

1. Run the shower water until it becomes hot and steamy
2. Jump right in!
3. Let the steamy water roll down your body for about five minutes then switch to 20 seconds of cold water (I know, it may be a shock for a minute but keep going)
4. Repeat, starting with the steamy water.  This hot to cold water technique will hydrate your skin and stimulate the blood flow.

 The Result: A fresh radiant glow
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Michelle Howard Smith is helps women of color to achieve healthy skin by providing an array of information including how to care for the skin with natural products. Subscribe to The Skin Natural newsletter to receive information on skin care and related topics.

The Big 4 for Fresh Radiant Skin

There are so many skin care products on the market that it's sometimes overwhelming.  While it's true that many brands are good, it's equally true that certain brands have an edge when it comes to beautifying your skin. What is that edge you may ask?  Well, it's simply their ingredient make up.

When it comes to having beautiful skin (and who doesn't want that right?), there are four key ingredients to look for in your skin care products that will help to promote fresh radiant skin. The following skin care ingredients are very beneficial for healthy skin:

1. Peptides - Helps to heal blemished skin and is also effective for improving skin elasticity
   
2. Vitamin C - A natural antioxidant that's effective to improve overall skin appearance
   
3. Retinol A - Destroys free radicals that are in the skin and reduces the production of acne causing oils
   
4. AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) - Helps reduce wrinkles and increases moisture in the skin

Using skin products with at least 2 or 3 of these ingredients will prove very beneficial.  Of course, it's also important to use sunscreen and if you can find a product that has a sun protection factor of at least 30, that's a bonus.

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Michelle Howard Smith is a natural skin care professional and helps individuals to achieve healthy skin by providing an array of information including how to care for the skin with natural products. Subscribe to The Skin Natural newsletter to receive information on skin care and similar topics.

Look Like You Have Fresh Skin

Sometimes it takes a while to have fresh radiant skin. In the meantime, there are things you can do to make you at least look like you have fresh skin. In order to accomplish this, you have to shake things up a bit so to speak. Here's what I mean...

Is Your Skin Clean Enough?

A big secret to having fresh radiant skin is to make sure your skin is thoroughly cleansed at least twice a day. Part of your daily skin care regimen should be cleansing with a gentle cleanser followed by a facial toner that does not contain parabens or sodium laurel/laureth sulfate (chemicals that can potentially dry out and cause damage to your skin).

While there are generally four main skin types (dry, oily, normal and combination) and everyone possesses a differently type, there are facial cleansers available for all skin types that have the ability to cleanse your skin gently and thoroughly.

Using an adequate cleanser and toner (such as Blended Naturals Detoxifying Facial Cleansing Gel and Facial Toner) day and night will ensure your skin is thoroughly cleansed of:

• Dirt
• Oils
  
• Make up

With proper daily skin cleansing, fresh radiant skin truly is possible.

Tip: Treat yourself to a facial treatment at a spa performed by an esthetician once per month for optimal results

The Dead Sea

In our quest to have fresh radiant skin, I can not neglect to present to you The Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is a major resource for many natural skin care manufacturers due to it's extremely rich mineral content and the fact that's it's completely pollution-free. This is optimal for producing products such as balms, salves and bath salts. How many places in the world can boast such an oasis?

The Dead Sea is located in Jordan and the Jordan River is the ONLY river that flows into the Dead Sea with absolutely no outlets. The weather is perfect - Sunny and pleasant throughout the entire year.

The surrounding areas to The Dead Sea have such a rich mineral content (rich in sodium, potassium, bromine and other minerals, extremely beneficial for fresh radiant skin) coupled with reduced radiation. This is a prime location that has been discovered to have therapeutic healing effects.

Fun Fact: The Dead Sea was a place of peace and safety for King David as recorded in The Holy Bible

Read more and see additional fantastic images about the Dead Sea here