By : Louise Forrest
So many of us have oily skin and ca not seem to find the best way to care for it. Because everybodys chemical makeup is different, what works for one person may not always for another. Because of this, we have compiled this list of tips and tricks from a number of people who suffer from oily skin. These tricks have worked for them and hopefully you will find the ones that will work for you.
Chamomile Toner; use fresh chamomile and witch hazel to create your own toner. Let the chamomile wilt for 24 hours, then place in a mason jar. Cover with witch hazel, close the jar, and let sit in direct sunlight for 2 weeks. Other beneficial plants that can be used along with the chamomile are: calendula, comfrey, elder, Echinacea, lavender, and peppermint (especially good for a morning wake up). To use any of these additional plants, you will need to do it when you make up the toner. Wilt the plant for 24 hours, like the chamomile, and place in the mason jar with the chamomile. Cover all of the plants you have in the jar with witch hazel, close the jar, and let the jar sit in direct sunlight for 2 weeks. This way of making a solution is referred to as an infusion. The witch hazel is infused with the beneficial extracts from the plants. By wilting the plants for 24 hours before putting them in with witch hazel, you are letting water evaporate from them, leaving only the valuable extract to infuse your witch hazel.
Safflower Oil Pills; take one 3 times a day. You will see results beginning after a week; your oily skin will begin to balance and pimples will begin disappearing. If you choose to eat a salad with safflower oil as a dressing, omit one of the doses in pill form. Once the issue is under control, you can change dosage to twice a day.
Clean everything; your makeup applicators need to be cleaned regularly to get oil out of them. The oil on your face gets transferred to the applicators you use, so using a good antibacterial dishwashing liquid will dissolve the oil on them as well as killing any bacteria that they may have picked up. This cleaning needs to be done once or twice a week, depending on how oily/broken out your skin is.
Aspirin; make this mask for exfoliation. Place 10 aspirin tablets in a sandwich baggie and crush. Pour the powdered aspirin into a small bowl and mix with 1 ½ tablespoons hot, distilled water. Apply to your face and let sit for 20 minutes. With wet hands, massage tiny circles all over your face lightly, rinse with warm water.
Sugar Cane; apply pure sugar cane extract to your oily areas.
Adzuki Beans; grind dried Adzuki beans into a fine powder (easiest in a coffee grinder), and store powder in a small, airtight container. Use a small amount of this powder (about 1 ½ teaspoons) mixed with enough distilled water to make a paste. Lightly rub the paste on your skin to exfoliate. Remember that exfoliation should be done with care. You do not want to damage your skin from over exfoliation.
Egg Whites; beat 2 egg whites until firm (they will form peaks), apply to your face and leave until dry. Cleanse the mask off with a mild organic cleanser. This mask has been around through many decades of facial care history and has proven to be beneficial to many people.
Sweets; mix a couple of tablespoons of honey with enough granulated sugar to make a paste and massage your face with the mixture. Use a light hand and make tiny circles, concentrating on oily areas and clogged pores. Rinse with warm water. Between the natural exfoliates in sugar, the moisturizing benefits of honey, and the tiny sugar granules, this mixture is excellent for your skin.
About The Author-- Louise Forrest has created the ultimate FREE Health & Beauty guide. Find out how you can gain access to FREE natural skin care articles, tips and techniques at http://www.NaturalElements.co.uk Discover how you can control your oily skin and the face spots which can occur at www.NaturalElements.co.uk
How To Control Oily Skin
Introducing The Skin Wizard : Aloe Vera
By : Louise Forrest
The Arabic word, alloeh which means bitter, lends itself to the naming of the Aloe Vera which is a succulent plant filled with a bitter, watery, gel like substance.
It is this filling that gives you a world of organic skin care uses from this plant. Aloe Vera has been utilized at least since the ancient Egyptians in 1500 B.C. The father of modern medicine, Galen, was a believer in the skin restorative qualities of Aloe Vera.
These qualities have inspired many nicknames: burn plant, lily of the desert, medicine plant, plant of immortality, plant of life, and wand of heaven. It is also known as The True Aloe, because it has more healing qualities than any other variety.
For the organic skin care lover, this plant has it all. The multitude of things offered all come from use of the gel found within the leaves. For wounds and burns, Aloe Vera has incredible healing powers as well as natural antibacterial properties and chemicals that work with your immune system. There is less scarring with fresh Aloe Vera treatment and burns do not blister as much. Inflammation, irritation, and itching are easily relieved by applying this natural skin care treatment, making it great for acne as well as psoriasis and eczema patients (provided they are not allergic to it; test a small area first). Insect bites are usually very responsive to the healing qualities of the plant and few people show allergies to fresh Aloe Vera gel. Aside from the healing values, you can gain firmness and elasticity through regular use.
You should have your own plant because the medicinal values of the plant are better the earlier you utilize it (whether burn, wound, acne, etc). For instance, application of fresh Aloe Vera gel when you first feel the slight burn and itch of a cold sore coming up often keeps the sore from ever completely forming as long as you reapply as necessary for a day or so. No matter the claims, no store bought gel compares to the properties of fresh Aloe Vera and it does not work for long after being cut. You may be able to make a cut piece last a day or so by wrapping it well with cellophane and storing in the refrigerator.
The best way to get one is to get a couple of shoots off of a friends plant (a friend who does not use fertilizers or pesticides). If you cannot do that, then you will need to purchase one from a store or nursery. Restore as soon as you get a plant home so that you immediately get it started in an organic state of growth. This is necessary because Aloe Vera growers use commercial fertilizers and pesticides; these substances are drawn into the plant through the roots and will be applied to your skin.
The plant loves warmth and sunlight; it does not make it through cold temperatures well, but still thrives in northern areas as long as it is kept in plenty of warmth and sunshine (inside with southern exposure). It handles drought but needs some water, so planting in sandy soil and good drainage is a must, especially when potting to keep inside. It needs less water in the winter, as it is dormant during this time. Always allow the soil to completely dry before you water, soaking during summer months and only giving it about a cup during winter months. Use wide, shallow pots are better able to accommodate the plants natural root system. Create a mixture of 40% organic humus and 60% sand for potting. This mixture should have an inch or two of gravel beneath it in your pot, which should have a drainage hole in the base. Renew yearly (or as soil begins to look too light) with new humus or sand mixture; you will keep a natural fertilizer in the soil. Outside planting is only recommended in places like Southern Florida where frost is not a worry.
The healing properties of Aloe Vera have been the subject of many studies, both for internal use and topical use. Internal use is controversial, but topical use studies in healing the skin from a variety of attacks tend to show comparable results. Topical application seems to aid healing time in skin injuries, irritations, and diseases by anywhere from 35% to 55% faster healing. It should be understood, however that many false claims about the plant are being proclaimed. This plant does not cure AIDS, nor does it help heal skin disorders due to radiation or chemotherapy for cancer patients.
About The Author-- Louise Forrest has created the ultimate FREE Health & Beauty guide. Find out how you can gain access to FREE organic skin care articles, tips and techniques at http://www.NaturalElements.co.uk Learn how you can benefit fromorganic skin care at www.NaturalElements.co.uk
