Honey - So Beneficial in Skin Care Products

Author: Carol Belanger

Source: ezinearticles.com



What's not to like about honey! It's great on toast, in tea, and offers so many benefits when used in skin care products. Honey is not anything new; it has been around for thousands of years! Honey, homemade face mask , has been and still is used in food products and in medicine. Honey is now emerging into the cosmetics industry which is really not new either. Honey has been used by women in the early days of the Roman Empire as facial masks, honey and milk baths, etc.

Honey is comprised of 98% sugar and 2% enzymes, vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals would include vitamin C, a variety of B vitamins such as niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid, and the mineral potassium. It is also rich in amino acids. This combination of natural ingredients offers a multitude of benefits when used in skin care products.

Properties of Honey:

Natural humectants - which makes it a superb moisturizing ingredient. Honey has the ability to bind moisture, homemade face mask , to the skin to help it stay hydrated. Additionally, it will smooth out rough, dry and wrinkled skin.

A natural antioxidant - which fights off free radical damage. Antioxidants are used in skin care products to fight free, homemade face mask , radicals and reverse the signs of aging.

Ant-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties - Honey also possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. These properties are beneficial for those with problems skin such as mild acne. Research has shown honey has shown to manage acne by attacking, homemade face mask , the bacteria which is causing the outbreaks. Because of its potent antibacterial properties, hospitals in Asia and Europe have used honey infused bandages to help heal infected wounds successfully

Below are some simple, homemade face mask , skin care recipes to enjoy the many benefits of honey. Although honey tends to be well tolerated by most skin types, a patch test is always recommended.

Easy Cleansing Scrub

Mix honey with ground almonds and scrub on face. Note: if allergic to nuts this would not be recommended. Try cornmeal instead.

Purifying Scrub

Mix 1 tbsp. of honey with 2 tbsp. finely ground almonds and 1/2 tsp. lemon juice. Massage gently onto face and rinse well with warm water. Follow with toner

Firming Facial mask

Whisk a tablespoon of honey together with an egg white, 1 teaspoon of glycerin and about 1/4 cup of flour. Smooth on the face, leave on 15 minutes, and rinse off with, homemade face mask , warm water.

Moisturizing pack

Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with 2 teaspoons of whole milk, smooth over the face and throat, and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, and finish by splashing with cold water.

Moisturizing lotion

for dry patches such as elbows, mix 1 teaspoon of honey with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, then apply. Wash off after 15 minutes.

For easy exfoliates, facial masks and facial peels you can easily make at home, visit Complete Skin Care Therapy

Carol Belanger, author of 300+ Skin Care Recipes

Cucumber Skin Care - A Simple Way to Get Beautiful

Author: Aysha Khan

Source: ezinearticles.com



A cucumber is a trendy salad of all ages, belonging to the some family as pumpkin, mask melon and other types of squashes. It is native to Southeast Asia where it grows wild, particularly India where it grows in a number of genetic varieties.

There are records of cucumber cultivation in different parts of world for centuries. Earlier tourists spread this veggie to rest of Asia, Europe and Africa consequently and later on to New world of Americas. man became aware with the health benefits of, homemade face mask , cucumber at very early ages. It was particularly popular among ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilization for it's soothing and refreshing properties.

Cucumber has a dark green skin although it may vary in color, homemade face mask , from pale yellow to white with a light greenish flesh that containing scores of edible fleshy seeds vary according to their variety.

The flash of cucumber is mainly water, almost 95% yet it contains traces of some useful nutrient, including vitamin C, potassium silicon and sulfur. It is this unique consistency of cucumber that gives a cool refreshing feeling when applied externally on the skin.

Puffy eyes: The high water content in cucumber makes it colder our skin. This helps of reduce swelling and puffiness in the same way as cold compresses.
Sun burns: In case of sun burns, homemade face mask , . Topical application of cucumber gives a cool and calm effect. It's repeated use helps to heal the lesion for this purpose. Usually chilled cucumber slices are more effective.
Hair Loss: Silicon and sulphur present in cucumber are known to stop hair loss. These also promote new hair growth when taken orally for a long, homemade face mask , time.

For this purpose cucumber juice is usually recommended.

Cosmetic use:

Cucumber is a great way to naturally hydrate your skin both internally and externally. Besides, hydration cucumber also promote glowing skin through silica and ascorbic acid-important constituents, homemade face mask , of cucumber.
Silica helps to maintain skin tone by strengthening connective tissue. It also gives you a radiant complexion with youthful skin.
Further more, it promotes hair elasticity, luster and elasticity.
Ascorbic acid or vitamin C another of important element, is well known for anti aging and skin whitening properties. Thus regular use of cucumbers give you more healthy, younger looking skin with a radiant complexion and beautiful lustrous hair.
For promoting, homemade face mask , beautiful skin and hair, cucumber is not only taken orally but also applied topically to enhance it's beneficial effects. This can be done either by placing grated cucumber or cucumber slices over face or by make useful homemade face masks.

Check some easy and practical recipes with cucumber to promote soft and smooth skin with a glowing complexion at http://www.SkinCare09.com. Also check our huge collection of Natural skin care and natural hair care recipes.

Low Budget Skin Care That Works

Author: Carol Belanger

Source: isnare.com



We all want a natural and, face mask , glowing complexion. Nobody wants lines or wrinkles, or age spots or blemishes. This is evidenced, face, face mask , mask , by the amount of dollars spent every year on cosmetics and miracle creams and lotions. While the cosmetic industry would like you to believe that their product is the "one that works", you can spend a lot of money finding one that truly benefits your particular skin type.I know, face mask , that when I walk into a store and, face mask , shop for a skin care product, I am usually overwhelmed at the selection and the prices. I read the label and read their claims of "no more wrinkles" and "dramatically reduces the signs of aging", etc., then I usually question if it really works. I don't want to spend upwards of $30 and not see any improvement in my skin.With that in mind, I set out to find a better and more cost effective skin care program. I t have come to the conclusion, face mask , that homemade skin care is an inexpensive alternative. In addition, homemade skin care really works and as an added benefit, no animal testing involved!Skin care recipes are easily customizable for each skin type. For instance, an oily complexion may want to add a little witch hazel (for its drying properties) to their toner mixture, whereas a dry skin type may add just a bit of Jasmine (moisturizes dry, stressed and sensitive skins and also helps to increase elasticity). The same theory applies to creating your moisturizers and exfoliation treatments. Each recipe is custom made to your liking. In addition the fragrances you decide to choose or blend are truly unique for you taste.Some common ingredients used in skin are almond oil, aloe Vera, chamomile and, face mask , green tea. Each of these ingredients brings with them unique characteristics. For example almond oil is a wonderful vegetable oil for dry skin. It is used as a carrier oil to blend with other essentials oils. In addition it is easily absorbed into the skin and is an excellent emollient. Aloe Vera stimulates skin cell regeneration and is also known for it healing properties. Chamomile tones all types of complexions. The anti-inflammatory effect of the essential, face mask , oil applied topically improves skin regeneration, and a cold compress does wonders for puffy eyes. Chamomile is used in facial steams to reduce puffiness and cleanse the pores of the skin. Green tea a powerful antioxidant and a potent anti-inflammatory agent thereby reducing inflammation in the skin.Below is a facial mask recipe for both dry and oily skin types.Avocado and Olive Oil Facial MaskIngredients: half ripe avocadoolive oil (for dry skin)Scoop out the flesh of the avocado and mash to form a smooth paste. Apply to face and leave on 10 to 15 minutes. Soften with warm water and wipe clean. Pat face dry and follow with your choice of toner and moisturizer.